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2 July 2007 : Column 910Wcontinued
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convicted criminals were returned to prison for breaking home detention curfews in the last three years for which figures are available. [146061]
Mr. Hanson: The number of prisoners recalled for breaching their HDC conditions were 1,470 in 2003, 1,710 in 2004 and 1,722 in 2005, the latest year for which published figures are available.
These figures are taken from Table 10.7 of Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2005, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library and which can also be found online at:
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of magistrates expected to be recruited for Welsh courts in financial year 2007-08. [146270]
Bridget Prentice: During the financial year 2007-08, it is expected that 82 magistrates will be recruited throughout Wales. This is based on predicted business need.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of magistrates expected to leave the magistracy in Wales in financial year 2007-08. [146271]
Bridget Prentice: During the financial year 2007-08, 50 magistrates are due to retire throughout Wales. An unknown number of magistrates may leave due to other reasons such as illness, transfer etc.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates are employed in courts in Wales. [146272]
Bridget Prentice: At the financial year ending 31 March 2007, there were 1,949 serving magistrates throughout Wales.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many (a) men and (b) women are being held in (i) each prison and (ii) police cell accommodation in Wales; [146274]
(2) what the (a) maximum and (b) useable operational capacity is of each prison in Wales as at 19 June 2007. [146275]
Mr. Hanson: The latest information available on prisoners held in accommodation in Wales, for the end of May 2007, is provided in the following table.
Establishment | Male prisoners | Women prisoners | Totals |
The reported prison population also includes prisoners on authorised absence from the prison.
There are 28 places available in Wales under Operation Safeguard, which are used when there is a shortage of prison places. The use of Operation Safeguard in individual police force areas is held for use as management information only.
The latest information available on Operational Capacity, for the end of May 2007, is provided in the following table.
The maximum number of prisoners that an establishment can hold is the Operational Capacity. This is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. It is determined by senior operational managers on the basis of operational judgement and experience.
Establishment | Operational Capacity |
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what arrangements have been made for providing food to prisoners held in (a) court cells and (b) police cells since January 2006; [146055]
(2) what the (a) total cost of providing food and (b) the average cost per prisoner per meal has been for prisoners housed in (i) police cells and (ii) court cells since January 2006; [146058]
(3) what arrangements have been made for (a) drug assessments and (b) drug treatment and detoxification for prisoners housed in (i) police cells and (ii) court cells; and what the (A) total cost and (B) average cost per prisoner has been of providing these services since January 2006; [146059]
(4) what arrangements have been put in place to ensure that prisoners housed in (a) police cells and (b) court cells are (i) subject to necessary mental health and other medical assessments upon entry, (ii) adequately supervised throughout custody in such cells in accordance with the needs of any medical condition and (iii) provided with any necessary medical treatment; and what the cost has been of such arrangements since January 2006; [146060]
(5) what arrangements have been made to ensure that prisoners housed in (a) police cells and (b) court cells have adequate access to showers and other necessary hygiene facilities; and what has been the (i) total cost and (ii) average cost per prisoner per night of providing these services in such cells since January 2006. [146062]
Mr. Hanson: All efforts are being made to avoid vulnerable prisoners being held in police or court cells. Prisoners previously held in prison accommodation will have been assessed on their reception for drugs treatment, detox and wider health needs. Invoices, including medical and food expenses are submitted in arrears. The total cost of food and average cost per prisoner per meal is not centrally available. Estimated costs, on average, are around £385 per place per night to hold a prisoner in a police cell, and around £300 for every place in a court cell.
Under the terms of Operation Safeguard, police forces can be reimbursed by NOMS up to a ceiling of £12 for the costs of food for each prisoner over a 24-hour period.
Responsibility for the care and lawful custody of prisoners held in police accommodation rests with the police. Medical care afforded to Safeguard prisoners is in accordance with PACE Code C s9.
Prisoners have access to sanitary facilities within the custody area. Forces that provide cells under Operation Safeguard arrangements have shower facilities which are available for use. Every effort is made to ensure that prisoners are not held for more than one or two nights in succession.
Evening meals and breakfast are available for prisoners held overnight in court cells. For one contractor, figures for prisoners' food per night are around £15 per prisoner.
All prisoners held in court cells, whether or not previously held in custody, have a prisoner escort record (PER) form, on which issues giving rise to concern are noted. Contractor staff and the on-site constables are able to take management action as appropriate, up to and including a hospital bed watch (where a minimum of two officers are to be present throughout the hospital stay). At each court a clinic is held each night by a qualified health care professional to identify and help address any health issues.
Prisoners have access to sanitary facilities within the custody area. Showers are not generally available, but other than in wholly exceptional circumstances prisoners are only held in court cells for one night.
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2007, Official Report, column 1727W, on prisoners: transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that prisoners are not detained in prisoner transport vehicles when awaiting or following court hearings. [146594]
Mr. Straw: The contractors responsible for the escort of prisoners are fully aware that vehicles are not to be used to hold prisoners either before or after their court appearance. The National Offender Management Service have to date received no reports of prisoners being held on vehicles because cells are not available in courts.
Mr. Vara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2007, Official Report, column 2129W, on prisoners: young offender
institutions, what the average (a) male and (b) female population was in young offender institutions in England and Wales in each year since 1997. [146153]
Mr. Hanson: The average male and female population in Young Offender Institutions in England and Wales in each year from 1997 to 2005 is shown in the following table:
Average population in young offender institutions( 1) , by gender | |||
Male | Female | Total | |
(1) Includes under-18s held in YOIs |
The figures have been taken from web table 8.10 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin: Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2005. This can be found at:
http://www.homeoffice. gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb1806section8.xls.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to introduce further mediation services for separating couples with children. [146343]
Bridget Prentice: We have established the Family Mediation helpline and supporting website; sponsored a public awareness campaign; and are facilitating judicial awareness seminars and supporting in-court referral schemes.
Provisions of the Children and Adoption Act 2006 will enable the court to direct parties in child contact disputes to attend a meeting about mediation. Referrals will also be encouraged through changes to court rules and court forms, particularly in relation to disputes over children.
Finally, the Legal Services Commissions revised Family Fee scheme will remove the financial disincentives for solicitors to make referrals to mediation. Under the scheme, it will be in the interests of the solicitor to make a referral to mediation and to do so, at an earlier stage.
Therefore, the Government have no plans to introduce further mediation services but remain committed to encouraging greater use of existing provisions for family mediation.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legislation controls the (a) ownership and (b) use of airguns; and if she will make a statement. [146482]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 29 June 2007]: There is a range of controls in the Firearms Act 1968 and related statutes controlling the possession and use of airguns. For example, a person must be aged 17 or over before they can buy an airgun or receive one as a gift. Anyone under 17 must normally be supervised by an adult when in possession of an airgun. It is an offence to carry an airgun in public without reasonable excuse. Other offences include possession with intent to injure, possession with intent to cause fear of violence and trespass with an airgun. Persons sentenced to three years imprisonment or longer for any offence are prohibited for life from possessing an airgun, and those sentenced to three months or more are prohibited for five years. High powered airguns are subject to certification and some are prohibited.
The Government are further strengthening the controls on airguns through measures contained in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006. It will soon become an offence for businesses to sell airguns unless they register with the police as firearms dealers. To guard against under-age sales, transactions by dealers will have to be completed in person. The Act will also increase to 18, the age limit for buying and possessing an airgun and will make it an offence for anyone of any age to fire an airgun beyond the boundary of premises.
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