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Prostitution/Alcohol-related Arrests

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people in (a) Romford and (b) Havering were arrested for offences relating to prostitution in each of the last five years; [48554]

(2) how many alcohol-related arrests have been made in (a) Romford, (b) Havering and (c) London since 24-hour licensing began; and how many such arrests were made in the same period in 2004. [48560]

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested on arrests is not available centrally. Information on arrests collected is based on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) by main offence group (ie sexual offences, violence against the person, burglary etc.) and at police force area only and therefore does not identify individual offences or circumstances nor constituency areas or local authorities.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many brothels in (a) Romford and (b) Havering have been closed in the last five years. [48555]

Fiona Mactaggart: This information is not held centrally. However, the Metropolitan Police Clubs and Vice Unit (CO14) advise that, during that period, three brothels have been closed in separate investigations in the areas covered by Romford and Havering, and a number of other brothels have been closed in the same area as a result of three major operations.

Racial and Religious Hatred

Ms Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government plan to take to ensure that no undue arrests are made under the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill once that Bill becomes law. [47932]

 
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Paul Goggins: The question of arrests under the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill when it is brought into force will be entirely a matter for the police. The Home Office will issue guidance for the police and other criminal justice agencies prior to commencement.

Ms Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what post-legislative work has been planned to assess the effectiveness of the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. [48971]

Paul Goggins: Like all new offences, operation of the new offence of incitement to religious hatred will be monitored by the Home Office and criminal justice agencies. We intend to conduct a preliminary review of the effectiveness of the legislation one year after commencement, with a full review three years after commencement. Records will be maintained of the number of prosecutions and convictions for the new offence.

Ms Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definition he uses of recklessness in the context of religious hatred. [48245]

Paul Goggins: The Government's Racial and Religious Hatred Bill, as amended by Parliament on 31 January, does not contain a recklessness" provision. The proposed offence of incitement to religious hatred is now limited to words or behaviour that are intended to stir up religious hatred.

Real Women Programme

Dr. Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to roll out the Real Women Programme for sentencing following its pilot in 2004. [49214]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Real Women Programme (now called The Women's Programme) was fully accredited by the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel(CSAP) in December 2004. It has been rolled out and is available as a sentencing option in the probation areas of South Wales, Hertfordshire and West Midlands. Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Area and London Probation Area are in the process of implementing the programme. We expect that more probation areas will use the programme in 2006–07.

Residential Care Staff (Vetting)

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people applying for positions within residential care and nursing homes in (a) Tamworth, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England are awaiting clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau. [51224]

Andy Burnham: The information requested by the hon. Member for Tamworth is not available. The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is unable to provide information on Disclosure applications based on specific employment sectors or geographical areas. 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 applications.
 
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Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward measures to clarify criminal law on the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. [49235]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government are working with the Crown Prosecution Service to produce guidance on this aspect of the law for prosecutors and for the public.

Student Visas

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries, or parts of countries, from which students with student visas are required to report changes of residence; and how many such changes in residence were reported to each police centre in the last two complete academic years. [51351]

Mr. McNulty: The position has not changed since my earlier answer to my hon. Friend on 12 July 2005, Official Report, column 142.

War Criminals

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how often the EU network of contacts established to exchange information to help investigate and prosecute suspected war criminals has met with a view to exchanging information about experiences, practices and methods, pursuant to Article 5 of the Council Decision of 8 May 2003 (2003/335/JHA); and if he will make a statement; [50302]

(2) what assessment he has made of the (a) operation and (b) effectiveness of the European network of contact points in respect of persons responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes; and if he will make a statement [50303]

(3) if he will list the EU network of contact points established to exchange information to help investigate and prosecute suspected war criminals in accordance with European Council Decision of 13 June 2002 (2002/494/JHA). [50304]

Andy Burnham: The European network of contact points in respect of persons responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes has met twice, on 23–24 November 2004 and 28–29 June 2005. A further meeting is planned during the Austrian presidency of the European Union. UK representatives who have attended meetings of the network have found it helpful in establishing contacts with foreign authorities responsible for investigating these offences. The current list of contact points has not been made public.

Work Permits

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2006, Official Report, columns 1791–92W, on work permits, if he will break down each figure given by type of application. [50277]

Mr. McNulty: The tables show the number of permits approved for posts in the health and medical industry for each month in 2004 and 2005 broken down by
 
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country and type of application. The table one details the figures for 2004 and table two details the figures for 2005. This data is not provided under National Statistics protocols. It has been derived from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change. A copy will be placed in the Library.

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were granted to health workers from overseas in each year between 1997 and 2003, broken down by (a) country of origin and (b) applications (i) made overseas, (ii) made in-country, (iii) for extensions and (iv) for change of employment. [50282]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer 9 February 2006]: The table shows the number of permits approved for posts in the health and medical industry for each year between 1997 and 2003 broken down by country and type of application. This data is not provided under National Statistics protocols. It has been derived from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change. A copy of the table will be placed in the Library.

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