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6 Jun 2006 : Column 565W—continued
Sex Crimes
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were convicted of (a) rape and (b) sexual assault in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years; and how many rapes and sexual assaults were reported to the police in this period. [73309]
Mr. Hanson: I am aware of and share concerns about the very low number of rapes reported to the police that result in prosecutions. I shall be including this issue as part of the forthcoming consultation on sexual offences legislation which I expect to initiate shortly.
Table 1 provides the number of convictions for rape, attempted rape, indecent assault and all other sexual offences and covers the calendar years 1994 to 2003. Data for 2004 will be available by August 2006. Data are collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence for which an offender is charged is included.
Table 2 provides the number of rape, attempted rape, indecent assault and other sexual offences recorded by the police for the period 1994 to 2005-06. These figures are published in “A Commentary on Northern Ireland Crime Statistics 2004” (available at www.nio.gov.uk) and the PSNI statistical report “Recorded Crime and Clearances 2005/06” (available on www.psni.police.uk).
It should be noted that statistics in Table 1 are offender-based while figures in Table 2 are offence-based.
| Table 1: Convictions for rape, attempted rape and other sexual assaults 1994-2003 | |||||
| Rape | Attempted rape( 1) | Indecent assault( 2) | Other sexual offences | Total | |
| (1 )Includes aiding and abetting rape and assault with intent to rape. (2 )Includes indecent assault on female, indecent assault on male, indecent assault on female child and indecent assault on male child. Source: Statistics and Research Branch, Northern Ireland Office. | |||||
| Table 2: Offences of rape, attempted rape and other sexual assaults recorded by the police 1994 to 2005-06 | |||||
| Rape | Attempted rape | Indecent assault | Other sexual offences( 1) | Total | |
| (1 )From 1998-99 onwards, 'Other sexual offences' includes indecent exposure. Source: Central Statistics Unit, PSNI | |||||
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many convicted rapists in Northern Ireland have committed the same offence after being released. [74674]
Mr. Hanson: Statistics from the adult (17 years and older) reconviction dataset indicate that none of the sexual offenders contained in the 2000 and 2001 custody discharge cohorts who were convicted of rape as their principal offence were subsequently reconvicted of the same offence. Reconviction data are not yet available in respect of those convicted after 2001.
It should be noted that the adult reconviction dataset only counts the first discharge from prison for an individual in that year and is based on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
Stormont
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civilian security staff are deployed at the Northern Ireland Assembly buildings when it is (a) sitting and (b) suspended. [74694]
Mr. Hanson: 71 and 46 respectively.
Tennis
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress the Sports Council for Northern Ireland has made in meeting the requests of young tennis players who wish to play under the auspicies of United Kingdom tennis authorities rather than the Irish equivalent. [74209]
Maria Eagle: The Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI) has been in regular contact, over the past 12 months, with Tennis Ireland and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the governing bodies of tennis on the island of Ireland and of Great Britain respectively, regarding the requests of young tennis players who wish to play under the auspices of Great Britain tennis authorities rather than the Irish equivalent.
As a result of these contacts, Tennis Ireland has agreed to meet with relevant players’ representatives to discuss a range of concerns including the sport's current affiliation arrangements. The LTA has also confirmed that any British player who lives in Northern Ireland has the right to play for GB subject to satisfying the qualification rules of the International Tennis Federation relating to nationality, holding of a passport, residency and previous representation.
CCTV Coverage (Londonderry)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 899W, on CCTV coverage (Londonderry), when CCTV coverage at the Irish Street/Top of the Hill interface will be provided. [67134]
Mr. Hanson: The funding of CCTV cameras located at interface areas is an operational matter for PSNI.
UVF Prisoners
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Ulster Volunteer Force prisoners were released early as a result of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998; how many of those ex-prisoners have (a) subsequently reoffended and (b) had their licences revoked; and if he will make a statement. [73998]
Paul Goggins: 67 prisoners with perceived UVF affiliations were released ‘early’ as a result of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. Of these, three have subsequently reoffended and had their licences revoked as a result. A fourth UVF prisoner had his licence revoked because the Secretary of State believed that he had broken the conditions of his licence and had become a danger to the public as a consequence.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners who have declared themselves to be members of the Ulster Volunteer Force are held as (a) convicted and (b) remand prisoners in Northern Ireland. [73999]
Paul Goggins: There are no prisoners in Northern Ireland, either sentenced or remand, who have declared themselves to be members of the Ulster Volunteer Force. However, nine prisoners are currently held in separated conditions at Maghaberry prison, five of whom are sentenced and four on remand, who are perceived to have UVF affiliations.
Violent and Sexual Offenders
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to introduce a pilot electronic monitoring scheme for curfews put in place in Northern Ireland for those considered to be high risk violent or sexual offenders. [74208]
Mr. Hanson: The use of electronic monitoring is under consideration in the current review of the sentencing framework in Northern Ireland. No decisions have yet been made.
I will make an announcement in due course.
Weapons
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many violent incidences involving the use of a knife occurred in Northern Ireland in each of the last two years, broken down by seriousness of injury. [74680]
Mr. Hanson: The following table provides information on knife crime statistics over the past 2 years. The incidents are sorted by the recorded crime categories used by the police. While it is known that a knife was used in all incidents recorded below, it is not possible to indicate how the knife was used.
Clearly the categories of murder and attempted murder refer to the most serious incidents. While the overall incidence of use of a knife in crime rose last year, the numbers of murders and attempted murders reduced.
I am hopeful that the knife crime campaign launched this week will impact on these figures and that we will see a reduction in knife related crimes this year.
| Crime type | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
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