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Probation Services

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many posts there are in the probation service establishment in (a) the Thames Valley Criminal Justice Board area and (b) each local criminal justice board area within the Thames Valley; how many and what proportion of such posts in each area were vacant on the most recent date for which figures are available; how many posts in each area were filled by probation officers with less than two years' experience on the most recent date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [56528]

Fiona Mactaggart: Not all probation areas in the national probation service operate a set establishment against which vacant posts can be measured. As a more representative alternative, probation areas are required to report regularly on the number of active vacancies they have. An active vacancy is one which a probation area is actively trying to fill through a recruitment process.

Staffing information is collected by probation area, and is not collected centrally in sufficient detail to allow figures for sub sections within Thames Valley to be presented separately. The following staffing figures are provided for the Thames Valley probation area only.

Figures for 31 December 2005 show that there were a total of 622.20 full-time equivalent staff in post in the Thames Valley probation area. On the same date there were 22.70 full-time equivalent vacancies that were
 
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actively being recruited to. Therefore active vacancies accounted for 3.52 percent. of the total posts available at that time.

There were 126.17 full-time equivalent probation officers employed in the Thames valley probation area on 31 December 2005, and of these 35.19 had less than two years experience. This equates to 27.89 percent. of the total probation officer workforce in Thames Valley.

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the responses received by his Department to the consultation paper, Restructuring Probation to Reduce Re-Offending. [57186]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Department received nearly 750 responses to the consultation on Restructuring Probation to Reduce Re-offending. We will publish a summary of all the responses and the key issues raised, including a full list of respondents. In line with Cabinet Office guidelines we do not intend to place copies of all the responses received in the Library.

Public Order

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of the protesters outside the Danish Embassy on 4 February have been identified by the police; [56901]

(2) how many arrests have been made following the demonstrations outside the Danish Embassy on 4 February; and if he will make a statement. [56902]

Hazel Blears: The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the inquiry is ongoing and has so far led to 22 individuals being considered for prosecution. Of these, four have been identified to the satisfaction of police. Every effort is being taken to positively identify all 22 individuals. The Metropolitan police expect to begin making arrests shortly.

Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people normally resident in the Peterborough City Council area were taken to court for breach of antisocial behaviour orders in the last year for which figures are available. [57192]

Hazel Blears: From antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) breach data recorded centrally we are not able to identify where an offender resides. The data only cover breach proceedings where there has been a conviction and are currently available from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2003 for ASBOs issued since 1 June 2000. These data are available at criminal justice system area level only. During this period eight persons are recorded as having breached their ASBO on one or more occasions in Cambridgeshire.

Respect Action Plan

Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision the Government has made to ensure local authorities have the funding needed to implement a truancy officer to be assigned to truant families and children as set out in the Respect action plan. [52917]

 
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Hazel Blears: Interventions to tackle persistent truancy form a key strand in the Respect programme. Local authorities are responsible for delivering outcomes and services within the budget that they control. The Government expects local authorities to make more effective use of existing resources to tackle truants. These include: the local authorities' expert Behaviour and Attendance consultants who help schools manage behaviour and attendance problems; Education Welfare services; and funding from the Behaviour Improvement Programme.

Security Industry

Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on an extension of the deadline for employees in the security industry seeking possession of the new Security Industry Authority identity card; what consideration the Government have given to this matter; and if he will make a statement. [54915]

Paul Goggins: The date of implementation of 20 March 2006 was agreed after consultation with the industry and has been publicised for the last two years. I have made clear on a number of occasions that this date will not be moved.

Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures the Government proposes to take against those firms in the security industry who have been unable to ensure that all their employees are in possession of the new security industry association identity card; and if he will make a statement. [54931]

Paul Goggins: The issue of compliance with the requirements of the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001 is a matter for the Security Industry Authority who retain operational responsibility. They continue to work with their partners and law enforcement agencies such as the police, and local authorities on matters of compliance. The SIA's enforcement policy can be found on their website at www.the-sia.org.uk.

Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been employed by the Security Industry Authority in each year since its establishment; and if he will make a statement. [54932]

Paul Goggins: The number of staff directly employed by the Security Industry Authority at the end point of each financial year since its creation in April 2003 is set out in the following table. During this period its responsibilities have increased as the sectors required to be licensed have increased, and as the Approved Contractor Scheme has been developed.

As at	Number of staff employed
31 March 2004	44
31 March 2005	74
28 February 2006	97

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which a black market for door supervisors has
 
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led to a disparity between the number of qualified door supervisors and the number officially licensed by the Security Industry Authority. [52038]

Hazel Blears: The Security Industry Authority (SIA) estimates that there is currently a demand for about 46,000 door supervisors. As at 1 March 2006, the SIA has licensed 40,188 door supervisors from 50,845 applications. 2,578 applications have been refused, and the remainder are being processed. The SIA continues to work closely with partners and law enforcement agencies on issues of compliance with the Private Security Industry Act 2001.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of unlicensed door supervisors employed at licensed premises; and if he will make a statement. [52142]

Hazel Blears: The size of the door supervisor market is currently estimated to be in the region of 46,000. As at 1 March, 50,845 applications have been made to the Security Industry Authority for licences, 40,188 have been granted, 2,578 refused, and the remainder are being processed.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what agreements were reached between the Security Industry Authority and the private security industry about the number of applications for door supervisor licences to be submitted to the Security Industry Authority each month; and if he will make a statement. [52143]

Hazel Blears: No agreements were made between the Security Industry Authority and the Private Security Industry about the number of Door Supervisors licences to be submitted each month, as the roll out of the Door Supervisor licensing scheme was conducted through a regional rollout across the country.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent offences committed in connection with licensed premises were carried out by (a) licensed door supervisors and (b) unlicensed door supervisors in each region since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [52157]

Hazel Blears: This information is not held centrally and gathering such information would attract a disproportionate cost.

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