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24 Nov 2008 : Column 812W—continued
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of her Department's funding will be allocated to alcohol arrest referral pilots in (a) 2008-09 and (b) each of the next three years. [234290]
Jacqui Smith: In the current financial year, the Home Office expects to spend £1.275 million on the alcohol arrest referral pilots. This includes the grants paid to the pilot areas, as well as the costs of evaluating the pilots. The Home Office expects that in 2009-10, the amount spent on the alcohol arrest referral pilots will be £1.795 million. The funding allocation for the alcohol arrest referral pilots has not yet been agreed for 2010-11 or beyond.
Antisocial Behaviour Orders: West Midlands
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many breaches of anti-social behaviour orders have been recorded in (a) Tamworth constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) the west midlands in each year since the inception of such orders; [237335]
(2) how many breaches of anti-social behaviour orders have resulted in a criminal conviction in (a) Tamworth constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) the west midlands in each year since the inception of such orders. [237336]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) became available in April 1999. Information collected centrally on the number of breaches of ASBOs counts only those instances where the breach of the ASBO was proven in court.
ASBO breach data are available for ASBOs issued between 1 June 2000 and 31 December 2006 (latest available) and are not compiled below Criminal Justice System (CJS) area level.
The number of occasions in each year on which ASBOs were proven in court to have been breached in the Staffordshire and the west midlands CJS areas is shown in the following table:
| N umber of occasions in the Staffordshire and west midlands CJS areas( 1) in each year between 1 June 2000 and 31 December 2006 where persons were proven in court to have breached their ASBO | ||
| Number | ||
| Staffordshire | West midlands | |
| (1) ASBOs may be issued in one area and breached in another. Breaches are counted in this table by area of breach. (2) From 1 June 2000. Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Sources: 1. OCJR Court Proceedings Database. 2. Prepared by OCJR Evidence and Analysis Unit. | ||
Antisocial Behaviour: Greater London
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to reduce alcohol misuse and anti-social behaviour in London, with specific reference to south- west London. [236942]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The Home Office work in relation to tackling alcohol misuse is focused on areas prioritised on the basis of perceptions of drunk or rowdy behaviour and police-recorded crime statistics for less serious wounding. However, the Home Office is taking a number of steps to tackle alcohol misuse and ASB in London.
For example, in relation to tackling alcohol misuse, we are rolling out bespoke media campaigns in seven priority areas. These ‘Know Your Limits'-based local media campaigns will take place from December 2008 to March 2009. These campaigns will communicate the national responsible drinking ‘Know Your Limits’ messages using a tailored approach for each local area. The areas where this will take place are Stoke-On-Trent, Stevenage, Southampton, North East Lincs, Weymouth, Durham and Barking and Dagenham.
Additionally, we are holding a series of two-day bespoke regional practitioner training workshops (the first of which took place in London on 28 to 29 October) on the application of the Licensing Act 2003 and practical enforcement of offences under it; and the use and enforcement of other alcohol-related tools and powers, including designated public places orders (DPPOs) and alcohol disorder zones (ADZs). The second event, in Cambridge, was held on the 18 to 19 November. These workshops will be accompanied by the publication of a comprehensive digital support package early in 2009.
Also, in October 2007, four Home Office-funded alcohol arrest referral (AAR) projects began operating, one of which was in Ealing in south-west London. Alcohol arrest referral schemes aim to reduce offending among people arrested for alcohol related offences by providing them with advice on the links between unsafe drinking levels and offending. It is hoped that if the AAR schemes, such as Ealing in south-west London, demonstrate a reduction in the level of re-offending, local authorities will be persuaded, due to the savings to the CJS, to re-prioritise funding in order to pay for future provisions. A further nine pilots, funded by the Home Office started in November 2008; of which one, Islington, is in London.
Further, five London boroughs are benefiting from the Tackling Violent Crime Programme: Barking and Dagenham, Westminster, Greenwich, Southwark and Newham. This funding is aimed at the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership's work in aiming to reduce alcohol related violent crime and domestic violence.
In relation to antisocial behaviour, the Home Office have provided practitioners with a toolkit to tackle antisocial behaviour, which they operate according to local priorities as well as a practitioner website and advice line. In south-west London, a multidisciplinary antisocial behaviour team operates many initiatives, based on prevention and enforcement that engage, educate and promote awareness among young people, engage with residents and tackle antisocial behaviour in families.
Additionally, in autumn 2007, antisocial behaviour practitioners in London suggested that assistance in using ASB preventative tools and powers to combat alcohol-related disorder would be useful. Government Office for London was successful in drawing down £25,000 from the Home Office to fund a research project examining this very issue and a well-received guide—‘What Works to Tackle Alcohol-related Disorder?: An Examination of the Use of ASB Tools and Powers in London'—was completed by London South Bank university earlier this year. The final report contains a number of observations and recommendations that will lead to real improvements in tackling alcohol related antisocial behaviour and disorder in London.
Asylum
Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many and what proportion of asylum seekers who were detained during 2007 were subsequently released on temporary admission and then rearrested and detained; [237042]
(2) how many and what proportion of asylum seekers detained during 2007 were released on temporary admission. [237121]
Mr. Woolas: The information requested is not available.
Following a change in the computer system in which information is collected, summary statistics on all persons recorded as leaving detention in the UK solely under Immigration Act powers by reason for leaving detention are not available after September 2006. Information for 2005 and January to September 2006 is available from the Library of the House and in Table 9.3 of each year's Asylum Statistics United Kingdom publication published each August
Counter Terrorism Command
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of Special Branch SO12 transferred to Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) (a) at the time SO15 was set up and (b) since that time. [223708]
Mr. Coaker: The Metropolitan Police Service's Counter Terrorism Command was formed in October 2006 through a merger of both the resources and the personnel of the anti-terrorist branch and special branch. The total number of staff in this newly formed branch is in excess of 1,500.
Crime: Diplomatic Service
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will assess the adequacy of the procedures in place to investigate cases involving alleged criminality by holders of diplomatic passports, with particular reference to the cases of (a) Mr Ananias Tumukunde and (b) Ms Rose Birungi; and if she will make a statement. [229820]
Mr. Alan Campbell:
Diplomatic passports do not automatically provide immunity from criminal jurisdiction in the UK. In each case the investigating authority will need to determine whether the individual is entitled to
immunity from criminal jurisdiction under the relevant UK law, primarily the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 or the State Immunity Act 1978. However, it is ultimately for the courts to decide questions of immunity.
Departmental Catering
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether food and drink on sale to staff of (a) her Department and (b) each of its agencies at official premises is subsidised from public funds. [237419]
Mr. Woolas: A cash subsidy is paid to support (a) one staff restaurant in the Department and (b) catering and vending at one agency site. These subsidies total £67,300 per year. Otherwise cash subsidies are not paid.
Departmental Computers
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many documents there were on laptops stolen from her Department in each year since 2001. [232968]
Jacqui Smith: I am unable to answer this question as to do so would incur disproportionate costs.
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department and its agencies have spent on (a) flat screen televisions, (b) DVD players and (c) stereo equipment in each of the last three years. [237448]
Mr. Woolas: The Department's accounts system does not hold the information at the requested level of detail. An answer could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental expenditure is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost to her Department was of employing a press and media officer in 2007-08. [215187]
Mr. Woolas: Press and media officers in the Home Office are employed at the senior information officer (SIO) and information officer (IO) grades. The following tables provide information on the salary scales for both grades (minimum to maximum and the allowances payable for out of hours working.
| Salary Scales | ||||
| £ | ||||
| Grade | Gross Pay (includes RRA) | ERNIC | Superannuation | Total |
| Allowances | ||||
| £ | ||||
| Allowances | On c all (Radio Pager) | On c all (Home) | Stand by (Office) | |
Departmental NDPBs
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by her Department; and what budget each has been set for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [236925]
Mr. Woolas: Non-departmental public bodies for which the Home Office has lead responsibility are set out in the Department's 2007-08 Resource Accounts which can be found at:
Wider details on Home Office executive NDPBs are published through the annual public bodies exercise that is owned by Cabinet Office. The Home Office contribution to public bodies 2008 can be found at:
Details of funding for 2008-09 can be found in the Home Office 2008-09 Main Estimate (HC 479) and on HM Treasury's website available at:
Indicative figures for 2009-10 and 2010-11 can be found in Table 5.1 of the 2008 Departmental Report in Cm 7396 and on the Home Office website at:
The advisory NDPBs sponsored by the Department incur little or no expenditure and are resourced from within the Department. As a result, information on budgets for 2008-11 is not available.
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