| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
20 Apr 2009 : Column 198W—continued
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 26 January 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr K Khan. [266365]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 24 March 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 6 February 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs A Sibal. [266370]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 25 March 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 6 February 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. S. Ali. [266371]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 25 March 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter to her dated 4 February 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to S. Hashmi. [268031]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 6 April 2009.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight of 24 July 2008, reference M14 547/8, on Gurkhas retired from the armed forces, in respect of which the hon. Member has written to her on 10 September, 1 October, 30 October and 17 December 2008 and 22 January 2009. [268453]
Mr. Woolas: In September 2008, the High Court agreed that the 1997 cut-off date applied to retired Gurkhas was sound and not discriminatory. However, it did find that the policy guidance relating to the treatment of Gurkhas discharged before 1997 was not sufficiently clear and did not cover service-related factors. We are determined to get the revised guidance right to ensure that it is fair to all Gurkhas and this has involved consultation across Government.
The revised guidance for Gurkhas who retired before July 1997 and who wish to seek settlement in the UK will be published by 24 April.
We want to give Members the fullest possible information and we therefore plan to respond as soon as possible after that date with a full explanation of our revised guidance.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Lancashire of 16 March 2009, on her constituent Mr. Joseph Kamangire. [268717]
Mr. Woolas: The Deputy Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency, Jonathan Sedgwick, wrote to my hon. Friend on 2 April 2009.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 9 February 2009 with regard to a constituent, reference POS(2)10644/0088; and what the reason is for the time taken to reply. [269036]
Mr. Woolas: The letter referred to was received in the Home Office on 12 February 2009, and was transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions on 17 February. A letter advising the transfer was sent to my hon. Friend's office, also on 17 February.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 17 February 2009, with regard to Mr. Safraz Muneer. [269339]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 6 April 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 16 February 2009, with regard to Mr. Mohammed Ayub. [269342]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 2 April 2009.
Offences Against Children: British Nationality
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British citizens were arrested in the course of Operation Koala; how many were charged with offences; how many were convicted of each type of offence; what sentence each person convicted received; on what date; and where each person given a custodial sentence was sent to serve it. [265753]
Jacqui Smith [ h olding answer 24 March 2009]: Operation Koala involves the investigation of the sexual abuse and exploitation of children, including the making and sharing of images from that abuse across a number of countries worldwide. From the original data passed to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in the UK, 92 suspects were identified and intelligence packages sent to relevant UK police forces where the suspected offender was believed to reside. Operation Koala remains an ongoing inquiry. The information sought is not held centrally.
Offensive Weapons
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to ascertain what proportion of crimes involving knives are carried out using domestic kitchen utensils. [265315]
Mr. Coaker: Although routine statistics are not collected by the police on this issue, as part of the Tackling Knives Action Programme we are working with local forces to try to gain a better understanding of the origins of weapons used in serious youth violence.
Offensive Weapons: Convictions
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2009, Official Report, column 1093W, on offensive weapons: convictions, how many convictions there were for possession of a knife in the period June to November (a) 2008 and (b) 2007. [269246]
Jacqui Smith: The answer of the 17 March 2009 referred to a provisional 815 more convictions for the possession of a knife or offensive weapon in the 10 TKAP areas in the period June to November 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. Of this number, there were 777 more convictions for the possession of “an article with a blade or point” and 38 more convictions for the possession of an “offensive weapon”.
These figures are provisional and have been derived from the police's administrative IT system, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Offensive Weapons: Crime Prevention
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2009, Official Report, column 1083W, on offensive weapons: crime prevention, whether young people were involved in the Tackling Knives Action Programme. [269200]
Mr. Coaker: Engaging young people has been a key element of the Tackling Knives Action Programme. All forces involved have delivered education programmes on the dangers and consequences of carrying knives. In addition, young people have been involved in youth forums, conferences and a range of events using drama, sport, music and dance. A National Youth Theatre tour, funded through the programme, has also given young people an opportunity to educate their peers on the risks and consequences of knife carrying.
The Home Office worked with a group of young people to develop the ‘It Doesn’t Have to Happen’ youth marketing campaign, which seeks to educate young people about the dangers of carrying a knife and encourage them to put the knife down and take up a more positive activity. Young people have contributed to the campaign’s development and are encouraged to share the campaign messages with their peers. The campaign has used a range of radio, viral, online and poster adverts as well as events and competitions to get the messages across. Over 10,000 people are also members of the campaign’s thriving Bebo community, providing young people with an online forum to share their views and take a stand against knife crime.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the Children's Commissioner on measures to reduce incidents of gun and knife crime. [269201]
Mr. Coaker: The Home Office is currently considering two reports it has recently received from the Children's Commissioner's organisation, 11 Million published on 16 March, which examine gun and knife crime. The first report sets out the results of a survey of young people. The second sets out the outcome of a literature review and provides a series of recommendations. I am shortly due to meet with the researchers of these reports to discuss their findings and proposals.
Offensive Weapons: Young People
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people received the maximum punishment on conviction for selling a knife to a young person under age in each of the last 10 years. [248642]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The maximum punishment on conviction for selling a knife to a young person under age is six months imprisonment and a fine of £5,000. As of 1 October 2007, the definition of a young person was amended from anyone under the age of 16, to under the age of 18.
In each of the last 10 years, no one who was sentenced for selling a knife to a young person received the maximum sentence. Statutory maximums should be seen as just that: maximums, and reserved solely for the most serious of offenders and offences. The majority of offenders will, quite rightly, not be eligible for such a sentence.
Statistics on knife crime were published in annex A of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin 01/09 “Crime in England and Wales: Quarterly Update to September 2008”, published on 22 January 2009. A copy of the publication is available at:
Passports: Immigrants
Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time to determine an application for a travel document by a person with indefinite leave to remain is. [265689]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 23 March 2009]: The requested information is not held centrally in the format required and could be obtained by examination of individual case records only at disproportionate cost.
Passports: Lost Property
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many ( a) passports sent to the UK Border Agency and its predecessors by applicants for leave to remain and (b) files of cases under active consideration by the Agency have been lost by the Agency and its predecessors in (i) 2009 to date and (ii) each year since 2004. [267718]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 2 April 2009]: UKBA does not collate information about lost passports or files in the format requested. The number of files identified as lost on 31 March represents less than 0.2 per cent. of the Agency's total holding.
Police Custody: Death
John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths in custody there were in each custody suite operated by South Wales police in each of the last five years. [269091]
Mr. Coaker: Between 1 April 2004 and 28 February 2009 the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has reported on eight deaths that occurred ‘in or following police custody’ in custody suites operated by South Wales police.
In 2004-05 there were four deaths in or following police custody, involving police custody suites in Swansea Central police station and Barry police station.
In 2006-07 there was one death in or following police custody, involving police custody suites in, Swansea Central police station and Rumney police station.
There was one death on arrest but prior to arrival in a custody suite.
In 2007-08 there was one death in or following police custody, involving the police custody suite in Barry police station.
No deaths in or following police custody were reported in relation to South Wales police in 2005-06. Information for 2008-09 will be published in the IPCC annual report, which is due for publication in July 2009.
Police Stations: Barry
John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the chief constable of South Wales police on the future of Barry police station. [269081]
Mr. Coaker: No discussions have taken place with the chief constable of South Wales police on the future of Barry police station. The management of the police estate and allocation of resources are matters for the police authority and chief constable for each force, who are responsible for assessing local needs.
Police: Animals
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what species of animal, other than dogs, are used in police operations. [260704]
Mr. Coaker: Police also use horses in policing operations, mostly concerning public order.
Police: Discrimination
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many compensation claims for discrimination have been brought against each police force in each of the last five years; and what the (a) outcome and (b) category of discrimination was in each case. [262346]
Jacqui Smith: The available information shows the overall number of compensation claims for discrimination in each police force area for each year between 2003-04 and 2007-08; and the numbers of claims brought, withdrawn, settled and awards made for sex discrimination, race discrimination and other discrimination by police force area over the five year period. These data appear in the following tables.
Figures on individual cases are not collected centrally.
These data are normally used for management information only and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics.
These data are provisional and may be subject to change.
Under the Normington Review proposals, the compensation claims collection will cease from April 2009.
| Number of claims brought in year by type of discrimination( 1) | |||||||||||||||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |||||||||||
| Sex | Race | Other( 2) | Sex | Race | Other( 2) | Sex | Race | Other( 2) | Sex | Race | Other( 2) | Sex | Race | Other( 2) | |
| (1) All data are unverified and are therefore provided on a provisional basis only. (2) Claims relating to more than one type of discrimination (e.g. sex and race) are included under ‘other’. n/a = Data unavailable. | |||||||||||||||
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |