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22 July 2008 : Column 1372W—continued
Police: Standards
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the salary and wage costs were of (a) Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary, (b) the National Police Improvement Agency, (c) the Police Standards Unit and (d) the Independent Police Complaints Commission in each year since their inception; and how many staff worked in each organisation in each year. [219113]
Mr. McNulty: The information is as follows:
| Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) | ||
| Total staff | Total pay costs (£ million) | |
| Notes: 1. The first HMIs appointed under the provisions of the County and Borough Police Act 1856, however, numbers prior to 1997-98 are not readily available. 2. HMIC have been unable to provide complete staff numbers within the timeframe as a change in IT systems has meant data are not readily available prior to 2003-04. 3. Total staff numbers include HO and seconded staff. 4. Pay costs rose significantly with effect from 2006-07 as a result of changes to the funding of police officer pensions. | ||
| National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) | ||
| Total staff | Total pay costs (£ million) | |
| Notes: 1. The NPIA was established by the Police and Justice Act 2006 and began its work in April 2007. 2. Staffing numbers include permanent NPIA staff, police, civilian and other secondees, along with contractors, agency and consultants. | ||
In response to a Parliamentary question on 17 June 2002 we stated that the costs from 1 July 2001 to 17 June 2002 were £709,000. So an estimate for the financial year 2001-02 would be £645,000.
We have been unable to locate data for 2002-03 within the timeframe available as data are stored on an old financial system.
These figures include the police performance and framework team including iQuanta, and the policy team, which from 2006-07 were counted as separate units.
| Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) | ||
| Total staff | Total pay costs (£ million) | |
| Notes: 1. The IPCC became operational on 1 April 2004. 2. The figures in the table are taken from the 2007-08 annual accounts to be laid before Parliament. 3. The figures for pay cost include pension and social security costs. 4. Staff costs and figures include agency staff, seconded staff and commissioners; staff numbers are average. | ||
Police: Stun Guns
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to extend the use of tasers nationwide. [219101]
Mr. McNulty: Following a trial in five forces in 2003, chief officers of all forces in England and Wales have been able to make the tasers have available to authorised firearms officers (AFO) as a less lethal alternative for use in situations where a firearms authority has been granted in accordance with criteria laid down in the ACPO manual of guidance on police use of firearms.
Following a request by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), tasers have been deployed since July 2007 by AFO's beyond situations in which a firearms authority has been granted. In these cases, officers would be facing violence or threats of violence of such severity that they would need to use force to protect the public, themselves and/or the subject(s).
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary also agreed to a 12-month trial, from 1 September 2007, in 10
selected forces of use of tasers in similar circumstances by specially trained units who are not authorised firearms officers. The Home Office and ACPO will be conducting thorough assessments of the trial and seeking independent medical advice before any further decision on the extension of Taser is taken.
Schengen Agreement
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what UK participation there will be in the Schengen information system II programme. [214157]
Meg Hillier: The Government are fully committed to the UK's participation in the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II). In order to preserve our border controls, the UK does not participate in Schengen visa and immigration measures. This means that the UK will not have access to information on SIS II relating to third country nationals refused entry to the Schengen area. However, the UK will participate in all other SIS II measures. The information available via SIS II will allow UK law enforcement officers to locate missing persons, criminals and stolen property from across the EU, increasing our opportunities to deal with cross-border crime.
Surveillance: Local Authorities
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2008, Official Report, columns 477-78W, on surveillance: local authorities, how many cases the Investigatory Powers Tribunal has investigated (a) in total and (b) in relation to complaints against the use of surveillance by local authorities since its establishment. [217936]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 10 July 2008]: The Investigatory Powers Tribunal has issued determinations in respect of 554 complaints from 2 October 2000 to 31 December 2006, the most recent period for which published reports are available. Figures for 2007 are due to be published shortly. It is not the tribunal's practice to publish more detailed breakdowns by type or body of complaint, in order to preserve the confidence of people using it that their complaint will be handled confidentially. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is independent of Government and subject to statutory rules which prevent it from disclosing information to an extent, or in a manner, that is contrary to the public interest.
Telecommunications: Data Protection
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conditions govern the access by local authorities to telecommunications data stored under the provisions of the Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2007. [219214]
Mr. McNulty: The EU Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2007 place an obligation on communications service providers to retain data which they acquire for lawful business purposes.
Local authorities can have access to communications data (service use and subscriber data) for the purpose of
preventing or detecting crime or preventing disorder through the provision in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the related statutory instruments and code of practice.
Terrorism
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions she has had with police forces on the setting up of the Channel Project to combat violent extremism; [198654]
(2) which (a) organisations and (b) individuals she consulted on the setting up of the Channel Project to combat violent extremism. [198759]
Mr. McNulty: A range of stakeholders were involved in establishing the Channel Project. At national level these included the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Department for Communities and Local Government. At local level the police, local authorities, other service providers and community organisations were consulted.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role her Department's Research, Information and Communication Unit has played in the development of the Channel Project for combating violent extremism. [198655]
Mr. McNulty: The Research, Information and Communications Unit has not played a role in the development of the Channel Project
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria she will use to determine the effectiveness of the Channel Project to combat violent extremism; and if she will make a statement. [198751]
Mr. McNulty: The Channel project will be evaluated to assess the lessons learned in setting up a partnership and the effectiveness of the referral process and interventions deployed.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Channel Project to combat violent extremism has spent on community groups; and how much it plans to spend in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [198753]
Mr. McNulty: There has been no money allocated to the Channel Project to spend on community groups.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local community groups the Channel Project to combat violent extremism (a) funded in 2007-08 and (b) plans to fund in 2008-09; and how those groups were selected for funding. [198754]
Mr. McNulty: There has been no money allocated to the Channel Project to spend on community groups.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of the Channel Project to combat violent extremism was in 2007-08; what the cost is expected to be in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; and how those funds will be spent in each of those years. [198755]
Mr. McNulty: The cost of the Channel Project in 2007-08 was approximately £600,000. The Home Office has allocated £1 million for the project in 2008-09.
Funding for the pilot areas covers the cost of a full time co-ordinator for the project in each of the sites. Funding for future years will depend upon the scale of implementation.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of (a) the police, (b) her Department’s staff and (c) the public are employed by the Channel Project to combat violent extremism in each of the areas in which it operates; and how many people in each category will be employed by the project in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11. [198756]
Mr. McNulty: In each area in which the Channel Project operates one person is employed by the police force to co-ordinate activity. In 2008-09 there are 10 areas operating the Channel Project which will extend to 20 areas by 2009. Precise roll out plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 are under development.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which statutory agencies are taking part in the Channel Project to combat violent extremism; and if she will make a statement. [198757]
Mr. McNulty: As with other crime prevention programmes the police work with the full range of statutory partners at local level.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which areas of the country the Channel Project to combat violent extremism (a) operates and (b) is planned to operate; and how those areas were decided upon. [198758]
Mr. McNulty: In addition to two pilot areas, in London and Lancashire, that have been operating Channel since 2007, a further eight sites, in west Yorkshire, the midlands, London and Bedfordshire, will be operational in 2008. These sites have been identified through an assessment of local factors, such as strength of partnership working, and the presence of other funding like the Preventing Violent Extremism funding distributed by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
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