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5 Jun 2008 : Column 1124W—continued
Firearms
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2008, Official Report, column 2678W, on firearm seizures, if she will provide the number of seizures for 2007-08 following the publication of the Serious Organised Crime Agency's Annual Report. [207039]
Jacqui Smith: As set out in its Annual Report for 2007-08, the Serious Organised Crime Agency was involved in the seizure of over 400 firearms and over 23,000 rounds of ammunition.
Genetics: Databases
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prosecutions DNA samples on the national DNA database from people with no previous convictions have been used. [191176]
Jacqui Smith: Information on the number of prosecutions in which DNA subject sample profiles on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) taken from persons with no previous convictions have been used in evidence is not available from the NDNAD, nor is it available from police force data collected by the Home Office on forensic activity and related detections. The NDNAD holds DNA profiles taken from persons arrested for a recordable offence but does not hold data on their criminal histories; this information is held on the Police National Computer (PNC).
Some research information is, however, available on the number of DNA profiles taken from those arrested but not charged and from those arrested, charged but not convicted of an offence that have resulted in a DNA match, thus providing the police with an intelligence link on the possible identity of the offender and assisting in the detection of crimes. In April 2004, an amendment to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 came into effect which enabled the police to take and retain DNA and fingerprints from persons who had been arrested for a recordable offence. In the period April 2004 to December 2005, the retention of DNA profiles of arrested persons who had not been charged or proceeded against had resulted in matches with crime scene profiles from over 3,000 offences.
In May 2001, an amendment to PACE 1984 came into effect which enabled the police to retain DNA samples taken from persons who had been charged but not convicted of an offence. In the period May 2001 to December 2005, an estimated 200,000 DNA samples taken from people charged with offences had been retained on the National DNA Database, which would previously have had to be removed because of the absence of a conviction. From these, approximately 8,500 profiles of individuals have been linked with crime scene profiles, involving nearly 14,000 offences.
Human Trafficking
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2008, Official Report, column 1733W, on human trafficking, for what offences the 86 convictions were made; and how many of the convictions led to (a) a custodial sentence of more than one year, (b) a custodial sentence of less than one year, (c) a community sentence and (d) a fine. [207038]
Jacqui Smith:
Since the answer of 18 May when an interrogation of the police national computer (PNC) as of 12 May found there had been a total of 86 convictions for human trafficking since the introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, further investigations have found that two of the cases had
incorrect data recorded on the PNC. The total number of convictions as of 12 May is therefore 84 not 86. Sentencing figures from the PNC break these down to show:
| Number | |
Immigration: Organised Crime
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008, Official Report, column 758W, on organised immigration crime, if she will provide full figures for 2007-08 following the publication of the Serious Organised Crime Agency's Annual Report. [207040]
Jacqui Smith: Between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008, there were 129 arrests and 30 convictions as a result of operations where organised immigration crime, including people smuggling and human trafficking, was the main threat.
Police: Information and Communications Technology
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what IT software is (a) recommended by her Department and (b) used by police forces in their enforcement of licensing laws. [200969]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 24 April 2008]: The Home Department has not recommended the use of a specific IT software application for the enforcement of licensing laws and the use of IT software for this purpose will be a matter for individual forces to determine.
Proceeds of Crime
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) interim receiving orders, (b) property freezing orders, (c) Mareva injunctions and (d) freezing orders were granted under or ancillary to proceedings under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in (i) England and Wales and (ii) Northern Ireland in each year of the Assets Recovery Agency's existence. [206956]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested is set out in the following table.
| Assets Recovery Agency | ||||||||||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | ||||||
| Total | NI | Total | NI | Total | NI | Total | NI | Total | NI | |
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many outstanding applications for recovery orders under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 were inherited in (a) England and Wales and (b) Northern Ireland by the Serious and Organised Crime Agency following the abolition of the Assets Recovery Agency. [206977]
Mr. Coaker: The Serious Organised Crime Agency inherited from the Assets Recovery Agency 30 issued claims in civil recovery in England and Wales and eight in Northern Ireland.
Security Guards: Licensing
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of applications to the Security Industry Authority for licences were completed within the six to eight weeks processing target time in the latest period for which figures are available; [202655]
(2) how many applications to the Security Industry Authority for (a) licences and (b) licence renewals have been delayed in processing as a result of the introduction of a new computer system and still await determination; and if she will make a statement; [202654]
(3) how many stuck applications are in the Security Industry Authority licensing system; what steps are being taken to expedite the processing of these applications through the system; and when she expects them to have been dealt with. [202857]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 29 April 2008]: As a result of a delay in implementing the full functionality of the SIA's new processing system, some of this management information is not currently available. The SIA advise that data relating to the first quarter of this financial year will be available in August. I will write to the right hon. Member with this information when it is available.
As at 13 May there were 346 cases at various stages of processing which were unable to progress further as a result of problems with the managed service provider system. The SIA are in contact with the individuals concerned as the majority of these cases require information to be re-submitted which is currently missing from the system.
Most other cases are moving systematically, albeit more slowly than normal, through the process. The SIA is committed to doing all it can to return the process to normal levels and speed any 'stuck' cases that come to light through to completion.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps (a) her Department and (b) the Security Industry Authority (SIA) are taking to (i) protect those employees whose jobs have been jeopardised and (ii) compensate those employees who lose their jobs as a result of delays in SIA licence application processing. [202656]
Jacqui Smith
[holding answer 29 April 2008]: This is an operational matter for the SIA. They are working to restore performance to acceptable levels as quickly as possible in order to reduce delays and the resulting
impact on applicants. If individuals have suffered financial loss as a direct result of processing delays, the SIA will consider compensation claims on a case by case basis.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for (a) licences and (b) licence renewals were received by the Security Industry Authority in each year since 2003. [202657]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 29 April 2008]: Licence renewals are not recorded separately to new applications. Details of application numbers are available in the SIA's annual reports from 2003-04 to 2006-07. Copies can be viewed on the SIA's website at:
Details are set out in the following table. Copies are also available in the House of Commons Library.
The figures for 2007-08 are not yet available, but will be published in the SIA's Annual report 2007-08 later this year.
| Licence applications received | |
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the Security Industry Authority lost the personal details of applicants in each year since 2003. [202906]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 1 May 2008]: Information on the numbers of incidents is not available, although the SIA have informed us that they are aware that there have been some incidents in the past where documents have gone missing in the postal system, which have been dealt with on a case by case basis.
The SIA take the safeguarding of applicants' personal details and documents very seriously, and various procedures have been implemented to reduce the occurrence of personal details being lost. These include all documents that are received by the SIA being handled in a secure area.
To minimise the risk that documents may be lost or re-directed when being returned to applicants, the SIA have introduced a courier system which delivers all documentation direct to the address provided by the applicant.
Security Industry Authority: Manpower
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) contact staff, (b) processing staff, (c) temporary staff and (d) staff in total were employed by the Security Industry Authority in each month since January 2003. [202850]
Jacqui Smith: Call centre contact staff and general processing staff are not directly employed by the SIA. Employee details are published each year in the SIA's annual report. The reports for 2003-04 to 2006-07 can be viewed on the SIA's website at:
Copies are also available in the House of Commons Library.
Details of the position at the end of the last two financial years are set out in the following table.
| 31 March | ||
| 2007 | 2008 | |
International Development
Afghanistan
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-governmental organisations are employed by his Department in Helmand Province; and what type of project each is carrying out. [208807]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) has entered in to one contract with an non-governmental organisation for a development project in Helmand. The NGO, which would prefer to remain nameless for security reasons, received a grant of £999,447 to support an agricultural development programme which began in August 2007. In addition, DFID funding is supporting, through the Government of Afghanistan, the Bangladeshi NGO BRAG, to undertake community development and microfinance projects in Helmand, and the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) to establish credit unions.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his Department's personnel are based in Helmand Province; and what their budget for 2008-09 is. [208808]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Department for International Development (DFID) staff are currently located in Helmand. For security reasons, DFID does not publish exact details on the number and location of its staff in Afghanistan. The current total unit cost of a single member of staff is around £250,000, incorporating salary and hardship allowances, with the majority accounting for the costs of providing adequate security.
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