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23 Jan 2006 : Column 1784W—continued
National Identity Register
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what access police will have to biometric information on the proposed national identity register in conducting criminal investigations other than for use in identifying a particular suspect. [41671]
Andy Burnham: The police will not have access to the National Identity Register. However, they can apply to be provided with information, including biometric information, from the Register, where it is in the interests of national security or for purposes connected with the prevention or detection of crime, subject to safeguards provided for under clause 23 of the Identity Cards Bill.
In addition, with regard to applying for photographs, signatures, fingerprints or other biometric information, clause 23(1) provides that a police application for this information will only be successful if they show that it would not have been practicable for them to have obtained the information by other means-by conducting a search on their own fingerprint records for example.
NSPCC
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2005, Official Report, column 452W, on the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, what the basis is for his confidence in social workers' awareness of the risks of prejudicing future police investigations; and if he will make a statement. [42511]
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Hazel Blears: It is the responsibility of the Senior Investigating Officer to set the parameters of the police investigation and to ensure that third parties involved in the case are aware of the risks of prejudicing the investigation.
'Working together to safeguard children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children' was jointly published by the Home Office, Department for Health and Department for Skills and Education in 1999. Chapter five includes guidance on investigative interviews with children where social workers have a role and states at paragraph 5.36 that leading or suggestive communications should always be avoided". In addition, paragraphs 6.24 to 6.26 sets out guidance in relation to investigating organised and multiple abuse and states the need for the police and other agencies involved to agree clear written protocols in relation to all key operational and policy matters.
Passports
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 378W, on passports, when his Department will revise published guidelines on photograph standards. [43881]
Andy Burnham: The photo guidance leaflet contained in the passport application pack is being updated to take account of the revised guidelines published on the UKPS website in November, and will be available in passport application packs distributed in late February or early March 2006. The UKPS website also displays the current photo guidance leaflet and this will be replaced as soon as the design for its successor is confirmed, within the next fortnight. The website has updated information on photographs on other pages, and this newer information is signposted from the main page.
Police
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what level of fitness is required for police officers; [42461]
(2) if he will instigate an assessment of (a) the fitness of police officers and (b) possible measures to improve fitness. [42458]
Hazel Blears: All applicants recruited to the post of constable must be in good health and able both physically and mentally to perform the duties of a police officer.
As part of the standard recruitment process, applicants are required to pass a national job related physical fitness test to ensure that they are capable of meeting the physical demands of police work and to ensure that they are not put at risk from undertaking police tasks. The test must be passed prior to entry and again during the probationary period.
We are also considering the introduction of regular testing of all officers in-service to ensure maintenance of the minimum fitness standard.
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Details of the recruit fitness test are contained on thePolice Could You website at www.policecouldyou.co.uk and are set out for forces in Home Office Circular 43/2004. We are placing a copy of the Circular in the Library of the House.
Officers in certain specialist roles are also required to demonstrate a higher level of fitness on a regular basis. Work is being undertaken to ensure consistency in standards across the Service.
Officers are encouraged to develop and maintain health and fitness as part of the Home Office's strategy for a healthy police service and individual force occupational force strategies.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 771W, on police, how many fatal accidents involving police service vehicles there were in 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [40900]
Hazel Blears: Figures are provided in the table. Data collected on behalf of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary appear in column A and provide the number of fatalities resulting from road traffic collisions on public roads involving police vehicles and those resulting from immediate/emergency response and police pursuits.
The figures in this column are comparable with the figures provided in the previous PQ answer. The Independent Police Complaints Commission published the bulletin on Deaths during or following police contact: Statistics for England and Wales 2004–05" on 19 November 2005. This includes a wider definition of road traffic fatalities which, for the purpose of the reporting, are defined as deaths of motorists, cyclists or pedestrians resulting from police pursuits, police vehicles responding to emergency calls and other police traffic-related activity. These data are provided in column B.
(22)Taken from the Deaths during or following police contact: Statistics for England and Wales 2004–05" publication published on 19 November 2005.
(23)Force is unable to provide figures in 2004–05.
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Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the rollout of safer neighbourhood policing teams will be completed for each ward in Wimbledon constituency. [41705]
Hazel Blears: There are currently 285 safer neighbourhoods teams in London; a minimum of eight per borough. On Tuesday 10 January the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service Sir Ian Blair and Mayor of London Ken Livingstone announced that the roll out of safer neighbourhoods is being accelerated to ensure every neighbourhood in London will have a full team in place during the next financial year (2006–07).This will mean that the remaining 340 wards will initially have teams of four staff in place by April 2006, rising to six staff by April 2007. This will increase the number of teams from the current 285 to a total of 625 a year ahead of schedule
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the rollout of the remaining safer neighbourhood policing teams is planned to be fully completed in each ward of the London borough of Wandsworth; and if he will make a statement. [40909]
Hazel Blears:
There are currently 285 safer neighbourhoods teams in London; a minimum of eight per borough. On Tuesday 10 January the Commissioner
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of the Metropolitan Police Service, Sir Ian Blair and Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone announced that the roll out of safer neighbourhoods is being accelerated to ensure every neighbourhood in London will have a full team in place during the next financial year (2006–07).This will mean that the remaining 340 wards will initially have teams of four staff in place by April 2006, rising to six staff by April 2007. This will increase the number of teams from the current 285 to a total of 625 a year ahead of schedule.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the roll-out of the Safer Neighbourhood policing teams is planned in each ward of the London borough of Haringey; and if he will make a statement. [42639]
Hazel Blears: There are currently 285 Safer Neighbourhoods teams in London; a minimum of eight per borough.
On 10 January the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service Sir Ian Blair and Mayor of London KenLivingstone announced that the roll out of Safer Neighbourhoods is being accelerated to ensure that every neighbourhood in London will have a full team in place during the next financial year (2006–07).
This will mean that the remaining 340 wards will initially have teams of four staff in place by April 2006, rising to six staff by April 2007. This will increase the number of teams from the current 285 to a total of 625 a year ahead of schedule.
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