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30 Nov 2006 : Column 907W—continued
Prisons
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of long prison sentences on re-offending rates; on what evidence his assessment is based; and if he will make a statement. [100960]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Re-offending rates by length of custodial sentence are published in “ Re-offending of Adults: results from the 2003 cohort”:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb2006.pdf.
The report shows that longer custodial sentences are associated with lower re-offending rates. However, the relationship between re-offending and sentence is complex and this does not, by itself, prove that longer custodial sentences cause lower re-offending rates. A research programme is currently being undertaken to understand this further.
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners re-offended within two years of release in the most recent year for which figures are available. [103618]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The most recent re-offending rates for adults living in England and Wales were published in November 2006 as: “Re-offending of Adults: results from the 2003 cohort”. Home Office Statistical Bulletin 20/06. The report is available online at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb2006.pdf
The two-year re-offending rate for adults released from custody in 2003 can be found on pages 8-9 and table A5.
The most recent re-offending rates for juveniles (those aged 10 to 17) living in England and Wales were published in June 2006 as: “Re-offending of Juveniles: results from the 2004 cohort”. Home Office Statistical Bulletin 10/06. The report is available online at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1006.pdf
The one-year re-offending rate for juveniles released from custody in 2004 can be found on pages 8-9 and table A5.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many Category D prisoners over the age of 70 years are serving sentences in jails in England and Wales; [104445]
(2) how many Category D prisoners over the age of 70 are not considered for parole because of the severity of their original offence; for how long, on average, those prisoners have served; and what assessment has been made of the danger to the public of the release on licence of each prisoner. [104449]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information on the numbers of Category D prisoners over the age of 70 serving sentences in England and Wales as recorded on the prison IT system is not available separately by age because the numbers are small and the accuracy at this level of detail cannot be guaranteed. Providing an accurate and comprehensive response in the form requested could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.
All determinate sentence prisoners, regardless of their age and the security classification of the establishment in which they are detained, who are serving a sentence of four years or more and who are entitled to be released under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, are eligible to apply for consideration for early release on parole once they reach the halfway point of their sentence. In deciding whether or not to grant parole, the Parole Board is required to consider the Secretary of State’s directions that the board shall consider primarily the risk to the public of a further offence being committed at a time when the prisoner would otherwise be in prison and whether any such risk is acceptable. This must be balanced against the benefit, both to the public and the offender, of early release back into the community under a degree of supervision, which might help rehabilitation and so lessen the risk of re-offending in the future. The board however must take into account that safeguarding the public may often outweigh the benefits to the offender of early release.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners in Wales who may be entitled to compensation for having drug substitution treatment withdrawn on entry to prison. [106104]
Mr. Sutcliffe: To obtain these details would require an analysis of the medical records of each prisoner held in a prison in Wales over the last six years. This would involve disproportionate costs.
Road Accident Victims
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department will continue to fund the support pack for victims of road accidents provided by Brakecare; and if he will make a statement. [106561]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Government are funding the Brakecare guide for bereaved families and friends in 2006 and are actively considering possible future funding routes, including the Victim's Fund.
Road Safety
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists were (a) disqualified from driving and (b)(i) caught and (ii) prosecuted for driving while disqualified (A) in total, (B) in each region and (C) in each police force area in each year since 1997. [102748]
Mr. Coaker: Decisions as to the charging and prosecution of those detected apparently driving whilst disqualified are matters for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service and data are not recorded centrally.
Available information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, is provided in the tables from 1997-2004 (latest available), which will be placed in the House Libraries.
2005 data will be available in 2007.
State Opening
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals were (a) detained and (b) arrested in the area of Westminster during the state opening of Parliament on 15 November 2006. [103682]
Mr. McNulty: The chief constable is responsible for the day to day operational management of the force.
Stop and Search
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has finalised the guidance on the use of stop and search under the Terrorism Act 2000. [104433]
Mr. McNulty: National guidance for police on the use of stop and search under the Terrorism Act 2000 was published in July 2006 as part of the wider CENTREX Stop and Search Practice Advice. It is available publicly on the Association of Chief Police Officers’ website.
Terrorism
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people there are in the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit. [102863]
Mr. McNulty: For reasons of national security, the Home Office does not comment on the operational capacity of units involved in counter-terrorism.
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to protect the charitable sector from terrorist abuse. [103530]
Mr. McNulty: A review into terrorist financing in the charitable sector is in the process of being finalised by Home Office, HM Treasury, Cabinet Office and Charities Commission officials. This is expected to identify areas of good practice and where there are gaps. We will conduct a full consultation exercise with the charitable sector and other interested parties in the new year.
Unpaid Work Requirements
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convicted criminals whose unpaid work requirements were completed early after good progress between (a) April 2006 and June 2006 and (b) April 2005 and March 2006 have subsequently (i) broken the terms of their licence and (ii) been charged with a crime; [104544]
(2) if he will list the crimes of those convicted criminals whose unpaid work requirements were completed early after good progress between (a) April 2005 and March 2006 and (b) April 2006 and June 2006. [104545]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The specific information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Health
Adult Social Care
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will set a new health care standard in the national minimum standards for adult social care to ensure that care home residents receive adequate access to fresh drinking water; and if she will make a statement; [106041]
(2) if she will make representations to the Food Standards Agency to redraft its nutritional guidance for institutions providing residential care to older people so that it explicitly addresses the provision of fresh drinking water on demand. [106042]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Regulation 16 of the care homes regulations requires care homes to provide, in adequate quantities, suitable, wholesome and nutritious food which is varied and properly prepared and available at such time as may reasonably be required by service users. Food, in the regulations, includes drink.
Standard 15 of the national minimum standards (NMS) for care homes for older people includes the requirements that:
service users receive a varied, appealing, wholesome and nutritious diet, which is suited to individual assessed and recorded requirements, and that meals are taken in a congenial setting and at flexible times; and
hot and cold drinks and snacks are available at all times and offered regularly.
The review of the NMS, which the Commission for Social Care Inspection must take into account when inspecting care homes, is ongoing and will be subject to public consultation in due course. The issue of the availability of drinking water to residents is being considered as part of the review.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) published nutrient and food-based advice for those providing food in care homes on 19 October 2006. This advice includes example menus, which include making water available at all eating occasions. Government advice is that we need to drink six to eight glasses of fluid every day. It is therefore implicit that care homes should be making water freely available throughout the day.
The nutrient and food-based guidance for those providing residential care for older people is the first part in a series of guidance documents for United Kingdom institutions. The FSA expects to produce guidance for other institutions, including the NHS and prisons, in early 2007.
Breast Treatment
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made towards achieving the Government’s commitment for all people with breast problems to be seen by a specialist within two weeks; and if she will make a statement. [106416]
Caroline Flint: The Government set out their commitment to go further on cancer waits in their 2005 election manifesto. We have already started to consider areas where we might go further on cancer waits and are seeking views from a range of stakeholders on a number of options, including the option of seeing all patients with breast symptoms within two weeks.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced today that she would ask the National Clinical Director for Cancer, Professor Mike Richards, to develop a cancer reform strategy for the next five to 10 years. Proposals for going further on cancer waits will be considered as part of this overall cancer reform strategy.
Carbon Monoxide
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning in the last 10 years. [102036]
Caroline Flint: The number of deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning in England and Wales has steadily declined over the last 10 years from 1,016 in 1996 to 257 in 2005. A breakdown of the figures is shown in the following table:
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking (a) to prevent deaths caused by carbon monoxide poisoning and (b) to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. [102037]
Caroline Flint: The Department is committed to help prevent deaths caused by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Specific recent actions to achieve this include publications to increase awareness of medical staff and the public:
CMO Update January 2006—Carbon monoxide poisoning
This provides advice to doctors on CO poisoning. CMO Update is sent to all doctors registered with the GMC in England including hospital and A and E doctors. The Update is copied to the devolved administrations for information. CMO Updates are available on the Department’s website:
www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/LettersAndCirculars/CMOUpdate/CMOUpdateArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4126235&chk=y6qnQn
Indoor Air Pollution— Carbon Monoxide. Risks to health and how to avoid them (2006).
This public information leaflet, distributed in early 2006 to all GP surgeries in England, provides information on the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, ways in which to prevent poisoning and the contact details of organizations and other Departments involved with the prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Health and Safety Executive, Heating Equipment Testing and Approval scheme, Council for Registered Gas Installers, CO-Gas Safety, Solid Fuel Association, and the NHS all endorsed the leaflet. The CORGI emergency helpline is included in the leaflet. Leaflets are available free, from the Department’s stores and is available on the Department’s website:
www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4123787&chk=sAoYSP
“Keep Warm Keep Well”, a winter guide 2006-07
This booklet is produced by the Department and is being widely distributed and is available from publications stores. It contains useful advice on the maintenance of heating appliances and protection against carbon monoxide poisoning.
Booklets are available free from the Department’s stores and are available on the Department’s website:
www.dh.gov.uk/socialcare.
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