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25 Jun 2007 : Column 356W—continued


The financial data includes probation boards, National Probation Directorate and latterly National Offender Management Service HQ.

Comparisons over a long period of time are difficult due to machinery of government changes and accounting changes.

After adjusting for organisational changes, accounting changes and inflation, the real terms increase in the Resource budget from 1996-97 to 2006-07 is about 70 per cent.

Expenditure is not recorded in the categories requested under (i), (ii) and (iii).

Rape: Sentencing

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (1) what the average sentence handed down by courts in Wales for rape was in each of the last three years; [145456]

(2) what the average sentence handed down by courts for rape was in (a) England and (b) each of the regions in each of the last three years. [145457]


25 Jun 2007 : Column 357W

Mr. Sutcliffe: The information requested, for the years 2003 to 2005, is contained in the following table.

Information for 2006 will be published in the autumn.

Average custodial sentence length for rape offences( 1) , all courts, England and Wales, 2003 to 2005
Average sentence length( 2)
Region Rape of males and females

2003

North East

89.4

North West

88.6

Yorkshire and Humberside

86.3

East Midlands

90.0

West Midlands

83.3

East of England

86.7

London

87.1

South East

79.4

South West

86.1

Total England

86.3

Wales

88.9

2004

North East

85.1

North West

89.9

Yorkshire and Humberside

84.2

East Midlands

87.5

West Midlands

79.0

East of England

77.9

London

83.2

South East

79.1

South West

90.1

Total England

84.0

Wales

90.7

2005

North East

84.2

North West

88.2

Yorkshire and Humberside

80.0

East Midlands

77.5

West Midlands

80.2

East of England

76.9

London

85.3

South East

85.6

South West

70.1

Total England

81.8

Wales

79.3

(1) Principal offence basis.
(2) Months, excludes life and indeterminate sentences.
Note:
These figures have been drawn from administrative data 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.
Source:
RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice.

Security Measures

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2007, Official Report, columns 618-20W, on security measures, by how much court capacity has been expanded to deal with existing and anticipated case load relating to terrorism; and how much further expansion is planned. [144389]


25 Jun 2007 : Column 358W

Ms Harman: I can confirm that a review is currently taking place on the capacity of the courts to deal with existing and anticipated case load relating to terrorism. The review includes a security upgrade programme of appropriate existing courts, which is already in progress and feasibility studies which have been commissioned to look at any additional court capacity which may be required in the future.

Sexual Offences: Wales

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many people were (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted of sexual offences in Wales (i) in total and (ii) broken down by offence in each of the last three years. [145459]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Data extracted from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of people proceeded against and found guilty of sexual offences in Wales, by offence class, 2003 to 2005 is in the following table.

Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts, for all sexual offences, broken down into Offence Class, in Wales, 2003 to 2005( 1,2)
Proceeded against Found guilty
Offence class 2003 2004 2005 2003 2004 2005

Buggery

7

3

3

2

2

1

Indecent assault on a male

26

26

10

12

10

5

Indecency between males

2

2

Rape

85

121

92

25

32

22

Indecent assault on a female

138

159

151

71

77

79

Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13

3

17

18

2

2

7

Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16

6

20

38

9

9

21

Incest

1

2

8

2

4

Procuration

2

2

Bigamy

1

1

-

1

1

Soliciting by a man

1

Sexual offences with person with mental disorder

1

1

2

Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation

2

2

Abuse of Trust—sexual offences

25

32

22

22

27

20

Gross indecency with a child

13

16

18

16

9

11

Miscellaneous Sexual Offences

17

38

9

27

Total

308

417

401

162

182

201

(1)These data are on the principal offence basis.
(2)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 courts and police forces. 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.

25 Jun 2007 : Column 359W

Supreme Court

Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 14 June 2007, Official Report, columns 60-62WS, on the Supreme Court, how much will be spent on (a) professional adviser fees and (b) the non-capital element of the fit out costs, including (i) loose furniture, (ii) IT services and (iii) library books. [145843]

Vera Baird: As mentioned in the written ministerial statement, 14 June 2007, Official Report, columns 60-62WS, the set-up costs related to the Middlesex Guildhall are expected to be an additional £14.3 million. These costs will be spread over the five years of the programme and are broken down as follows;

Breakdown of Supreme Court set up costs
£ million

Resource costs

Furniture and artwork

3.4

IT costs

2.6

Decant

1.0

Library

0.3

7.3

Non construction capital costs

Professional and statutory fees

6.2

Surveys

0.4

Furniture removal

0.1

s106 costs

0.1

IT (broadcast and server)

0.2

Total

14.3


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