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12 Sept 2005 : Column 2557W—continued
Community Support Officers
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police community support officers there are in each London borough. [16222]
Hazel Blears: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the number of Police community support officers in London boroughs s at 31 March 2005 is that as provided in the following table.
Control Orders
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the next report on control orders will be published; and if he will make a statement. [14725]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Section 14(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 (the 2005 Act) requires me to report to Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of every relevant three month period on my exercise of the control order powers during that period.
The current three month period ends on 10 September. As the House is currently in recess, I will report to Parliament as required as soon as practicable in the new Session.
I can however say now that during the period 11 June to 7 September, I made one order with the permission of the court under section 3(1)(a) of the 2005 Act on 5 September 2005 in respect of a British national. And I have revoked nine of the orders which I made in the
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previous quarter against individuals who were formerly certified under section 21(1) of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. There are therefore three control orders currently in force.
I have refused three requests to modify the obligations in the control orders which I have made. A right of appeal exists in section 10 of the 2005 Act against a decision by the Secretary of State not to modify an obligation contained in a control order. None of those subject to a control order has exercised this right in respect of the refusals mentioned above.
Controlled Drugs
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the merits of moving responsibility for policy on controlled drugs from the Home Office to the Department of Health; and if he will make a statement. [14551]
Paul Goggins: The Home Department remains in the lead for co-ordinating the Government's response to the problems of drug misuse.
The Department of Health is leading on strengthening the governance arrangements for controlled drugs in healthcare settings. These strengthened arrangements will replace the existing, fragmented system for monitoring and inspecting controlled drugs. Changes are being made in response to the recommendation made by Dame Janet Smith in her 4th Report of the Shipman Inquiry: The Regulation of Controlled Drugs in the Community.
Consideration is also currently being given to transferring the licensing and inspection functions of the Home Office to the Medicines Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an agency of the Department of Health. This would be a rationalisation measure following the implementation of the Shipman Inquiry recommendations.
Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to reply to the letter to him dated 19 January 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Juliet Kufvor; [10687]
(2) when he will answer the letter dated 19 January 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Juliet Kufvor. [7931]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 22 July 2005.
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reply to the letter of the right hon. Member for Rotherham sent on 13 December 2004 requesting the return of identity documents to Mr.Iskaudar Anwar Raouf. [13928]
Mr. McNulty
[holding answer 21 July 2005]: I wrote to my hon. Friend to clarify Mr. Raouf's immigration status on 21 July 2005. A letter was also sent by recorded delivery to Mr. Raouf's legal representatives on 20 July 2005, enclosing documents confirming his immigration status.
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Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to respond to the letter of 17 June from the hon. Member for Sunderland South regarding Gholameza Mohtashami Tootkabori (ref: T1019249). [15151]
Mr. McNulty: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 25 July 2005.
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what response he has made to letters from Mr. Clive Stafford Smith dated 15 May and 28 June regarding UK residents currently detained in Guantanamo Bay; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [15884]
Mr. McNulty: It would not be appropriate to place copies of correspondence about an individual's immigration status in the Library. I replied to the letter of 15 May 2005 on 8 July 2005 and shall reply to the letter of 28 June 2005 as soon as I possibly can.
Courts (Police Time)
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the results of co-operation between the courts and the police to ensure efficient use of police time during court hearings. [8048]
Fiona Mactaggart:
In 2003 pilots were undertaken to test an approach for improving the use of officers' time whilst waiting to give evidence. Following evaluation, the proposals were not taken forward as success was dependent upon the close geographical location of the court and police station.
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The Criminal Case Management Framework, which was issued in July 2004 and reissued on 21 July 2005, brings together a number of CJS initiatives and is aimed at providing court users with more consistency and higher levels of service. The framework strongly recommends that hearings are properly prepared; that witnesses, including police witnesses, are notified of hearing dates in advance; and, where possible, evidence that is agreed is identified prior to the hearing.
Crime
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish figures for thenumber of recorded offences of (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robberies, (d) burglaries, (e) theft of a vehicle, (f) theft from a vehicle in (i) Birmingham and (ii) Solihull crime and disorder reduction partnership areas, in each year since 1998. [15209]
Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the tables. Data at Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area level is only available from 1999–2000. The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) was introduced on one April 2002 and figures before and after that date are not directly comparable. It is estimated that the effect of the introduction nationally of the NCRS was a 23 percent. increase in recorded violence against the person in its first year.
The introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in May 2004 resulted in substantial changes in the sexual offences group which mean that figures for 2004–05 are not comparable with those for previous years.
Note:
The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
Note:
The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
Note:
1.The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
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Note:
The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted under the Mobile Telephones (Reprogramming) Act 2002. [15367]
Hazel Blears: The available information taken from the Home Office court proceedings database shows the number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty in 2003 for offences under the Mobile Telephones (Reprogramming) Act 2002.
Data for 2004 will be available in the autumn.
(138)These data are on the principal offence basis.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the impact of alcohol-disorder designation on rents and rateable values for businesses within the zone. [15835]
Hazel Blears: The Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Alcohol Disorder Zone (ADZ) provision of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill has been printed.
The ADZ is an instrument to tackle the problem of alcohol-related crime and disorder that afflicts a particular area. It is the problem rather than the means of tackling it that affect to the most serious degree the rents and rateable values of businesses.
It should also be added that the ADZ is seen as a measure of last resort to deal with entrenched problems. The need for designation must be reviewed after three months by the local authority. It is not intended as a permanent measure but, by facilitating swift resolution of the problems, benefits all those within the zone.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reoffending rate of offenders within the Hertfordshire probation area is. [16232]
Paul Goggins:
The information requested is not currently available.
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Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the value of the illegal drugs trade in (a) Huddersfield, (b) Yorkshire and (c) England in the past 10 years. [16287]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is not routinely collected, although in 2001 the Home Office published a report that provided an estimate of the totalvalue of the illegal drugs market in the UK. The report is available on the RDS website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/occ74-drugs.pdf. It shows that the estimated total value of the UK market in 1998 was £6.6 billion.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from the manufacturers of airsoft guns on adapting to the provisions of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill. [16292]
Paul Goggins: We have received and are considering representations from a range of individuals and organisations about the effect the Violent Crime Reduction Bill will have on airsoft guns. Only realistic imitation firearms will be caught by the proposed ban on manufacture, import or sale and owners of existing guns will be able to retain and use them.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research he has evaluated concerning the cost of crime to households in Barnet. [8279]
Hazel Blears: The updated cost of crime estimates were published by the Home Office on 30 June and show costs by crime type. A geographical breakdown of the estimates at local level is not available.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) muggings and (b) drug-related crimes have been recorded in the area covered by the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997. [12525]
Hazel Blears: Mugging is not a category of offence for police recorded crime. There is a mugging category for the British Crime Survey that includes robbery of personal property and snatch theft, but this does not provide data at the local level.
The available information relates to the Middlesbrough Crime and Disorder Reduction
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Partnership (CDRP) area. Data at CDRP level are only available from 1999–2000. For 1999–2000 and 2000–01 only data for all robbery are available. From 2001–02 figures can be split between robbery of personal and business property.
Because of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in April 2002, violent crime figures before and after that date are not directly comparable. It is estimated that the effect of the introduction nationally of the NCRS in April 2002 was a 20 per cent. increase in recorded violent crime in its first year.
Information on drug-related offences is not collected centrally for recorded crime.
Note:
The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
Note:
The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most common forms of crime committed against young people of school age were in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England and Wales in the last year for which figures are available. [8352]
Hazel Blears: Statistics on crimes against young people of school age are not collected in this way. The most reliable source of information we have on the subject comes from the Youth Justice Board's MORI survey, a self report study of young people across England and Wales.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the details of the Partnership Assessment and Delivery System for the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and community safety partnership. [13769]
Hazel Blears:
The Home Office plans to officially launch the Partnership Assessment and Delivery System in November 2005. The Partnership Performance and Support Unit in the Home Office is currently designing
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and consulting on all components of the system. When the publication is available a copy will be placed in the Library.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the datasets that his Department holds that include figures for the (a) Guildford, (b) Waverley crime and disorder reduction partnership areas and (c) West Surrey Basic Command Unit area. [12844]
Hazel Blears: The Home Office collects a number of datasets relating to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and Basic Command Units (BCUs). These include monthly figures on crimes recorded by the police for all BCUs and CDRPs in England and Wales. These data are collected monthly and are broken down by offence type. Corresponding figures are collected for each BCU on detections, by method of detection.
Figures for crimes recorded and crimes detected are published annually for each BCU and CDRP on the Home Office website for the key offences within violent crime, burglary and vehicle crime; and a more detailed offence breakdown for each CDRP is available on the website www.crimestatistics.org.uk. We also collect data relating to the performance of prolific and other priority offender schemes in each CDRP area. This is collected monthly.
In addition, the Home Office collects annual data on numbers of police officers, probationers, police staff (i.e. civilians) and specials for each BCU. The police officer figures are published on the Home Office website. Under the Policing Performance Assessment Framework, data is also collected at BCU level in relation to user satisfaction of police services and officer and police staff sickness levels.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the crime detection rates for (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robberies, (d) burglaries, (e) theft of a vehicle and (f) theft from a vehicle were for (i) Guildford and (ii)Waverley crime and disorder reduction partnership areas in 2004–05. [12845]
Hazel Blears: Detection data are not recorded for crime and disorder reduction partnerships.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 751W, on crime and disorder statistics, what the crime detection rates were for (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robberies, (d) burglaries, (e) theft of a vehicle and (f) theft from a vehicle in the West Surrey Basic Command Unit in each year since June 1997. [12870]
Hazel Blears:
Recorded crime data for Basic Command Units (BCUs) was centrally collected from 1999–2000. West Surrey BCU was not formally created until 2001–02, though figures for 2000–01 were replicated from old boundaries for comparative purposes.
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n/a = not applicable
Note:
Due to boundary changes data for 1999–2000 is not available.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the crime detection rates for (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robberies, (d) burglaries, (e) theft of a vehicle and (f) theft from a vehicle, were in each of the basic command unit areas that cover Birmingham and Solihull in each year since 1998. [15210]
Hazel Blears:
The available information is given in the tables. Data at Basic Command Unit level is only available from 1999–2000.
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It is estimated that the effect of the introduction nationally of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in April 2002 was a 23 per cent. increase in recorded violence against the person in its first year. This will also have impacted on detection rates.
The introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in May 2004 resulted in substantial changes to the sexual offences. This means that figures for 2004–05 are not comparable with those for previous years.
Notes:
1.The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
2.n/a = Not available.
(139)The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
(140)The introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in May 2004 resulted in substantial changes to the sexual offences. This means that figures for 2004–05 are not comparable with those for previous years.
Notes:
1.The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
2.n/a = Not available.
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(141)The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
(142)The introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in May 2004 resulted in substantial changes to the sexual offences. This means that figures for 2004–05 are not comparable with those for previous years.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) agencies and (b) partnerships responsible for the reduction of crime in North East Milton Keynes constituency. [12916]
Hazel Blears: The Milton Keynes Crime and Community Safety Partnership is the accountable body responsible for the reduction of crime within the Milton Keynes local authority area.
The key partners, known as responsible authorities under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, consist of representatives from the local authority, police force, police authority, fire authority and the primary care trust. The partnership also works with a range of other partners, including parish councillors, prisons, probation, the drug action team and the youth offending team as well as the local strategic partnership and the local criminal justice board.
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to develop a unified scheme for recording crime statistics. [15740]
Hazel Blears: The recording and detecting of crime are governed by the Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime. These are instructions for the police for the counting and classifying of crime.
In April 2002, the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) was introduced nationally across England and Wales. The aim of the NCRS is to promote greater consistency between police in the recording of crime and to take a more victim oriented approach to crime recording.
Following the introduction of the NCRS, the National Crime Recording Steering Group (NCRSG) has met regularly to review the Counting Rules. The steering group includes members of Research Development and Statistics and the Police Standards Unit of the Home Office, force crime registrars and statistics officers, and representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. The Counting Rules are up-dated annually to reflect decisions taken by the NCRSG, changes in legislation and changes to improve clarity and ensure consistency in recording by police forces. In addition, rigorous audit procedures are in place to further ensure a consistent approach across all the police forces in England and Wales. The Counting Rules can be found on the main Home Office website at wvw.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/countrules.html.
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many defendants were (a) convicted and (b) not convicted in the Suffolk constabulary area in each of the last eight years. [15127]
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Paul Goggins: Data from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of defendants convicted and not convicted at all courts in the Suffolk constabulary area 1996 to 2003 is contained in the table. Statistics for 2004 court proceedings will be available in the autumn.
(143)These data are on the principal offence basis.
(144)Includes those cases acquitted at the Crown court, discharged or dismissed at the magistrates courts.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on levels of (a) violent crime, (b) sexual crime, (c) car crime, (d)robbery and (e) burglary in the Forest of Dean constituency. [15762]
Hazel Blears: Statistics covering 2003–04 and 2004–05 have been published for the offences requested for the Forest of Dean Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. In addition to actual number of offences recorded, the statistics give percentage changes for the periods covered and rates per 1,000 population.
The CDRP data is available on the Home Office website as a supplementary table to Crime in England and Wales 2004–05". The publication itself can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0405.html.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in (a) overall recorded crime, (b) burglaries and (c) vehicle thefts in (i) Essex, broken down by police division and (ii) Southend (A) has been since 1997 and (B) was between 1988 to 1996; and if he will make a statement. [14121]
Hazel Blears:
The available information for the periods requested relates to the Essex police force area as a whole. Statistics at basic command unit level have only been published since 1999.
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Although the percentage change figures have been provided in the table, changes in reporting and recording have had a significant impact on recorded crime data and this needs to be taken into account for percentage changes between 1997 and 2004–05.
Since 1997, there have been two major changes to the way in which crime is recorded. The effect of the change in counting rules in 1998 was to artificially increase overall recorded crime in Essex by an estimated 10 per cent. It is also estimated that, following the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002, the impact on total recorded crime in Essex in 2002–03 was an increase of 21 per cent.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the level of violent crimes in Southend has been in each year since 1995. [15354]
Hazel Blears: The available information relates to the Southend-on-Sea Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area and is given in the tables. Data at CDRP level is only available from 1999–2000.
The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) was introduced in April 2002. It is estimated that this change in the method of recording created a 20 per cent. increase in the number of recorded violent crimes in its first year.
Note:
The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
Note:
The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on detection rates of (a) violent crime, (b) sexual crime, (c) car crime, (d) robbery and (e) burglary in the Forest of Dean constituency. [15763]
Hazel Blears:
Statistics covering detection rates 2003–04 and 2004–05 have been published for the offences requested for the Forest and Gloucester Basic Command Unit (BCU). In addition to the detection rates, the actual number of offences recorded and detected are also provided. The BCU data is available
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on the Home Office website as a supplementary table to Crime in England and Wales 2004/05". The publication itself can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0405.html
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