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12 Sept 2005 : Column 2607W—continued
Passports
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fraudulent passports were detected in each year since 1997. [9799]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The National Document Fraud Unit (NDFU) is the UK Immigration Service's centre of expertise concerning information about passports and travel document security and in combating travel document abuse. NDFU collates statistics for the numbers of forged and counterfeit passports and travel documents detected.
In the period since 1997, the following totals of fraudulent travel documents have been detected at United Kingdom ports of entry:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 4,411 |
| 1998 | 6,338 |
| 1999 | 5,516 |
| 2000 | 5,394 |
| 2001 | 6,601 |
| 2002 | 9,665 |
| 2003 | 7,985 |
| 2004 | 8,285 |
In addition to the 8,285 false travel documents detected at ports of entry in 2004, a further 2,335 fraudulent travel documents were detected by Immigration Service staff at enforcement units and also at the NDFU office in Croydon, which deals with after-entry cases. Further, the figures do not include the numbers of inadequately documented passengers denied boarding by commercial carriers overseas working in conjunction with UK Airline Liaison Officers. Some of these passengers will have held forged documents. Precise figures on the number denied boarding for this reason are not available.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2005, Official Report, columns 913–4W, on passports, what estimate he has made of the (a) costs and (b) effects of each of the measures being taken under the UK Passport Services' anti-fraud programme. [15505]
Mr. Charles Clarke: We are currently working on the benefits case for the various anti fraud measures and their effectiveness. We are planning to be in a position to complete and give the details of this work before the end of this calendar year, in so far as security considerations allow.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2005, Official Report, column 913W, on passports, what disadvantages for British passport holders he expects would be incurred if the Government chooses not to mirror the EU Directive on the fingerprinting of passport applicants; and if he will make a statement. [15517]
Andy Burnham:
The UK wishes to co-operate as closely as possible with EU partners on asylum and immigration measures despite our position outside Schengen. It would be hard to defend the UK adopting lower biometric standards and a less secure passport design than the rest of our European colleagues,
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particularly given our resolve with our European partners to strengthen security and border controls following the Madrid bombings. The UKPS Corporate and Business Plan, published in April, noted the likelihood of incorporating fingerprints in UK passports by the end of the decade.
Once Schengen passports contain fingerprints, British passports without fingerprints would move from being amongst the most secure in the world to being one of the weaker links and therefore a more attractive target for forgery and fraudulent applications. The inclusion of fingerprints would strengthen the link between the passport and the holder, would make the document more difficult to forge and would reduce very significantly the risk of duplicate identities on the passport database. Fingerprints are more accurate in identifying fraudulent multiple applications than facial image.
Having the two biometrics, facial image and fingerprint, would increase certainty of identification and help address the situation where one biometric fails to validate the identity. It would facilitate the strengthening of UK border controls for passport holders returning to the UK and hence our national security. Incorporating fingerprints in UK passports would also mean that UK passport holders will not be inconvenienced should other countries further tighten their border controls and would allow British passport holders to benefit from potential future entry control systems in the UK and overseas (e.g. as already being rolled out in Hong Kong).
Once European countries have moved to include fingerprints in passports, if the UK does not follow suit there is every chance our passport holders would be inconvenienced when travelling into Schengen countries especially from outside Europe and be subject to delays and additional questions at border controls.
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provision there is to provide a discount for those from less well-off families to pay the £500 premium for an indefinite leave to remain in the UK stamp to be placed in a new passport. [15597]
Mr. McNulty: The cost of processing an application for the transfer of an indefinite leave to remain stamp to new passport is £160 for postal applications, and £500 for the premium service at any of the public enquiry offices. The fee for transfer of leave stamps is for the processing of the application and there are no exemptions or provision for any discounts.
Police
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police community support officers have been introduced in (a) Dudley north and (b) the borough of Dudley; and what assessment he has made of the impact on crime and antisocial behaviour. [15385]
Hazel Blears:
West Midlands constabulary had 219 community support officers (CSOs) on 31 March 2005. Information is not centrally collected about the number of CSOs in basic command units. Arrangements are being made to collect such data.
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We have commissioned a national evaluation of CSOs which will be published later this year. An interim report, National Evaluation of Community Support Officers", published in December 2004 (available at www.policereform.gov.uk), indicated that CSOs are having a positive impact on some types of antisocial behaviour and lower level crime, for example vehicle related crime and personal robbery. The main aim of CSOs is to provide a visible and reassuring presence on the streets.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were in (a) Dudley north and (b) the borough of Dudley in each year since 1997. [15386]
Hazel Blears: Information on strength at basic command unit (BCD) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March for each year. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002 and is set out in a table, which will be placed in the Library. Information is not collected on the number of police officers at constituency level. Dudley is part of the J1 operational command unit (OCU) which also includes Sedgley and Brierley Hill.
The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the chief constable (Paul Scott-Lee) and within the J1" OCU deployment of officers is a matter for the divisional commander.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the number and percentage of police officers in (a) the Metropolitan police and (b) the City of London police was in each year since 1997, broken down by ethnicity. [15998]
Hazel Blears: The figures are provided in the following table. Data is available only from 1998 onwards.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were in each London borough on 5 May. [16328]
Paul Goggins:
The following table provides data for the number of police officers as at 31 March 2005. Data specifically for 5 May are not available centrally.
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Mr. Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many acceptable behaviour contracts were entered into in (a) Northumbria police force area and (b) Castle Morpeth and Wansbeck local authority areas in each of the last three years. [14599]
Hazel Blears: The number of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) entered into by the Northumbria police force and Castle Morpeth and Wansbeck local authority areas is not known as this information is not collected centrally. ABCs are voluntary agreements with no statutory basis and can be entered into by various local services such as local authority social services or housing departments, Youth Inclusion and Support Panels or the police. They are therefore unsuitable for central data collection.
A recent survey carried out by the Home Office and sent to all Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships estimated that 5,383 ABCs were made between October 2003 and September 2004.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many working days were lost because of attacks on police in Lancashire in 2004–05. [14593]
Paul Goggins:
The number of working days lost in 2004–05 as a result of assaults on police in Lancashire was 1,330.
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Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers left the police due to mental health problems in each of the last 10 years. [13424]
Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the usefulness and effectiveness of the practice of publishing the mobile phone numbers of police officers; and if he will make a statement. [14185]
Paul Goggins: The practice of publishing the mobile phone numbers of police officers is a matter for individual forces and the Government have no current plans to assess it.
The Government are committed to ensuring that local people receive the best possible service from the police and want to encourage robust and innovative communication between the police and the public through a variety of means. We are committed to providing all communities with more visible and accessible neighbourhood policing teams, and publishing mobile phone numbers of local officers may contribute towards the success of these teams.
Forces are assessed on overall user satisfaction and confidence levels through the police performance assessment framework.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which (a) parliamentary constituencies, (b) local authorities and (c) local government wards fall within the West Surrey Basic Command Unit. [12877]
Paul Goggins: There are two parliamentary constituencies within the West Surrey Basic Command Unit: South West Surrey and Guildford. There are also two local authorities: Guildford borough council and Waverley borough council.
The 22 local government wards for Guildford borough council are:
The 29 local government wards for Waverley borough council are:
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each constabulary the number of assaults per head of population on (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers in each of the last three years. [7215]
Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the table. Figures for assaults on police officers are based on recorded crime data. Community support officers were introduced in September 2002 so only one year's data can be provided. These figures are taken from the police service strength returns.
(156)In April 2003, offences of obstructing a constable and resisting a constable in the execution of his/her duty were removed from the recorded crime series. Figures for 2003–04 may be affected by this.
(157)Numbers are affected by the size of the resident population relative to the transient or visiting population and therefore over-represent the number of crimes relative to the real population.
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(158)Community support officers first introduced in September 2002
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Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding has been (a) spent on and (b) committed to policing schemes within each growth area. [13786]
Hazel Blears: Government grants since 2003–04 to the eight police forces covering the four designated housing growth areas of Ashford, London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough (LSCP), Milton Keynes-South Midlands (MKSM) and Thames Gateway are set out in the table.
Allocation of these resources and appropriate budget management are matters for each Chief Constable and Police Authority, who will make decisions according to local plans and operational priorities.
(159)Comprises Home Office principal police grant and ODPM Revenue Support Grant and redistributed business rates.
(160)Includes Crime Fighting Fund, Rural Policing Fund, Basic Command Unit funding, Community Support Officer funding (including, for 2004–05 and 2005–06, Round 1 of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund), Airwave, DMA Expansion Programme, Street Crime Initiative, Special Priority Payments, Counter Terrorism funding (MPS only) and capital grants.
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Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the six areas where, according to page 47 of the Home Office Annual Report 2004–05, performance is below the baseline and (b) the 18 areas defined as worst performing. [13784]
Hazel Blears: The Home Office SR2002 Public Service Agreement sets a target to Improve the delivery of justice by increasing the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.15 million by 2005–06; with an improvement in all CJS areas, a greater increase in the worst performing areas and a reduction in the proportion of ineffective trials".
The worst performing areas were determined in September 2003 by two measures: the percentage of recorded crime that was brought to justice; and the number of offences brought to justice per police officer (excluding officers in their probationary period). The CJ areas which fell below the England and Wales average were defined as worse performing".
The areas that were defined as worst performing" were: Avon and Somerset, Greater Manchester, Humberside, London, Merseyside, Nottinghamshire, Thames Valley, West Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Lincolnshire, Northampton and Surrey.
The target will be met if the average performance improvement achieved by the worse performing areas is greater than the national average performance improvement by 2005–06, as compared with the baseline year 2001–02.
In December 2004 six areas were performing below the baseline year. These were: Durham, Dyfed Powys, Gloucestershire, Gwent, Northumbria and West Midlands.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding was allocated to police services in (a) Dudley North and (b) the borough of Dudley in each year since 1997. [15384384]
Hazel Blears: The local distribution of resources is a matter for the Chief Constable and police authority to determine in the light of local operational priorities. Information on resources for Dudley is not held centrally.
We have invested strongly in local policing in the West Midlands. General government grants to West Midlands police authority rose from £399.3 million in 2004–05 to £426.5 million this year, an increase of 6.8 per cent. per cent. This is the highest increase in general grants to any police authority in England and Wales. West Midlands police authority will also continue to benefit from a full range of specific grants for targeted programmes, receiving around £41.6 million in specific grants and capital provision this year.
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations have closed since January 2000. [14783]
Paul Goggins:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Oaten) on 4 July 2005, Official Report, column 138W.
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Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there have been per 1000 population in each police force in each year since 1997. [14015]
Hazel Blears [holding answer 21 July 2005]: The information requested is available annually in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin on Police Service Strength. The latest information was published on 29 September 2004 in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 13/04, Police Service Strength England and Wales, 31 March 2004'.
This and earlier bulletins can be found on website:
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers (a) have taken early retirement, (b) have retired and (c) have left the force for reasons other than retirement or early retirement for each police force in each of the last three years; and what the average length of service is of a police officer for each category, broken down by police force area. [14016]
Hazel Blears [holding answer 21 July 2005]: A full breakdown of reasons for leaving by police officers has only been collected centrally since 31 March 2003. Prior to that date the breakdown was limited to retirements, resignations and other wastage. The following table provides the full breakdown requested for the last two years and a limited breakdown for data as at 31 March 2002.
Information on length of service on leaving is collected in groups of years. This means average length of service of a police officer on leaving is not available.
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(161)For 2001–02 no breakdown of retirements available.
(162)Does not include transfers to other England and Wales forces.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been recruited per police force area in each of the last three years. [14017]
Paul Goggins [holding answer 21 July 2005]: The available information is given in the following table. Due to changes in the data collection, figures for 2002–03 and 2003–04 are not comparable to previous recruitment figures as data includes transfers from other England and Wales forces and officers returning after a period of secondment.
(163)Not comparable to previous recruitment figures as data includes transfers from other England and Wales forces and officers returning after a period of secondment.
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Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding each police force (a) should have received under the Government's formula and (b) received in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [14028]
Hazel Blears [holding answer 21 July 2005]: The information is set out in the table.
Government funding for police authorities is chiefly allocated using a funding formula that distributes resources on the basis of relative need and resources. A damping mechanism subsequently applied to protect all authorities against financial instability ensures all authorities receive an increase in grant at least equal to the floor" level on a like-for-like basis year-on-year. Grant floors will remain an integral part of the finance system.
Between 2003–04 and 2005–06, every police authority received the amount of grant to which it was entitled under annual Police Grant Reports and Local Government Finance Reports.
The funding formula is currently being reviewed to ensure it continues to provide a robust and fair distribution of grant. A 12 week consultation period on options for formula change began on 19 July and will last until 10 October. This is an opportunity for all interested parties to comment on a range of proposals.
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(164)Original allocations.
(165)Because the Welsh Assembly does not operate a grant damping mechanism, the Home Secretary has for several years provided additional funding to ensure Welsh police authorities receive at least a minimum increase in grant in line with English authorities. These additional grants, amounted to £5.1 million in 2003–04, £12.2 million in 2004–05 and £13.9 million in 2005–06.
Note:
The City of London police are part of the City Corporation. Grant cannot be directly compared with that for other police authorities.
12 Sept 2005 : Column 2622W
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much Government funding has been spent on policing in Essex in each of the last 10 years. [14122]
Hazel Blears: The information is set out in the table.
(166)General Government grants comprise Home Office police grant, ODPM revenue support grant and national non-domestic rates.
(167)Includes specific grants: Crime Fighting Fund, Rural Policing Fund, Basic Command Unit funding, Community Support Officer funding (including, for 2004–05 and 2005–06, Round one of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund), Airwave, DNA Expansion Programme, special priority payments and capital grants. The Home Office also funds 75 per cent. of the cost of the South East Allowance for all qualifying officers. These figures are not included within the totals.
(168)As of April 2000, the Metropolitan police force was reduced in size by a transfer of responsibility for policing some areas to the surrounding forces, including Essex.
(169)Figures for 2001–02 are not directly comparable with 2002–03 due to the change in funding arrangements of NCS/NCIS. Adjusted figures for 2001–02 are therefore included.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in Essex in (a) 1979, (b) 1983, (c) 1987, (d) 1992 and (e) each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [14124]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is given in the following table.
(170)Due to police force area reorganisation, the officer strength series is not consistent with earlier data after 1 April 2000.
(171)Excludes staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave (comparable with figures prior to March 2003).
Lynne Featherstone:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal accidents involving police service vehicles there
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were in Greater London in each year since 1995, broken down by London borough; and if he will make a statement. [8117]
Hazel Blears [holding answer 4 July 2005]: Figures for road traffic collisions are currently available from 2002–03.
The available information for the numbers of casualties and degree of injury from road traffic collisions resulting from immediate/emergency response and police pursuits on public roads involving the Metropolitan police and City of London police is provided in the table. Figures are not held centrally at individual borough level.
(172)Data are not available.
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the inspections of Cumbria police for the 12 month period ending 31 March. [14215]
Hazel Blears: The inspections carried out in the year to March 2005 are shown in the table, which has been placed in the Library, along with the resources deployed to them, their purpose, findings and comment on recommendations. In summary, 17 external inspections are documented in this report, with an estimated total of 102.5 police staff days, 115.5 police officer days at a total opportunity cost of £38,203.
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources Cumbria police deployed to assist those conducting inspections of the force in the 12-month period ending 31 March; and how many officer hours were involved. [14216]
Hazel Blears: The inspections carried out in the year to March 2005 are shown, in the table, which has been placed in the Library, along with the resources deployed to them, their purpose, findings and comment on recommendations. In summary, 17 external inspections are documented in this report, with an estimated total of 102.5 police staff days, 115.5 police officer days at a total opportunity cost of £38,203.
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the purpose was of each of the inspections of Cumbria Constabulary carried out to the year ending 31 March; and what key findings and recommendations he intends to implement. [14217]
Hazel Blears:
The inspections carried out in the year to March 2005 are shown in the table, which has been placed in the Library, along with the resources deployed to them, their purpose, findings and comment on
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recommendations. In summary, 17 external inspections are documented in this report, with an estimated total of 102.5 police staff days, 115.5 police officer days at a total opportunity cost of £38,203.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to increase provision of policing in rural areas. [8697]
Hazel Blears: The Home Office's £30 million a year Rural Policing Fund has been specifically introduced to increase the visibility and accessibility of the police in rural areas. 31 police authorities with the most widespread populations benefit from this additional funding. Police authorities who are in receipt of money from this fund may spend it as they see fit. This may involve recruiting additional officers for rural areas or spending the money on other innovative ways to tackle crime and the fear of crime. Examples of existing good practice include the use of mobile police stations or the deployment of community beat officers to patrol clusters of villages or neighbourhoods. Forces are also using dedicated parish or neighbourhood special constables.
A number of police forces have introduced community support officers (CSOs) in rural areas since their introduction in 2002. CSOs help to tackle crime and disorder and provide public reassurance in the communities where they work. The Home Office is also involved in a Blue Light" pilot for community support officers which aims to create a community focused, multi-functional role for these officers in some rural villages.
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