| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
15 Jan 2009 : Column 988W—continued
Criminal Records Bureau
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessments she has made of the efficiency of the process of completing a Criminal Records Bureau check in the last five years; [243610]
(2) what the average waiting time for a Criminal Records Bureau check to be completed is; [243611]
(3) what change there has been in the average waiting time for a Criminal Records Bureau check to be completed was (a) in the last 12 months and (b) in the last five years; [243612]
(4) what percentage of those who apply for Criminal Records Bureau clearance waited for more than (a) 28 days and (b) two months over the average time taken to process a check in the last 12 months. [243613]
Meg Hillier: The Home Office sets the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) a number of performance targets each year and the efficiency of the process of completing a CRB check is measured within the context of these targets.
The CRB currently operates to a set of published service standards (PSS) which include to issue 90 per cent. of standard disclosures within 10 days and 90 per cent. of enhanced disclosures within 28 days.
The following table illustrates the CRB's performance for the last five years against the published service standards (PSS) target.
| Published service standards | ||||
| Standard | Enhanced | |||
| Target (percentage) | Actual (percentage) | Target (percentage) | Actual (percentage) | |
Data concerning the average time taken to complete a disclosure are not a performance target and are not collated by the CRB.
Average figures do not give an accurate indication of performance, since the times taken to complete checks may be affected by a number of factors, including but not restricted to the length of time it can take for an employer to deal with the initial application; the accurate completion of the application form; the clarity of the information provided; the existence of conviction or non-conviction information and the operational effectiveness of the Disclosure Units of the police forces involved in the enhanced disclosure process.
Drinking Banning Orders
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to introduce drinking banning orders. [246714]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The Government intend to commence the legislation relating to Drinking Banning Orders (DBOs) on application. Officials will shortly begin this process by consulting the judiciary on the draft guidance for this power, and we expect that DBOs would become available to frontline practitioners from summer 2009.
Driving Offences: Insurance
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) successful prosecutions, (b) cautions and (c) issues of fixed penalty notices there were for use of a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008. [244799]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 18 December 2008]: Available information provided by the Ministry of Justice for the number of findings of guilt, at all courts, for offences of using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks, for 2006 and 2007, are given in the following table.
Data on court proceedings for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
Additionally, there were 6,651 fixed penalty notices issued for the offence in 2006. Data on FPNs issued in 2007 are due to be published in early 2009.
| Total number of findings of guilt at all courts for offences of using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks, England and Wales, 2006 and 2007( 1, 2) | |
| Number | |
| (1) It is known that for some police force areas the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. (2) 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. Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit - Office for Criminal Justice Reform. | |
Human Trafficking
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what protocol is used by the police for dealing with people who are identified as having been trafficked. [241133]
Mr. Alan Campbell: We have in place existing collaborative ways of identifying, referring and supporting victims whereby the police can seek advice from the specialist United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre in the identification of victims. Forces are also advised as to the appropriate support services available for those who are identified as victims.
On 17 December 2008 we ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. By April 2009 at the latest we will introduce a reflection period of 45 days and a renewable one year residence permit for identified victims of human trafficking. Additionally, we are introducing formal identification measures under a National Referral Mechanism by which victims are systematically identified by a Competent Authority and referred to appropriate support.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research her Department has commissioned on the links between migration and human trafficking. [244772]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The links between migration and human trafficking form a central part of the work undertaken by the Serious Organised Crime Agency as part of its work to produce the annual UK Threat Assessment. This work is underpinned through two SOCA programmes of activity that focus on organised immigration crime.
Within this framework SOCA works closely with both international and domestic partners including the UK Human Trafficking Centre.
Human Trafficking: Moldova
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to improve co-operation between the UK and Moldova to prevent trafficking of human beings. [243705]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 16 December 200 8 ]: I shall be meeting the Moldovan ambassador to discuss issues around organised immigration crime including human trafficking.
Human Trafficking: Victims
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will hold discussions with her counterparts in other EU member states to seek to establish systems to provide safety, support and advice for trafficking victims discovered in the UK and returned to other EU member states. [243824]
Mr. Alan Campbell: We are in regular dialogue with international partners and we have played an active role in the G6 initiative to assist in enhancing international co-operation, increase knowledge of human trafficking and develop victim care capabilities.
This work has built on the EU plan on best practices, standards and procedures for combating and preventing trafficking in human beings (EU action plan on trafficking) which was introduced under our presidency of the European Union and will be further taken forward under the Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings which we ratified on 17 December 2008.
Metropolitan Police Estates Strategy
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Metropolitan Police Estates Strategy will be published. [247124]
Mr. Coaker: This is a matter for the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.
Police National Computer: Standards
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the replication rate is of records on the Police National Computer and the National DNA Database, broken down by records relating to people aged (a) under 10 years, (b) 10 to 17 years and (c) 18 years and older; and if she will make a statement. [246638]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Approximately 13.3 per cent. of records on the National DNA Database are estimated to be duplicates or replicates. It is not possible to break this figure down by age.
On 16 December 2008, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, announced that the Government would take immediate steps to remove the DNA profiles of children aged under 10 from the NDNAD.
The replication rate of records on the Police National Computer is not known. When a replicate record is discovered, the records are combined to make a single definitive record.
Police Stations: Closures
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police stations in London are earmarked for closure as part of the draft Metropolitan Police Estates Strategy; in which year it is proposed that they be closed; what estimate has been made of the capital receipts that will be obtained from their closure; what new police stations are proposed as part of the draft strategy; and in which year it is proposed that they be opened. [247123]
Mr. Coaker: The management of the Metropolitan police estate and allocation of resources are matters for the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who are responsible for assessing local needs.
Police: Firearms
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police firearms from each police force have been lost or stolen in each year since 1997. [247493]
Mr. Coaker: This information is not collected centrally by the Home Office.
Police: Urban Areas
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on policing urban areas on Friday and Saturday nights in each of the last five years. [247689]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for the police authority and chief constable for each force concerned to determine in the light of operational priorities.
Police: Weapons
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which weapons are available for use by police forces; and how many of each type are available to each force. [247696]
Mr. Coaker: Weapons deployed by forces are an operational matter for chief officers. The Home Office Scientific Development Branch maintains a database, on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), of firearms and ammunition used by authorised firearms officers in the 43 forces in England and Wales. The Attenuated Energy projectile is also available for use by police forces, and Tasers are available for use by authorised firearms officers and specially trained units in line with ACPO Policy and Guidance. Forces also deploy incapacitant spray—both CS and PAVA based—and batons.
Proceeds of Crime
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the information on the performance of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency’s (SOCA’s) asset recovery functions she plans to publish will include assets recovered by another agency principally as a result of SOCA activity or information supplied by SOCA. [246715]
Mr. Alan Campbell: In addition to publishing information on its own asset recovery operations the Serious Organised Crime Agency will report on “international assets denied”. This figure will reflect the wider impact of SOCA’s activity and relates to assets which overseas authorities have frozen, seized or confiscated from criminals as a result of SOCA intelligence or activity.
Serious Organised Crime Agency: Assets Recovery Agency
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases the Assets Recovery Agency had under investigation with a view to civil recovery or taxation action in which no action to restrain assets had yet been taken as at 31 March 2008; what the estimated value of the assets under investigation in those cases was; how many of those investigations were subsequently terminated by the Serious and Organised Crime Agency without court action; what the reasons for the termination were in those cases; what the estimated value of assets in terminated cases was; and in respect of such terminated cases, what steps have been taken to remove relevant assets from criminals. [243622]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Data relating to the transfer of cases from the Assets Recovery Agency to the Serious Organised Crime Agency were not collated to this level of detail, as there would be no operational value and some cost in doing so. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost (through manual collation from case files). SOCA has terminated 10 cases since the merger, in which no Property Freezing Order/Interim Receiving Order or Recovery Order had been granted as at 31 March 2008. The reasons for terminating these cases were:
no assets to recover (1)
insufficient evidence to link assets to criminality (5)
further evidence of criminality found—case referred for criminal investigation (3)
case erroneously referred—criminal case still under appeal (1).
In these cases either there were no assets to recover, or insufficient evidence, or an ongoing criminal investigation which rendered any assets outside the scope of the civil recovery powers.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases the Assets Recovery Agency transferred to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) on 31 March 2008 in which proceedings for civil recovery on taxation investigation had been initiated; what the estimated value of assets restrained in those cases was; how many of those cases were terminated by SOCA without asset recovery; what the reasons were for termination in each such case; what the estimated value of assets in cases so terminated was; how many such inherited cases not terminated have been completed by obtaining a civil recovery order or consentor; in how many such cases (a) a tax settlement been agreed and (b) a judgment from Special Commissioners has been obtained; what the value of such orders and settlements is; and what the value of assets restrained in such cases is. [243791]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |