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10 Mar 2009 : Column 240W—continued
RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers)
Medical Grades and Civilian Practitioners:
BMA (British Medical Association)
ATL (The Association of Teachers and Lecturers)
NAHT (National Association of Head Teachers)
NASUWT (The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers)
NUT (National Union of Teachers)
ASCL (Association of School and College Leaders
Locally Engaged Civilians Overseas :
Ver.di (Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft)
Unite (TGWU Section)
Unite (TGWU Section)—ACTSS (Association of Clerical Technical and Supervisory Staff)
Prospect—GGCA (Gibraltar General and Clerical Association)
Gibraltar Services Police Staff Association
SEK (Federation of Government, Military and Civil Service Workers)
PEO (Pan Cyprian Federation of Labour—Government/Military and Social Institute Servants)
PASYDY (Pancyprian Public Servants’ Trade Union)
TURK-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Trade Union Federation)
SBA (Sovereign Bases Abroad) Police Association.
Justice
Court of Protection
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost of an application to the Court of Protection was in the latest period for which information is available. [261954]
Bridget Prentice: The average cost of a fee paying application to the Court of Protection between 1 April 2008 and 28 February 2009 was £390.00. This average is based on all applications made whether a fee was due, was exempted, or was remitted.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much money is being held under the Court of Protection. [261955]
Bridget Prentice: Prior to October 2007, when a receiver was appointed by the then Court of Protection to manage the financial affairs of a person who lacked capacity, the court had the option of directing funds to be lodged into court. Those funds were held in the name of the Accountant General of the Supreme Court and administered by the Court Funds Office.
Since October 2007, when the Mental Capacity Act 2005 came into force, deputies appointed by the new Court of Protection have been able to choose to lodge funds similarly in court.
As at 31 December 2008 the Court Funds Office held approximately £3.2 billion of funds on behalf of Court of Protection clients.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how long the average application to the Court of Protection took to be processed in the latest period for which information is available. [261956]
Bridget Prentice: Between 1 February 2008 and 31 January 2009, the average time taken to process a court application was 14.5 weeks. This figure represents all of the orders made and dispatched by the court during this period, including cases where the court decided the matter by holding a hearing attended by the parties.
Debt Collection
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Government plans to introduce regulations permitting bailiffs to use force against the person. [259136]
Bridget Prentice: A commitment was given during the parliamentary passage of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act—31 January 2007, Official Report, column 283—that no such regulations will be introduced unless consultations with all sides of the enforcement and debt advice industries has taken place and shown such powers to be desirable and necessary.
Departmental Data Protection
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) whether his Department uses WPA2 encryption protocol on all its wireless networks; [259820]
(2) what auditing his Department undertakes to ensure that IT security policies are being followed; and on how many occasions (a) IT security policies have been breached by employees and (b) a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of such policies in the last 12 months; [259821]
(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's IT security hierarchy; [259822]
(4) what scanning for vulnerabilities his Department conducts of each of its IT devices; what method is used for IT device scans; and how many vulnerabilities have been detected as a result of such scans in the last 12 months; [259823]
(5) what IT security policy his Department has; what procedures are in place to ensure the policy is being followed; what his Department's policy is on encryption of data when it leaves departmental premises; and what sanctions are in place for failure to comply with this policy. [259849]
Mr. Straw: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
Because of the potential security threat, it would not be appropriate to comment on the specific technical measures deployed to protect the Departments IT networks.
Compliance arrangements comprise a system of self assessment, accreditation, assurance reporting, audit and review.
There have been no reported breaches of the Department's IT systems in the last 12 months. Central records show that, for this period, 41 staff have been subject to disciplinary action for breaches of IT security policy. The types of incidents involved would have included, but not exclusively, mis-use of email, internet browsing, incorrect use of passwords and login details. None of the incidents compromised the integrity of the Department's systems.
The Department's security governance arrangements are consistent with the mandatory requirements set out in the HM Government Security Policy Framework (SPF). The Permanent Secretary, as Accounting Officer has overall responsibility for all aspects of security. The Departmental Security Officer (DSO) supports the Permanent Secretary by providing advice on policy and procedure. The IT Security Officer (ITSO) supports the DSO by developing, implementing, reviewing and advising upon IT security policy. There are currently separate ITSOs working in the major business units brought together as the Ministry of Justice.
It is not in the interest of the security of the Department, or that of the public, to disclose detailed information pertaining to electronic breaches of security of Department's IT systems. Disclosing such information would enable criminals and those who would attempt to cause disruptive threats to the Department to deduce how to conduct attacks and therefore potentially enhance their capability to carry out such attacks.
Depending upon the circumstances, a range of sanctions are available for failure to comply with the policies, including disciplinary or administrative action, and in extreme or persistent cases, termination of employment/services and, if appropriate, criminal proceedings.
Fixed Penalties: Richmond Park
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the timetable is for introducing fixed penalty notices for minor offences committed in Richmond Park. [261416]
Maria Eagle: The offences of littering, dog-fouling and illegal cycling committed in Royal Parks, such as Richmond park, are included in a proposed list of offences which could attract a penalty notice for disorder (PND) on which the Government intend to consult shortly. Regulations currently preclude the use of fixed penalties for these offences inside the Royal Parks.
The consultation period will last three months from the date of issue of the consultation paper. Subject to the response of the consultation, the Government intend to lay an order adding new offences to the PND scheme before Parliament before summer recess. New offences are added by means of secondary legislation under the affirmative resolution procedure.
Freedom of Information
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria are used in deciding on whether to use a ministerial veto under section 53 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and if he will make a statement. [261523]
Mr. Straw: I placed in the Libraries of both Houses a copy of the criteria used in considering the first exercise of the veto when I made my statement to the House on this matter on 24 February 2009, Official Report , column 153. These criteria apply to cases engaging section 35(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The criteria are also published on the Ministry of Justice website.
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender History Month
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender History Month in each of the last five years. [261351]
Maria Eagle: Over the past five years, the Ministry of Justice has run events for staff in different parts of the country and produced facts, posters and magazines.
In 2005, the cost was £2,350.00;
In 2006, the cost was £2,375.00;
In 2007, the cost was £5,798.00;
In 2008, the cost was £1,734.00; and
In 2009, the cost was reduced to £470.00.
National Offender Management Service: Finance
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will detail the budget for the National Offender Management Service Headquarters for 2007-08, as contained in the National Offender Management Service Strategic and Business Plans 2009-10 to 2010-11, broken down by type of expenditure. [257275]
Maria Eagle: The following table provides a breakdown of the actual expenditure for the National Offender Management Service Headquarters (NOMS HQ) for 2007-08, which is more up to date than the planning figure shown in the NOMS Strategic and Business Plan. Many of the functions delivered by NOMS during 2007-08 transferred to the new NOMS Agency as part of a restructured Ministry of Justice on 1 April 2008.
Although the item in the plan is described as NOMS HQ it is not simply the headquarters function. The following table shows that the majority of the expenditure was related to centrally managed front line services, including electronic monitoring, prisoner escort services and prison and probation property. Other services at the centre of NOMS such as the Prison and Probation Ombudsman, HM Inspector of Prisons and Public Protection are directly related to front line services.
NOMS HQ administration costs (as used in the Supply Estimates and MoJ Resource Accounts), in 2007-08 were £76 million; or £151 million if HM Prison Service's administration costs are included. This is 1.6 per cent. or 3.2 per cent. respectively of the total NOMS resource expenditure.
NOMS HQ expenditure for 2007-08 can be analysed as follows:
| £ million | |
|
Prison and Probation Property and Estates and Capacity Planning | |
The £557 million expenditure on Prison and Probation Property and Estates and Capacity Planning relates to costs associated with the custodial and the probation estate including: capital charges; estate management including major maintenance; and, where applicable rent, rates, insurance and utilities.
Prisoner Escapes
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what research he has commissioned on the motivation for prisoner absconds. [261343]
Mr. Hanson: Research was undertaken in 2004 by the Home Office research development and statistics department into the types of prisoner most at risk of absconding. Open prisons now routinely assess risk of prisoners absconding when they arrive at the prison and take a variety of other actions to help reduce absconding. The rate of absconding continues to fall and the number of absconds are at their lowest level since centralised reporting of this type of incident began in 1995.
Prisons: Mental Health Services
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the (a) average and (b) maximum additional cost of a prisoner with mental health problems compared to a prisoner without mental health problems in 2008. [260433]
Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
We do not hold this information centrally.
Prisons: Organised Crime
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) gangs recorded by the Prison Service and (b) other gangs have been identified in each prison in England and Wales. [261340]
Mr. Straw: The identification of ‘gangs’ in prison is not always straightforward given the loose nature of some affiliations and the inherent difficulties of defining a ‘gang’ separately from other group affiliations. NOMS is currently undertaking scoping work to provide a strengthened response to gangs.
Historically, gang-related issues have been and continue to be managed within the overall framework to manage prisons and provide a safe and decent environment. In some establishments, where gang-related issues are more problematic, governors have started work with local police forces to share information on gang members and gang affiliations. Studies have also commenced into extremist gang-related activities and HMCIP (along with HM Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspector of Probation) has commenced a thematic review into juvenile gangs, encompassing juvenile gangs in prison and the wider community.
Prisons: Young Offenders
Dr. Vis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the procedure is for extending the designation of
a prison to include a young offender institution; [261657]
(2) which prisons have extended their designation to include a young offender institution in the last 10 years. [261659]
Mr. Hanson: Once it has been decided that the role of a prison should be changed to include the holding of young offenders, a revised designation is prepared and signed by the Director-General of the National Offender Management Service.
It would be difficult and could be attempted only at disproportionate cost to identify which prisons have extended their designation, as many designation certificates may have changed a number of times over the past 10 years. As set out in the Ministry of Justice, NOMS Agency (HM Prison Service) annual report and accounts 2007-08, there are 14 closed male young offender institutions (YOIs) and one open YOI.
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