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14 Jul 2005 : Column 1219W—continued

Hacking

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of (a) internal and (b) external hacking reported by each department contributing to the Unified Reporting and Alert Scheme were categorised as (i) access denied, (ii) browsing, (iii) password abuse, (iv) privilege abuse, (v) data stolen or disclosed, (vi) files deleted or damaged, (vii) fraud and (viii) other in each year since 2002. [10136]

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 July 2005, Official Report, column 123W.

Home Detention Curfews

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many participants there were in the home detention curfew scheme in each month since its inception; and if he will make a statement. [8046]

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested is provided in the table. The figures refer to the number of persons recorded as participating in the home detention curfew scheme on the last Friday of each month.
 
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Number of persons under home detention curfew supervision, England and Wales

1999
February1,351
March2,215
April2,035
May1,872
June1,891
July2,097
August2,134
September2,069
October1,964
November2,006
December1,990
2000
January1,900
February1,820
March1,969
April2,028
May1,988
June1,971
July1,971
August1,896
September1,898
October1,908
November1,859
December1,757
2001
January1,586
February1,607
March1,663
April1,573
May1,596
June1,618
July1,638
August1,639
September1,626
October1,591
November1,738
December1,694
2002
January1,672
February1,707
March1,965
April2,103
May2,300
June2,327
July2,292
August2,410
September2,384
October2,431
November2,584
December3,097
2003
January3,055
February3,019
March3,128
April3,135
May3,112
June3,174
July3,262
August3,772
September3,682
October3,574
November3,613
December3,779
2004
January3,523
February3,444
March3,602
April3,615
May3,588
June3,663
July3,609
August3,574
September3,465
October3,430
November3,351
December3,363
2005
January3,215
February3,221
March3,417
April3,356
May3,337

 
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Identity Cards

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed identity card scheme requires each citizen to be issued with an unique secret pin number. [10711]

Andy Burnham: Information on the card will be protected using a form of credential. This may be a pin number, password, biometric or combination of these.

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many kilobytes of memory capacity the chip within the proposed identity card will contain. [10712]

Andy Burnham: We do not yet have a precise figure for the memory capacity of the chip as this will be one of the factors to be settled as part of the procurement exercise for the National Identity Card Scheme. This will follow once the Bill has been approved by Parliament.

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the encrypted data held on identity cards will be protected by a personal identification number. [11152]

Andy Burnham: Information on the card will be protected using a form of credential. This may be a PIN, password, biometric or combination of these.

London Probation Service

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) sex offenders, (b) drug users, (c) domestic violence offenders and (d) mentally ill persons are being dealt with by the London probation service; and if he will make a statement. [2901]

Fiona Mactaggart: London probation area has a current caseload (including licences) of 40,568, of this 1,505 offenders were sentenced for sexual offences, a further 5,549 offenders with drug offences, (this includes 1,789 Drug Treatment and Testing Orders/DRRs at the end of April 2005). In addition there will clearly be offenders who have not been sentenced for drugs offences but will have substance misuse problems. There are currently just under 200 offenders attending a group programme for domestic violence. Finally, London probation currently have a caseload of 176 offenders
 
14 Jul 2005 : Column 1222W
 
subject to mental treatment as a requirement in a community order and 44 offenders on conditional release from a psychiatric institution.

Magistrates Courts

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many staff were provided by Premier to West London magistrates court in the week beginning 30 May; and how many they are contracted to provide; [4888]

(2) what representations he has received from the chief magistrate about (a) the staffing levels and (b) the quality of service provided by Premier to conduct custody cases to and from court houses; and if he will make a statement; [4889]

(3) how many representations his Department has received about (a) the staffing levels and (b) the quality of service provided by Premier to conduct custody cases to and from court houses since it obtained the contract; and how many complaints were received in the two previous years; [4890]

(4) whether the number of staff provided by Premier at Horseferry Road magistrates court on Friday 10 June was lower than the normal number provided; and if he will make a statement. [4895]

Fiona Mactaggart [holding answer 20 June 2005]: Premier Prison Services Ltd. hold the contract for the escort of prisoners in London and the South East.

11 written representations have been received from London courts since the start of the new contract on 29 August 2004 about a range of subjects including staffing levels and the quality of the service from Premier. Representations have also been received from members of the judiciary, other parts of the criminal justice system as well as the chief magistrate.

Premier are required to provide sufficient staff to the courts to deliver the services, which include escorting prisoners to and from court, staffing the court cell areas and staffing courtrooms where custody cases are being heard. Staffing levels are not specified; the service standards are.

At West London magistrates court, Premier have provided the following figures for the numbers of staff working at the court to staff the custody areas and courtrooms:
Staffing for week commencing 30 May(15)Usual average staffing(15)
Monday 30 May 2005(16)77
Tuesday 31 May 2005119
Wednesday 1 June 2005149
Thursday 2 June 2005129
Friday 3 June 2005159
Saturday 4 June 200567


(15) These figures include custody officers whose normal duty is to escort prisoners to and from court, but who were available at times during the day to staff the courtrooms.
(16) Bank holiday.



 
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On Saturday 4 June Premier did not have sufficient staff available until 09.45 and this led to a delay in court proceedings. This is regretted and Premier have confirmed that they have taken action to prevent this from recurring.

At Horseferry Road magistrates court on Friday 10 June 2005, Premier provided 10 custody officers. The usual average staffing for a Friday is 11 custody officers.

The number of staff required in any courthouse depends on the court listing and the nature of the hearings and the contractors are required to adjust it to meet the demand.
 
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Offences Against the Person Act

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases under (a) section 18 and (b) section 20 of the Offences Against the Persons Act 1861 were brought before the courts in each year since 2000 in (i) Essex and (ii) England; and how many people were convicted in each year. [1225]

Fiona Mactaggart: The data contained in the table gives the number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, Secs 18 and 20, England and Essex police force area 2000 to 2003.

Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861(17), England and Essex police force area 2000 to 2003

England
Essex police force area
StatuteYearProceeded againstFound guiltyProceeded againstFound guilty
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 , Sec 1820006,8511,2499518
20017,5671,31011526
20026,8851,3799224
20036,9581,39110125
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 , Sec 2020005,9553,94812159
20015,5213,91010654
20025,2854,0468765
20034,8883,9707563


(17) These data are on the principal offence basis.



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