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29 Nov 2005 : Column 470W—continued

Taser Stun Guns

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 351W, on Taser stun guns, if he will provide the equivalent figures for the proceeding three years. [31047]

Hazel Blears: The Metropolitan police started to deploy Taser in April 2003. Taser is only deployed in circumstances where firearms officers are authorised to carry firearms and is deployed alongside conventional firearms so as to be available in appropriate circumstances as an alternative to them. The commissioner for the Metropolitan police has provided the information in the table.
Metropolitan police—deployment of Taser

Month	Deployed	Fired
April 2003	261	0
May 2003	353	0
June 2003	313	0
July 2003	308	0
August 2003	365	1
September 2003	282	0
October 2003	300	0
November 2003	279	0
December 2003	279	3
January 2004	255	0
February 2004	252	1
March 2004	316	3
April 2004	244	1
May 2004	353	4
June 2004	269	4
July 2004	288	1
August 2004	248	4
September 2004	241	3

UK-controlled Deliveries

Mr. Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK-controlled delivery operations took place involving (a) Spanish and (b) French territory between 1999 and 2004; and how many were aborted due to the detention of the cargo or driver by the (i) Spanish and (ii) French authorities. [29519]

Hazel Blears: Information on the number and target of controlled delivery operations is not collected centrally.

Victims of Crime

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds his Department allocated to programmes on (a) alternatives to custody for young offenders, (b) projects for witness protection, (c) projects to support victims of crime, (d) projects to promote restorative justice, (e) projects to help tackle
 
29 Nov 2005 : Column 471W
 
alcohol abuse, (f) projects to help tackle drug and solvent abuse and (g) projects to help tackle domestic violence in 2004–05; on which programmes such money was spent in each case; how much each project has received; and if he will make a statement. [11970]

Fiona Mactaggart: This information is not held centrally and to obtain would incur disproportionate costs.

Violent Crime

Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps he is taking to tackle violent crime; [16719]

(2) what steps the Government are taking to deal with alcohol-related crime. [16733]

Hazel Blears: The British Crime Survey shows that violent crime has fallen by 34 per cent. since 1997, and we are determined to see this trend continuing. Our work on sexual offences and gun and knife crime is set out in answers to other questions, so I will not repeat that information here; this reply focuses on our work to tackle alcohol-related crime and domestic violence.

The Licensing Act 2003 will, from 24 November 2005, give the police and courts new powers to close disorderly and noisy premises, issue increased fines for breaching licence conditions and, with local residents, to seek licence reviews.

With the Association of Chief Police Officers, we ran two national enforcement campaigns against alcohol-fuelled disorder and underage drinking during 2004. Further campaigns took place over Easter and summer 2005 and another began on 14 November.

We have provided increased protection for domestic violence victims through the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, which enables courts to legally protect victims from harassment. We are also rolling out a Specialist Domestic Violence Court programme across 25 areas, and plan to extend it next year. Criminal justice agencies are also improving their response to domestic violence through training front-line staff.

Measures within the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which is currently before Parliament, will give police and courts new powers to tackle violent criminals and ensure they are effectively punished; give police powers to require licensed pubs or clubs to search for weapons on entry, and; help achieve a culture change in binge drinking, deterring unacceptable behaviour, and protecting people from harm. It also provides new measures on guns and knives.

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in the level of violent crime in Gravesham has been in each year since 1997. [28645]

Hazel Blears: The available information relates to the Gravesham Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area and is given in the tables. Statistics at CDRP level have only been collected since April 1999.

It is estimated that the effect of the introduction nationally of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in April 2002 was a 20 per cent. increase in recorded violent crime in its first year.
 
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The second table does not contain a percentage increase for 2002–03 as this is heavily influenced by the impact of NCRS and is therefore not a real reflection of the change in violent crime.
Percentage change in recorded violent crime in the Gravesham Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area—1999–2000 to 2001–02

Period	Percentage change compared with previous 12 months
1999–2000	n/a
2000–01	-8
2001–02	10

n/a = not available
Note:
The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.





Percentage change in recorded violent crime in the Gravesham Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area—2002–03 to 2004–05

Period	Percentage change compared with previous 12 months
2002/03	(63)—
2003/04	17
2004/05	27

⁽⁶³⁾ Percentage change compared with 2000–01 is 36 per cent. but this is heavily influenced by the impact of NCRS and is therefore not a real reflection of the change in violent crime.
Note:
The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Weapons (Internet Sales)

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the other Government departments with a view to preventing the advertising and selling of less lethal weapons via the internet. [28501]

Hazel Blears: The internet is regulated by the application of existing law, which applies equally online and offline. It is an offence to sell seventeen offensive weapons, in addition to flick knives and gravity knives to a person of any age; to market a knife in a way which suggests it is suitable for combat; and to sell a knife to a person under 16. We are raising this to 18 in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill currently before Parliament.

Tasers and incapacitant sprays using CS or PAVA are prohibited weapons and cannot be sold, purchased or possessed without authority from the Secretary of State. Baton guns are also controlled under firearms laws and, depending on their size, can be prohibited weapons.

Wheel Clamping

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the number of private firms that have a licence to operate wheel clamps in England and Wales, broken down by constituency. [30667]

Paul Goggins: The Private Security Industry Act 2001 does not require vehicle immobiliser firms to be licensed. It does require people who work as vehicle immobilisers
 
29 Nov 2005 : Column 473W
 
to be licensed. As of 16 November the number of vehicle immobiliser operatives licences that have been issued regionally are as follows:

Region	Front line operative	Non-front line operative
South West	66	10
Wales	30	3
Midlands	105	21
North West	111	16
North East	116	9
Eastern	43	9
South East	187	58
London	219	22

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