| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
6 May 2008 : Column 862W—continued
Identity and Passport Service: Data Protection
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many breaches of data security there have been at the Identity and Passport Agency since its inception. [200544]
Jacqui Smith: Except in exceptional circumstances, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on breaches of security.
Immigration: Biometrics
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2008, Official Report, column 610W, on immigration: biometrics, when she plans to establish the National Identity Register. [200624]
Jacqui Smith: The National Identity Register will be established when the first identity cards are issued under the Identity Cards Act 2006, starting in the second half of 2009.
Immigration: EC Action
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the outcomes for the UK of the EC Preparatory Action Migration Management—Solidarity in Action 2007 programme; and if she will make a statement. [196308]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 25 March 2008]: Preparatory Action Migration Management—solidarity in Action 2007 is an European Community funding stream whose awards were not granted until November 2007 onwards. The duration of projects funded under the programme can be up to 18 months. As no projects have been completed it is not yet possible to make a statement on the assessment of the outcomes.
Misconduct: Teachers
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many allegations of assault or professional misconduct against teachers by pupils were reported to the police in each year since 1997. [202071]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Home Office is responsible for the recorded crime statistics which includes data on offences of assault recorded by the police. However, it is not possible to identify the employment status of either the victim or the offender.
Mobile Phones: Theft
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is required from people who report their mobile phones as stolen to the police before it is recorded as a crime and issued a crime reference number. [201900]
Jacqui Smith: When a mobile phone is stolen, the victim should report the incident to the police. Unless there is evidence to show that the crime did not occur, a crime reference number will be given.
National Criminal Intelligence Service Annual Report
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the National Criminal Intelligence Service Annual Report for 2005-06 will be published. [196840]
Jacqui Smith: The NCIS Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06 were laid before Parliament on 19 July 2006.
Offensive Weapons: Crime
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many knife-related violent crimes were committed in London in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2006-07. [196837]
Jacqui Smith: It is not possible to identify those offences which are knife-related from the data centrally collected on overall recorded crime. However, since April 2007, police forces have been providing separate aggregate data on serious violence involving knives. Home Office statisticians will assess the quality of these data and it is planned that figures for 2007-08 will be published in the main crime bulletin in July 2008.
Available data from the Homicide Index relate to offences currently recorded as homicide where the apparent method of killing is ‘sharp instrument’. Sixty-nine such homicides were recorded in London in each of the 2000-01 and 2006-07 financial years.
Offensive Weapons: Crimes of Violence
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when data on serious violent offences involving the use of knives and sharp instruments will next be published. [200589]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 23 April 2008]: It is not possible to identify those offences involving knives or sharp instruments from the data centrally collected on overall recorded crime. However, since April 2007, police forces have been providing separate aggregate data on serious violence involving knives. Home Office statisticians will assess the quality of this data and it is planned that figures for 2007-08 will be published in ‘Crime in England and Wales 2007-08’ in July 2008.
Available data from the Homicide Index relates to offences currently recorded as homicide where the apparent method of killing is ‘sharp instrument’. Data relating to the period 1997-98 to 2007-08 are scheduled for publication in January 2009.
Olympic Games 2012: Security
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when she (a) was first notified of and (b) approved the deployment of Chinese security personnel to accompany the Olympic torch procession on 6 April; [200594]
(2) what assessment she has made of the appropriateness of the actions taken by Chinese security personnel in preventing expressions of public protest interfering with the Olympic torch procession on 6 April; [200595]
(3) when the Metropolitan police were notified that Chinese security personnel would be deployed in central London to accompany the Olympic torch on 6 April; [200596]
(4) what her policy is on the use of physical restraint by foreign security personnel against UK citizens during processions in public places, with particular reference to the Olympic torch procession on 6 April; [200597]
(5) how many Chinese security personnel accompanied the Olympic torch on 6 April. [200598]
Mr. Coaker: The Chinese torch attendants were employed by the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic games (BOCOG). Every torch relay has torch attendants from the Olympic organising committee responsible for the flame after it has been handed over to the host city. These attendants are responsible for lighting and extinguishing the torches and accompanying and guarding the flame. They have no policing role and the Home Office accordingly had no role in approving their deployment.
20 Chinese torch attendants accompanied the flame. Their responsibilities were as described in the “Beijing Olympic Torch Relay Community Planning Guide” and the contract between BOCOG and the Greater London authority and the British Olympic authority in the document “Agreement—Olympic Torch Relay Services” dated 12 October 2007. The Chinese team did not have law enforcement authority, and, could “only protect the flame and the torch-bearer by placing themselves between the offender and the torch bearer.”
The Metropolitan police service was responsible for policing the event, including protests associated with it and for dealing with any criminal offences committed.
The Home Office has not been made aware of any specific allegations of Chinese torch attendants preventing expressions of public protest.
Anyone who believes that a criminal offence has been committed should report it to the police in the usual way.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons Chinese security personnel accompanied the Olympic torch during its London relay on 6 April; and if she will make a statement. [201375]
Mr. Coaker: Every torch relay has torch attendants from the Olympic organising committee responsible for the flame after it has been handed over to the host city. The Chinese torch attendants were responsible for lighting and extinguishing the torches and accompanying and guarding the flame. The Metropolitan Police Service was responsible for the safety, security and safe passage of the torchbearer and torch as it travelled through London. The Chinese torch attendants had no policing role or executive power in London.
Olympic Games: China
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has made to the Chinese authorities about the deployment of members of China’s security forces during the Olympic flame procession in London. [202126]
Mr. Coaker: As with all torch relays, the Olympic flame was accompanied by “torch attendants” employed by the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) the Olympic organising committee responsible for the flame after it has been handed over to the host city. These attendants are responsible for lighting and extinguishing the torches and accompanying and guarding the flame.
They did not have any policing or law enforcement responsibilities. Anyone who believes that a criminal offence has been committed should report it to the police in the usual way.
Organised Crime: EC Enlargement
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place between her Department and authorities in (a) Poland, (b) Romania and (c) Bulgaria on the sharing of criminal intelligence. [200511]
Jacqui Smith: Data sharing to enhance police cooperation is in all EU member states’ interests for the purpose of protecting citizens against crime and terrorism. There are a number of EU-wide data sharing initiatives in use and planned, the negotiations for which involve all EU member states.
Passports: Interviews
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of face-to-face passport interviews since their introduction. [198628]
Jacqui Smith: The requirement for face-to-face interviews for adult passport applicants has been phased in gradually, and the Identity and Passport Service’s network of interview offices only became fully operational from 66 offices from 28 January this year. The capacity of the network has been increased progressively since July last year. The final office is due to open in May.
The interview requirement has been well received by customers who see this as a positive move in terms of safeguarding their identity. Given that the full volume of interviews is only now being achieved it would be premature to make an assessment of the effectiveness of face-to-face interviews in deterring and detecting fraud.
Personal Records: Private Sector
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legal or other constraints are imposed on private companies, including airport operators, in taking and storing fingerprints and other personal data from members of the public. [197292]
Jacqui Smith: The Government take data protection very seriously and keep the law on what measures are needed to strengthen the protection of personal data under continuous review.
The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) provides a comprehensive legal framework of protection (including legal redress) for personal data, including fingerprints and other personal data. The DPA applies
to all organisations that handle information about people, in both the public and private sectors. Therefore, it would be a matter for private companies, including airport operators, to satisfy themselves that they are acting in accordance with the DPA and other relevant legislation, including the Human Rights Act 1998.
Police: Firearms
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are trained in the use of arms; and how many are available in the Metropolitan police area. [201901]
Jacqui Smith: At 31 March 2007 there were 6,728 authorised firearms officers in England and Wales. 2,584 of those authorised firearms officers were in the Metropolitan Police Service.
Proceeds of Crime
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what uses the £125 million of criminal assets recovered in 2006-07 was put. [200919]
Jacqui Smith: The Home Office paid back 50 per cent. of recovered criminal assets to the police and other front-line agencies under the asset recovery incentive scheme. The scheme is designed to reward past performance and drive up future asset recovery activity. The remaining 50 per cent. contributed to core Home Office expenditure priorities, including policing and other asset recovery measures.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amount of assets recovered in 2006-07 has been paid back to (a) the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, (b) HM Revenue and Customs, (c) the Crown Prosecution Service and (d) police forces in England and Wales under the Assets Recovery Incentive Scheme. [200920]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is as follows:
| £ million | ||
Rape
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded instances of (a) rape and (b) domestic violence there were in (i) England and Wales and (ii) each police force area in each year since 1997; and what the clear-up rate for each was in each of those years. [200358]
Mr. Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 November 2007, Official Report, columns 642-46W.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females aged (i) under 10, (ii) 11 to 15, (iii) 16 to 19, (iv) 20 to 25, (v) 26 to 30, (vi) 31 to 40, (vii) 41 to 50, (viii) 51 to 60 and (ix) 60 years and over were recorded as the victims of rape in each of the last 10 years. [203252]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested is not available centrally. The Home Office collects statistics on the number of rape offences recorded by the police but no information is available on the age of the victim.
Wildlife: Crime
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wildlife crime officers there were in each year since 1997 for which figures are available, broken down by region. [202681]
Mr. Coaker: The requested information, on number of wildlife crime officers, is not collected centrally.
Decisions on how wildlife crime is addressed, including decisions on resourcing 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.
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wildlife crimes were committed in each year since 1997 for which figures are available, broken down by region; and how many successful prosecutions there were. [202682]
Mr. Coaker: Data on the number of wildlife crimes committed nationally are not held centrally. However, data on the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Deer Act 1991, Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulation 1997, and the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, by police force area, in England and Wales since 1997 can be viewed in the following table. This information is only held at a national level and cannot be broken down regionally.
These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |