House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 9 Mar 2006 (pt 10)

9 Mar 2006 : Column 1672W—continued

Probation Services

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the coterminosity of probation areas with (a) police basic command units, (b) local authorities, (c) Crown Prosecution Service areas and (d) magistrates' courts areas of jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement. [56457]

Hazel Blears: The existing 42 probation areas are co-terminous with police forces, Crown prosecution and court areas. We are considering how future structures for probation can best preserve the important principle of coterminosity, taking account of police force restructuring and structures in the wider criminal justice system.

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to start the consultation process on the amalgamation of probation areas. [56458]

Fiona Mactaggart: I am considering the options for probation trust boundaries, which will be informed by police force restructuring.

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions are contained in the National Offender Management Service's five year strategy for the introduction of outside suppliers of probation services; what the planned (a) budget and (b) timetable is for the introduction of such suppliers; and whether he plans to introduce such suppliers without primary legislation. [56499]

Fiona Mactaggart: In the five year strategy for protecting the public and reducing re-offending, the Government sets out plans for a phased programme of contestability for prison and probation services—putting particular services out to tender. This will build on what we have already done in the prison estate and take into account our primary aims of protecting the public and reducing re-offending.

Our programme will be published in a prospectus in the spring which will outline the time table and areas of service in which we will introduce contestability. Legislation will be brought forward when parliamentary time permits. Decisions have yet to be taken on the full details of that legislation.

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many responses he has received to the consultation paper, Restructuring Probation to Reduce Re-Offending; and how many expressed (a) objections to and (b) reservations about its proposals. [57185]

Fiona Mactaggart: We have received 748 responses to the consultation on Restructuring Probation to Reduce Re-offending. We will be publishing a summary of all the responses and the key issues raised, and expect to do so within the timescale set out in the Cabinet Office guidelines on public consultations

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Spray Paints

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will raise the age for buying spray paints to 18 years. [55805]

Hazel Blears: The Government are keen to improve the accountability between the police, local authorities and other service providers and the public. The Community Call for Action provisions contained in the Police and Justice Bill will give more power to local communities and provide a mechanism for local communities to demand a response from agencies to persistent local community safety or antisocial behaviour problems, via an approach to their ward councillor. The Respect programme will ensure effective dialogue between local people and services by introducing regular and systematic face the people" briefing sessions, involving senior representation from the police and local authorities. These sessions will provide a further opportunity for communities to make clear their priorities and to hold those responsible for service delivery to account.

They will also allow senior staff to engage the community in tackling local problems, raising issues where they can take action to help combat antisocial behaviour, including graffiti. In addition to this, the Home Office, in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is developing a new three digit single non-emergency number to provide the public direct access to community safety advice, information and action to tackle antisocial behaviour, including graffiti. The Government's commitment towards

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neighbourhood policing will benefit every area by 2008, enabling graffiti to be tackled as a priority when local communities identify this as one of their key concerns.

Student Visas

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the arrangements will be for the points system proposed to replace the current overseas student visa system. [55680]

Mr. McNulty: The Home Office command paper A Points-Based System: Making Migration Work for Britain" was published on 7 March 2006 and is available on the IND website (www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk). This detailed our plans for a point-based system to replace all current routes for migrants wishing to enter the UK to work, train or study. The new system will be introduced in a phased manner and we will be testing the processes that underpin the proposals before any firm implementation dates are announced.

Thames Valley Criminal Justice Board

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders were brought to justice in the Thames Valley Criminal Justice Board area in each 12 month period since 31 March 2002; how many and what proportion of those cases were brought to justice as a result of (a) conviction, (b) caution, (c) fixed penalty notice and (d) offences taken into consideration; and if he will make a statement. [56529]

Fiona Mactaggart: The figures for the number of offences brought to justice in the Thames Valley Criminal Justice Board Area are shown in the following table. These are a further breakdown of the published figures which are a count of offences rather than offenders.
Number of offences brought to justice over a 12-month period by outcome in Thames Valley—2001–02 to 2004–05

12 months ending March Offences
taken into consideration⁽⁶⁾ Penalty notices for disorder⁽⁷⁾ Formal warnings for cannabis possession⁽⁸⁾ Cautions⁽⁹⁾ Convictions Total OBTJ

Offences brought to justice (OBTJ)
2002 6,969 ⁽¹⁰⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— 5,529 18,516 31,014

2003 7,804 ⁽¹¹⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— 6,888 19,786 34,478

2004 5,724 ⁽¹¹⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— 7,119 19,325 32,168

2005⁽¹⁰⁾ 8,700 1,740 2,232 11,768 17,688 42,128

Percentage of all offences brought to justice

2002 22 ⁽¹⁰⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— 18 60 100

2003 23 ⁽¹¹⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— 20 57 100

2004 18 ⁽¹¹⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— 22 60

2005⁽¹²⁾ 21 4 5 28 42 100

⁽⁶⁾Offences taken into consideration by the court and previously recorded by the police; figures for April 2004 onwards include offences not previously recorded.
⁽⁷⁾Piloted in 2002 and introduced nationally in 2004.
⁽⁸⁾Introduced in April 2004.
⁽⁹⁾Includes reprimands and final warnings for juveniles.
⁽¹⁰⁾Not applicable.
⁽¹¹⁾Nil.
⁽¹²⁾Provisional.

12 months ending March	Offences taken into consideration⁽⁶⁾	Penalty notices for disorder⁽⁷⁾	Formal warnings for cannabis possession⁽⁸⁾	Cautions⁽⁹⁾	Convictions	Total OBTJ
Offences brought to justice (OBTJ)
2002	6,969	⁽¹⁰⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	5,529	18,516	31,014
2003	7,804	⁽¹¹⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	6,888	19,786	34,478
2004	5,724	⁽¹¹⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	7,119	19,325	32,168
2005⁽¹⁰⁾	8,700	1,740	2,232	11,768	17,688	42,128

Percentage of all offences brought to justice
2002	22	⁽¹⁰⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	18	60	100
2003	23	⁽¹¹⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	20	57	100
2004	18	⁽¹¹⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	22	60
2005⁽¹²⁾	21	4	5	28	42	100

Trophy Videos (Iraq)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) reports and (b) complaints the Government has received about trophy videos posted on the internet showing private security contractors shooting Iraqi civilians; what investigations the Government have conducted into whether employees of a UK company were involved; whether anyone involved in the crime may be prosecuted in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [52374]

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Hazel Blears: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received a number of letters on this subject from members of the public but has received no official complaints about these allegations. The Government take this issue very seriously and have expressed their concern to the company involved, Aegis, as soon as we were aware of the videos.

The UK Government have no contracts in Iraq with Aegis and therefore have not conducted a formal investigation into the alleged incidents. Aegis have kept us informed of their own investigation, which is soon to be concluded. They have co-operated in their investigation with their US Government employers, the US Defence Department. At present, there is no UK legislation specifically governing the overseas operations of Private Military Security Companies registered in or operating from the UK. This has been reviewed and we are considering the way forward. The Government will keep Parliament fully informed of their proposals in this area.

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