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2 May 2006 : Column 1433W—continued
Sentencing
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his definition is of a short-term prison sentence. [65579]
Fiona Mactaggart: A short term prisoner is an offender sentenced to a custodial term of less than 12 months.
Sex Offenders
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what counselling is available to serious sex offenders (a) whilst in prison and (b) when released into the community to deal with a reliance on hardcore pornography. [65787]
Fiona Mactaggart: The main provision for serious sex offenders in prison is accredited offending behaviour programmes. Assessment and treatment would identify and seek to address unhelpful sexual preoccupations including pornography.
Serious sexual offenders will be subject to licence supervision and a multi-agency risk management plan. Licence conditions may include a requirement to participate in a treatment programme and where appropriate receive medical treatment.
Speeding
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists stopped for breaking the speed limit in 2004 in (a) Southend, (b) Essex, (c) Hertfordshire, (d) the Metropolitan police area of London and (e) England and Wales received a (i) warning and (ii) caution. [64752]
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Hazel Blears: The annual Home Office publication 'Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales 2004, Supplementary tables', Table 18 gives data by police force area on written warnings (which includes formal cautions) issued by motoring offence groups. Copies of the above publications are available in the Library. The publications can also be accessed on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics (RDS) web site at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm
It is not possible from the data collected centrally to identify Southend within the geographical area covered by the Essex police force.
2005 data will be available early in 2007.
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many speeding offences occurred in Hampshire in each year since 1990. [64811]
Paul Goggins: Available information on speeding offences for the Hampshire police force area from 1990 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the table.
Data for 2005 will be available early in 2007.
(21) Offences under the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 ss. 16, 81, 84, 86, 88 and 89; Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regs 1973; Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1926—byelaws made thereunder.
(22) Includes written warnings, fixed penalty notices and court proceedings.
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Theft Act
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of sections 4, 4A, 4B and 4C of the Theft Act 1968. [65037]
Hazel Blears: In general this part of the Theft Act 1968 appears not to give rise to operational problems. If the hon. Gentleman has any particular concern I would be glad to learn of it.
UK Identity and Passport Service
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what access the UK Identity and Passport Service has to information held by (a) HM Revenue and Customs and (b) the Valuation Office Agency. [66299]
Andy Burnham:
The Identity and Passport Service is not routinely provided with information held by HM Revenue and Customs or the Valuation Office Agency. IPS will occasionally obtain information held by HMRC on a case-by-case basis (under the exemption in section 29 of the Data Protection Act 1998) where this is necessary for the prevention or detection of crime or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders.
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Violent Crime Reduction Bill
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill on (a) historical re-enactment groups and (b) collectors of historical weaponry. [65423]
Hazel Blears: The Bill provides a defence which will allow the sale of realistic imitation firearms for the purpose of specified historical re-enactments. Groups will also be allowed to use any realistic imitation firearms they currently possess and any firearms held on a certificate. De-activated firearms have been excluded from the definition of realistic firearm, as have imitations of firearms designed before 1870. The Bill will not stop collectors from keeping the realistic imitation firearms they already own but they will be unable to sell them in this country or to buy new ones unless it is for the purposes of a museum or gallery.
Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to the report and recommendations of the Children's Commissioner on the Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre; and if he will make a statement. [66419]
Mr. McNulty: We responded, in February 2006, to each of the recommendations made by the Children's Commissioner in his report of his visit to Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre. A copy of our response has been placed in the House Libraries.
Work Permits
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were issued for (a) doctors and (b) nurses and auxiliary nurses from (i) Nigeria, (ii) Ghana and (iii) other African countries in each of the last 10 years. [65742]
Mr. McNulty: The following table displays the number of work permits issued for (a) doctors and (b) nurses and auxiliary nurses from (i) Nigeria, (ii) Ghana and (iii) other African countries each year since 2000. Figures of permits issued prior to 2000 are not available due to a change in Home Office IT systems.
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Young Offenders
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to develop the work of the Young Offender Programme through an increased number of partnership arrangements with employers; [65571]
(2) if he will assess with private sector companies the prospects for extending the approach taken by the National Grid Transco Foundation in training and resettling young offenders. [65608]
Fiona Mactaggart: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is working closely with National Grid to consider the options for extending the programme to other prison establishments as well as to offenders in the community. National Grid is also developing links with businesses outside the utilities sector.
Under the Reducing Re-offending Corporate Alliance, which was launched last November, NOMS is actively encouraging more businesses to engage with offenders, by working with them to improve their employability, by being involved in the design of training programmes, and by offering employment.
There is a strong emphasis in the Reducing Re-offending through Skills and Employment Green Paper, which was published in December 2005, on education and training for young offenders, including improving their access to programmes to ensure that they are ready to undertake work.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that the expenditure on young offenders is brought up to meet the level of additional expenditure that the Youth Justice Board has made on the juvenile estate. [65800]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Government has invested heavily in improved regimes for all prisoners, concentrating on activities such as education and vocational training, which are of particular value to young adults. To address the specific needs of this group, the Home Office has also established a project to develop a strategy and standards for the management of these offenders in custody and the community. This will include consideration of the financial implications of any proposed changes.
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