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22 Mar 2006 : Column 472W—continued
QinetiQ
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts were awarded to QinetiQ by the Home Department (a) with and (b) without competitive tendering in (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2003–04 and (iii) 2004–05; and what the value of the contract was in each case. [42498]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The available information recorded by the Home Office on contracts awarded to QinetiQ is in the attached table.
Information is not held centrally, and existing purchasing systems do not necessarily record whether tenders are competitively tendered. It is not possible to collate this information comprehensively without incurring disproportionate cost.
The delay in replying was in light of advice from the Ministry of Defence's external lawyers in relation to the QinetiQ Initial Public Offering Process. In sum, the advice was that the release of detailed, material commercial information about QinetiQ during the IPO process could possibly result in failure to comply with legal obligations which require the QinetiQ prospectus (published on 25 January) to be the source of information on which investors decide whether or not to buy shares in QinetiQ. The period that this advice applied to ended on 11 March.
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Security Industry
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to allow the security industry to deploy unlicensed staff in the event that the Approved Contractors Scheme, under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, is delayed past 28 March. [50172]
Paul Goggins: I announced on 16 February that the Approved Contractors Scheme (ACS) Regulations were tabled on the 27 February 2006 to bring the ACS into force from 20 March 2006. As of 21 March, 65 companies had received approved contractor status with a further 133 applications submitted.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that details of the Approved Contractors Scheme set out in the Private Securities Industry Act 2001 will be announced in time for implementation by the Security Industry Authority before March. [50178]
Paul Goggins: On 16 February, I announced the details of the Approved Contractors Scheme (ACS). Regulations were tabled on the 27 February 2006 and the ACS brought into force on 20 March 2006. As of 21 March, the Security Industry Authority have approved 65 companies and have received a further 133 applications.
Sexual Offences Act
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) arrests and (b) successful prosecutions there have been under section 47 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; and if he will make a statement. [55799]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is not available centrally. The information on arrests that is collected is based on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) by main offence group only (i.e. sexual offences, violence against the person and burglary etc.) and therefore does not identify individual offences.
Data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform show that there have been no convictions in 2004 for offences relating to paying for sex with a child under section 47 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This Act came into force on 1 May 2004.
Social Exclusion
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding streams his Department plans to finance in 2006–07 to tackle social exclusion. [56215]
Paul Goggins: Social Exclusion is a multi faceted problem and there are many Home Office programmes and funding streams that contribute towards tackling it. Fear of crime, antisocial behaviour and community cohesion, reinforce social exclusion, and we are working closely with other government departments to tackle these issues.
The Respect Action Plan (RAP) is central to the Government's drive to step up and broaden the clampdown on antisocial behaviour and to promote
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decent behaviour. The plan includes measures to tackle the causes of unacceptable behaviour by targeting the most disadvantaged communities and working on a national network of intensive family support projects. This will reinforce government efforts to improve the life chances of those in greatest need and tackle the cycle of inter-generational disadvantage.
Fear of crime is more prevalent in inner city and high crime areas. To address these and other variations the Home Office is delivering a targeted communications strategy, ensuring that the facts about crime and fear of crime are made known through a wide network of practitioners and community activists. Since 2002 the strategy has reached over 10,000 practitioners—and through them an estimated three million people.
Community capacity and empowerment is key to improving life-chances. Firm Foundations, (Home Office, 2004), sets out the Government's framework for Community Capacity Building. The Active Citizenship for Active Learning (ALAC) programme also helps adults develop the skills and confidence to make a difference as an active citizen. In addition, we have recently funded a series of problem solving projects to learn more about how to involve socially excluded groups. We are also investing £150 million through the ChangeUp programme to improve the support services available to voluntary and community sector organisations, including those working to tackle social exclusion. And we are working with other Departments and local authorities to foster improved cohesion between different communities. We are providing new resources through the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund to fund work by faith groups which promote better understanding and dialogue between different faith communities.
Central to this strategy is the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund which brings together Home Office and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister funding aimed at tackling crime, illegal drugs and antisocial behaviour; empowering communities and improving the condition of streets and public spaces. The Fund is paid to all top tier local authorities in England and will total at least £220 million in 2006–07. The Fund also represents the main Home Office contribution to Local Area Agreements, which help to focus and join up actions addressing issues of local importance, such as social exclusion.
Telephone Numbers
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. [56540]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The information is as follows:
(i) The Department utilises the following such numbers:
0800 389 8289 Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Minicom (Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau (INEB)
0845 600 0914 Immigration and Nationality Directorate (National Asylum Support Services (NASS) Voucher Enquiries)
0870 000 1585 Home Office Public Enquiry Line (replaced on 15 September 2005 with a geographical number, 020 7035 4848 but retained while phone books and other publicity is updated)
(ii) This type of information is not held centrally in respect of the agencies which report to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, however, the following information—which may not be comprehensive—has been obtained:
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