---

7 Nov 2005 : Column 61W—continued

Antisocial Behaviour

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of antisocial behaviour have been reported to police in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England and Wales in each year since 1997. [24285]

 
7 Nov 2005 : Column 62W
 

Hazel Blears: There is currently no data on the number of incidents of antisocial behaviour (ASB) due to the subjective nature of ASB itself. The latest data collected on ASB relates to the public perception of ASB in England and Wales and is measured by the British Crime Survey.

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 343W, on antisocial behaviour orders, how many of the 793 individuals who breached their ASBO between 1 June 2000 and 31 December 2003, consequentially received a custodial sentence. [24076]

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 343W.

Of the 793 individuals who breached their antisocial behaviour order on one or more occasions between 1 June 2000 and 31 December 2003, 437 received a custodial sentence.

Anti-trafficking Operation (West Midlands)

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the four non-EU national women rescued in the anti-trafficking operation by West Midlands police on 29 September will be granted temporary admission to the UK. [22543]

Mr. McNulty: Of the six non-EEA national women who were brought to the attention of the Immigration Service by the West Midlands Police, four stated that they had not been trafficked. The two women who claim to have been trafficked have been released into the care of a Home Office funded support group.

Avian Influenza (Prisons)

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what contingency plans have been put in place by his Department to safeguard the containment of prisoners in the event of an avian influenza epidemic; and if he will make a statement; [19220]

(2) what discussions he has had with the Ministry of Defence concerning the safeguarding of prisons in the eventuality of an avian influenza outbreak. [19221]

Fiona Mactaggart [holding answer 17 October 2005]: The Prison Service is taking advice from the Department of Health, as are all Government Departments, as to the potential effects of an influenza pandemic upon its workforce and the prisoners in its care.

A working group, which includes representatives from external agencies in addition to its own operational and policy personnel, has been formed to draft guidance to assist prison governors prepare local business continuity plans. These plans will be linked to those of local primary care trusts, emergency services and emergency planning authorities. They will continue to reflect security and the safety of the public as a key responsibility.
 
7 Nov 2005 : Column 63W
 

Bonded Labour

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of bonded labourers in the United Kingdom held by people smugglers. [22838]

Mr. McNulty: No estimate has been made of the number of bonded labourers in the United Kingdom held by people smugglers.

Border Security

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of securing the UK's borders has been since 1997. [22952]

Mr. McNulty: The budget allocated to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate for Border Control for 2005–06 is £178 million.

It is not possible to obtain the previous amounts of funding allocated as this information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Common EU Border Police Force

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on the creation of a common EU border police force. [23094]

Andy Burnham: Like the majority of EU member states, the UK Government remains unconvinced of the need for a standing EU border force. There are many practical actions and concrete measures that can be taken forward with EU partners without the need to go as far as creating a European border police.

For example we are committed to working together on targeted EU joint operations aimed at strengthening the EU's external borders and to this end we fully support the aims and objectives of the recently-established EU Border Agency (Frontex).

The EU's Hague Programme refers to a feasibility study into a European system of Border Guards" but makes no commitment to establishing one. The feasibility study will take place in 2007, as part of the review of the Border Agency.

Community Support Officers

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers there have been in (a) the South Tyneside area command and (b) Northumbria in each year since their inception. [24288]

Hazel Blears: Information on the number of community support officers (CSOs) in basic command units (BCUs) has only been collected since June 2005. At 30 June 2005 there were 13 CSOs in the South Tyneside BCD. CSOs were introduced nationally during 2002–03. Northumbria police did not have any CSOs as of 31 March 2003, but had 51 at the end of March 2004, and 129 at the end of June 2005.
 
7 Nov 2005 : Column 64W
 

Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 22 September 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester Gorton with regard to Mr. Abdul Khaleq. [24415]

Mr. Charles Clarke: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 3 November 2005.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of victims and qualifying applicants eligible for compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995 made an application under the scheme in each of the last five years for which records are available. [21547]

Fiona Mactaggart: It is not possible to estimate what proportion of victims of violent crime might have sustained an injury sufficiently serious to qualify for an award of compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and who might also have satisfied the other qualifying criteria set out in the scheme.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what stage of the legal process victims and qualifying applicants are informed about the possibility of applying for compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. [21548]

Fiona Mactaggart: The police provide victims of reported crime with the leaflet Victims of Crime—the help and advice that's available". This has a section on compensation which includes information about the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, including the CICA website address and other contact details.

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which individual is responsible for developing and implementing his Department's Skills Development Plan. [23842]

Mr. Charles Clarke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. John Hutton) on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1074W.

Drinking Ban

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many locations a ban on drinking in public places has been imposed; and how many local authorities have bans in place. [23563]

Paul Goggins: 299 separate localities in 56 local authorities have been designated under section 13(2) of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 as public places where the consumption of alcohol is banned under section 12 of the aforementioned Act. This information is available and updated regularly at www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
 
7 Nov 2005 : Column 65W
 

---