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11 Jun 2008 : Column 313W—continued
Domestic Violence: Injunctions
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many injunctions against domestic violence perpetrators have been (a) made by courts and (b) breached under the provisions of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004; and how many breaches have led to a term of imprisonment. [209667]
Bridget Prentice: Between 1 July 2007—when breach of a non-molestation order became a criminal offence—and 31 March 2008, 17,790 non-molestation orders were granted in the county courts across England and Wales.
Although there is capacity to record breach data in the courts, we suspect cases are not being recorded consistently in all courts.
Where breach is recorded, quality checks have revealed large variations in the way they are recorded therefore it would not be appropriate to publish the limited information available. The implementation of the Libra IT system in the magistrates courts by the end of 2009 will provide a further opportunity to quality assure data. Statistics on breaches will be published as soon as sufficient improvements have been made.
Epilepsy: Death
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if his Department will require (a) medical advisers, (b) coroners and (c) other relevant professionals to undertake specific training in the (i) investigation, (ii) certification and (iii) holding of inquests into sudden unexplained deaths in epilepsy and other epilepsy-related deaths. [209780]
Bridget Prentice: Coroners induction and continuation courses include training on investigation, coroners certificates and holding inquests into sudden unexplained deaths. This includes a course on medicine and a session on the brain and nervous system, which touches on a range of medical conditions such as epilepsy.
Under proposed reforms to the coroner system, the new post of chief coroner will have a responsibility to prepare and maintain appropriate arrangements for the training and guidance of coroners and those who work with them. He or she will be supported by a national medical advisor who will identify specific training needs in relation to medical issues. The national medical adviser to the chief coroner is likely to work closely with the chief medical officer in relation to the training required by the new medical examiners to be established as part of the Government's reform of the death certification system. The main purpose of medical examiners will be to provide independent scrutiny of the causes of death given by doctors on death certificates when cases are not referred to the coroner. Medical examiners will also provide general medical advice to coroners.
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if his Department will issue guidance to ensure that people bereaved as a result of sudden unexplained deaths in epilepsy are provided with details of Epilepsy Bereaved and other relevant support services. [209782]
Bridget Prentice: A draft charter for bereaved people, which will be enabled by the Coroners and Death Certification Bill, will require coroners, among other matters, to maintain and provide information to families on the main local and national voluntary bodies and support groups which offer help or support to people who are bereaved. This will include bereavement as a result of particular types of incidents or circumstances, such as sudden and unexpected death from epilepsy. I will be issuing a revised draft of the charter for comment this month. In the current system, several coroners already provide this information.
Juries: Mentally Ill
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what representations he has received on the exclusion of people receiving treatment for a mental illness from undertaking jury service, with particular reference to its compatibility with the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. [209499]
Maria Eagle: In the past 12 months we have received one representation on the issue of mental health and eligibility for jury service. No reference was made in that representation to the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.
Legal Aid: Separation
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was provided in legal aid to those involved in disputes arising from separating cohabiting couples in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. [208412]
Maria Eagle: It is not possible to answer the question as the Legal Services Commission (LSC) records information about the type of case rather than the type of client. Cohabiting couples who separate may be involved in a variety of case types recorded by the LSC. These include financial provision for a child, proceedings to establish the extent of ownership in property and advice on relationship breakdown, as well as cases involving parentage, parental responsibility, child residence and contact.
Prisoners
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support provided to prisoners in the high security estate with regard to relationships with partners and close family members; and if he will make a statement. [209108]
Maria Eagle: There has been no specific assessment of support provided in the high security estate. All prisons are required to enable prisoners to maintain contact with partners and other family members. Prisoners are encouraged to do so by means of social visits, use of the telephone and through correspondence. Prisons may also provide special family day visits enabling longer periods of contact between the prisoner and his family, including some high security prisons.
In the National Commissioning Plan 2008-09 for the High Security Estate, interventions to help prisoners improve their relationships is identified as an area for improvement within the estate and is one of the four commissioning priorities where we are seeking to develop capacity. A copy of the plan can be downloaded at:
http://www.noms.homeoffice.gov.uk/newspublicationsevents/publications/strategy/NCP_08?vie=Standard&;pubID=530346
Prisoners: Childbirth
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many current prisoners have given birth while serving their prison sentence; and if he will make a statement. [209119]
Maria Eagle: The numbers of prisoners who have given birth whiles serving their custodial sentence since April 2005, when the Prison Service began collecting figures centrally, are as follows:
| April to March each year | Number |
Information is not kept centrally on numbers of current prisoners who have given birth while serving their custodial sentence.
The Government are seeking to encourage greater use of community sentences for women offenders where possible. Where a custodial sentence has been given, specific provision is made for those women who are pregnant or have babies with them in prison.
Prisoners: Mothers
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many female prisoners are mothers to children under the age of 18 years. [209091]
Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service does not routinely keep information on the number of prisoners that have dependent children. However, a resettlement survey commissioned by the Prison Service in 2003-04 showed that half of all female prisoners had dependent children (including stepchildren), and that 46 per cent. of those women had lived with at least one dependent child before custody.
The Government are seeking to encourage greater use of community sentences for women offenders where possible. For those women committed to custody, the Prison Service has in place a range of measures—such as extended children's visits—to support their ties with their families and children. As part of the Family Pathfinder Programme, better ways are being explored to meet a child's needs when a parent goes to prison.
Young Offender Institutions: Mental Health Services
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2008, Official Report, columns 845-7W, on young offender institutions: mental health services, how many young people have been transferred from Parc Prison to specialist NHS secure hospital units for under 18-year-olds in England. [210056]
Maria Eagle: In the last two years there have been 85 transfers from the young people's secure estate to specialist mental health units in England. No young people have transferred to NHS secure hospital units from HMP Parc during this time.
The National Commissioning Group (NCG) is responsible for commissioning a range of specialist services including the national in-patient Secure
Forensic Mental Health Service for Young People, which oversees in-patient treatment and referrals to seven specialist units for under 18s in England.
Separate commissioning procedures exist for under 18s residing in HMYOI Pare. These procedures are governed by the Welsh Assembly Government/NHS Wales.
Source: Mental Health Unit, Ministry of Justice.
Young Offenders: Secure Accommodation
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many beds there were in England and Wales in medium secure hospital units for young offenders with learning disabilities in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; how many of those beds were occupied in each of the last 36 months for which figures are available; what assessment he has made of the match between provision and demand; and if he will make a statement. [209699]
Maria Eagle: This information is not held centrally. The National Commissioning Group (NCG) is responsible for commissioning a range of specialist health services including the national in-patient Secure Forensic Mental Health Service for Young People, which in turn oversees in-patient treatment and referrals to seven specialist national health service secure hospital units for under-18s throughout England.
These seven units provide a range of mental health and learning disability treatments and contain a total of 105 beds. Of these, 17 beds are targeted for young people with learning disabilities. These are situated at
Malcolm Arnold House in Northampton and the Roycroft Unit in Newcastle.
A needs assessment project undertaken in 2004, suggested that between 15 and 33 per cent. of young people referred to the National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group (now NCG) funded units had some level of intellectual disability. This equated to a minimum number of eight referrals a year and a maximum of 17. The current level of referrals for learning disability meets the quota of available beds. During times of additional demand, the NCG has the capacity to commission additional beds from the private sector in England.
Health commissioning responsibilities for Wales are the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government/NHS Wales.
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Disabled: ICT
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of (a) the number and (b) proportion of (i) non-disabled and (ii) disabled people with computer qualifications. [206605]
Bill Rammell: The information is not available in the form requested. The following table shows Labour Force Survey estimates of the numbers and proportions who hold a degree in computing or whose highest full vocational qualification at level 2 or above is in computing.
Foundation Degrees: Admissions
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of (a) 18 to 20-year-olds and (b) persons aged 21 years and over with A levels, Vocational A levels, NVQ Level 3, advanced apprenticeships or other qualifications who began courses for (i) full-time and (ii) part-time foundation degrees in the latest period for which figures are available. [209788]
Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the table.
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