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CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Electoral Reform

James Duddridge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what options she is considering for the introduction of (a) electronic and (b) internet-based measures to reform the electoral process, broken down by stage of the electoral process; and if she will make a statement. [53886]

Bridget Prentice: We are considering how modern technology can be used to support and develop the electoral process. This could include registration, voting
 
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itself and the counting of ballots. Pilots to occur at the May 2006 local elections will include e-counting and the use of electronic electoral registers to support our investigation of how such technology might be employed in the future. Information Technology may also be valuable in providing information to voters during an election period and between elections to promote and facilitate democratic engagement and participation.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Car-jacking

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to provide for the specific offence of car-jacking; and if he will make a statement. [64213]

Hazel Blears: The Government have no plans to introduce a specific offence of car-jacking. We are satisfied that car-jacking would inevitably involve the commission of one or more serious criminal offences. The exact charge would depend on the circumstances of the particular case, but the following offences are relevant:

Robbery contrary to section eight of the Theft Act 1968, for which the maximum custodial sentence is life imprisonment.

Taking a conveyance without authority contrary to section 12 of the Theft Act 1968, for which the maximum custodial sentence is six months.

Aggravated Vehicle Taking contrary to section 12A of the Theft Act 1968, for which the maximum custodial sentence is two years, or 14 years where a death occurs.

Kidnapping, a common law offence for which there is no limit fixed for the period of imprisonment.

Chewing Gum

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fines have been issued to the public by the police for chewing-gum related offences in 2006; and how many were issued in the last 10 years. [63098]

Hazel Blears: Chewing-gum related offences are classified as littering offences and Fixed Penalty Notices are issued by local authority officials. Records of Fixed Penalty Notices issued to the public by local authority officials for littering offences are not notified to the Home Office.

Counter-terrorism (Canary Wharf)

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) operations and (b) investigations (i) were undertaken and (ii) are being conducted related to the alleged attempted attack on Canary Wharf on 23 November 2004. [64387]

Hazel Blears: It is our policy not to comment on the details of alleged attempted terrorist attacks in the UK. These are operational matters for the police service.
 
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DNA Database

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what percentage of the population of West Lancashire the police hold a record on their DNA database. [64121]

Hazel Blears: It is not possible to provide the information requested for West Lancashire as the DNA subject sample records held on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) relate to police force area, not local authority area, but some data is available for Lancashire. Data from Census 2001 indicates that the population of Lancashire is 1,134,976. At the end of February 2006, there were 90,405 individuals with a profile on the NDNAD taken by Lancashire police.

These individuals would have been arrested, detained in a police station and had a DNA sample taken in Lancashire, but would not necessarily be resident in Lancashire. Using the previous figures, the percentage of persons who have a profile on the NDNAD taken by Lancashire police relative to the population of Lancashire is 7.9 per cent.

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the merits of establishing an independent body, with ethical and lay input, to oversee the working of the National DNA Database; and if he will make a statement. [64173]

Hazel Blears: The Government recognises the need for, and is committed to establishing, arrangements for ethical review of the policy and decision-making of the National DNA Database Board through an ethics committee. The Government believe that independent ethical advice and input is necessary to ensure that appropriate account of a wide set of views, and protection of individual rights, is retained in the decision-making of the Board.

Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have samples on the National DNA Database who have not been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of an offence. [59533]

Hazel Blears: Data are not readily available on the number of persons who have a DNA profile on the database who have been charged with, convicted of or acquitted of an offence. This data are not held on the National DNA Database (NDNAD), but can be obtained from the Police National Computer (PNC). There is an electronic link between PNC and the NDNAD which transmits certain information only. Home Office officials are working with colleagues in the Police Information and Technology Organisation (PITO) which is responsible for PNC and with police service staff to develop a process to routinely report this and other statistical information that is held on either NDNAD or PNC. This work is under way and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the work has been completed.

Graffiti Removal Notices

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many graffiti removal notices have been issued in England since 2003. [64057]

 
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Hazel Blears: Section 48–52 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 which introduced Defacement Removal Notices nationwide came into force on 6 April 2006. Since the 6 April the Home Office has not received any details of Defacement Removal Notices being issued.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to provide the Information Commissioner with comprehensive powers to check the data protection compliance of the National Identity Card Scheme. [62560]

Andy Burnham: The Identity and Passport Service complies with the Data Protection Act, and this will continue once ID cards are issued, and the register is operational. The Information Commissioner is already responsible for ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act, and he will continue to exercise this function in respect of the Identity and Passport Service. The Information Commissioner therefore has the power to ensure that the Identity Card Scheme complies with the Data Protection Act, and does not require further powers in order to carry out this function.

Indefinite Leave to Remain

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for indefinite leave to remain under the provisions of the European Community Association Agreement there have been since February 2005; and how many have been completed. [64046]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer 18 April 2006]: Since February 2005, IND has received 2,577 applications for indefinite leave to remain under the European Community Association Agreements. Following resumption of consideration of this ECAA category on 14 February 2005, some 850 have been completed of which 109 relate to applications received since February 2005. This information is provisional management information and may be subject to change.

Inmate Repatriations

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the (a) occasions, (b) destinations, (c) prisons and (d) prison governor grade staff who have replaced prison officer grades in accompanying inmate repatriations outside the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; [63352]

(2) for what reasons and in what circumstances prison governor grade staff would accompany inmate repatriations outside the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [63353]

Fiona Mactaggart: The information is only available for the last two years since the creation of a dedicated repatriation group. In the last two years four governor grades have been involved in travelling abroad to escort repatriated prisoners back to the United Kingdom. One governor travelled to Japan, two to Australia, and one to Antigua making three occasions. All were governor grades from Wandsworth, which is the prison dedicated to repatriation cases. All occasions were in 2004–05.
 
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These cases represent only a small percentage of the total number of repatriations.

The governor at Wandsworth operates the policy that governor grades should take part in repatriations only when there is an overriding operational reason to do so.

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