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11 Nov 2009 : Column 379W—continued
Rape: Victim Support Schemes
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what services for rape and sexual abuse counselling there are in Winchester; how much funding has been allocated to refuge and rape crisis centres in Winchester (a) in the last 12 months and (b) for 2009-10; and how many women have been turned away from such centres in Winchester because of the no recourse to public funds rule in each of the last five years. [299014]
Maria Eagle [holding answer 10 November 2009]: The Government do not collect information centrally on what services are available for victims of rape and sexual abuse. The provision of services to victims of rape and sexual abuse is a local issue; local decision makers are best placed to assess local needs. The majority of services are delivered through local providers who are supported and funded by local bodies, such as local councils and health organisations.
The Government have invested around £11 million over the last five years in specialist services for victims of sexual violence; this is in addition to funding provided locally. Most of this funding has come from the Victims' Fund.
Refuges: Domestic Violence
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many refuges for victims of domestic violence have been opened in the last five years for which figures are available. [289335]
Maria Eagle: The Government do not collect information centrally on the number of women's refuges in England or the provision of staff within refuges.
The provision of services to victims of domestic violence is an issue for local authorities; decision makers in these authorities are best placed to assess the needs of their area. The majority of services are delivered through local providers who are supported and funded by local bodies, such as councils and health organisations.
On 19 March 2009 the Government Equalities Office announced a cross-Government £1.6 million special fund for the sexual violence voluntary sector which will keep open much-needed services to victims of rape and sexual abuse. In addition, the Government Equalities Office is providing £220,000 to the two umbrella bodies, Rape Crisis England and Wales and The Survivors Trust to help member groups build capacity.
The Ministry of Justice is investing £15.6 million over two years to help divert vulnerable women, who are not serious or dangerous offenders, from custody. The Ministry of Justice is investing in existing third sector organisations to enable them to work with courts, police and probation and other agencies to provide support and services to vulnerable women in the criminal justice system.
Leader of the House
Public Consultation: Legislation
Mr. Maude: To ask the Leader of the House what steps will be taken to consult the public on the Draft Legislative Programme 2009-10. [299394]
Barbara Keeley: The Draft Legislative Programme was published for consultation in June 2009 as part of "Building Britain's Future" and the consultation process was completed on 21 September. The public were invited to submit comments in writing and Ministers hosted events around the UK to seek people's views and answer questions. The Government have considered all of these comments and responses and a full summary and response to the Draft Legislative Programme consultation will be published alongside the Queen's Speech on 18 November.
House of Commons Commission
Parliamentary Press Gallery: Catering
Lembit Öpik: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) how much public subsidy has been paid in respect of meals provided in the Press Gallery cafeteria since 2004; [298908]
(2) what the notional value was of the facilities used by newspaper journalists in the House of Commons in the latest period for which figures are available; [298909]
(3) whether newspapers make payments for the use of facilities provided to them in the House of Commons; and if he will make a statement. [298928]
Nick Harvey: The information requested is as follows:
(a) The Press Gallery Cafeteria closed in May 2007 and the replacement, Moncrieff's Cafeteria which opened in October 2007, is open to all pass holders. The House does not provide a subsidy for individual eateries and bars although in common with all others, Moncrieff's benefits from the House funding arrangements. In 2008-09 the overall net cost incurred by the Catering and Retail Directorate in the Department of Facilities was some £6.1 million, in accordance with the budget approved by the Finance and Services Committee. This represents the difference between income and the cost of the services provided. Food and drink pricing is agreed by the Finance and Services Committee, with advice from the Administration Committee.
(b) There is no equivalent rental value for the facilities occupied by newspaper journalists as the Palace of Westminster is unique and held as freehold.
(c) No payment is made for the use of Press Gallery facilities.
Trade Unions: Political Levy
Mr. Maude: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2009, Official Report, column 1212W, on trade unions: political levy, whether the staff handbook has now been amended to inform House of Commons staff of their right to opt out of the political levies of trade unions. [299440]
Nick Harvey: An amendment to inform staff of their right to opt out of the political levies of trade unions is one of a number of amendments to the Staff Handbook that are currently going through a consultation process with staff and the unions. The revised Staff Handbook is scheduled to be released in December.
Solicitor-General
Departmental Postal Services
Mr. Scott:
To ask the Solicitor-General what percentage of postal services provided to the Law Officers' Departments
were provided by (a) Royal Mail and (b) other postal service providers (i) in 2007, (ii) in 2008, (iii) between 1 January and 1 July 2009 and (iv) since 1 July 2009. [298734]
The Solicitor-General: The following tables show the percentage of postal services provided to the Law Officers' Departments by Royal Mail and other service providers in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) between 1 January and 1 July 2009 and (iv) since 1 July 2009.
| Percentage of postal services provided to the Law Officers' Depart ments by Royal Mail and other service providers | ||||
| 2007 | ||||
| Crown Prosecution Service | Serious Fraud Office | Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office( 1) | Trea sury Solicitors' Department( 2,3) | |
| 2008 | ||||
| Crown Prosecution Service | Serious Fraud Office | Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office | Treasury Solicitors' Department( 2,3) | |
| 2009 (1 January to 1 July) | ||||
| Crown Prosecution Service | Serious Fraud Office | Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office | Treasury Solicitors' Department( 2,3) | |
| 2009 (since 1 July) | ||||
| Crown Prosecution Service | Serious Fraud Office( 4) | Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office( 5) | Treasury Solicitors' Department( 2,3) | |
| (1)( )In 2007, all postal and courier services were provided to the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) through contracts which were initiated and maintained by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), formerly HM Customs and Excise. Includes Attorney General's Office (AGO) and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI). (2) he Treasury Solicitor's Department has a number of providers of postal services, including the Royal Mail. It is not, however, possible to provide a breakdown of the sort requested within the disproportionate cost threshold. (3)( )Since July 2009, RCPO's Manchester office has started to use DX for an increasing percentage of its postal services, currently estimated to increase the overall percentage of RCPO non-Royal Mail postal services by no more than 5 per cent. (4)( )The Serious Fraud Office is not in receipt of invoices from other postal service providers for the period since 1 July 2009 and therefore financial records currently attribute 100 per cent. of expenditure for postal services to Royal Mail. (5)( )The National Fraud Authority (NFA), formerly the National Fraud Strategic Authority (NFSA) was established in 2008 as an executive agency of the Attorney-General's Office (AGO). NFA has not held any contracts with postal service providers, including Royal Mail, for the years 2008 and 2009 (1 January 2009 to present). Prior to the NFA's change of accommodation from 26-28 Old Queen Street, SW1H 9HP to 200 Gray's Inn Road, WC1A 9BP in July 2009, it made use of Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's postal arrangements (accounted for above as part of overall information for the Treasury Solicitor's Department). Since its relocation the NFA has made use of the arrangements put in place by the Serious Fraud Office. Note: Each of the Law Officers Departments has separate arrangements for the procurement of postal services. | ||||
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Solicitor-General with which providers the Law Officers' Departments held contracts to provide postal services (a) in 2007, (b) in 2008, (c) between 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2009 and (d) after 1 July 2009. [298765]
The Solicitor-General: Details of the providers with which the Law Officers' Departments held contracts to provide postal services in each of the periods (a) in 2007, (b) in 2008, (c) between 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2009 and (d) after 1 July 2009, are provided in the following table.
Offences Against Children: Internet
Margaret Moran: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases of viewing online child abuse images have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in each of the last five years; what proportion of cases relating to the viewing of online child abuse images were not pursued by the CPS in the last five years; and for what reasons such cases were not pursued. [298911]
The Solicitor-General: The following table shows the number of offences of possessing an indecent photograph of a child, and of making an indecent photograph of a child, in which a prosecution commenced in each of the last five years. It is not possible to identify from CPS sources how many of these offences related to online images and how many to images in other media.
CPS records include no information on the outcome of proceedings at this level of detail, and it is therefore not possible to show either the number of proceedings discontinued or the reason for the decision to discontinue.
| Offences charged and reaching a first hearing in magistrates courts | ||||||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | ||
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