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15 Oct 2009 : Column 1056W—continued
Forensic Science Service
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces use the Forensic Science Service centre in Chorley. [291452]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Under its current business model, the Forensic Science Service laboratory in Chorley can process work from any force in England and Wales, depending upon the type of test required. Chorley does not have the facilities to undertake the full range of forensic analysis. Primarily, the Chorley laboratory currently supports forces in North West-GMP, Merseyside, Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales-along with the Isle of Man and Staffordshire.
Hooliganism: Football
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance his Department is providing to the organisers of the Euro 2012 football tournament in Poland and Ukraine on safety and security issues. [292517]
Mr. Alan Campbell: There is close liaison with governmental, policing and other authorities in Poland and Ukraine. Home Office is supporting the host authorities in developing an integrated safety and security strategy for the Euro 2012 football tournament. This work is being pursued in partnership with the UEFA and the pan-European group of football safety and security experts which the Home Office chairs.
Identity Cards: Finance
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to Baroness Hanham of 1 June 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA35, on identity cards, what payments have been made to external marketing communications or public relations firms in respect of communications on identity cards. [288883]
Mr. Woolas: In the financial year 2008-2009 payments of £62,000 were made to marketing communication agencies for public information activities to ensure businesses were aware of the Identity Card for Foreign Nationals when it was introduced in November 2008. These costs were shared by the Identity and Passport Service, UK Borders Agency and the Home Office.
In the financial year 2009-10 payments of £464,314 have been made to marketing communication agencies by the Identity and Passport Service in preparation for the launch of the Identity Card and Identification Card for UK citizens in Greater Manchester and for airside workers later this year. These payments contribute towards the cost of a public information campaign targeted at businesses and consumers.
No payments have been made to public relations firms in respect of communications on identity cards during either 2008-2009 or to date during 2009-2010.
Immigrants: Young Offender Institutions
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people at each young offender institution who were detained beyond their sentence expiry date as a consequence of unresolved immigration issues there were in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008. [292952]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 14 October 2009]: Detention beyond sentence for foreign national offenders under the age of 18 is maintained only under my authorisation and in consultation with various sources of expertise, including the Office of the Children's Champion and Children's Services. Detention of child offenders is a last resort and all relevant matters are taken into account when considering their welfare.
Information on the number of foreign nationals held beyond their sentence specifically in each young offender institution can be obtained only by examining each individual record at disproportionate cost.
The Ministry of Justice latest published figures for the foreign national prisoner population as at 30 June 2009 on their website at:
Offensive Weapons: Crime
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the adequacy of the provisions of current legislation in reducing the number of offences related to the possession of a knife; and what recent steps his Department has taken to increase the levels of awareness of these provisions by (a) the police and (b) local communities. [287722]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 20 July 2009]: Through the Tackling Knives Action Programme we examined legislation which resulted in an increase in the maximum penalty for possession of an offensive knife/weapon in a public place from two years to four years. We have also made it clear that anyone aged 16 or over should be prosecuted at their first offence. In addition, in phase 1 of the programme we have funded TKAP-police forces increased use of stop and search powers (under section 1 of Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994) to recover weapons, we have increased the minimum age to be sold a knife from 16 to 18, created a new offence of using someone to mind a weapon and made it an aggravating factor if the person used is a child. This is having an effect-more people are going to jail for carrying knives and they are getting longer sentences.
In order to increase levels of awareness of the provisions available, on 22 July the Government hosted a Tackling Knives Action Programme/Youth Crime Action Plan One Year On Conference, which brought together ACPO representatives, frontline local agencies, community representatives, third sector stakeholders and young people. To further raise awareness, the Home Office will soon publish a tackling knives good practice guide.
Offensive Weapons: Crime Prevention
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisations have received funding from his Department under the Tackling Knives Action Programme; and how much was allocated in each case. [288337]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 21 July 2009]: In June the Government announced that more than 150 organisations will receive £2.3 million in 2009-10 to tackle knife crime, serious youth violence and support the victims of violent crime through the Community Fund, Youth Sector Development Fund and Victims' Fund.
The Victims' Fund (Homicide) allocated £334,000 between six organisations that support the families and friends of victims of homicide:
| £ | |
|
Winston's Wish (an organisation targeting bereaved children) | |
Details of other successful third sector organizations in receipt of Home Office funding are available in the following link:
Police: Finance
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the aim of the Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Grant is; how much Government funding has been (a) distributed to and (b) spent by each local authority in each year since their inception; and how much he expects to be spent in each of the next two years. [292419]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The aim of the Neighbourhood Crime and Justice (NCJ) grant is to help improve public confidence in how crime is tackled and justice delivered across England and Wales. This is targeted through a network of 60 Neighbourhood Crime and Justice 'Pioneer Areas'-60 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs). Funding is paid out retrospectively against approved spend. Local programmes of work commenced between October 2008 and March 2009.
The following table shows the 2008-09 approved claims for funding by area and the amounts that areas can spend up to in 2009-10.
| Areas | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
| Claimed | Allocation | |
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