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3 July 2008 : Column 1041W—continued
Military Bases: Aviation
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2008, which military airfield with a runway and infrastructure able to accommodate a Boeing 747 is closest to London. [216190]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, are the closest military airfields to London with a runway and infrastructure able to safely accommodate a Boeing 747.
Military Decorations
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the roll of military recipients of the medals of the Order of the British Empire awarded between 1917 and 1922 is located; if he will place a copy in the Library; whether these awards were affected by the revision in the Order of the British Empire in 1922 and the creation of the George Cross in 1940; and if he will make a statement. [208635]
Derek Twigg: The duty of keeping records of appointments to the Order of the British Empire and awards of the associated British Empire Medal lies with the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, an office in the Royal Household.
If any internal administrative records of awards of the medal were kept by the Admiralty, War Office or Air Ministry between 1917 and 1922 they will either have been destroyed or passed to the National Archives (Public Record Office).
I am unable to comment on the changes that may have come about more recently as these are a matter for the Cabinet Office.
Prisoners of War
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding exists in the Special Fund for Far Eastern Prisoners of War; what will happen to the fund when all claimants are deceased; and what assessment he has made of the merits of using that fund to support long-term elderly care for former far eastern prisoners of war. [215017]
Derek Twigg: The Far East (Prisoners of War and Internees) Fund is a registered charity. As such, the management of the Fund is a matter for the Trustees who may be contacted by writing to the Secretary c/o 92 Denton Road, Audenshaw, Manchester M34 5BD.
War Graves
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Commonwealth War Graves sites there are; and when each site was last inspected. [214349]
Derek Twigg: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) confirms it has over 23,000 sites in some 150 countries. Given the number of sites it is not possible to provide details on when each individual site was last inspected without incurring disproportionate cost.
World War I: Anniversaries
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on plans to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armistice in November 2008; and what events are proposed. [216036]
Derek Twigg:
As I announced in my written ministerial statement on 22 May 2008, Official Report, columns 33-34WS, we plan to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the First World War Armistice at an event centred around a service and wreath laying at the Cenotaph on
Tuesday 11 November. Planning for this event is progressing well and we are engaging with interested parties to ensure that we organise what I am sure will be a fitting event for this important anniversary. Details of the event will be announced once these plans are more fully developed.
We are in discussions with the French Government on their plans to mark the anniversary.
Home Department
101 Calls
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will review the decision not to proceed with the national implementation of the 101 non-emergency number; and if she will make a statement. [215270]
Mr. McNulty: The Home Office has decided not to continue to fund directly the live 101 (Single Non-Emergency Number) pilot areas but will continue to provide funding to support the national 101 telephony routing infrastructure to ensure that the number remains available for use by local areas wishing to maintain or develop their own locally funded 101 service. This was a difficult decision taken in the context of significant pressures and competing policing and security priorities.
We acknowledge the many benefits achieved by the five pilot 101 partnerships and the commitment to improving services that these achievements represent. It is hoped that the lessons learned about effective partnership working and improved access and quality of service in dealing with community safety issues will be mainstreamed into local operations wherever possible.
The Home Office has also made available a 101 delivery toolkit which brings together all the work that has been put into 101. The toolkit provides details of the evaluation and lessons learned from the service to date and gives guidance, example documentation and supporting material to help areas explore, implement and operate the 101 service locally.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letters of 11, 19 and 25 February and 11 March from the hon. Member for Hereford on his constituent, Mrs. Jane Clegg (reference C442441) and her application for indefinite leave to remain in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [207118]
Mr. Byrne: Under Cabinet Office guidelines, the chief executive of a Government agency may sign routine matters when directed by Ministers. In accordance with these guidelines a reply was sent by the chief executive of the UK Border Agency to the hon. Gentleman’s letters of 11, 19 and 25 February on 6 March and to the hon. Gentleman’s letter of 11 March on 8 April.
Police: Standards
Mr. Ruffley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the levels of satisfaction with the police (a) following responses to 999 calls and (b) of victims of (i) violent
crime, (ii) domestic burglary and (iii) theft in each police authority area in England in each year since 1997-98. [198522]
Mr. McNulty: In recent years public confidence in the police has been increasing and currently 52 per cent. think they are doing a good or excellent job in their local area. Increasing public confidence in crime fighting agencies is vitally important if crime is to be tackled effectively and if the public is to feel safer—that is why it is a key aim of this Government and a key part of the new Public Service Agreements.
Victims' satisfaction with the police has been improving over this period with small but significant improvements. Between 2004-05 and 2006-07 victims' satisfaction with the whole experience increased from 78.5 per cent. to 80.3 per cent.
Satisfaction data have been collected by police forces from victims of burglary, road traffic collisions, vehicle crime, violent crime and racist incidents since 2004-05. Data have not been collected separately on thefts.
Nationally, the overall satisfaction of victims of burglaries was 87.4 per cent. at the end of 2006-07, remaining stable since 2004-05. For victims of violent crime, overall satisfaction increased significantly in the same period to 74.5 per cent.
Home Office assessments of those data have been included in the Police Performance Assessments published in 2005, 2006 and 2007. These assessments show data and assessments for each police force in England and Wales and are available on the Home Office police performance and measurement website.
Data on satisfaction with the police following responses to 999 calls are not currently collected by the Home Office.
Ports: Environmental Health
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many port health inspectors were based at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Stansted, (d) Luton, (e) the Port of Dover and (f) other ports of entry in each year since 1997; [214525]
(2) whether her Department has a target ratio of passengers to port medical inspectors at ports of entry into the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement; [214533]
(3) how many port medical inspectors are in place at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. [214579]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
Health-related activity at international ports, airports and ground crossings in England falls into two distinct categories. First, local authorities (LAs) are responsible for implementation of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 and regulations thereunder. Secondly, the UK Border Agency of the Home Office is responsible for implementation of the Immigration Act 1971.
Local authorities, and port health authorities constituted under the 1984 Act, deploy a variety of expert officers to apply the provisions of the Public Health (Ships) Regulations 1979, the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations 1979, and the Public Health (International Trains) Regulations 1994 (all as amended), as the case may be, at the points of entry for which they are responsible.
LAs are supported in this by close working with the Health Protection Agency. Information is not held centrally about the detailed deployment of expert officers at seaports, airports and rail termini.
An immigration officer acting under the 1971 Act may require medical advice concerning the health status of a person subject to immigration control, in order to determine that person's application for entry to the United Kingdom. The immigration officer may refer that person to a medical inspector appointed under the 1971 Act for that purpose. Medical inspectors are appointed by the Health Protection Agency from registered medical practitioners who are available for such work, largely on a sessional or on-call basis. Information is not held centrally on the detailed deployment of medical inspectors at seaports, airports and rail termini.
Central Government do not lay down staffing ratios at points of entry. These are best determined by local operational managers.
Visas
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the percentage of the world's population who would require a visa to enter the United Kingdom. [183007]
Mr. Byrne: In 2007 we issued the Cabinet Office Border Review. This confirmed that “Nationals of over one hundred countries—three-quarters of the world's population—must apply for permission (or visa) to come to the UK”.
I also refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I provided on 11 June 2008, Official Report, columns 342-43W, in which I provided information relating to visa and non-visa nationals entry to the UK.
Wales
Departmental Planning Permission
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what (a) planning applications and (b) licensing applications his Department has submitted in the last 24 months. [215539]
Mr. Paul Murphy: My Department has submitted two planning applications in the last 24 months, relating to work to the fabric of Gwydyr House.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many reviews of regulation his Department has conducted or commenced since July 2007; and in which areas. [215625]
Mr. Paul Murphy: None, by the nature of its work the Wales Office does not exercise Executive functions, so does not impose regulatory burdens on business.
Departmental Security
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many departmental identity cards or departmental passes have been reported lost or stolen by staff in his Department in the last 24 months. [215609]
Mr. Paul Murphy: My Department has reported the loss of three passes, used solely for access to the Wales Office, in the past 24 months.
Food
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much was spent by his Department on (a) food and (b) food of British origin in each of the last five years; [214895]
(2) from which five countries of origin the greatest amount of food was procured by his Department in the last year for which figures are available; and what the (a) cost and (b) quantity procured was in each case. [214896]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Wales Office does not have any in-house catering service. External caterers supply food and drink for meetings and receptions in London and Cardiff. Records are not kept in such a way as to show the amount paid for food separately. Catering for functions and meetings in London and Cardiff includes, where possible and consistent with value for money, a mixture of fair trade or locally sourced produce.
Culture, Media and Sport
Bookmakers
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make it his policy to bring forward amendments to the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure that bookmakers’ list positions are recognised beyond 2012; and if he will make a statement. [215906]
Mr. Sutcliffe: We wish to see individual racecourses and the bookmakers who use them proceeding with detailed negotiations on the new contracts which will govern allocation of pitches and the parties’ duties and responsibilities from 1 September 2012. I hope these negotiations will build on the key principles agreed by both sides in the Existing Betting Areas Working Party chaired by Sholto Douglas-Home. These principles were published on my Department’s website. Among other issues, the Working Party considered how the interests of existing holders of pitch list positions might be protected.
I expect the outstanding issues to be resolved through negotiations and I will be convening a meeting in six months to assess progress. All options will continue to be kept under review, including the legislative option.
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the allocation per person of office space is, in square metres, in (a) each of his Department’s offices and (b) each office of its sponsored bodies. [208213]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information requested is as follows.
(a) The allocation per person of office space at the Department’s Cockspur street office is 13.7 square metres. This does not include Tottenham Court road which houses the Government Art Collection.
(b) The allocation per person of office space is only available for the six sponsored bodies as shown in the following table.
| Allocation | |
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