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18 Apr 2006 : Column 364W—continued
SMARTT Programme Trials
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Office has made of the Smile, Manners, Attitude, Respect, Tolerance, Talk (SMARTT) programme trials being run by police in Ealing, Greenwich and Camden; what estimate he has made of the cost of the programme; and what plans there are to roll the programme out across the country. [56587]
Hazel Blears: The Home Office will await the evaluation of the programme by the metropolitan police service before considering the potential for wider application of the SMARTT programme for stop and search.
Sports Events (Security)
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 on the insurance of sports events; and what penalties may be imposed on sports bodies for non-compliance. [46160]
Paul Goggins [holding answer 25 January 2006]: I understand the Association of British Insurers has circulated advice to underwriters about issuing and renewing policies and how to respond to claims where unlicensed security operatives are being used inappropriately.
The Private Security Industry Act 2001 imposes licensing requirements and sanctions on those undertaking defined security activities and those who supply security operatives undertaking those activities. However, those organisations, including sports bodies, that employ unlicensed contracted staff are not breaking any law. A consultation document was published on 29 March 2006 to look at the effect of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 on security staff at sports and other events.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications for sports national governing bodies of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. [46163]
Paul Goggins
[holding answer 30 January 2006]: The Private Security Industry Act 2001 covers designated activities rather than specified bodies. All those undertaking such activities are required to be licensed, as relevant provisions of the Act take effect, unless removed from the Act's ambit by one of the mechanisms provided by the legislation. As the law currently stands, some sports stewards undertaking security duties are within its remit.
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The Home Office, working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, issued a consultation paper on 30 March 2006 to help establish greater clarity as to the impact of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 on sports and events.
Terrorism
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with police authorities in (a) Manchester, (b) Birmingham, (c) Leeds, (d) Liverpool, (e) Edinburgh, (f) Glasgow, (g) Cardiff and (h) other major cities and towns in theUK concerning initiatives to deal with terrorist attacks. [59537]
Hazel Blears: Since September 2005, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I have had discussions with all police authorities in England and Wales, including those in Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Merseyside and South Wales, about reconfiguring policing in their areas to ensure that there is the capacity and resilience to provide protective services, including counter terrorism, to national standards.
The Government's counter terrorism strategy is a nationwide effort to reduce the threat and our vulnerability to terrorism across the UK and involves a variety of Government Departments and agencies, particularly the police service, working in partnership with local and regional government and the private sector. Key elements of the strategy focus on the development of effective and proportionate protective security arrangements and ensuring that we are prepared to respond effectively to, and recover from, a terrorist attack. We do not comment on the specifics of the operational activity across the UK as this could assist those who may wish to perpetrate acts of terrorism.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when details of the operation of the charitable fund to help British victims of terrorism abroad will be announced. [61784]
Tessa Jowell: I am replying as Minister responsible for humanitarian assistance of those affected by major emergencies.
There is more work to be done on how the fund will operate, and I will be working in consultation with the voluntary sector, partners in Government and those families affected to finalise the details. We hope to be able to make a further announcement in the summer.
Terrorist Suspects (Renditions)
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2005, Official Report, column 1652W, to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell) on terrorist suspects (renditions), whether requests are still made to the Home Secretary for the extraordinary rendition of individuals by the United States through UK airspace or territory as in 1998. [43630]
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Mr. Charles Clarke: The Government's position on the allegations concerning extraordinary rendition was set out in the Foreign Secretary's Written Ministerial Statement of 20 January 2006, Official Report, column 37WS.
UK Citizenship Test
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people (a) passed and (b) failed the Life in the UK citizenship test between November 2005 and 28 February 2006. [63834]
Mr. McNulty: 24,613 people took the Life in the UK test between its implementation and 28 February 2006.
Of these, 17,240 passed and 7,373 failed, giving a pass rate of 70.04 percent.
Zahid Mubarek
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on changes that have occurred at (a) prison governor, (b) area manager and (c) Prison Service Board level arising from the inquiry into the death at Feltham Young Offenders Institution of Zahid Mubarek. [63297]
Fiona Mactaggart: I have not yet received the report from Mr. Justice Keith. I am therefore unable to comment on the report and it would be inappropriate for me to speculate on its contents.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Zimbabwean nationals and (b) former members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police are employed by police forces in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [63891]
Mr. McNulty: The data requested are not collected centrally.
UK Immigration Procedures
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a person caught attempting to enter the UK by UK immigration officers in Northern France is fingerprinted before being handed to the French authorities. [63242]
Mr. McNulty: It is not current practice to fingerprint immigration offenders encountered on the juxtaposed controls before handing them to the French authorities.
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons attempting to enter the UK have been detected by UK immigration officers in Northern France in each month since the establishment of juxtaposed controls. [63243]
Mr. McNulty:
The following table provides the figures on the number of persons detected by UK Immigration Service staff.
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(140) IDAs—Inadequately Documented Arrivals
(141) CLDs—Clandestines
Note:
These figures are obtained from locally collated management information and are subject to change.
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how those caught attempting to enter the UK by UK immigration officers in Northern France are included in immigration statistics. [63244]
Mr. McNulty:
Published statistics on persons refused entry to the UK by immigration officers in Northern France are included in the Control of Immigration Statistics Command Paper, table 6.1 'Persons removed from the United Kingdom and those subject to enforcement action'. This publication and further
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information is available on the Home Office's Research Development and Statistics website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
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