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13 May 2008 : Column 1562W—continued
Antisocial Behaviour: Crime Prevention
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on the Respect Squad since its launch; how many people are employed in the Respect Squad; on how many occasions members of the Respect Squad have made practitioner interventions to provide advice on combating anti-social behaviour; and what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Respect Squad. [203259]
Mr. Coaker: The Respect Squad was launched in the summer of 2006 and established by the then Respect Task Force. Between the summer of 2006 and the end of 2007 the expenditure on the squad, which comprised existing expert practitioners, was £10,000 to cover their expenses. The Respect squad comprised 10 people, made up of national recognised practitioners who provided advice and assistance for local partners in relation to complex cases of antisocial behaviour. The squad dealt with 53 cases in total since its launch in summer 2006.
We considered the role of the squad to be very effective which is why the Home Office announced on 8 May a new ASB Action Squad who will help local partners make full use of the existing antisocial behaviour tools and powers.
Crimes of Violence: Schools
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many teachers in England were the victims of (a) assault and (b) sexual assault in schools in each of the last three years, broken down by region. [204379]
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 and sexual assaults. However, it is not possible to identify the employment status of the victim.
Driving Offences
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times drivers failed to stop for the police in each of the last five years; and how many of these incidents resulted in (a) accidents involving other vehicles, (b) accidents involving police vehicles and (c) fatal accidents in each of those years. [204905]
Mr. Coaker: This information is not collected centrally.
Driving Under Influence: Bexley
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of (a) drug and (b) drink driving were recorded in the London borough of Bexley in each year since 1997. [204914]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Home Office recorded crime statistics only has figures for the offence of ‘causing death by careless driving (including when under the influence of drink or drugs)'. Deaths caused by careless driving when under the influence cannot currently be separately identified from other causing death by careless driving offences. The recorded crime statistics do not count lesser offences of driving under the influence of drink or drugs.
The Ministry of Justice collect statistics on motoring offences and breath tests in relation to prosecutions and other interventions but they can only provide them at police force area level, and not for local areas such as Bexley.
Eurojust
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent discussions she has had with the European Commission on the future of Eurojust; and if she will make a statement; [204782]
(2) what recent discussions she has had with other EU member states on the future of Eurojust; and if she will make a statement; [204783]
(3) what representations she has made to (a) other EU member state governments and (b) EU institutions on the future of Eurojust; and if she will make a statement. [204784]
Meg Hillier: UK officials attended an expert level seminar in Lisbon in October 2007 to debate with officials from other member states and the European Commission the future development of Eurojust. In December 2007, the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council, which I attended, adopted conclusions on the same subject. Subsequently, negotiations have begun on amendments to Eurojust's legal base with a view to improving its operation. This proposal was considered at the April JHA Council, attended by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing, and is on the agenda for the June JHA Council.
The Government are a firm believer in the important role Eurojust plays in the increasingly complex, cross-border nature of serious and organised crime, which can only be fought effectively through improved judicial co-operation and co-ordination of cases across the EU. Eurojust is helping to break down the barriers to effective judicial co-operation by promoting greater understanding and trust between the different legal systems in member states.
The Government have supported the general aim of the draft Council decision to improve the functioning of Eurojust. The Government have, however, argued against attempts to grant autonomous powers to Eurojust to oblige action at a national level in relation to investigations and prosecutions, which could be seen as paving the way towards the establishment of a European Public Prosecutor (EPP).
Firearms: Lancashire
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of those convicted of offences involving the use of firearms in Lancashire in 2007 were aged between 18 and 25 years; [204848]
(2) how many people under the age of 18 years were (a) arrested and (b) convicted for (i) offences involving the use of firearms and (ii) violent offences involving the use of firearms in Lancashire in each of the last five years; [204849]
(3) how many people under the age of 18 years convicted of offences involving the use of firearms in Lancashire (a) received custodial sentences and (b) reoffended in each of the last five years. [204850]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 12 March 2008]: The requested data are not available centrally.
Firearms are taken to be involved in a crime if they are fired, used as a blunt instrument against a person or used as a threat.
The arrests collection undertaken by the Ministry of Justice provides data on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) by age group, gender, ethnicity and main offence group, i.e. violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary etc. From data reported centrally we are not able to identify specific offences from within the main offence groups.
The data held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the court proceedings database do not contain information about the circumstances behind each case beyond the description provided in the statute under which prosecutions are brought. For example, it is not possible to identify how many (i) offences and (ii)
violent offences involved the use of a firearm. As a result the information requested on court proceedings is not available.
Firearms: Licensing
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to involve representatives of shooting interests in the setting of the cost of firearm and shotgun certificates and related authorisations; and if she will make it her policy to consult such representatives before any fee increase. [204604]
Mr. Coaker: It is for the police service to identify in the first instance the costs associated with firearms administration. Representatives of shooting interests will be consulted at an early stage before any changes are made to the fees for issuing certificates.
Firearms: Young People
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with Lancashire Constabulary on trends in the number of offences committed by persons under the age of 18 years involving the use of firearms. [204851]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 12 May 2008]: Members of the Violent Crime Unit are having on-going discussions with Lancashire Constabulary in relation to their gun and gangs problem, particularly in Preston. This includes work with Lancashire Constabulary to review their gangs threat assessment, part of which assesses the threat posed by persons under the age of 18 involved in the use of firearms.
Motorcycles: Training
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 30 April 2008, Official Report, column 431W, on motorcycles: training, how many offences have been recorded of a rider of a motorcycle with a capacity of under 50cc failing to demonstrate that they have undertaken a compulsory basic training course in each of the last five years. [205265]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally. While the Home Office is responsible for the police recorded crime statistics these offences are summary and, as such, they are not included in the data series.
Offensive Weapons
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the use by police forces of the portable metal-detecting knife arches and search wands announced by her Department in February 2008. [204349]
Mr. Coaker:
The decision to provide additional search arches and wands was informed by the work of Operation Shield, the British Transport Police's enforcement operation, in which arches and wands are deployed to detect those carrying weapons on the transport network. This on-going operation has shown
significant results both in detecting and deterring people from carrying weapons and in enhancing community confidence. Police and other partners consider that the use of such equipment is a valuable tool in law enforcement.
We are committed to supplementing further the provision of search equipment, as set out in the Tackling Violence Action Plan, published on 18 February 2008.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the additional detection arches and scanners announced by her Department in February 2008 to be made available to police forces. [204350]
Mr. Coaker: We are in the process of providing additional search equipment to police forces.
Offensive Weapons: Young People
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on developing initiatives to tackle the possession of illegal knives by young people. [204348]
Mr. Coaker: There is considerable work already in place to address the issue of young people carrying knives, including:
educational initiatives such as Be Safe and other projects which provide workshops on weapons awareness;
the provision of additional search equipment to the police and other partners;
tougher legislation, such as the increase in the maximum sentence for possession of a knife from two to four years and the increase in the minimum age at which someone can be sold a knife from 16 to 18.
We are also working closely with ACPO and the CPS to increase the presumption to prosecute people who carry knives and are developing plans to ensure that all young people convicted of carrying a knife receive focused interventions to change their behaviour and prevent re-offending.
We will also, at the end of this month, launch a £1 million campaign, developed with the participation of young people, aimed at reducing the carrying of knives by young people.
Olympic Games: China
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions her Department had with the government of China prior to the Olympic torch relay about the role to be played by the Chinese flame security team; what powers the Chinese flame security team were given; what review her Department plans to undertake into the Olympic torch relay and the role played by the Chinese flame security team; and if she will make a statement; [203557]
(2) how many (a) males and (b) females were arrested during the Olympic torch relay, broken down by age group; how many have been prosecuted for offences committed during the relay; how many have been (i) convicted and (ii) acquitted; and if she will make a statement; [203558]
(3) how many (a) males and (b) females were injured whilst taking part in a public demonstration during the Olympic torch relay, broken down by age group. [203559]
Mr. Coaker: The Torch Relay was co-ordinated by a Community Task Force (CTF), led by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the British Olympic Association (BOA) in partnership with the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee (BOCOG).
Each 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' roles and 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” of 12 October 2007.
The basis of the agreement was that they were to protect the torch, with activity limited to putting themselves between the torch and anyone who was trying either to take it or to do it damage. They had no policing role or executive power in London. The Metropolitan Police Service was responsible for policing the event and ensuring the safety and security of all those involved. As with any major public event, the Metropolitan Police are liaising with the organisers of the relay to review the procedures which were adopted during the event.
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that 37 arrests were made during the Olympic torch relay. These are broken down as follows:
29 for breach of the peace;
one for handling stolen goods; and
seven for offences under the Public Order Act.
Of these, three were bailed pending further inquires and the remainder were either cautioned, received a fixed penalty notice, or released with no further action.
The Home Office does not have information on how many males or females were injured while taking part in a demonstration during the Olympic torch relay.
Organised Crime: Databases
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether DNA data may be shared between EU states through the European database of dangerous offenders in relation to organised crime. [194663]
Meg Hillier: The project to develop a European database of dangerous offenders is in the very early stages and no timetable for its becoming operational has yet been set out. No decisions have yet been taken as to whether any biometric information, including DNA should be on this database.
Passports: Interviews
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been refused a passport following a face-to-face passport interview. [202853]
Jacqui Smith: Passport application interviews form part of our programme to introduce enhanced security arrangements designed to combat passport fraud and forgery and to counter increasing levels of identity fraud. All first time adult passport applicants are now required to come for interview, but extensive checks are carried out prior to interview and in a number of cases this will uncover issues which will mean that the passport application is withdrawn or refused.
IPS records are not held in such a way as to be able to ascertain how many applications have been refused as a direct result of an interview. However, the number of interviews that have failed between 9 July 2007 and 27 April 2008 and been referred to the IPS Fraud and Investigation Units for further investigation is 525. Many of these cases will subsequently have been cleared following further checks and passports will have been issued.
Security: Licensing
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licence applications were rejected by the Security Industry Authority on the grounds of criminality, broken down by (a) offence and (b) licence category in each year since its inception. [196521]
Mr. Coaker: The total numbers of licence applications refused by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) from 2004-05 to 2007-08 are as follows.
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