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4 Mar 2008 : Column 2291W—continued
Domestic Violence
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of reported domestic violence incidents resulted in (a) caution, (b) arrest and (c) charge in each police authority area in each of the last five years. [184760]
Mr. Coaker: The Home Office collects data on the proportion of domestic violence incidents that result in an arrest. However, we do not require police forces routinely to flag cautions or charges as domestic violence related. This is due to arrests as a proportion of domestic violence incidences being included in the 2007-08 Police Performance Assessment Framework. This is also being proposed for the 2008-09 Assessment of Policing and Community Safety Performance Framework.
Domestic violence related arrests by police authority area are published on the Home Office website and can be found at the following link:
The published data are for 2005-06 and 2006-07, the two years the Home Office has been collecting this data.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) convicted and (b) arrested domestic violence perpetrators had previous convictions for violence in the last five years. [188268]
Mr. Coaker: This information is not collected centrally. However, the new cross-Government Tackling Violence Action Plan, published on 18 February 2008, includes action to strengthen the arrangements for managing those individuals, including domestic violence perpetrators, who are identified as being at risk of committing serious violence. We are currently in the process of establishing what data are needed to monitor this action effectively.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to implement section 12 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. [188271]
Mr. Coaker: Section 12 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 will enable courts to impose restraining orders on those convicted of any offence, and also on those who are acquitted for any offence. This will mean that restraining orders will be available in a much wider range of cases.
We are currently working with the Ministry of Justice on the resource implications of this provision. When we have resolved this issue, we will be in a position to agree timetable for the implementation of this section of the Act.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many non-molestation order cases perpetrators have been (a) held on remand, (b) bailed and (c) bailed without notice. [188272]
Mr. Coaker: The Home Office does not routinely collect these data from the police.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been allocated to dedicated domestic violence courts for (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10. [188302]
Mr. Coaker: In 2007-08, funding was allocated to independent domestic violence adviser (IDVAs) services and to implement multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARACs) within specialist domestic violence court (SDVC) areas. Further IDVA funding was accessed in 2007-08 by areas wishing to develop an SDVC. This funding totalled £3 million for IDVAs and £1.85 million for MARAC administration.
Funding decisions for future years will be dependent on the number of SDVCs selected in this current selection round and in future selection rounds.
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what monitoring she has undertaken of the implementation of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004; and if she will make a statement. [184754]
Mr. Coaker: The Ministry of Justice/Her Majesty's Courts Service have commissioned an evaluation of the impact of the most recently implemented provision in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004—section 1, which made breach of a non-molestation order a criminal offence. An evaluation report is due shortly.
Earlier provisions commenced in 2005—for example, extending to members of same sex couples the right to apply for a protective civil injunction against domestic violence from a partner—now form part of standard business. Her Majesty's Court Service monitors trends in applications and orders through the family court IT system.
Domestic Violence: Homicide
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to use the power in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 to direct the establishment of domestic homicide reviews. [188813]
Mr. Coaker: Following a public consultation exercise in 2006 on the draft guidance for establishing and conducting domestic homicide reviews under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, issues around the potential impact of this provision on local authorities were raised.
We are currently working with colleagues in Communities and Local Government (CLG) on the resource implications of implementing this provision, and hope to be in a position to commence this section shortly.
Drugs: Research
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the purpose is of the research into illegal drug markets by the Research, Development and Statistics Directorate of her Department; and if she will make a statement. [188498]
Mr. Coaker
[holding answer 22 February 2008]: The 2002 update to the UK’s Drug Strategy highlighted knowledge gaps in relation to the dynamics of the
illegal drug markets. In particular, there was a dearth of evidence on the supply chain from importation to street-level sale; the routes and methods used to supply the market; and, the way in which interventions affected the key players in the supply chain.
By interviewing a sample of convicted drug traffickers and dealers, the study commissioned by the Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS) aimed to fill this gap in the knowledge base and provide us with a crucial insight into the dynamics of the drug market.
The findings from the research, which have been published, includes information on how dealers and traffickers enter the market, how they run their enterprises and how they respond to the risks they perceive. The findings are very useful for the further development of policy and practice to disrupt the supply of illegal drugs.
Forced Marriage
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance (a) her Department, (b) other departments and (c) other agencies issue on forced marriage; and how her Department monitors compliance with that guidance. [186896]
Mr. Coaker: The Forced Marriage Unit has produced guidelines on tackling forced marriage for police, social services, health and education practitioners. The Unit is currently reissuing guidelines for social workers in two versions, one for those working with vulnerable adults and another for those working with young people.
The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act, which received Royal Assent in July 2007, makes provision for these guidelines to be reissued on a statutory basis.
Forced marriage is addressed as an issue in the cross-Government Tackling Violence Action Plan, published on 18 February 2008. The Ministerial Action Group responsible for implementing the Plan will ensure that the guidelines are adhered to.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to tackle forced marriages in England; and if she will make a statement. [187218]
Mr. Coaker: The Forced Marriage Unit was set up by the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2005. The unit contributes to Government policy on forced marriage, and its actions, which include the co-ordination of an outreach programme to raise awareness of the problem of forced marriage, and a dedicated support and advice helpline for victims, form part of the National Domestic Violence Delivery Plan.
In 2007 the unit assisted approximately 400 victims of forced marriage and also contributed to the passage of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 through Parliament.
The unit has issued guidelines for professionals (police, education professionals, health and social workers) on dealing with cases of forced marriage. When implemented, the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 will place these guidelines on a statutory footing.
Over the coming months we will be working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers to develop an action plan for honour based violence.
We will also be running a series of regional seminars on honour based violence and forced marriage starting in the spring. The aim of these seminars will be to raise awareness in local communities and to stimulate decisive action to protect victims and potential victims. It is envisaged that this will also be the start of a continuing dialogue with communities.
This work will be embedded in the next three years through the Tackling Violence Action Plan which will seek to reduce all homicides and serious violence including honour-related killings.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements exist for agencies to carry out multi-agency risk assessments in cases of suspected forced marriages. [188919]
Mr. Coaker: Guidance issued by the Forced Marriage Unit to the police, social services, health and education professionals covers risk factors which may indicate that a person is being forced into marriage. The guidance recommends the use of the Government’s ‘Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families’ to establish the level of risk.
Other risk assessment tools have been developed in relation to domestic violence, the definition of which includes forced marriage, and local Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences are starting to receive referrals which involve forced marriage, as local agencies become more aware of forced marriage as an issue.
Forced Marriage: Victim Support Schemes
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what accredited training is available to agencies working with victims of (a) forced marriage and (b) attempted honour killings. [188920]
Mr. Coaker: A wide range of people deal with the issue of forced marriage, including teachers, social workers, youth workers and health professionals. It is recognised that specialist training is required to provide these professionals with the skills needed to identify and manage cases of forced marriage. Staff from these professions receive training in accordance with their professional training bodies. In-house training is provided to Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) staff and overseas staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to prepare them for working with victims of forced marriage. The FMU also provides briefing sessions to other agencies that deal with forced marriage.
The Home Office provides funds for Independent Domestic Violence Advisers to receive accredited
training from the Coordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse, which covers the issues of forced marriage and honour-based violence.
Homicide: Females
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will hold discussions with Muslim community leaders on advice to women who are in fear of honour killings. [188686]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 26 February 2008]: As part of the National Domestic Violence Delivery Plan we will be running a series of regional seminars on honour based violence and forced marriage starting in the spring.
The aim of these seminars will be to raise awareness in local communities and stimulate decisive action to protect victims and potential victims. It is envisaged that this will also be the start of a continuing dialogue with communities.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to tackle honour killings; and if she will make a statement. [187217]
Mr. Coaker: In March 2005 we developed our National Domestic Violence Delivery Plan. This focuses on five key outcomes:
to reduce the number of domestic violence homicides;
to reduce the prevalence of domestic violence;
to increase the rate that domestic violence is reported;
to increase the proportion of domestic violence offences that are brought to justice; and
to ensure that victims of domestic violence are adequately protected and supported.
As part of this Delivery Plan, specific action has been taken to address honour based violence and forced marriage. Over the coming months we will be working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers to develop an action plan for honour based violence.
We will also be running a series of regional seminars on honour based violence and forced marriage starting in the spring. The aim of these seminars will be to raise awareness in local communities and to stimulate decisive action to protect victims and potential victims. It is envisaged that this will also be the start of a continuing dialogue with communities.
This work will be embedded in the next three years through the Tackling Violence Action Plan which will seek to reduce all homicides and serious violence including honour-related killings.
Human Trafficking
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) arrested and (b) convicted for human trafficking offences in (i) Cambridgeshire, (ii) Peterborough and (iii) the UK in each of the last five years. [187137]
Mr. Coaker: The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004. 232 arrests have been made for human trafficking offences with 134 being charged with trafficking and trafficking related offences. Conviction figures under dedicated trafficking legislation for the United Kingdom are as follows:
| Number of convictions | |
There have been six arrests in Cambridgeshire all of which took place in 2007-08 all of which are being processed through the criminal justice system.
There are no figures available in relation to the number of arrests in Peterborough specifically.
Illegal Immigrants
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of illegal immigrants removed from the United Kingdom were removed having not passed immigration control. [178663]
Mr. Byrne: No Government has ever been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who are in the country illegally, particularly since the phase out of exit controls in 1994.
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