---

24 Nov 2005 : Column 2303W—continued

Biometrics Trials

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the volunteers in the UKPS Biometrics Enrolment Trial failed to enrol successfully in one or more biometric. [20077]

Andy Burnham: The UKPS biometric enrolment trial was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale biometric enrolment and provide data on perceptions and attitudes, and on the timing of enrolment processes. It was not a trial of technology and the technical solution used was not optimised to give maximum enrolment performance. Failure to enrol in the UKPS trial should not be taken as an absolute indication that a participant is unable to enrol a specific biometric rather that enrolment was not successful using the range of equipment available during the trial, in the limited time available and within the context of the trial. The trial report, with this data can be found at http://www.identitycards.gov.uk/publications.html

Border Police

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with (a) police chief constables and (b) the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis about the introduction of a British border police force; and if he will make a statement. [29378]

Mr. Charles Clarke: I have had a number of discussions with the Chief Constable Chair of ACPO and the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis on the management of United Kingdom borders.

The Government have no plans at present to create a single border control police force or agency. The White Paper One Step Ahead—A 21st Century Strategy to Defeat Organised Crime" tasked Customs, IND and the police to work together to develop options for providing more effective border controls through enhanced inter-agency co-operation. With this in view, the Border Management Programme was established to take this forward. The programme reports to Home Office and Treasury Ministers.

It is establishing more effective collaborative working between the border agencies to better target threats to UK security and to ensure that legitimate traffic can pass smoothly across our borders.
 
24 Nov 2005 : Column 2304W
 

Child Safety

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to improve child safety on the streets. [25267]

Paul Goggins: The Street Crime Initiative, launched in 2002, was aimed at improving the safety of individuals on the streets. The initiative succeeded in reversing the sharp upward trend in robbery levels and, over three years, reduced robbery by 32 per cent. in the ten street crime areas. The lessons learned from the initiative form the basis of good practice guidance which has been disseminated to all police forces by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Throughout the course of the initiative, a range of preventative and intervention schemes aimed at young people were introduced, for example Positive Activities for Young People and Safer School Partnerships", which now play a key part in the delivery of the cross departmental programme to tackle youth crime.

Another example is the SAFE" campaign. In January 2005, in conjunction with Crime stoppers, we ran SAFE"-a national anti-robbery week in schools. The campaign, which included assembly and lesson plans, provided young people with the knowledge and skills to avoid situations that increase their vulnerability to street crime. It supported and reinforced messages and information provided by local schemes, such as the Street Wise" project in Havering, which raises young people's awareness and assists in increasing their personal safety. The campaign was delivered to 11–14 year olds in secondary schools throughout England and Wales. We are currently updating the materials with a view to running the campaign again in January 2006.

Child Trafficking

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child traffickers have been convicted of offences and deported back to their country of origin in each of the last five years. [26268]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 8 November 2005]: It is not possible to provide this information as there is no specific offence of child trafficking".

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for Immigration will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, dated 18 July, acknowledgement reference B16627/5, Home Office reference S1296860. [29699]

Mr. McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to my right hon. Friend on 17 November 2005.

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for Immigration will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, dated 22 August, acknowledgement reference B19909/5, Home Office reference S1193198. [29700]

Mr. McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to my right hon. Friend on 10 November 2005.
 
24 Nov 2005 : Column 2305W
 

Crack Houses

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crack houses have been (a) identified and (b) closed in each (i) police authority and (ii) London borough since 2001. [24223]

Paul Goggins: Data is not routinely collected centrally on the number of crack houses identified or closed in England and Wales. A one off survey by Government office regions revealed that in the period 20 January to the end of September 2004 158 crack houses" were closed. The following table sets out the detail. During Operation Crackdown, the intensive police operation that took place between 12 January and 31 March 2005 the 33 participating police forces reported closing 175 crack houses."

Government office region	Crack houses" closed
South East	23
South West	24
East Midlands	10
West Midlands	3
North West	13
North East	7
Yorkshire and Humber	4
Wales	5
London	64
East of England	5

Crime (Hemel Hempstead)

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of drug-related crime has been in Hemel Hempstead constituency in each year since 1997. [25581]

Paul Goggins: Recorded crime figures are used to measure trends in crime in local areas. These statistics include information on drugs offences, such as possession and supply, and acquisitive crimes which may be drug-related, such as burglary and shoplifting, at the police force area level. They do not contain information on the offender's drug habits or motivation for offending.

It is therefore not possible to provide reliable estimates from these statistics of the numbers of crimes that are drug-related from year to year for Hemel Hempstead constituency.

Criminal Records Checks

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time for enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks for health professionals to be processed and approved was in the most recent period for which figures are available. [25534]

Andy Burnham: The information requested by the hon. Member for Northavon is not available. The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is unable to provide information on Disclosure applications based on specific employment sectors. The CRB aims to complete Disclosure applications across all sectors within the shortest time possible. Its published service standards are to issue 93 per cent. of Standard Disclosures within two weeks and 90 per cent. of Enhanced Disclosures within four weeks for all employment sectors.
 
24 Nov 2005 : Column 2306W
 

Departmental Staff (Sikh Dress)

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in defining a code of practice concerning the wearing of Kirpans by Sikh employees of his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. [28923]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office generally allows the wearing of the Kirpan by Sikh employees and this practice is not covered by any formal Code of Practice.

In operational areas of the department, for example the Prison Service and the Immigration Service there will be occasions where, for reasons of security, it is not permitted for either staff or visitors to wear the Kirpan. In these circumstances arrangements are in place to ensure that particular care is taken to respect their religious significance.

Having reviewed existing arrangements we do not consider that there is currently a need to formalise them by drawing up a specific code of practice.

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to the Passport Agency on the wearing of Kirpans by Sikhs visiting the agency to obtain passports. [28924]

Andy Burnham: To ensure particular issues relevant to Sikh customers are handled sensitively, the United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) has provided briefing and guidance on diversity issues to its frontline staff; and where Sikh customers feel unable to remove the Kirpan, alternative arrangements are made for their application to be examined, and their passport collected which allows Sikh customers to keep the Kirpan with them at all times.

These measures have been introduced following consultation with the Home Office and other organisations. They are based on risk assessments which are kept under regular review. The UKPS is satisfied they fulfil its duty of care to its customers and staff, while ensuring no discrimination against any section of society.

---