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17 Nov 2005 : Column 1437W—continued
Prostitution
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to bring forward legislation on prostitution following his recent review. [25920]
Fiona Mactaggart: Following public consultation last year we are developing a coordinated strategy for England and Wales on the wide-ranging issues arising from prostitution, which we will publish as soon as possible. This strategy will set out any legislative changes we plan to make as a result of the review and responses to the consultation.
Protection from Harassment Act
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many times the powers under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 have been used to prevent an individual from contacting a spouse or partner in each year since the Act came into force; what standard of proof is required before such powers are exercised; and if he will make a statement; [24524]
(2) on how many occasions powers under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 have been used to prevent a person from accessing their marital home; and if he will make a statement. [28061]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The available information from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of restraining orders made under section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 up to 2004 is contained in table one.
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The available information from the Department for Constitutional Affairs County Court Statistics Module Database on the estimated number of injunctions granted under section 3 of the Act, 1998 to 2005, is contained in table two. (The number is estimated because there is no specific reference to section three of the Act within the dataset.) It is not possible to identify those orders or injunctions that were intended to prevent contact with a partner or spouse, as information about the purpose of such orders and injunctions is not centrally collected. Both restraining orders made under section 5 of the Act and civil injunctions granted under section three are civil orders.
Both orders are preventative rather than punitive and are intended to give protection to victims. In determining whether a restraining order is necessary, the criminal court will apply a civil standard of proof. If a civil court is satisfied on a balance of probabilities that harassment has taken place or is anticipated, then it may grant an injunction.
| Injunctions granted | |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 374 |
| 1999 | 390 |
| 2000 | 283 |
| 2001 | 433 |
| 2002 | 482 |
| 2003 | 761 |
| 2004 | 354 |
| 2005 (to September 2005) | 482 |
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Source:
RDS-NOMS
Relocation
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in his Department (a) were relocated in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005–06 as a result of Sir Michael Lyons' independent review of public sector relocation; to which locations they have been relocated; and if he will make a statement. [25913]
Hazel Blears [holding answer 7 November 2005]: During 2004–05, the Home Office announced that a corporate shared services centre for the Prison Service would be established in Newport (Monmouthshire) by March 2008. That would create 500 posts in South Wales and reduce the number of comparable posts, in London and the South East, by around 620 as well as reducing administration support posts in prison establishments across the country.
By the end of 2004–05, a further 320 posts had been created in Sheffield (70 posts) and the regions more widely (250 posts), avoiding post creation in London and the South East in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. During 2005–06, the Home Office will continue to review scope to relocate posts away from London and the South East in support of the Government's policy following Sir Michael Lyon's review.
Reoffenders
Mr. Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted criminals re-offended while on bail in the last period for which figures are available. [27516]
Hazel Blears: Information on re-offending while on bail is not collected centrally.
Sexual Offenders
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken by his Department to increase the provision of treatment for sex offenders in prison. [25854]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The range of accredited sex offender treatment programmes delivered by the Prison Service have been increased this year. These sex offender treatment programmes are designed to address different
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levels of risk and need. Resources are concentrated on those who are in prison long enough to benefit from a full programme. Some who do not attend a programme in prison may do so while on licence in the community.
Terrorism
Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with his Australian counterpart on the operation of detention policy for (a) terrorist suspects and (b) those suspected of aiding terrorists. [28954]
Hazel Blears: My right hon. Friend met Phil Ruddock, the Australian Attorney General, on 27 October to discuss all aspects of anti-terrorism legislation.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department requested United Kingdom police forces to contact hon. Members on the subject of the Terrorism Bill. [28096]
Hazel Blears: In the debate in the House of Commons on 2 November, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, suggested that over the weekend Members of Parliament discuss the counter-terrorism issues with their constituents, and highlighted the importance of professional advice from local police.
On 3 November, he suggested to ACPO that Chief Constables write to MPs in their police authority area, making themselves or relevant senior officers available to MPs, of all parties, who wanted to know their local police attitude to these issues. He naturally made clear that this should not be on a party political basis. Chief Constables responded to this in a number of different ways ranging from taking no action to setting out their views. The Government believe that it is entirely proper for the Police Service—who are tasked with protecting our security—to make the case for new powers which they have sought and which they feel are necessary to protect the nation, as they did over a period of time with this proposal.
Women Prisoners
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women in Wales were sentenced to a period of imprisonment in the last five years, broken down by prison. [27927]
Fiona Mactaggart: The number of women sentenced in Welsh courts and their destination establishment from 2000 to 2004 is in the following table, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.
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