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7 Mar 2008 : Column 2841W—continued
Security: Licensed Premises
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what licensing conditions apply to door staff working after midnight at licensed premises. [191902]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 6 March 2008]: Under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 an individual who carries out manned guarding activities, such as guarding premises or property, in relation to licensed premises, requires a door supervisor’s licence from the Security Industry Authority. Further, where the activities in question are undertaken in relation to licensed premises as defined in the Act and under certain conditions, the requirements are that the activity takes place at or in relation to times when the premises are open to the public, and alcohol is being supplied for consumption on the premises or regulated entertainment is being provided. The requirement for a door supervisor’s licence is not affected by the time of day when the activity takes place. It applies whether the individual is employed on contract or “in-house”.
Shoplifting
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there were for shoplifting in each of the last three years; and what proportion of those arrested tested positive for illicit drugs. [191382]
Mr. Coaker: Data on arrests collected by the Ministry of Justice provide information on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences), aggregated by main offence group, i.e. violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, etc. More detailed data about specific offences such as shoplifting do not form part of this collection. In the light of that, the data are not available in the requested format.
Since 2003, drug testing of offenders for specified class A drugs (heroin, cocaine/crack cocaine) in some police custody suites has operated as part of the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP). Under DIP, offenders who are arrested/charged with a trigger offence (including ‘theft’ offences, which also includes shoplifting offences) in DIP intensive areas (those areas with high levels of drug-related crime) are required to undergo a drug test.
The proportion of individuals who tested positive for heroin and/or crack cocaine following arrest/charge for ‘theft’ offences (including shoplifting) as part of the DIP programme in the last three years for which we have data are shown as follows:
| Percentage | |
It should be noted that the reduction in the positive test rate reflects the introduction of the power to test on arrest rather than just at the charge stage. Data is not available for all illicit drugs as DIP only tests for specified CLASS A drugs (heroin, cocaine/crack cocaine) and that only some custody suites have drug testing.
Where individuals test positive for heroin and/or cocaine/crack cocaine, they are required to undergo an assessment of their drug use and treatment needs with a drug worker. Failure to attend can result in a criminal charge. Since 2003, more than 115,000 drug misusers have entered treatment through DIP.
Figures from a voluntary survey of police arrestees (the Arrestee Survey, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/07 (2007)), show that 54 per cent. of those reporting regular (weekly) use of heroin or crack cocaine (HC) reported shoplifting in the four weeks prior to arrest. Among those arrested for shoplifting, 37 per cent. self-reported weekly use of HC.
Theft: Computers
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to raise public awareness of the risk of theft of laptop computers from cars through the use of devices to detect laptop signals from outside the car. [191413]
Mr. Coaker: The Home Office has produced a wide range of information for the public aimed at informing them what they can do to reduce the risk of being victims of crime. In relation to theft from vehicles, there is general advice on not leaving any item on display in vehicles, regardless of its value, in our “Steer Clear of Car Crime” leaflets. We would encourage local police and other agencies to make use of and add to these messages.
Wildlife: Crime
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time wildlife crime officers there were in each police force in each year since 1997, broken down by rank; and if she will make a statement. [188574]
Mr. Coaker: The requested information on the number of full-time wildlife crime officer, is not collected centrally.
Decisions on how wildlife crime is addressed, including decisions on resources and staffing, are matters for the police service. These decisions will be made by the chief constable in the light of the competing demands on the force and the priorities of the local communities.
The work of wildlife crime officers in forces is supported by a National Wildlife Crime Unit, which covers both England and Scotland; and the Home Office has recently announced that it will be providing funding for each of the next three years to support the work of this unit.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012
Robert Neill: To ask the Minister for the Olympics if she will place in the Library a copy of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority Governance Review produced by Deloitte and Touche. [184428]
Tessa Jowell: The review of governance of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) was undertaken by Deloitte on behalf of the LVRPA. The authority is currently considering recommendations resulting from the review, and the policy options available to it. The Deloitte report and associated material are, therefore, still subject to LVRPA scrutiny and are not publicly available at this time.
Olympic Games 2012: Construction
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps have been taken to ensure that objects of historic value identified during the construction process for the 2012 Olympics are protected. [189601]
Tessa Jowell: Since 2003 the Museum of London Archaeological Service and Pre-Construct Archaeology (MoLAS-PCA), has worked in partnership to provide archaeological services to the London Development Agency (LDA) regarding the Olympic Park, and now continue to do so for the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).
As a part of the planning application process it is incumbent upon the ODA to fund an archaeological assessment of the proposed development site, and to undertake measures to either preserve in situ or record any archaeological remains found within the designated footprint.
Furthermore MoLAS-PCA are in regular contact with English Heritage's Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service (GLAAS), who also provide advice to the five host boroughs and the ODA Planning Decisions Team.
Interesting remains will either be photographed and recorded or removed to form part of the Museum of London's collection, and in the coming weeks the ODA will be announcing a programme of events involving schools and local communities that is based upon the artefacts excavated from the Olympic site to date.
Olympic Games: Freedom of Speech
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what discussions she has had with officials from the British Olympic Association on freedom of speech for British athletes participating in the Olympic Games in Beijing. [192072]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 6 March 2008]: The rules governing British athletes participating in the Olympic Games in Beijing are a matter for the British Olympic Association (BOA), which is independent of Government.
Duchy of Lancaster
Assets: Consultants
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultancy firms the Cabinet Office has contracted to provide advice relating to property and estates in the last 12 months. [191023]
Mr. Watson: In the financial year 2006-07, the following consultancy firms were contracted by the Cabinet Office to provide advice relating to property and estates management.
Drivers Jonas
Feilden and Mawson
GVA Grimley
Macintyre Hudson
Stephenson and Son
Humberts
Data Protection
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) which recommendations of the 2005 report on data security by Dr. Mark Walport of the Council for Science and Technology the Government adopted; [191013]
(2) which recommendations of the Council for Science and Technology’s 2005 report, entitled Better use of personal information: opportunities and risks, have been implemented by the Government. [191124]
Mr. Wills: I have been asked to reply.
There was no formal Government response to the Council for Science and Technology’s 2005 report and the Government have not specifically implemented the recommendations. However, the report has been a valuable source of information in developing its thinking on how information is used and protected.
On 25 October, the Prime Minister asked Dr. Mark Walport and the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, to carry out an independent review of the use and sharing of personal information in the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Justice are currently considering how the programme should be structured to deliver service transformation.
Departmental Impact Assessments
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many regulatory impact assessments his Department has conducted in the last 12 months. [191275]
Mr. Watson: Information on the final regulatory impact assessments published between 1 January and 30 June 2007 can be found in Command Paper 7297, available at:
None are listed for the Cabinet Office.
Departments are in the process of identifying the final regulatory impact assessments published between 1 July and 31 December 2007.
From April 2008, all final impact assessment will be published on a central website.
Email: Data Protection
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 24 January 2008, Official Report, column 2178W, on electronic mail, if he will place in the Library a copy of the sections of the Cabinet Office's protective security policy on the use of email. [191038]
Mr. Watson: For security reasons, it would not be appropriate to make public the precise internal security arrangements for Government Departments.
Security procedures for the use of electronic mail, along with other protective security measures, are based on the policy and procedures within the Government Manual of Protective Security (MPS).
Magazine Press
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library copies of the Cabinet Office staff magazine from the last 12 months. [191125]
Mr. Watson: I refer the hon. member to the answer given by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Durham (Hilary Armstrong), on 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1348W.
Members: Telephone Tapping
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the inquiry into the covert recording of the hon. Member for Tooting, whether the Wilson Doctrine forbids surveillance or interception of hon. Members' use of (a) personal digital assistants, (b) mobile telephone texts, (c) voice over internet protocol systems, (d) internet browsers and (e) email. [191035]
The Prime Minister: I have been asked to reply.
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor Mr. Blair to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) on 1 February 2007, Official Report, column 464W.
Security: Greater London
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the scope and purpose of the Government Security Zone project is. [191126]
Mr. Watson: The Government Security Zone (GSZ) designates that area of central London containing major government and public buildings. The GSZ programme consists of a linked series of projects to enhance security within the zone. The main project is the “Whitehall Streetscape Improvement” project which is a partnership between Westminster city council and central Government. This project involves major renovation of Whitehall incorporating new security features.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times British forces have jammed mobile telephone networks in Afghanistan. [191130]
Des Browne: I am withholding detailed information on operational tactics and procedures as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Armed Forces: Compensation
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance exists for compensation for armed forces personnel who are injured in armed combat; and if he will make a statement. [192157]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 6 March 2008]: Upon the launch of the armed forces compensation scheme on 6 April 2005, every member of the armed forces (including reserve forces) was sent a copy of a booklet entitled 'Your Compensation Scheme Explained'; moreover, all service recruits who have joined since that date have received a copy. In addition, details of the compensation scheme are available to all members of the armed forces via the internet (www.veterans-uk.info), updates to the scheme are notified by way of Defence Internal Briefings which are available to all personnel via their chain of command and Intranet. Articles about the scheme have appeared in the in-house service periodicals (Navy News/Soldier Magazine and the RAF News).
Detailed information is held in all Ship/Unit Administrative Offices in the form of booklets and tri fold leaflets. In addition, all personnel have access to the Joint Service Publication 765 'The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme for Injury, Illness and Death Due to Service' either via the MoD Intranet or from their Administrative Offices. Staff at all Service Medical facilities (including the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak and the Medical Rehabilitation Unit at Headley Court) are aware of the scheme and able to advise patients of the process for making a claim. Finally, details of the scheme and how to make a claim are held by Ship/Unit welfare staff and ex-service charities.
The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency who administer the scheme have a Free phone helpline (0800 169 2277) which personnel can access to seek specialist assistance with making a claim.
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