House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 18 Jul 2005 (pt 51)

18 Jul 2005 : Column 1484W—continued

Deepcut Barracks

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will inquire into the reasons for the time taken by Devon and Cornwall police to investigate the Surrey police's review of deaths at the Deepcut army barracks; and if he will make a statement. [6924]

Hazel Blears: The terms of reference for this Inquiry require the Devon and Cornwall constabulary to examine a number of issues as they relate to the Surrey police investigation into four deaths at Deepcut Barracks.

These matters are not straightforward and include, among other things, issues around the disposition of officers and others involved in the investigation. These matters are very challenging and deal with issues that have not previously been examined by a police inquiry. A substantial number of documents have had to be examined in close detail and cross referenced to other material and witnesses. The inquiry is essentially a review of four deaths over a seven year period in five distinct and different areas.

Departmental Contracts

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the normal payment terms are for his Department to settle the invoices of building contractors who have performed work for the Home Office. [11679]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The normal payment terms for the Home Office to settle the invoices of building contractors who have performed work for us is within 30 days of delivery and receipt of a valid invoice.

Departmental Purchasing

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the companies from which his Department has purchased goods and services of a total value above £1 million in each of the last three years; and how much was spent in respect of each company. [11728]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office is not able to answer this question without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Spending (Security)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Department has spent on ensuring that his residence has adequate security measures in each of the last three years. [6912]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office do not discuss security arrangements for individuals including costs, for protection reasons.

Disqualified Drivers

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers were disqualified from driving for a period of over two years in each of the last five years; how many subsequently applied to the sentencing court for part of the disqualification period to be lifted on grounds of hardship; and how many were successful. [11549]

Paul Goggins: Available information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database on the number of disqualifications imposed on drivers for motoring offences for a period of two years and over from 1999 to 2003 (latest available), is given in the table.

18 Jul 2005 : Column 1485W

2004 data will be available early in 2006.

Information is not held centrally on the number of appeals and outcome against disqualifications from driving.
Driving disqualifications⁽⁶¹⁾imposed at all courts for a period of two years and over for motoring offences, England and Wales, 1999 to 2003 Number of offences

Disqualification period

2 years
and over Life Total

1999 44,844 45 44,889

2000 43,780 26 43,806

2001 46,300 18 46,318

2002 50,803 35 50,838

2003 53,453 46 53,499

⁽⁶¹⁾Excludes persons disqualified by the courts under section 35 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (penalty points system).

	Disqualification period
	2 years and over	Life	Total
1999	44,844	45	44,889
2000	43,780	26	43,806
2001	46,300	18	46,318
2002	50,803	35	50,838
2003	53,453	46	53,499

Drug Rehabilitation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time to have an appointment for drug rehabilitation treatment was in 2004–05 with the consultant psychiatrist employed by the Health Partnership Trust in St. Albans; and what proportion of his patients are the subject of drug rehabilitation requirements and a drug treatment testing order. [11226]

Ms Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

EU Public Procurement Directive

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibilities will fall to his Department as a result of EU Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC; and what actions his Department plans to take in response to the Directive. [4655]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is currently running a consultation on the draft regulations implementing the new EU Directives on procurement in the public sector (Directive 2004/18/EC) which ends on 12 September. Following this consultation period the deadline for implementation into UK law is 31 January 2006. Once the UK regulations are published the Home Office will be responsible for adhering to the requirements of the new directive which consolidates the current supplies, services, and works directives. The OGC will be issuing guidance on implementation which will be promulgated to all procurement specialists in the Home Office.

Command Papers

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Green and (b) White Papers his Department has produced since 1997, broken down by date. [10511]

Mr. Charles Clarke: A list of all Command Papers produced by Departments from 10 May 2001 to the end of June 2005, prepared by the Office of Public Sector

18 Jul 2005 : Column 1486W

Information (OPSI) has been placed in the Library. This list by Department details the Command Paper number, title and date of publication.

It is not possible to separately identify the number of Green and White Papers. Information is not available prior to 10 May 2001, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

A list of Command Papers from 2001 onwards is also available on the OPSI website at www.opsi.gov.uk with links to the Command Papers where known. The list can be viewed alphabetically by Department as well as numerically."

Identity Cards

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he expects that the Government's proposal on Identity Cards will help individuals to verify that they are not dealing with bogus officials. [10996]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The statutory purposes of the Identity Cards Scheme are to facilitate the provision of a convenient method for individuals to prove registerable facts about themselves to others and the provision of a secure and reliable method for registerable facts about individuals to be verified wherever that is necessary in the public interest.

Identity Cards will assist the public to verify the identity of individuals, as the public will be able to visually compare the photograph on the Identity Card with the individual that is before them. Members of the public will also be able to compare the name on the card with the name of the individual that they are expecting. However it is not proposed that Identity Cards will have the occupation of the individual either on the face of the card or contained within the register, neither would there be any legal obligation for an official to produce a card on request.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish his Department's technical evaluation of the London School of Economics work on Identity Cards. [10999]

Mr. Charles Clarke: A technical evaluation of the London School of Economics report will be published shortly.

Illegal Alcohol Sales

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were prosecuted for selling alcohol to under-age children in each year since 1997 in (a) England and (b) each region. [8681]

Andy Burnham: The available information from the Home Office Court Proceedings database, relating to those prosecuted against for selling alcohol to under-age children in England and each region, 1997 to 2003, is shown in table 1.

Statistics for 2004 will be available in the autumn.

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The penalty notice for disorder scheme provides for persons who commit specified penalty offences to be issued with a fixed penalty notice instead of being prosecuted. The offence of selling alcohol to persons aged under 18 was added to the PND scheme on

18 Jul 2005 : Column 1488W

1 November 2004 for use on bar or off-licence staff, licensees will be prosecuted to enable action to be taken to revoke their licences. Table 2 lists the number of penalty notices issued for this offence in 2004 and 2005 to the end of May.
Table 1: Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to the sale of alcohol to underage persons⁽⁶²⁾, England and each region, 1997 to 2003

Offence description Statute Region 1997 1998 1999

Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to Licensing Act, 1964, section 169(1); North East 34 94 41

persons under 18 for consumption Licensing (Occasional Permissions) North West 55 58 41

on the premises Act 1983, schedule (sec. 3) para. 4(1) Yorkshire and Humberside 16 22 17

East Midlands 19 15 14

West Midlands 25 20 34

Eastern 18 18 7

London 12 12 16

South East 9 18 10

South West 2 40 5

England 190 297 185

Wholesaler selling intoxicating Licensing Act 1964, sec. 181A(1) as North East — — —

liquor to a person under 18 added by Licensing Act 1988, sec. 17 North West — — —

Yorkshire and Humberside — — —

East Midlands 1 — —

West Midlands — — —

Eastern — — —

London — 1 1

South East — — —

South West — — —

England 1 1 1

Offence description Statute Region 2000 2001 2002 2003

Selling etc., intoxicating liquor Licensing Act, 1964, section 169(1); North East 18 18 8 40

to persons under 18 for Licensing (Occasional Permissions) North West 27 35 73 198

consumption on the premises Act 1983, schedule (sec. 3) para. 4(1) Yorkshire and Humberside 22 29 14 8

East Midlands 9 6 11 76

West Midlands 21 11 12 61

Eastern 6 5 4 11

London 2 19 11 97

South East 6 17 12 27

South West 4 6 2 15

England 115 146 147 533

Wholesaler selling intoxicating Licensing Act 1964, sec. 181A(1) as North East — — — —

liquor to a person under 18 added by Licensing Act 1988, sec. 17 North West 2 — — 7

Yorkshire and Humberside — 2 — —

East Midlands — 1 — 2

West Midlands — — 1 —

Eastern — — 1 —

London — — — —

South East — — — 3

South West — — — —

England 2 3 2 12

⁽⁶²⁾These data are on the principal offence basis.

Table 2: Number of penalty notices for disorder issued for the sale of alcohol to underage persons, England and each region, 2004 and January to May 2005⁽⁶³⁾

Offence description Statute Region 2004⁽⁶⁴⁾ 2005⁽⁶⁵⁾

Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to persons Licensing Act, 1964, Section 169(1); North East 1 8

under 18 for consumption on the premises Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act North West 32 45

1983, schedule (sec. 3) para. 4(1) Yorkshire and Humberside 8 39

East Midlands 12 24

West Midlands 7 4

Eastern 7 17

London 21 17

South East 2 13

South West 22 37

England 112 204

⁽⁶³⁾Provisional data
⁽⁶⁴⁾Offence added to PND scheme 1 November 2004
⁽⁶⁵⁾Provisional data January-May 2005

18 Jul 2005 : Column 1489W

Offence description	Statute	Region	1997	1998	1999
Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to	Licensing Act, 1964, section 169(1);	North East	34	94	41
persons under 18 for consumption	Licensing (Occasional Permissions)	North West	55	58	41
on the premises	Act 1983, schedule (sec. 3) para. 4(1)	Yorkshire and Humberside	16	22	17
		East Midlands	19	15	14
		West Midlands	25	20	34
		Eastern	18	18	7
		London	12	12	16
		South East	9	18	10
		South West	2	40	5

		England	190	297	185

Wholesaler selling intoxicating	Licensing Act 1964, sec. 181A(1) as	North East	—	—	—
liquor to a person under 18	added by Licensing Act 1988, sec. 17	North West	—	—	—
		Yorkshire and Humberside	—	—	—
		East Midlands	1	—	—
		West Midlands	—	—	—
		Eastern	—	—	—
		London	—	1	1
		South East	—	—	—
		South West	—	—	—

		England	1	1	1

Offence description	Statute	Region	2000	2001	2002	2003
Selling etc., intoxicating liquor	Licensing Act, 1964, section 169(1);	North East	18	18	8	40
to persons under 18 for	Licensing (Occasional Permissions)	North West	27	35	73	198
consumption on the premises	Act 1983, schedule (sec. 3) para. 4(1)	Yorkshire and Humberside	22	29	14	8
		East Midlands	9	6	11	76
		West Midlands	21	11	12	61
		Eastern	6	5	4	11
		London	2	19	11	97
		South East	6	17	12	27
		South West	4	6	2	15

		England	115	146	147	533

Wholesaler selling intoxicating	Licensing Act 1964, sec. 181A(1) as	North East	—	—	—	—
liquor to a person under 18	added by Licensing Act 1988, sec. 17	North West	2	—	—	7
		Yorkshire and Humberside	—	2	—	—
		East Midlands	—	1	—	2
		West Midlands	—	—	1	—
		Eastern	—	—	1	—
		London	—	—	—	—
		South East	—	—	—	3
		South West	—	—	—	—

		England	2	3	2	12

Offence description	Statute	Region	2004⁽⁶⁴⁾	2005⁽⁶⁵⁾
Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to persons	Licensing Act, 1964, Section 169(1);	North East	1	8
under 18 for consumption on the premises	Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act	North West	32	45
	1983, schedule (sec. 3) para. 4(1)	Yorkshire and Humberside	8	39
		East Midlands	12	24
		West Midlands	7	4
		Eastern	7	17
		London	21	17
		South East	2	13
		South West	22	37
		England	112	204

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