13 Dec 2007 : Column 757W

13 Dec 2007 : Column 757W

Written Answers to Questions

Thursday 13 December 2007

Leader of the House

Oral Statements

38. David T.C. Davies: To ask the Leader of the House what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the procedures for oral statements by Ministers. [173667]

Helen Goodman: Oral statements are one of the most valued and effective parts of the House's proceedings. The Government have no plans to propose any changes to present procedures, though we are always open to representations from hon. Members on this as on other matters.

Voting Rights

40. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Leader of the House what the Government's policy is on the right of right hon. and hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies to vote on matters relating to England where responsibility for such matters in Scotland has been devolved to the Scottish Executive. [173669]

Helen Goodman: The Prime Minister has previously set out the Government's policy to the House on the 3 July. This Government do not accept that there should be any discrimination in the rights of hon. Members to take part in the business before the House. ‘English votes for English laws’ would lead to the break up of the Union. This Government believes in the Union and will do nothing to harm it. Constitutional issues are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Justice Secretary.

Departmental Manpower

Mrs. May: To ask the Leader of the House how many (a) men and (b) women of each Civil Service grade are employed by her Office. [172743]

Ms Harman: The following table gives information for people currently working in my office who are employed by the Cabinet Office.

Grade Female Male

ScS

0

1

Special Adviser

2

0

A

0

2

B

2

3

C

1

4


In addition there are four members of staff who are either on loan or paid for by the Department of Work and Pensions to support me in my duties as Minister for Women and Equalities.


13 Dec 2007 : Column 758W
Grade Female Male

ScS

0

0

Special Adviser

0

0

A

1

0

B

1

0

C

0

2


Departmental Meetings

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Leader of the House what the (a) date, (b) location and (c) purpose was of each meeting she attended with the Prime Minister in (i) the week commencing 19 November and (ii) the week commencing 26 November. [173345]

Ms Harman: I have regular meetings with the Prime Minister.

Solicitor-General

Rape

16. Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Solicitor-General what steps she is taking to increase conviction rates for rape. [173642]

The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) now monitors all rape cases to ensure consistent good practice. The CPS works with the voluntary and community sector and the police to improve the service to victims and to build stronger cases. A cross government group is overseeing performance to address local variations in investigation and prosecution.

Anti-trafficking Legislation

17. Mr. Bone: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment she has made of the effect of the UK's anti-trafficking legislation on the ability of the Crown Prosecution Service successfully to prosecute trafficking offences. [173643]

The Solicitor-General: I am satisfied that our human trafficking legislation is as effective as possible to ensure the Crown Prosecution Service is able to prosecute successfully those who commit such offences. In addition the Crown Prosecution Service is tasked with keeping under review the anti-trafficking legislation under the UK Action Plan on Trafficking.

“Undercover Mosque”

18. Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Solicitor-General what discussions she has had with the Crown Prosecution Service over the decision of the west midlands Crown Prosecution Service and West Midlands Police to refer the programme “Undercover Mosque” to Ofcom; and if she will make a statement. [173644]

The Solicitor-General: The matter was referred to Ofcom by West Midlands Police and not the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). There were no discussions about the issue between my office and the CPS.


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Criminal Justice Targets

19. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Solicitor-General what progress has been made towards those elements of the Government's criminal justice system targets for which she has responsibility; and if she will make a statement. [173645]

The Solicitor-General: I have responsibility for the persistent young offender and victims and witnesses criminal justice targets. The PYO pledge was to halve the average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders from 142 days to 71 days. The average time for the quarter to September 2007 was 62 days. In the year to June 2007, in 59.7 per cent. cases, victims and witnesses were satisfied with the handling of matters by the police and other criminal justice agencies. This is on course to meet the 60.1 per cent. target by the end of March 2008.

Trans-national Bribery

20. Hugh Bayley: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases of trans-national bribery are under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. [173646]

The Solicitor-General: The Serious Fraud Office is currently investigating 11 cases where there are allegations of trans-national bribery, as well as fraud.

It is not possible for operational reasons to give specific details on these cases but they include an investigation into Energy Financing Team Ltd in Bosnia, an investigation into Kellog Brown and Root in connection with Nigeria and a number of other countries, an investigation into the construction of the Unesco-financed Bibliotecha Alexandria in Egypt and an investigation into reinsurance involving the National Insurance Institute in Costa Rica.

A number of other cases are also currently being considered for investigation in the vetting process.

Church Commissioners

Church Appointments

11. Simon Hughes: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what representations the Church Commissioners have received on the Prime Minister’s proposal to change the role that Ministers and civil servants play in relation to some Church appointments. [173658]

Sir Stuart Bell: Following the Government’s Green Paper, the archbishops issued a consultation paper on Crown appointments in the Church in October. In light of the views expressed in the consultation period, which ended on 7 December, the archbishops will shortly decide what proposals to put to General Synod in February.


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Home Department

Crime: Internet

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with (a) the police and (b) Ministerial colleagues on the establishment of a police central e-crime unit. [167104]

Mr. Coaker: I have regular meetings with the police and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including fraud and e-crime.

On 17 October 2007, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Darling), announced that funding would be made available through the comprehensive spending review for the establishment of a National Fraud Reporting Centre.

The Home Office is currently considering proposals to improve the handling of e-crime.

Domestic Violence

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government have taken to protect people from domestic violence, since 1997. [170976]

Mr. Coaker [holding answer 4 December 2007]: Since 1997, the Government have been working to: increase the early identification of (and intervention with) victims of domestic violence; ensure that effective advice and support is provided to victims of domestic violence; improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence; and to manage perpetrators to reduce risk.

These aims have been underpinned by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and an annual cross-Government National Delivery Plan for Domestic Violence (since 2005) to progress this work both nationally and locally.

The following table sets out some of the key steps that the Government have taken to tackle domestic violence. Main themes have included:

This work has had a significant impact: according to the British Crime Survey the prevalence of domestic violence has fallen by 59 per cent. between 1995 and 2006-07.


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Summary of steps the Government have undertaken to protect people from domestic violence since 1997
Key steps

1999

Women Ministers launch ‘Living Without Fear’, a national strategic approach to violence against women

2002

Order made under Housing Act 1996 to extend priority need for accommodation to people vulnerable because they have fled their home because of violence

2002

Rape Action Plan published

2003

Home Office launch Safety and Justice Consultation Paper

2003

Launch of 24 hour National Domestic Violence free phone helpline, run in partnership between Women’s Aid and Refuge

2003

Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003

2003

Sexual Offences Act 2003

2003-04

Development of 14 Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)

2003-06

Gender equality public service agreement (PSA) to include domestic violence measure

2004

National awareness raising campaign launched for domestic violence

2004

Domestic Violence, Crime & Victims Act 2004

2004

United Nations Resolution on Honour Killings, jointly presented by UK and Turkey

2004

Costs of domestic violence research published

2005

March is named National Domestic Violence Month

2005

Official launch of Forced Marriage Unit

2005

National Report and National Delivery Plan launched

2005

Launch of Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence

2005

Domestic Abuse Strategy for Wales launched

2005

Development of Northern Ireland 24 hour free phone Domestic Violence Helpline, open to anyone affected by domestic violence

2005-06

25 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts announced to be established and operating by the end of 2005-06

2005-06

100 Independent Domestic Violence Advisors trained; 70 trained in 2006-07

2005

‘Tackling Violence At Home’ strategy for domestic violence and abuse launched in Northern Ireland

2006

Over 400 refuges in the UK

2005-06

Consultation on creation of specific offence of forced marriage; responses have been published

2006-08

Gender Equality PSA to include domestic violence measure

2006-07

First national conference for Domestic Violence Co-ordinators held

2006-07

Progress Report on National Delivery Plan published

2006-07

Homicide Review guidance published for consultation

2006/07

Publication of health professionals' domestic violence handbook

2006-07

Development and funding of more Sexual Assault Referral Centres

2006-07

Funding of Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors

2006-07

Selection of further Specialist Domestic Violence Court systems, bringing total supported by national Programme to 64

2006

Northern Ireland join the Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence

2006

Publication and distribution of workplace Guidance on Domestic Violence to Northern Ireland employers

2006

Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPS) launch its policy on prosecution of cases of domestic violence

2006-07

Pilot MARAC in the Antrim area, Northern Ireland, continuing following evaluation

2007-08

Support given to over 100 areas to enable the MARAC model to be rolled out

2007-08

Pilot of sanctuary scheme in the Ballymena/ Antrim area, Northern Ireland


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