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1 Dec 2005 : Column 745W—continued
Countryside Alliance Protests
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act during the Countryside Alliance protests in Parliament Square on 15 September 2004. [30476]
Hazel Blears:
According to police records, no arrests were made on 15 September 2004 under the Terrorism Act 2000.
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County Councils Legislation
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will introduce legislation to extend the provisions of the Kent County Council Act 2001 and the Medway Council Act 2001 to the whole of England and Wales; and if he will make a statement; [32334]
(2) what measures he is taking to tackle the sale of counterfeit goods at car boot sales; and if he will make a statement. [32333]
Hazel Blears: The Kent County Council Act 2001 and the Medway Council Act 2001 (the Kent Acts) provide for the regulation of traders in both second-hand goods and occasional sales. The Act required both councils to submit jointly a report to the Home Secretary on the working of the provisions of the Acts. When I laid their report before Parliament in December 2004 I undertook to consult further on the case for extending the legislation throughout England and Wales.
The consultation paper which I plan to launch shortly will seek views on the best way forward. While focusing predominantly on the issues around the registration of traders in second-hand goods, the consultation will also seek views on the regulation of occasional sales, such as car boot sales.
Criminal Records Bureau Checks
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Criminal Records Bureau checksin Wales have given incorrect or inappropriate information on criminal records to individuals applying for an enhanced disclosure award broken down by regions of Wales. [30781]
Andy Burnham: The information sought by the hon. member for Bridgend is not available in the format requested.
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) does operate a procedure for applicants to contest, or dispute the information provided on their Disclosure. If, upon investigation the CRB finds that a conviction(s) do not relate to the person for whom the Disclosure was issued, they will re-issue a corrected Disclosure free of charge. Prior to the launch of the CRB, had an applicant applied for a position which required a police check under the previous arrangements, details of any alleged convictions would have been passed only to the prospective employer and not to the applicant. Applicants now have the opportunity to contest any conviction details.
Crime Statistics
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total level of violent crime recorded by the police in North Kent was in each of the last two years for which figures are available. [32633]
Hazel Blears:
The available information relates to the number of offences recorded in the North Kent basic command unit (BCU) and is given in the table.
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(17)The Sexual Offences Act 2003, introduced in May 2004, altered the definition and coverage of sexual offences.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of crimes per day was in the Essex police force area in each of the last five years. [31393]
Hazel Blears: The published data relate to the number of crimes recorded by the Essex police in terms of financial years and is given in the table.
The introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002 had the effect of increasing the total number of offences recorded in Essex by an estimated 21 per cent. in the first year. This means that figures for the financial year 2002–03 and later are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
| Period | Total no. of recorded offences |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 106,768 |
| 2001–02 | 113,150 |
Note:
The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
| Period | Total no. of recorded offences |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 136,181 |
| 2003–04 | 144,512 |
| 2004–05 | 134,789 |
Note:
The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the work of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority; and if he will make a statement. [32805]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a non-departmental public body, which is responsible for all first and reviewed decisions on applications made under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. Appeals against decisions of the Authority are considered by an independent tribunal, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel. There is no onward right of appeal to the Secretary of State. The Home Secretary
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has policy responsibility for the Compensation Scheme, and the general working of CICA is kept under review by the Home Office on a continuing basis.
Criminal Justice Act
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards implementing conditional cautioning under Part 3 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003; and if he will make a statement. [32883]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Conditional Cautions scheme has been implemented in six Early Implementation Areas to test its application and adaptation from policy to local frontline delivery.
This began in one police basic command unit in each area, with the intention of growing the scheme across the wider police force area once the pathfinder phase was complete. Lancashire is the first force to use the scheme across their police force. The evaluation report from these Early Implementation Areas is due to be published in early 2006 but initial indications suggest that overall use of the scheme is positive. Victim satisfaction with the scheme is reportedly high and practitioners in the areas see benefit in rolling the scheme out more widely.
Offenders questioned as part of the evaluation have also considered the scheme a success. The strategy for national rollout of Conditional Cautions is currently being planned, taking into consideration the evidence of the Early Implementation Areas. Initial rollout across one basic command unit per criminal justice area is expected to be completed within 18 months.
Custodial Sentences (Women)
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what offences custodial sentences were imposed on women in the last 12 months for which information is available. [32314]
Fiona Mactaggart: This information is provided in the latest Home Office sentencing statistics publication: Sentencing Statistics 2004, HOSB 15/05 England and Wales (Chapter two. Table 2.10, Number of persons sentenced to immediate custody by sex and offence group). This publication is available in the House Library.
DNA Profiles
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people under 18 years have DNA profiles stored in the police national database without having been charged or cautioned for any offence. [24974]
Hazel Blears: At the 31 October 2005 there were 3,466,792 subject sample profiles loaded to the National DNA Database. Of these 741,605 related to people who were under 18 at the time the sample was taken.
We cannot currently determine how many of the people sampled were not subsequently charged or cautioned. Technical changes to the link between the Police National Computer and the National DNA
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Database to enable this information to be captured are under consideration by the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO).
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