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9 Oct 2007 : Column 473W—continued
Community Support Officers: Young People
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effectiveness and suitability of under-18 year olds serving as police community support officers; and if she will make a statement. [155645]
Mr. McNulty: Police community support officers (PCSOs) are employed as police staff and as such are bound by standard employment regulations. It is for individual chief officers in each force to determine whether a person is suitable, capable and adequately trained to undertake the role of PCSO.
The Home Office will be working with senior colleagues in the service to make sure current guidance is sufficient to ensure that only those who are capable of performing the role serve as PCSOs.
Crime: Yorkshire
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of crimes reported to the police in (a) Yorkshire and the Humber and (b) North Yorkshire in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available were cleared up. [155493]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 17 September 2007]: Detection statistics at police force area level for 2006-07 were published on 20 September 2007. They show a clear up rate of 28 per cent. for Yorkshire and the Humber region and 33 per cent. for North Yorkshire. Changes to the offence coverage in 1998, the detections guidance in 1999 and the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in 2002 mean that data for 1997 are not directly comparable with that for 2006-07. In 1997, the clear up rate was 26 per cent. for both Yorkshire and the Humber region and North Yorkshire.
Crime: South West Region
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded crimes of each type there were in (a) Devon and Cornwall, (b) the south-west and (c) England and Wales in 2006-07. [156358]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is published in Table 6.05 of ‘Crime in England and Wales 2006-07’. A copy is available on the Home Office website at:
Crimes of Violence: Suffolk
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the figures were for (a) violent crime and (b) gun crime in Suffolk in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007. [155779]
Mr. Coaker: A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to suggestions in the two reviews of crime statistics. Once such change is that the term 'violent crime' is no longer used in connection with the recorded crime statistics and we now provide figures for violence against the person.
There were 2,448 offences of violence against the person recorded in Suffolk in 1997 and 10,190 offences recorded in 2006-07, the latest year for which statistics are available. The introduction of expanded coverage in 1998 and the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in 2002 resulted in an artificial increase in recorded offences of violence against the person and figures for the two years are therefore not directly comparable.
There were 17 firearms offences (excluding air weapons) in Suffolk in 1997 and 58 in 2005-06, the latest year for which data are available.
Driving Offences
Mr. Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps the Government have taken to tackle the incidence of driving off without payment offences in relation to petrol retail. [156232]
Mr. Coaker: It remains an offence under the Theft Act 1978 to make off without paying for goods with intent to avoid payment. However, changes were made in April 2005 to Home Office counting rules reflecting concerns expressed by police forces about the lack of consistency among forces in recording allegations of making off without payment offences.
Many police forces continue to work with industry to reduce this type of problem and initiatives such as ‘Forecourt watch’ and self-reporting packages have proved very successful in terms of improving security and reducing crime.
The British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) continue to make a valuable contribution in partnership with local police and petrol retailers to reduce this type of offence.
Forced Marriage
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of offences related to forced marriage were investigated in each of the last five years by each police force in England and Wales. [155517]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 17 September 2007]: The Home Office does not collect this information and it is not routinely collected by the police, as there is no specific offence of forced marriage. Offences related to forced marriage can range from common assault, false imprisonment and kidnapping, to murder.
The Association of Chief Police Officers has published guidance for police forces on identifying, assessing and managing risk in domestic violence cases, and separate guidance on dealing with cases of forced marriage. In addition, the Crown Prosecution Service is currently undertaking pilots in four areas (Lancashire, London, West Midlands and West Yorkshire) to investigate the prosecution of forced marriage and so-called honour-based violence cases. All cases in these pilot areas will be flagged and monitored from July 2007 to March 2008.
Foreign Workers: Care Homes
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were issued to senior care workers in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [149343]
Mr. Byrne: The following table shows the number of work permit applications which were approved for overseas nationals for senior care workers from non-EU states in period 2005 -2006. Data prior to 2005 are not available.
| Approvals | |
| Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. | |
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.
Foreign Workers: Health Professions
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were issued for (a) doctors and (b) nurses and auxiliary nurses from non-EU states in (i) 2006 and (ii) each of the preceding 10 years. [149263]
Mr. Byrne: The following table shows the number of work permit applications which were approved for overseas nationals for (a) doctors and (b) nurses from non-EU states in the period 1999 to 2006. Data prior to 1999 are not available. There have been no approvals for auxiliary nurses.
| Doctor | Nurse | Total | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. 2. Because of rounding figures may not add up to the totals. | |||
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.
Genetics: Databases
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to update the national DNA database to include full postal addresses of every person who has been added onto the database. [154364]
Meg Hillier: None. The purpose of the National DNA Database (NDNAD) is to hold a record of a person’s DNA which can be matched against DNA taken from crime scenes. If there is a match the police are notified and make further inquiries. The NDNAD holds the person’s name, date of birth, ethnic appearance, gender, a link to any record on the police national computer, and information about the police force which took the sample. This is sufficient for the police to be able to contact the person if required. It is not necessary for the NDNAD itself to hold the person’s postal address.
The address someone is living at when a DNA sample is taken from them will of course become outdated when they move, so adding this address would impose extra work on the police for the sake of information which in many cases would soon become out of date. In order to keep address information accurate, it would be necessary to monitor changes of address of the 4 million people on the database. This would be expensive and intrusive without adding anything useful to police operations.
Genocide: Rwanda
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions she has had with her French and Belgian counterparts on the search for and prosecution of suspected Rwandan genocidaires residing in those countries; [153428]
(2) what steps she is taking to encourage other EU Governments to arrest suspected Rwandan genocidaires residing in their countries; [153429]
(3) what discussions she has had with EU counterparts about procedures for extradition to Rwanda of suspected Rwandan genocidaires residing in Europe. [153430]
Meg Hillier [holding answer 8 October 2007]: It is for each member state to determine, in accordance with its own laws, what action might be appropriate in particular cases. Regular discussions, however, are held with EU counterparts, both at ministerial and official level, about a range of judicial cooperation issues including, from time to time, about bringing to justice alleged genocidaires from Rwanda. No one fleeing prosecution in that country should expect to find safe haven or to enjoy impunity within the EU. That is why the Government have entered into special extradition arrangements with Rwanda in respect of four cases currently before the courts.
Identity Cards: Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether compulsory identity cards will be introduced in (a) Jersey, (b) Guernsey and (c) Isle of Man simultaneously with the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [155808]
Meg Hillier: There are no provisions in the Identity Cards Act 2006 to make it compulsory to have an identity card and to do so would require further primary legislation.
As with previous legislation on identity cards, the Government would consult the Administrations of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man as and when further primary legislation on identity cards was being prepared.
Lisbon Agenda
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policies her Department has adopted to assist the United Kingdom’s fulfilment of the Lisbon Agenda criteria. [155839]
Meg Hillier: The Government fully supports the aims of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs. Reforms across EU member states consistent with the Strategy to boost productivity and skills, expanding participation in the labour market and increasing social inclusion, are key parts of the response to the challenges and opportunities of globalisation.
In line with the aims of the Lisbon Strategy, the Government are pursuing a comprehensive programme of long-term structural reform to deliver strong and sustainable economic performance and employment growth, including addressing specific skills shortages through its managed migration policy. This is set out in the UK National Reform programme, progress against which the Government reports on annually. The most recent progress report was published in September and is available in the Library of the House and on the website of HM Treasury.
Official Visits: European Union
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what official visits she is planning to European Union member states in the next six months. [155840]
Meg Hillier: The Secretary of State for the Home Department has recently returned from Portugal where she attended the informal meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Over the coming months she plans to visit Poland for a meeting of the G6 Interior Ministers to discuss cooperation in the areas of counter terrorism, organised crime and immigration; and Germany for a G6 counter terrorism symposium. She is also currently considering a visit to France.
In addition, the JHA Council will be meeting in Brussels in November, December and February 2008, and in Slovenia in January 2008. Ministerial attendance at those meetings will be determined in the light of the individual agendas. Home Office Ministers are also planning visits to Ireland, Germany and Belgium before the end of the year. There may be other visits or EU meetings, attendance at which will be considered against the pursuit of Home Office aims.
Police
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for a Royal Commission on policing; and if she will make a statement. [156697]
Mr. McNulty: The Government have no plans to set up a Royal Commission on policing.
Police: Complaints
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in (a) Essex and (b) Southend have been the subject of complaints in each year since 1997; how many of these have been the subject of local resolution. [156569]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is not collected by the Home Office. This is a matter for the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
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