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14 Jan 2008 : Column 831W—continued
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any of his Department's special advisers also work for organisations outside his Department. [178473]
Mr. Woodward: My special advisers do not work for any outside organisations.
Emergency Calls
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many 999 calls were received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (a) in the year before the introduction of their non-emergency 0854 600 8000 number and (b) between November 2006 and October 2007. [171785]
Paul Goggins: The PSNI introduced its non-emergency number 0845 600 8000 on 1 November 2005. Between November 2006 and October 2007, more than 173,000 calls were made to this number.
The PSNI receives approximately 300,000 emergency 999 calls per annum.
Complete information on the number of 999 calls received by the PSNI is available from June 2007. For the periods November 2004 to October 2005 and November 2006 to May 2007, information is only available for 999 calls received within PSNI’s Urban region. Systems were not in place to collate the number of 999 calls received within Rural region during these periods. Systems were implemented for Rural region from June 2007 with the introduction of enhanced technology and the consolidation of rural control rooms.
The figures do not permit comparisons to be made because of changes to district structures.
The total number of 999 calls received on a monthly basis from June to October 2007 is shown in the following table.
| 1997 | Total 999 calls received by PSNI |
Fuels: Smuggling
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with police authorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on fuel smuggling; and if he will make a statement. [176849]
Paul Goggins: As Her Majesty's Treasury are the lead Department in respect of revenue fraud, HM Revenue and Customs have primacy in respect of fuel smuggling in Northern Ireland, and have strong and effective links with their counterparts in the Revenue Commissioners in the Republic of Ireland.
I have had recent discussions through the Organised Crime Task Force with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and HM Revenue and Customs in respect of tackling fuel smuggling; law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border work in partnership to disrupt fuel smugglers, confiscate their illegal assets and bring them before the courts.
Immigration Controls
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Home Department on the Common Travel Area; and if he will make a statement. [176091]
Paul Goggins: There is a review of the operation of the Common Travel Area under way at present. However, there is no question of ending the principle that Common Travel Area nationals are not subject to immigration control on the internal borders.
I have had discussions with the Immigration Minister in the Home Office about the Common Travel Area. These discussions will continue as the review progresses. My officials are also in regular contact with their counterparts in the Home Office on this issue.
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Graduates
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 5 December 2007, Official Report, column 1212W, on Police Service of Northern Ireland: graduates, (1) if he will consider including educational qualifications as part of the Police Service of Northern Ireland recruitment process; [174856]
(2) if he will consider including educational qualifications as part of the Police Service of Northern Ireland recruitment process. [174862]
Paul Goggins: The recruiting process for regular constables assesses candidate competency against the role profile for the job. This is consistent with practice across the UK. Competencies tested reflect national standards and measure ability to perform the role. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is content that the recruiting process continues to meet best practice standards, and is confident that the police college student officer programme is comprehensive, robust and fit for purpose.
There are therefore no plans to introduce academic qualifications as pre-entry criteria.
Prisoner Escapes
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have escaped custody while on their way to court in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [177870]
Paul Goggins: No prisoners have escaped from the custody of prison staff while on their way to court in Northern Ireland during the last three years. However, a high risk prisoner escaped from the holding cells at Lisburn courthouse on 7 June 2005 while in the custody of Maybin Custodial Services. The escape was fully investigated. Every effort is now made to avoid sending high risk prisoners to Lisburn. If necessary, additional safeguards are put in place.
Prisons: Telephones
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what monitoring is undertaken of telephone calls made by inmates of Northern Ireland prisons. [175796]
Paul Goggins: In accordance with the prison rules, all telephone calls made by inmates in Northern Ireland prisons are recorded; they are randomly monitored for security reasons. The only exception to this is telephone calls to legal advisers and confidential calls to the Samaritans, Prisoner Ombudsman, Crimestoppers and addiction counsellors.
Regulation
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for which regulators and inspectorates his Department has had responsibility in each year since 1997; what the budget was of each such body in each year; and what the cost to the public purse was of any restructuring of each such body in each year. [175318]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office has responsibility for the following regulators/inspectorates since 1997.
The cost of the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland was:
| £ | |
There were no costs for restructuring.
In addition, the Prisoner Ombudsman has been in existence since 2005 and their budget incorporates a Secretariat function for the Independent Monitoring Board for prisons. This could be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost. There were no costs for restructuring.
Schools
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedure was used in selecting Mr. Vivian Thomas as consultant to the Bain Review; what remuneration he receives; and what role there was in the appointment process by his predecessor as Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Neath. [179053]
Mr. Woodward: The Secretary of State ceased to be in charge of the Northern Ireland Departments on 8 May 2007 when devolution was restored and the Northern Ireland Executive took over responsibility. Papers relating to the appointment of Mr. Vivian Thomas are held by the Department of Education Northern Ireland which has been asked to provide me with the information requested by the hon. Member.
Transport
A1: Nottinghamshire
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect of the removal of the final three roundabouts on the A1 in Nottinghamshire on the safety of access to the road. [177850]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Highways Agency presented a safety assessment for each of the three junction improvements on the A1 in Nottinghamshire at their respective public inquiries. These junctions are three of six roundabouts that will be improved as part of the A1 Peterborough to Blyth grade separated junction improvement scheme.
The assessments indicate that safety will be improved as a result of the scheme. It will remove the existing roundabouts and replace them with new two-level
junctions allowing the A1 traffic to pass straight through the junctions with slip roads providing links to local roads.
It will remove conflicting traffic turning movements between the A1 and the local road network, reducing accidents and congestion.
Airports: Police
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was to each local authority in London arising from the police service agreements for each designated airport servicing London in the latest period for which figures are available. [177046]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Police service agreements are currently being finalised at the nine designated airports in the UK, including the three serving London—Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. The police costs set out in those agreements will be met by the airport operator and not local authorities.
Aviation: Mobile Phones
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions have taken place between the Civil Aviation Authority and her Department on mobile telephone use in aeroplanes. [177287]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department sought information from the Civil Aviation Authority in July 2007 on the European Aviation Safety Agency certification of airborne global system for mobile communications (GSM), and this was provided.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the policy of (a) her Department and (b) the Civil Aviation Authority is on the use of mobile telephones in aeroplanes. [177288]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department’s policy is not to object to the use of mobile telephones in aeroplanes, provided that the CAA states that their use is safe. The installation of systems that enable the use of mobile phones is a matter for individual airlines, who will take the views of their passengers into account.
The safety policy of the CAA is set out in the CAA’s Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) No. 1/2004, which is updated as necessary. This deals with the use of portable electronic devices of all kinds, including mobile telephones, in aircraft. It specifies the main categories of such equipment, and imposes a duty on operators to ensure the use of devices does not affect the safety of the aircraft.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent research (a) her Department and (b) the Civil Aviation Authority has undertaken on the effect of mobile telephone use on planes on flight systems. [177289]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The most recent research undertaken on the effects on aircraft flight systems of mobile telephones used by passengers is CAA Paper 2003/03 entitled “Effects of Interference from Cellular Telephones on Aircraft Avionic Equipment”, published 30 April 2003 at: www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAPA2003_03PDF
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research (a) her Department and (b) the Civil Aviation Authority has undertaken on the effect of the introduction of mobile telephone use on aeroplanes on the incidence of air rage. [177290]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have not carried out any research on the effect of the introduction of mobile telephone use on aeroplanes on the incidence of air rage. However, the CAA’s disruptive database does record incidents where mobile phones have been the subject of a disruptive passenger incident. Typical examples would include passengers refusing to turn off their mobile phones or attempting to use them in flight when asked not to.
Blue Badge Scheme
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the independent strategic review of the blue badge scheme will be published; and if she will place a copy in the Library. [178957]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I can confirm that the independent strategic review will be published shortly and copies will be placed in the House Library.
Blyth Flyover
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects Blyth flyover to be opened on the A1 in Nottinghamshire; and what the contracted date for completion of the flyover is. [177849]
Mr. Tom Harris: The new bridge at Blyth opened to traffic on 19 December 2007. The new A1 passing under the new bridge carrying the local roads is planned to open to traffic in mid-March 2008.
The contractual date of completion of the junction is late April 2008.
British Railways Board: Property
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will place in the Library a list of all property, including railway structures, owned by the British Railways Board (Residuary). [178139]
Mr. Tom Harris: A list of BRB (Residuary) Ltd.'s (BRBR) railway structures was placed in the Library of the House in 2006. I will arrange for an updated list to be placed in the Library shortly. Details of BRBR's non-operational property are available on their website at www.brbr.gov.uk. The company also has leasehold interests in the following buildings.
Birmingham, Axis
Birmingham, Meridian
Crewe, Rail House
Croydon, Southern House
Croydon, Stephenson House
Liverpool, Rail House
London N1, Whittles House
London SE1, Friars Bridge Court
Manchester, Rail House
Nottingham, Furlong House
Orpington, Nightingale House
Southampton, Overline House
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