| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
18 Dec 2006 : Column 1667W—continued
Faith Monitoring
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendation of the Preventing Extremism Together report on improving data collection on Muslim communities through faith monitoring; and whether he has plans to conduct faith monitoring of other religious groups. [105829]
Mr. Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
Having reviewed cross-Government data collection processes in the light of this recommendation, we do not accept the solution proposed. We acknowledge the need for a robust evidence base on the experience of communities that can inform targeted policy interventions aimed at building capacity and tackling extremism. But faith monitoring (ie the regular
gathering of administrative data on faith) would be a significant step, for which we do not accept that there is currently a need. We will keep this under review as part of “Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society”, the cross-Government strategy on race equality and community cohesion.
Fine Defaulters
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of prison receptions for (a) men and (b) women were fine defaulters in the most recent year for which figures are available. [108558]
Mr. Sutcliffe: During 2005 there were (a) 1,878 male fine defaulters representing 2.2 per cent. of the 84,268 male prisoners received under sentence or 1.6 per cent. of the 119,783 total male receptions into prison establishments in England and Wales; and (b) 160 female fine defaulters representing 2.0 per cent. of the 8,184 female prisoners received under sentence or 1.3 per cent. of total female receptions into prison establishments in England and Wales.
These figures can be found at table 7.1 of the recently published Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2005 which is available at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1806.pdf
The figures referred to have been drawn from administrative IT systems.
Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.
Fingerprinting
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances individuals will have their fingerprints scanned by electronic hand-held devices. [104432]
Mr. McNulty: At present individuals only have their fingerprints scanned by electronic hand-held devices by the police in relation to an offence, to determine their identity without the officer having to make an arrest and take them to a police station solely for this purpose.
Firework Offences: Fines
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many on-the-spot fines were imposed for fireworks offences in November 2006, broken down by local authority. [109373]
Mr. Coaker: The Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) scheme was introduced in England and Wales in 2004. PNDs can be issued for a number of offences under the Fireworks Act 2003. The offences of breach of the fireworks curfew, possession of category four fireworks, and possession by a person under 18 of an adult firework were added to the PND Scheme on 11 October 2004. Data on the number of PNDs issued for these offences in November 2006 will be available in early 2007.
Fraud Investigations
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances an investigation can arise into an individual observed as living beyond his identifiable means. [109443]
Mr. Coaker: The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 allows for an investigation into the whereabouts and extent of a person’s wealth to run in parallel with a criminal investigation and prosecution. A confiscation order can then be made by the court as part of the sentencing process. The money laundering provisions in the Act include the offences of concealing, acquisition, use and possession of property that a person knows or suspects constitutes benefit from any criminal conduct. If an individual is living beyond their identifiable means a money laundering investigation could commence.
Heroin Addicts
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to prison officers in the last 12 months on the relative benefits of (a) methadone prescription and (b) detoxification for heroin addicts. [109668]
John Reid: In November 2006, the Department of Health published “Clinical Management of Drug Dependence in the Adult Prison Setting”. This document has been issued to heads of prison health care in national health service primary care trusts.
A copy of this document is available in the House Library.
Identity and Passport Service
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Identity and Passport Service spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [104650]
Joan Ryan: The costs of non-permanent staff including interim staff appointments, consultants and external advisers engaged by the UK Passport Service (now the Identity and Passport Service) in the last five financial years to March 2006 has been:
| £ | |
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) ports and (b) airports where 24-hour cover is provided by the Identity and Passport Service. [104967]
Joan Ryan: The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) is responsible for issuing passports to British nationals in the UK and for implementing the National Identity Scheme. It has facilities to issue passports at its seven regional offices on six days a week and has a 24-hour staffed telephone inquiry service. Ports and airports have 24-hour automated access to IPS databases on issued and lost/stolen British passports. It is not considered necessary for IPS to be present at ports or airports.
Intensive Fostering
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of intensive fostering as an alternative to a custodial sentence for a young person. [109626]
Mr. Sutcliffe: No assessment of the effectiveness of intensive fostering as an alternative to custody has yet been made. The piloting of intensive fostering commenced in April 2005 and is currently running in three areas until March 2008. York university will be evaluating the pilots. An initial interim evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot is due in mid 2007 and a full evaluation is due in 2008.
London Bombings
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the full report from the police on the discrepancies about the time of departure of the Luton train on which those responsible for the 7th July bombings travelled; and if he will make a statement. [106184]
Mr. McNulty: A report has been received from the police about the time of departure of the Luton train on which those responsible for the 7 July bombings travelled. The report confirms (as my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced in Parliament on 11 July 2006) that an error was made in the timing and that the train departed from Luton station at 07.25 and not 07.40 as said in the Official Account of the bombings. This discrepancy was the result of human error and we will ensure that the Official Account is amended accordingly.
National Infrastructure Security
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the critical national infrastructure is monitored on a 24-hour basis by National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre staff; [108705]
(2) what the (a) hours of operation and (b) levels of staffing per shift are of the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre computer specialists helpdesk. [108706]
Mr. McNulty: During normal hours, the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) is fully staffed. NISCC monitors activity and responds to calls around the clock. It has the capability to increase its staffing as the need arises.
At all other times, due to the cross-border nature of the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) protection, NISCC participates in the international watch and warn service.
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the staff of the National Infrastructure Co-ordination Centre are employed full-time. [108894]
Mr. McNulty: The National Infrastructure Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) employs approximately 85 people, the majority of whom are full-time staff.
Official Cars
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cars run by his Department were manufactured (a) in the UK and (b) abroad. [104818]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Home Office does not record or collate country of origin information on cars procured or leased by the Department. The information could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
Information on cars operated by the Government Car and Despatch Agency is available on page 14 of its annual report and accounts 2005-06, copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members.
Passports
Mr. Hoban:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of how many additional officials will be required by
his Department to process biometric passport applications. [105578]
Joan Ryan: No additional staff will be required at the Identity and Passport Service to process biometric passport applications.
Penalty Notices
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many penalty notices for disorder in respect of (a) behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to others, (b) drunk and disorderly behaviour in a public place, (c) destroying or damaging property up to the value of £500, (d) retail theft under £200, (e) sale of alcohol to a person under 18 years of age, (f) selling alcohol to a drunken person, (g) using threatening words or behaviour and (h) breach of a fireworks curfew were (i) issued and (ii) unpaid in each of the last four years for which figures are available. [108110]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 12 December 2006]: Data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of PNDs issued, paid and not paid for the offences (a) to (f), (h) and (i) in England and Wales from 2004 to 2006 (January to June provisional) can be found in the following table. (The offences referred to separately as (a) behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress and (g) using threatening words and behaviour are covered by the one offence under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986).
The initial payment rate for PNDs was 53 per cent. in 2005, an increase of 1 per cent. on 2004 (only 1 per cent. requested a court hearing). 42 per cent. of PND recipients had a fine of one and a half times the penalty registered against them as they failed to pay the penalty or request a court hearing within the 21-day suspended enforcement period. Once registered, these fines fall into the HMCS fine enforcement and collection systems. The courts are currently claiming an overall payment rate for fines of 95 per cent.
| Number of persons issued with penalty notices for disorder for various offences in England and Wales, 2003 to 2005( 1, 2) | |||||||
| DA04 causing harassment, alarm or distress | DA06 drunk and disorderly | DA18 sale of alcohol to person under 18 | DA11 criminal damage (under £500) | DA12 theft (retail under £200) | DA13 breach of fireworks curfew( 3) | DA16 sale of alcohol to drunken person( 4) | |
| (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (2) January to June 2006 data is provisional. (3) Offence added to the PND Scheme on 11 October 2004. (4) Offence added to the PND scheme with effect from 4 April 2005. Source: RDS Office for Criminal Justice Reform. | |||||||
Places of Worship
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have been held with Christian denominational leaders about security matters relating to places of worship. [109531]
Mr. McNulty: No such discussions have taken place at a national level.
Police
Ian Lucas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid per head of
population to police authorities in Wales by his Department in each of the last five years. [100962]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is set out in the following table.
| Government grant funding( 1) per head of population( 2) | ||||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | |||||
| Force | Home Office top-up grant( 4 ) (£) | Resident population | Funding per head of population (£) | Home Office top-up grant( 4 ) (£) | Resident population | Funding per head of population (£) |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |