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11 Jul 2005 : Column 774W—continued
Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department will take to encourage those taking part in the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme to remain in Scotland following the expiration of the initial two-year visa. [9452]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 5 July 2005]: We have provided, in the Immigration Rules and guidance on the scheme, that participants may remain in Scotland after the initial two years as long as they meet the relevant requirements. They may apply to extend their stay in a relevant managed migration category. This could be as a work permit holder, a highly skilled migrant, a business person or a business innovator.
Homophobic Assaults
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homophobic assaults there were in London in each year since 1997. [7464]
Hazel Blears: The requested information cannot be supplied as offences involving homophobia are not documented separately in the recorded crime series.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homophobic hate crimes there have been since recording began, broken down by London borough; and if he will make a statement. [2921]
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Hazel Blears: The requested information cannot be supplied as offences involving homophobia are not documented separately in the recorded crime series.
In 2001 the Metropolitan Police Service (MRS) and the Royal Holloway University of London, funded by the Home Office Targeted Policing Initiative, undertook a joint project that aimed to develop a strategic overview of hate crime information recorded by the MPS. Information about the project can be found on the MPS's website at http://www.met.police.uk/urhc/index.htm and www.met.police.uk/urhc/ho_fact6.pdf
Hunger Strikers
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to deal with hunger strikers in detention centres. [10494]
Mr. McNulty: The condition of the health and well-being of those who are declining to accept their meals is being carefully monitored and managed. Food is available to all hunger strikers and they are seen daily by a medical practitioner to check their condition.
Illegal Immigrants
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the recently announced figures for people estimated to be illegally in the country included dependants; and what methodology was used to calculate the total. [10453]
Mr. McNulty: The estimate of the size unauthorised (illegal) population contained in RDS online report 29/05—Sizing the unauthorised (illegal) migrant population in the United Kingdom in 2001" includes foreign born dependants. The methodology used is described on pages two to four of the report.
Immigration and Nationality Directorate
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's Complaints Audit Committee produced in 2004; and how many complaints were made to it. [6431]
Mr. McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate's (IND) independent Complaints Audit Committee (CAC) produced four quarterly reports following their audit of complaints completed during 2003–04. Their annual report for 2003–04 was published on 20 July 2004. Copies of the report were put in the Library of the House. It is also available on the IND's website.
The CAC do not deal with complaints. Their remit is to monitor the effectiveness of IND's procedures for investigating formal complaints about the conduct and efficiency of staff in IND, and since 1999 to comment on quality of service issues.
The CAC's annual report for 2004–05 was published on 29 June 2005; copies are available in the Library.
Licensed Premises (Violent Crime)
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 20 June
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2005, Official Report, column 764W, on Licensed Premises (violent crime), when he expects the statistics for violent offences committed in connection with licensed premises in each police area for 2004–05 to be available. [7996]
Hazel Blears: Data are expected to be available in autumn 2005.
Live8 Concert (Policing)
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the commissioner for the Metropolitan police regarding the use of police officers from other forces to help police theLive8 concert; and what additional funding his Department will provide to meet these costs. [7375]
Hazel Blears: No discussions have been held with the commissioner, who is responsible for the operations of the Metropolitan Police Service.
He informs me that policing the 'Live 8' concert in Hyde Park involved a joint operation by the service and the British Transport police. No mutual aid from other forces will be required. No additional funding will be sought from the Government and, because of the charitable nature of the event, no charges will be levied on the organisers of the event.
Methadone
Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the size of the black market in methadone in the UK. [6990]
Paul Goggins [holding answer 28 June 2005]: The Home Office has not made any estimate of the size of the black market in methadone although it is predicted to be very small, as production is strictly regulated.
Metropolitan Police
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will rank each London borough Metropolitan Police Service by (a) number of officers, (b) number of crimes, (c) number of cases detected and (d) percentage of cases detected. [7072]
Hazel Blears: The information requested is given in the following table.
(70)This excludes police officers seconded out to central services but includes those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.
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James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the pension and other benefits packages offered to new police constables joining the Metropolitan police in London are. [8703]
Hazel Blears: Police officers joining the Metropolitan Police Service become members of the Police Pensions Scheme, unless they opt out. The starting salary of a police constable is £19,803. Metropolitan police officers are additionally entitled to London weighting at £1,938 a year and London allowance at £4,338 a year.
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