House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 14 Nov 2005 (pt 33)

14 Nov 2005 : Column 982W—continued

London Bombings

Mr. Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested in connection with the 7 July attacks; how many were

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(a) detained for between seven and 14 days, (b) charged and (c) released without charge in each case, broken down by (i) age, (ii) sex, (iii) ethnicity and (iv) religion. [24950]

Mr. Charles Clarke: In the period immediately following the London attacks on 7 July 2005, five males were arrested. One aged 29 was released after 10 days. Four aged 26, 27, 31 and 41 were released in less than seven days. None were charged.

At a later date, a sixth male, aged 26, was arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation. He was charged with wasting police time.

The Home Office does not have information on the individuals' ethnicity and religion.

Management Consultants

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the consultants employed by his Department in each of the last three years. [13569]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Information on individual consultants employed by the Department is not held centrally and to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.

The Department awards contracts in open competition according to the EU Procurement Regulations based on best value for money. The use of external consultants in the Home Office provides the Department with specialist knowledge, skill, capacity and technical expertise that is not otherwise available in-house.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many air miles were accrued through departmental ministerial travel in 2004–05, broken down by Minister; how many were (a) foregone and (b) donated to charity, broken down by charity; and whether air miles accrued by officials were required to be (i) foregone and (ii) given to charity. [17331]

Mr. Charles Clarke: No Ministers accrued air miles through ministerial travel. Ministerial travel is conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers. Guidance for Ministers on the use of Air Miles is set out in the Ministerial Code. The guidance makes clear that Air Miles should be used only for official purposes or else foregone.

However, if it is impracticable to use the benefits for Government travel, there is no objection to Ministers donating them to charity if this is permissible under the terms of the airline's scheme and the charity is one chosen by the airline.

Neighbourhood Policing

Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to promote neighbourhood policing; and if he will make a statement. [26403]

Hazel Blears: The Government are committed to every area in England and Wales benefiting from dedicated, visible, accessible and responsive

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neighbourhood policing teams by 2008. A key aim of these teams will be to build more effective engagement with the public, and for the public to know who their local police officer is and how to contact them.

The Government are working closely with the Police Service to develop neighbourhood policing, initially within 43 pathfinder areas—one per force in England and Wales. The Neighbourhood Policing Fund will support the recruitment of Community Support Officers—we expect their numbers to reach 24,000 by 2008. To support this the Home Office and the Association of Police Authorities convened the National Practitioner Panel for Community Engagement in Policing.

The panel has created a Guide to Community Engagement which is a resource for all policing practitioners.

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken in 2005 to support the spread of dedicated neighbourhood policing teams. [26695]

Hazel Blears: The Government have been working closely with a police-led neighbourhood policing programme team to implement neighbourhood policing in every area in England and Wales by 2008. Initially there will be a pathfinder basic command unit in each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales. The £465 million Neighbourhood Policing Fund has been set up to help provide for up to 24,000 CSOs by 2008. In addition, a full evaluation of the neighbourhood policing programme has been designed and is underway.

Following the report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary on improving protective services, I have also asked police forces and police authorities to develop options for restructuring forces and to submit their final reports, including their final options, to the Home Office by 23 December 2005. Larger, more strategic forces will support neighbourhood policing as they will have the resilience to prevent the abstraction of neighbourhood policing teams to major incidents. To support neighbourhood policing further, the Home Office and the Association of Police Authorities convened the National Practitioner Panel for Community Engagement in Policing. The panel has created a Guide to Community Engagement which is a resource for all policing practitioners.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; which (a) publish their advice to Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament; and whether it is a statutory requirement in each case. [20097]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested is given in the table.

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Name of Advisory NDPB (a) statutory base on which to publish their advice to Government and whether it is a statutory requirement b) statutory base to publish an annual report and whether it is a statutory requirement (c) statutory base to lay an annual report before Parliament and whether it is a statutory requirement

Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration No No Yes No No No

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Yes No Yes No No No

Advisory Panel on Country Information Yes No No No No No

Animal Procedures Committee No No Yes Yes Yes Yes

Correctional Services Accreditation Panel No No No No No No

Futurebuilders Advisory Panel No No No No No No

Immigration & Nationality Directorate Complaint Audit Committee No No No No No No

National Victims Advisory Panel No No Yes Yes Yes Yes

Police Advisory Board for England & Wales No No Yes No No No

Police Negotiating Board No No Yes No No No

Prison Service Pay Review Body for England & Wales Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Sentencing Advisory Panel No No No—Joint Annual Report with Sentencing Guide Council No—Joint Annual Report with Sentencing Guide. Council No—Joint Annual Report with Sentencing Guide Council No—Joint Annual Report with Sentencing Guide Council

Sentencing Guidelines Council Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Technical Advisory Body for the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 No No Yes No No No

Name of Advisory NDPB	(a) statutory base on which to publish their advice to Government	and whether it is a statutory requirement	b) statutory base to publish an annual report	and whether it is a statutory requirement	(c) statutory base to lay an annual report before Parliament	and whether it is a statutory requirement
Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
Advisory Panel on Country Information	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Animal Procedures Committee	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Correctional Services Accreditation Panel	No	No	No	No	No	No
Futurebuilders Advisory Panel	No	No	No	No	No	No
Immigration & Nationality Directorate Complaint Audit Committee	No	No	No	No	No	No
National Victims Advisory Panel	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Police Advisory Board for England & Wales	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Police Negotiating Board	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Prison Service Pay Review Body for England & Wales	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sentencing Advisory Panel	No	No	No—Joint Annual Report with Sentencing Guide Council	No—Joint Annual Report with Sentencing Guide. Council	No—Joint Annual Report with Sentencing Guide Council	No—Joint Annual Report with Sentencing Guide Council
Sentencing Guidelines Council	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Technical Advisory Body for the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000	No	No	Yes	No	No	No

Offensive Weapons

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) fined or (b) imprisoned for (i) illegally selling knives to under 16-year-olds and (ii) marketing a bladed

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product in a manner which (A) indicates that it is suitable for combat and (B) likely to promote the simulation of violent behaviour since the Knives Act 1997. [25882]

Fiona Mactaggart: The information available is shown in the table.
Defendants sentenced to fines and imprisonment for offences under the Knives Act 1997 (England and Wales)

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Unlawful marketing of knives (selling or hiring)⁽³⁷⁾ Sentenced 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0

Fine 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0

Immediate custody 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Unlawful marketing of knives (offering or exposing to sell or hire)⁽³⁷⁾ Sentenced 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0

Fine 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Immediate custody 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Unlawful marketing of knives—having in possession for the purpose of sale or hire⁽³⁷⁾ Sentenced 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Fine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Immediate custody 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Publication of any written pictorial or other material in connection with the marketing of any knife—the material suggesting/indicating knife suitable for combat September 1997⁽³⁷⁾ Sentenced 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Immediate custody 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Publication of any written pictorial or other material in connection with the marketing of any knife—the material is otherwise likely to stimulate or encourage violent behaviour involving use of the knife as a weapon⁽³⁷⁾ Sentenced 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Immediate custody 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Selling a knife etc. to a person under 16 years⁽³⁸⁾ Sentenced 2 2 2 0 8 10 17 9

Fine 1 2 1 0 8 10 14 6

Immediate custody 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

⁽³⁷⁾ These sections of the Act came into force in September 1997.
⁽³⁸⁾ This offence is not included in the Knives Act 1997. It is covered by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 s. 6.
Source:
RDS-NOMS 7 November 2005

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		1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Unlawful marketing of knives (selling or hiring)⁽³⁷⁾	Sentenced	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	0
	Fine	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	0
	Immediate custody	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Unlawful marketing of knives (offering or exposing to sell or hire)⁽³⁷⁾	Sentenced	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
	Fine	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
	Immediate custody	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Unlawful marketing of knives—having in possession for the purpose of sale or hire⁽³⁷⁾	Sentenced	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
	Fine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Immediate custody	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Publication of any written pictorial or other material in connection with the marketing of any knife—the material suggesting/indicating knife suitable for combat September 1997⁽³⁷⁾	Sentenced	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Fine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Immediate custody	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Publication of any written pictorial or other material in connection with the marketing of any knife—the material is otherwise likely to stimulate or encourage violent behaviour involving use of the knife as a weapon⁽³⁷⁾	Sentenced	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Fine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Immediate custody	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Selling a knife etc. to a person under 16 years⁽³⁸⁾	Sentenced	2	2	2	0	8	10	17	9
	Fine	1	2	1	0	8	10	14	6
	Immediate custody	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many knives designed for use in hunting and leisure pursuits have been used in violent crimes since the coming into force of the Knives Act 1997. [25893]

Hazel Blears: The types of weapon used in violent crime cannot be separately identified on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database.

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