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10 Dec 2007 : Column 15W—continued
Motor Vehicles: Theft
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vehicles were stolen in North Belfast in each of the last 10 years. [170494]
Paul Goggins: Due to the introduction in 1998-99 of revised rules for recording crime, figures for the years prior to 1998 are not available.
The number of recorded thefts or unauthorised taking of motor vehicles in North Belfast District Command Unit is shown in the following table.
| Recorded | |
| (1) Figures are available by District Command Unit back to 2000-01. The figures for 1998-99 and 1999-2000 have been aggregated by station area to produce totals for North Belfast DCU, however they are not completely comparable with later years due to boundary changes. (2) From 1 April 2002 most attempted thefts/unauthorised taking of motor vehicles are recorded as vehicle interference due to a change in Home Office counting rules. | |
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Annual Reports
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) efficiency and (c) value for money of the distribution of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable's Annual Report to households in Northern Ireland. [170488]
Paul Goggins: In August 2006 PSNI commissioned a survey to evaluate the level of awareness and readership of the Chief Constable's Annual Report. Of those who had read the report, 78 per cent. stated that it provided them with a clearer understanding of the work of the police service.
The total cost of the exercise is approximately £120,000 per year; this represents around 16 pence per household.
The Chief Constable's Annual Report is delivered to every home in Northern Ireland and is also available on the Internet. It is an important aspect of PSNI's outreach and engagement with the community. The Northern Ireland Policing Board is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the police, however I am content that distributing the report in this way is a valuable exercise and represents value for money.
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Garda Siochana
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the Garda Siochana were (a) seconded and (b) transferred to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in each year since 2005, broken down by (i) rank and (ii) sex. [170489]
Paul Goggins: I am advised that to date no An Garda Siochana officers have been seconded or transferred to PSNI.
However, since October 2005, 12 An Garda Siochana officers have been on personnel exchanges, for periods of between two and four months, under the auspices of the joint protocols signed by the Garda Commissioner and Chief Constable on 21 February 2005.
Close co-operation between the PSNI and An Garda Siochana continues across a range of areas including human resources, traffic, IT, internal communications, roads, community safety, training, fraud, drugs and immigration.
Terrorism
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many paramilitary-style assaults took place in Northern Ireland in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available, broken down by group deemed responsible. [172103]
Paul Goggins: The following table details the information requested.
The Government continue to work through and with the political parties to create the conditions that will make such assaults a thing of the past. The PSNI, which has the support of all parties in Northern Ireland, will continue to investigate all such incidents and where sufficient evidence exists will bring those responsible to justice.
Vetting
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what additional resources have been deployed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland to expedite the progress of applications submitted to the Child Vulnerable Adult Access Vetting Unit. [170454]
Paul Goggins: The PSNI is committed to providing a high quality vetting service ensuring the protection of those most vulnerable in society.
The PSNI has deployed additional resources to address the current heavy workload. Since summer 2007 seven extra staff have been employed by the unit and staff have worked overtime to manage the increasing workload. Working practices are under review to ensure that available resources are used to best effect.
A new criminal history disclosure body, Access N.I., will replace the Criminal Records Office service from early 2008. This new service will bring Northern Ireland under the same legislation as the rest of the United Kingdom and will create a platform for the development of new national systems.
Scotland
Christmas
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department and its agencies have spent on Christmas (a) cards, (b) parties and (c) decorations in each of the last five years. [171445]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office’s expenditure on Christmas cards is detailed in the table as follows.
| Christmas cards (£) | |
The Scotland Office has not incurred any expenditure in relation to Christmas parties in the last five years. We do not have separate records for expenditure in relation to Christmas decorations.
Departmental Computers
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of his Department’s (a) computers and (b) laptops have been stolen in 2007; and what the value of those items was. [168603]
Departmental Data Protection
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what reviews have been undertaken of his Department’s rules on data protection in the last two years; if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the last review of his Department’s compliance with data protection laws; and if his Department will undertake a review of its compliance with data protection laws; [168075]
(2) on how many occasions in his Department confidential data have been downloaded on to compact discs (i) without and (ii) with encryption in the last 12 month period for which figures are available; how many of those discs have been posted without using recorded or registered delivery; what procedures his Department has in place for the (A) transport, (B) exchange and (C) delivery of confidential or sensitive data; what records are kept of information held by his Department being sent outside the Department; what changes have been made to his Department’s rules and procedures on data protection in the last two years; on how many occasions his Department’s procedures and rules on data protection have been breached in the last five years; what those breaches were; what procedures his Department has in place on downloading confidential data on to computer discs before their transfer; what technical protections there are in his Department’s computer systems to prevent access to information held on those systems which is not in accordance with departmental procedures; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each of his Department’s rules and procedures on the protection of confidential data on individuals, businesses and other organisations; [168262]
(3) how many employees of each grade in his Department (a) have access to confidential or sensitive data and (b) are authorised to download such data to disk; how many of his Department’s employees have undergone data protection training in the last 12 months; what the average length of time is that each employee of his Department has spent on data protection training; how many investigations of employees of his Department for improperly accessing confidential information have taken place in the last 12 months; how many such investigations resulted in cases of disciplinary action; and what the circumstances of each of those cases was. [168282]
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department’s information technology and data management systems are BS7799 compliant. [168740]
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to review how his Department transports data; and whether his Department uses TNT to transport data. [169386]
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many confirmed data security breaches there have been in the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland in the last 36 months; and what action was taken after each occurrence; [170216]
(2) how many confirmed data security breaches there have been in his Department in the last 36 months; and what action was taken after each occurrence. [170246]
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) on how many occasions the Information Commissioner was contacted by his Department to report breaches of data protection security in each of the last five years; [168817]
(2) how many breaches of data protection security there were in his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will provide details of each breach. [168832]
David Cairns: I refer the hon. Members to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments’ procedures will be made on completion of the review.
Departmental Publicity
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in the last 12 months. [167949]
David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 7 June 2007, Official Report, column 691W.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Land Use
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated annual administration costs associated with the Rural Payments Agency’s practice of resizing fields are. [166699]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 21 November 2007]: Annual administration costs specifically relating to resizing fields (changes to area) cannot be separated from other costs related to the Rural Land Register (RLR). Costs for RLR-related work including all digitising work and RLR support staff were £4.26 million in 2006-07. Estimated costs for 2007-08 and 2008-09 are £3.34 million and £2.69 million respectively. These figures do not include possible further developments of the land register to meet European and business requirements.
Angling: Scottish Executive
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to discuss changes to the main concordat with the Scottish Executive on fishing; and if he will make a statement. [172026]
Jonathan Shaw: I have no such plans, nor have I received any representations from the Scottish Executive to change the fisheries specific concordat.
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