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2 Feb 2007 : Column 605Wcontinued
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost of a race equality impact assessment is; and on how many occasions draft legislation has been modified as the result of such an assessment since inception. [115660]
Mr. Byrne: Race equality impact assessments form a part of normal policy development and it is not possible without incurring disproportionate cost to identify the costs attributable to the impact assessment alone.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted temporary admission to the UK in each of the last five years. [111405]
Mr. Byrne: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost as a full search of individual files and records over the last five years would have to be conducted.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to police authorities in England and Wales on the implementation of victim support strategies during investigations undertaken by police. [117808]
Mr. McNulty: A variety of guidance documents have been issued to police authorities and forces in relation to support for victims.
The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, which came into effect on 3 April 2006, places a number of statutory requirements on forces to support victims during an investigation. Under the Code, police forces are required to:
take all reasonable steps to identify vulnerable or intimidated victims;
provide victims with, information about the criminal justice system;
update victims within set timescales about key developments in the investigation;
inform victims if no further action is to be taken in relation to an investigation;
refer victims to Victim Support, unless they are victims of certain offences or ask the police not to pass on their details.
Victim Support and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have also put in place a joint protocol setting out the steps each will take to ensure that referrals take place and that they are compliant with the Data Protection Act 1988.
In April 2006 the Home Office also issued a Citizen Focus Policing Good Practice Guide, which set out good practice examples on all aspects of customer service including supporting victims.
ACPO have also introduced the Professionalising the Investigative Process (PIP). The PIP Core Investigative Doctrine provides definitive national advice for all investigators on the key principles of criminal investigation, irrespective of the nature or complexity of the investigation. The Victim and Witness Strategy section of the PIP Doctrine outlines the process for dealing with victims and witnesses during the investigative process and it also makes reference to the existing detailed guidance and best practice documents along with further sources of relevant information.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to establish the eligibility of a victim of crime for the enhanced service as set out in the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime. [117809]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Section 4 of the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime sets out the criteria for establishing if a victim is vulnerable or intimidated and, therefore, eligible for enhanced services under the code. It states:
4.1 Some services under this Code are to be provided only to vulnerable or intimidated victims based on the definitions given by sections 16 and 17 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. For the purposes of this Code, vulnerable and intimidated victims are defined as such at the time of the offence, rather than at the time of hearing as specified in the 1999 Act.
4.2 For the purposes of the Code a victim of crime is eligible for an enhanced service under the Code:
(a) If under the age of 17 at the time of the offence; or
(b) If the service provider considers that the quality of evidence given by the victim is likely to be diminished by reason of any circumstances falling within 4.3.
4.3 The circumstances falling within this subsection are:
(a) That the victim
(i) suffers from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983,
(ii) otherwise has a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning;
(b) that the victim has a physical disability or is suffering from a physical disorder.
4.4 In determining whether a victim falls within the definition in paragraph 4.3 the service provider must consider any views expressed by the victim.
4.5 In this Section references to the quality of a victim's evidence are to its quality in terms of completeness, coherence and accuracy; and for this purpose coherence refers to a victim's ability in giving evidence to give answers which address the questions put to the victim and can be understood both individually and collectively.
4.6 For the purposes of the Code a victim of criminal conduct is eligible for an enhanced service under the Code if the service provider is satisfied that the quality of evidence given by the victim is likely to be diminished by reason of fear or distress on the part of the victim in connection with testifying in the proceedings.
4.7 In determining whether a victim falls within the definition in paragraph 4.6 the service provider must take into account, in particular:
(a) the nature and alleged circumstances of the offence to which the proceedings relate;
(b) the age of the victim;
(c) such of the following matters as appear to the service provider to be relevant, namely:
(i) the social and cultural background and ethnic origins of the victim,
(ii) the domestic and employment circumstances of the victim, and
(iii) any religious beliefs or political opinions of the victim;
(d) any behaviour towards the victim on the part of:
(i) the accused,
(ii) members of the family or associates of the accused, or
(iii) any other person who is likely to be an accused or a witness in the proceedings.
4.8 In determining whether a victim falls within the definition in paragraph 4.6, the service provider must in addition consider any views expressed by the victim.
4.9 The complainant in respect of a sexual offence or domestic abuse and the relatives of those who have died as a result of criminal conduct are eligible for an enhanced service under the Code unless the victim has informed the service provider of the victim's wish not to be so.
4.10 A victim's vulnerability may change during the course of an investigation due to health, intimidation or other reason. Service providers must give the victim the opportunity to be provided with an enhanced service if such a change in circumstance is brought to their attention.
4.11 All organisations with responsibilities under the Code should identify victims as vulnerable or intimidated as defined by this Code. Once the service provider has identified a victim as vulnerable or intimidated, that service provider must ensure that this information is passed on as necessary to other organisations with responsibilities in this Code.
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) educational support, (b) counselling and (c) opportunities for sport are available to young children detained at Yarls Wood. [111897]
Mr. Sutcliffe: A creche is available for under 5s and is open seven days per week. Schooling is provided for children aged 5 to 16 years Monday to Friday. Activity classes are laid on in the sports hall each day and there is also an outside playground and sports courts. There is a youth worker and a youth club which opens seven days per week. A counsellor and a social worker are on site Monday to Friday as well as a full time Childrens Service Manager.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to make a requirement on police authorities to hold regular youth community forums. [117553]
Mr. McNulty: Section 96 of the Police Act places a duty on police authorities to obtain the views of the community on policing in their area. It is a matter for each police authority at a local level to decide how this duty is carried out. There are currently no plans to make a requirement on police authorities to hold regular youth community forums.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of the (a) 18 January 2006 and (b) 21 November 2006 meetings between his Department and the Absorbent Hygiene Products Manufacture Association. [117589]
Mr. Bradshaw: No minutes were taken at either of the meetings referred to. Both were of an informal nature and were mainly concerned with an exchange of information on developments on disposable nappies relating to the continued weight reduction and new emerging waste management technologies.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has undertaken on the extent of domestic production of (a) bio-fuel and (b) bio-plastic. [112143]
Ian Pearson: The DEFRA-sponsored National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC) has carried out some research into existing, and proposed future, biofuel production capacity in the UK.
No bioethanol fuel is produced in the UK at the moment, although various plants are currently being constructed or are at the planning stage, which it is estimated could have a total production capacity of over 835 million litres.
Biodiesel is produced in the UK from a mix of feedstocks, including UK-sourced recycled waste vegetable oil and animal fats, oilseed rape, and other imported vegetable oils. Existing UK biodiesel production capacity is now estimated at around 611 million litres, although recently commissioned plants are not yet producing at full capacity.
On bioplastics production, the NNFCC are expanding their knowledge of the UK bioplastic industry, particularly through their recently established Thematic Working Group on Renewable Polymers, which aims to promote and facilitate development of this emerging sector.
At present, there is one UK-based producer of bioplastics derived from renewable feedstocks. This company manufactures flexible films from cellulose derived from wood pulp. There are also a small number of UK companies that use imported bio-based polymers such as poly lactic acid which is moulded and blended for use in many household and industrial applications. In addition, a few small companies produce simple starch-based polymers for use in applications such as packaging, as a replacement for expanded polystyrene.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals have been subject to pre-movement testing for tuberculosis since it was introduced; and how many of those animals tested produced (a) a positive reaction and (b) inconclusive results in each county. [112613]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is set out in the following table.
Number | |||
County | Specific pre-movement animal tests carried out between 23 September 2005 and 23 January 2007 | Reactors found | Inconclusive reactors found |
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