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David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in his Department have had (a) five or more, (b) four, (c) three and (d) two periods of sick leave of less than five days in each of the last three years. [73017]

Mr. Byrne: I am advised that the number of staff in the Home Office that have had (a) five or more (b) four (c) three, and (d) two periods of sick leave of less than five days in each of the last three years are shown in the following table:


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Staff having the shown number of periods of sick leave of less than five days in period
Period (a) Five or more (b) Four (c) Three (d) Four

Home Office Main (including Immigration and Nationality Directorate)( 1)

2002-03

1,333

841

1,350

1,991

2003-04

1,876

1,123

1,675

2,506

2005

1,156

949

1,523

2,485

Identity and Passport Service( 2)

2003-04

348

200

390

500

2004-05

271

199

375

544

2005-06

268

214

371

610

HM Prison Service( 3)

2003-04

726

1,061

2,664

6,305

2004-05

586

919

2,393

6,052

2005-06

545

880

2,324

5,689

(1 )Data are provided on the basis of staff having and average less than five days per spell of sickness—The figures for 2002-03 and 2003-04 are based on calendar days, those for 2005 on working days.
(2 )IDPS figures show periods of less than five working days.
(3) HMPS figures show periods of less than five calendar days

Drug-related Crime

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to prevent shoplifting by drug misusers to fund the purchase of drugs. [74534]

Mr. Coaker: The Government's drug interventions programme (DIP) which began in 2003 is providing a route out of crime and into treatment for drug misusing offenders who commit crime to feed their habit. DIP uses contact with the criminal justice system as an opportunity to engage drug misusing offenders in treatment and support.

Individuals who are arrested for certain offences including theft—which includes shoplifting—in the 98 areas with the highest levels of acquisitive crime are tested for class A drugs as a part of DIP. Those testing positive are required to attend an assessment with a drugs worker. Testing on arrest is a way of identifying drug misusers at an early stage in the criminal justice process. Other key elements of the programme are operating across England and in Wales.

The drug interventions programme continues to have a positive impact in communities not only by the interventions that it offers but also by delivering a more integrated approach by local agencies to the problems of offenders. Since the programme began over 43,000 drug misusing offenders have entered treatment through DIP.

Acquisitive recorded crime—to which drug related crime (including theft) makes a substantial contribution fell by 12 per cent. in the year to April 2005 compared with the previous 12 months.

Drugs Offences (Mansfield)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for drug offences in (a) Meden and (b) Birklands ward of Mansfield in each of the last five years. [71933]

Mr. Coaker Data for Meden and Birklands ward are not collected centrally.

Convictions relating to Mansfield criminal justice court from 2000 to 2004 are given in the following table.

Number of convictions for drug offences in Mansfield by sentence or order given( 1) , 2000 to 2004
Sentenced
Imprisonment
Absolute or conditional discharge Community Rehabilitation Order Community Punishment Order Combination orders Fine Immediate custody( 2) Fully suspended Otherwise dealt with

2000

3

42

7

4

51

11

0

13

2001

14

23

5

1

52

16

0

24

2002

23

48

8

4

59

15

1

31

2003

52

41

22

2

91

16

0

53

2004

43

46

16

3

86

19

1

43

(1) Where a person is found guilty of two or more drugs offences at the same court appearance the sentence or order shown in this table is the most severe penalty . (2) Includes unsuspended imprisonment and youth sentences.

Embarkation System

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of dismantling the embarkation system was. [73676]

Mr. Byrne: The provision of any embarkation control falls to the individual port operator, including the immigration desks themselves and any associated construction and power supply requirements. The accommodation and equipment for the control is provided free of charge to the Department in accordance with statutory legislation. As such the cost of dismantling such facilities also falls to the individual port operator and not the Home Office.

Foreign Criminals

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of his Ministers have duties related to the release of foreign offenders in England and Wales. [68618]

Mr. Byrne: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has overall responsibility for the Home
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Office. I am the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality and am supported in this by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Joan Ryan). The Minister for Policing, Security and Community Safety, my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. McNulty) and is supported by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker).

Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC is Minister of State for Criminal Justice and Offender Management and she is supported by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Sutcliffe) .

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether any of the foreign prisoners released without being considered for deportation are currently thought to be in Scotland; [67463]

(2) whether he has identified any failures by the immigration and nationality directorate or immigration service in relation to foreign prisoners released by the Scottish Prison Service; [67464]

(3) when he alerted the Scottish Executive or the Scottish Prison Service to concerns over the operation of the system for deporting foreign prisoners. [67465]

Mr. Byrne [holding answers 2 May 2006]: I refer to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, on 23 May 2006, Official Report, column 77WS.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals are held in UK Jails, broken down by country of origin. [69363]

Mr. Byrne: I am advised that as of 8 May 2006 the prison IT system contained the records of foreign nationals held in prison as set out in the following table. Details of prison populations held in Scotland and Northern Ireland can be obtained from the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Office respectively.


7 Jun 2006 : Column 736W
Foreign nationals held in prison establishments( 1) in England and Wales, at 31 March 2006
Country of origin Total held( 2)

Afghanistan

82

Albania

117

Algeria

178

Angola

73

Austria

10

Bangladesh

169

Belgium

39

China

249

Columbia

124

Congo, Republic of

81

Cyprus

58

Czech Republic

24

Democratic Republic of Congo

29

Denmark

10

Estonia

13

Finland

2

France

159

Germany

112

Ghana

186

Greece

19

Hungary

19

India

259

Iran

161

Iraq

252

Irish Republic

719

Italy

118

Jamaica

1,550

Kenya

61

Latvia

49

Lithuania

175

Malta

8

Netherlands

139

Nigeria

878

Pakistan

443

Poland

191

Portugal

170

Romania

150

Russia

115

Serbia and Montenegro

91

Sierra Leone

68

Slovakia

12

Slovenia

2

Somalia

298

South Africa

158

Spain

86

Sri Lanka

157

Sweden

12

Trinidad and Tobago

101

Turkey

283

Uganda

73

United States of America

94

Venezuela

53

Vietnam

169

Zimbabwe

160

Other Foreign Nationals

1,221

Grand Total

10,231

(1) Including the Immigration Removal Centres at Dover, Haslar and Lindholme managed by the Prison Service on behalf of IND
(2) All custody types

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