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16 Jan 2006 : Column 1134W—continued
Organised Crime
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the geographical distribution of organised crime. [40965]
Paul Goggins: The UK Threat Assessment for 2004–05 to 2005–06, which is published by the National Criminal Intelligence Service, sets out the threat to the UK from organised crime. The assessment does not attempt to apportion the distribution of organised crime by region. It is, however, geographically widespread with major distribution hubs for criminal commodities found in areas of high population.
Press Releases
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place copies of documents to which press releases relate on his Department's website at the same time that the press release is issued; and if he will ensure there is a full link to the document's URL as contained in the press release. [37752]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office always aims to publish press releases, and related documents, simultaneously on the Home Office website. Press Releases are located in the press office section of the website http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/ and include in the 'Notes to Editors' links to related Home Office publications or statistics. Systems have been developed and implemented over the past three months since the launch of the new websites to enable the process of ensuring full URL links to documents are in the press releases.
Preventing Extremism Working Groups
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people were considered for membership of the Preventing Extremism working groups; [39770]
(2) whether (a) he and (b) his officials had discussions with people considered for membership of the Preventing Extremism working groups concerning the criteria according to which candidates for membership of the Preventing Extremism working groups were assessed; [39771]
(3) what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials had with people considered for membership of the Preventing Extremism working groups concerning the suitability of other people considered for membership of the working groups; [39772]
(4) according to what criteria candidates for membership of the Preventing Extremism groups were assessed; [39773]
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(5) on what dates the criteria for selecting members ofthe Preventing Extremism working groups were revised; [39774]
(6) on what date criteria were first drawn up for selecting the members of the Preventing Extremism working groups; [39775]
(7) what criteria were drawn up for selecting members of the Preventing Extremism working groups. [39776]
Paul Goggins: The Preventing Extremism Together working groups were created as part of an exercise which was carried out informally as part of our immediate response to the July bombings.
Suggestions as to possible members came both orally and in writing from Ministerial visits which took place over the summer, through a designated email account, from the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, and following the Prime Minister's and my own meetings with key faith leaders and others.
Members of the working groups were invited to participate because of their expertise and experience. A key factor was to ensure that the groups had credibility with the Muslim communities. In selecting these individuals consideration was given to those who were both challenging voices and well established figures who have the support of their community. To ensure a broad spectrum of representation, high profile and internationally known individuals were invited alongside individuals who hold a variety of different views. They were invited in a personal, unpaid capacity, rather than as representatives of their organisations and held no official status. The result of this was seven working groups with a membership total of 104.
Prisoner Licences
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are being held beyond their licence expiry date following recall to prison; and how many times in the last two years prisons have failed to release recalled prisoners on time. [37764]
Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Early Release and Recall Section of the National Offender Management Service monitors the performance of individual prisons in releasing recalled prisoners before their licence expiry date (LED); and what action is taken where a prison is known to have held a prisoner beyond their LED. [37765]
Fiona Mactaggart: It is the responsibility of Prison Service senior managers to monitor the performance of individual prisons.
Recalled prisoners can only be re-released if their sentence has expired or the Parole Board has recommended release. In taking into account whether to re-release a recalled prisoner sentenced under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, the Parole Board is required to have regard to the prisoner's licence expiry date.
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If it comes to the attention of the Release and Recall Section or the Prison Service that a recalled prisoner is, for any reason, being held beyond the date of their re-release, staff are required to take immediate steps to facilitate the release process.
Prisons
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the provisions of section 2.17 of the Prison Act 1952 covering location and accommodation applies to (a) Broadmoor and (b) other secure hospitals. [38255]
Fiona Mactaggart: The secure hospitals, including the high secure hospitals, are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Health. The provisions of the National Health Service Act 1977 applies to them and not the Prisons Act 1952.
Probation Service
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been employed in the probation service in (a) Greater London and (b) the London borough of Hillingdon in each year since 1997. [40250]
Fiona Mactaggart: Comparative information on staffing numbers is not available for the full period requested. Data collected prior to 1 April 2003 is unreliable and is not directly comparable with the more accurate figures collected since that time. The figures presented below show full-time equivalent (FTE) figures at the close of each quarter from 1 April 2003 to 30 September 2005.
Staffing information is collected by probation area, and is not collected centrally in a format that allows figures for the London borough of Hillingdon to be presented separately. The staffing figures are provided for London probation area only.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is the director of (a) the probation service, (b) the Southend probation service and (c) the Essex probation service; what relevant specialist qualifications each holds; and what the career of each has been to date. [37770]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The director of probation is Roger Hill. Roger Hill holds a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW) and an MBA.
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He has served as a probation officer, senior probation officer, assistant chief probation officer and chief officer of two local probation areas.
Mary Archer is the chief officer of Essex probation area. She was appointed in 2003, having been an assistant chief officer in another area. She also holds a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work, and a Chartered Management qualification.
Essex probation area includes Southend.
Rates
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid by the Prison Service in rates to each local authority in the UK in 2004–05; and how much was paid (a) in each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK and (b) in London. [39161]
Fiona Mactaggart: The rates paid by the Prison Service in England and Wales in 2004–05 is shown in the following table by:
London figures are included under English Regions. Wales is not divided into regions.
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Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid by the (a) Forensic Science Service, (b) Criminal Records
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Bureau and (c) UK Passport Service in rates to each local authority in the UK in 2004–05; and how much was paid in (i) each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK and (ii) London. [39165]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The rates payments made by Forensic Science Service, Criminal Records Bureau and UK Passport Service during financial year 2004–05 are given in the following table:
The FSS provides services to England and Wales, CRB to England, Wales and Northern Ireland and UKPS to the whole of the United Kingdom.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid by the Immigration and Nationality Service in rates to each local authority in the UK in 2004–05; and how much was paid in (a) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK and (b) London. [39167]
Mr. McNulty: Immigration and nationality directorate paid a total of £12,485,495 in rates in 2004–05. The breakdown of this payment is as follows:
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