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5 Mar 2007 : Column 1752W—continued
Samar Alami
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make a decision as to whether (a) he and (b) the Parole Board will consider the application for parole of Ms Samar Alami. [125205]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 5 March 2007]: It is not the practice to provide information about individual cases. However, I have written to the hon. Member.
Sexual Offences
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of sexual offenders in prison attended the sexual offender treatment programme in each of the last five years. [123766]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The number of sex offenders in prison and the number attending programmes constantly varies. Therefore the information is not available. In addition, not all sex offenders are suitable or eligible for the programme. The following table provides information on the number of sex offender treatment programme completions in the Prison Service, and data on the sex offender population(1) at 30 June of each year.
(1 )Defined as prisoners with an index offence of a sexual nature.
| SOTP completions( 1) | Sex offender population at 30 June( 2) | |
| (1) Figures includes both public and contracted sectors. (2 )Immediate custodial sentenced population in prison establishments for sexual offences. | ||
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost is per person of the sexual offender treatment programme; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the programme in reducing reoffending. [123775]
Mr. Sutcliffe:
The prison and probation services offer a range of sex offender treatment programmes to meet different needs. The cost varies across programme and by establishment or area depending on factors
such as the risk presented by the offenders concerned, nature of the programme, volume of delivery and the existing infrastructure. Cost therefore can vary from around £3,500 to £10,000 per completion.
Sex offender treatment programme participants in prison and probation have demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in sexual and/or violent reconviction within two years of release or completion of a community programme, in comparison with offenders who have not undergone the programme (Friendship et al., 2003; Allam, 1998).
Terrorism
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when (a) Ministers and (b) his Department received (i) Lord Carlile’s report on the definition of terrorism and (ii) Lord Carlile’s report on the operation of control orders which was published on 19 February. [124490]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 2 March 2007]: The Department received the first draft of Lord Carlile’s report on the definition of terrorism on 7 January and it was submitted to Ministers on 2 February. The Department received the first draft of Lord Carlile's report on the operation of control orders on 25 January. The draft final version of the report was submitted to Ministers on 9 February.
Victim Support Schemes: Children
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which constituencies in the UK young witness support is available to children who appear in court; and how much his Department spent on providing such services in each of the last five years. [124889]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Government give Victim Support an annual grant to run the community service to support victims of crime and a witness service in every Crown court, magistrates court and youth court. The current grant is £30 million, including £2 million which is ring-fenced to provide enhanced services for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, including children.
| Grant (£ million) | |
Since 2004 we have set up witness care units in all areas of England and Wales, providing tailored support for witnesses, including children and their parents or carers, once a charge is made. The units are run jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service and the police. The total funding allocated to the project over the last three years was £36 million.
Under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, we introduced special measures, such as screens and video links, to make the experience of
giving evidence less difficult for children and other vulnerable and intimidated witnesses.
We have also provided a Young Witness Pack and other resources, specifically for young witnesses, and are implementing a programme for improvement of facilities for young witnesses in court buildings.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what witness support is available to children in Portsmouth. [124988]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Young witnesses in Portsmouth should be benefiting from a number of initiatives which we have introduced to increase the support and information available for victims and witnesses throughout England and Wales.
The Government provide an annual grant to Victim Support to run the community service to support victims of crime and a witness service in every criminal court. The current grant of £30 million includes £2 million which is ring-fenced to provide enhanced services for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, including children. Part of this ring-fenced funding is allocated by the Victim Support Funding Panel to Hampshire Victim Support to provide a specialist young witness support scheme in that area.
We have also introduced Witness Care Units throughout England and Wales, which provide a single point of contact within the criminal justice system, once a charge has been made. Witness Care Units carry out a needs assessment to identify the information, emotional and practical needs of the witness, and in the case of a child witness, their parents or carers where appropriate. The Portsmouth Witness Care Unit has considerably enhanced the standard of service for witnesses in Hampshire, including child witnesses.
Under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, we introduced special measures, such as screens and video links, to make the experience of giving evidence less difficult for children and other vulnerable and intimidated witnesses.
We have also provided a Young Witness Pack and other resources, specifically for young witnesses, and are implementing a programme for improvement of facilities for young witnesses in court.
Witnesses: Young People
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish a national system of support for young people involved in the criminal justice system as witnesses; and if he will make a statement. [124123]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Government are committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable members of our society, including young people, have access to justice.
Young witnesses are already benefiting from a number of initiatives which we have introduced to increase the support and information available for victims and witnesses. These include the provision of an annual grant (currently £30 million) to Victim Support to provide services for victims and to run the Witness Service, which is available in every criminal court in England and Wales. £2 million of this funding is ring-fenced to provide enhanced services for
vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, including children. We have also set up Witness Care Units across England and Wales, providing tailored support for witnesses once a charge is made, and have introduced Witness Liaison Officers in all criminal courts to act as a contact point for information for witnesses.
We have introduced special measures, such as screens and video links, under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, designed to make the experience of giving evidence in court less intimidating. Specific additional support for young witnesses includes the provision of a Young Witness Pack and other resources to all young witnesses and their parents or carers, as well as improved facilities for child witnesses in court. Some local areas have supplemented the national support services by setting up local specialist young witness support schemes. We are currently developing guidance for local areas on how to set up such schemes, promulgating good practice identified from existing models.
Work Permits
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits carrying an entitlement to settlement in the UK were issued to non-EU citizens in each year since 1992. [109793]
Mr. Byrne: The following table shows how many work permits carrying a potential entitlement to settlement in the UK have been issued to non-EU citizens in each year since 2000. Work permit holders may only apply for settlement if they hold a work permit that leads to settlement and they remain in continuous employment in the UK for a minimum period of five years. The figures do not reflect the number of people granted settlement on the basis of work permit employment.
The current work permit arrangements were introduced in 2000. We cannot provide figures prior to this date without incurring disproportionate costs. The figures quoted are not provided under national statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
| Number | |
Trade and Industry
Ambassadors for British Business Scheme
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the Ambassadors for British Business scheme was discontinued; and if he will make a statement. [121407]
Mr. McCartney: In 2004 UK Trade and Investment undertook a trade services review whereby it evaluated all the services it offers UK businesses. It took the decision then to discontinue the formal Ambassadors for British Business scheme. At the time, only a handful of business leaders were still active in the scheme. We value the contribution made by senior business representatives in support of companies trading internationally. We continue to work extensively with them. We do so now by ensuring their time, skills and expertise are specifically targeted to clear trade and investment objectives.
An example of the way we continue to use the expertise of British business leaders includes our work with Ellis Goodman CBE. Mr. Goodman through his foundation co-sponsors the US marketing scholarship programme with UKTI and British Airways. The programme pays for marketing directors from UK SMEs to attend a weeklong marketing course at the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago. The five-day course is followed by a one-week attachment to a US company where they can see how US companies market their goods first hand. The programme aims to ensure that UK SMEs understand the importance of effective marketing in the USA, enabling them to improve their business in the USA by developing a realistic marketing strategy.
British Sky Broadcasting: ITV Network
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will make a decision on whether to exercise discretion under section 42 of the Enterprise Act 2002 to issue a public interest intervention notice in relation to BSkyB’s acquisition of 17.9 per cent. of ITV. [124855]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced his decision on this matter on 26 February 2007, Official Report, column 77WS.
Companies Act 2006
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation he is planning with interested stakeholders on directors’ reporting of social and environmental matters in accordance with the Companies Act 2006. [121945]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 27 February 2007]: The Government consulted widely in formulating the narrative reporting provisions in the Companies Act 2006 and they were the subject of extensive parliamentary debate during the passage of the Act.
All companies, other than small companies, are required to produce a Business Review. The Companies Act 2006 introduces a new requirement for quoted companies—to the extent necessary for an understanding of the business—to report on environmental matters, the company’s employees, social and community issues, and relationships with key suppliers. The new provisions in the Act will enhance the transparency of that reporting and make it easier for shareholders to hold the directors to account in all aspects, including social and environmental issues, of the company’s performance.
No further consultation is planned on these requirements but, as I said during the passage of the Act through Parliament, we will review the Business Reviews once they have been in operation for two years.
Consumers: Protection
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the UK objectives are in (a) the development of consumer policy at EU level and (b) the simplification of the regulatory framework of EU consumer protection law. [123516]
Mr. McCartney: The UK supports the development of EU consumer policies that promote the benefits to consumers of competitive markets, innovation and cross-border shopping, together with effective protection, enforcement and redress.
The UK objectives of the consumer protection law review are to secure real simplification of the consumer framework in line with Better Regulation principles, boosting consumer and business confidence in the Single Market and increasing consumer choice.
Dartington College of Art
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the statement of 7 February 2007, Official Report, column 285WH, on regional development agencies, when the report on the future of Dartington College of Arts will be published. [123361]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 28 February 2007]: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) have been working with Dartington College of Arts for some time to identify options for a sustainable future for the college. This work was triggered by the recognition by the college’s governors that the conditions necessary for the college to stay on the estate were not being met. External consultants are currently undertaking an options appraisal and economic impact assessment for the college with some financial support from HEFCE and the South West RDA, to identify a viable way forward. The consultants are due to report to the college at the end of February and the study will be considered by the college’s board of governors on 2 March. I understand the college intends to publish these reports shortly after the 2 March governors’ meeting.
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