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11 Nov 2009 : Column 462W—continued
| Table 4: Fixed penalty notices issued for littering | ||||
| Number | ||||
| April 2006 to March 2007 | April 2007 to March 2008 | |||
| Local authority | Fixed penalties issued | Cases being prosecuted | Fixed penalties issued | Cases being prosecuted |
| (1) No data as of yet (5 November 2009). Source: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). | ||||
Ashwell Prison
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2009, Official Report, column 252W, on Ashwell prison; when he plans to publish the report of the investigation into the riot at HM prison Ashwell in April 2009; and for what reasons there has been a delay in publication. [292393]
Mr. Straw: In his written ministerial statement to the House on 20 April 2009, Official Report, columns, 2-3WS, my right hon. Friend the member for Delyn (Mr. Hanson) told the House that a committee of the corporate management board of the Ministry of Justice would scrutinise the report and pass it to Ministers. That process has been completed and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has drawn up an action plan in response to each of the recommendations in the report, all of which were accepted by Ministers. I am today placing a copy of the action plan in the Library.
It would not be appropriate to publish a restricted report, containing sensitive information and while a police investigation is continuing. Key findings were, however that the incident could not have been foreseen; that the prisoners held at Ashwell were appropriate for the prison; and that staffing levels were also appropriate.
A strategic review of Ashwell is well underway, and I will report to the House once further decisions have been taken.
Cautions: Fines
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) cautions were given and (b) fines were imposed for offences of (i) vandalism, (ii) littering and (iii) antisocial behaviour in Mid Bedfordshire constituency in each of the last eight quarters for which records are available. [299079]
Claire Ward: The number of offenders given cautions, and those imposed with a court fine for selected offences of antisocial behaviour in the Bedfordshire police force area, by quarter, for 2006 and 2007 (latest available) is shown in tables 1 and 2 as follows.
Apart from criminal damage (which includes minor acts of vandalism and graffiti up to a value of £300) and littering, Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) can also be issued for a range of other antisocial behaviour
offences including behaviour likely to cause fear, alarm and distress (section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986). The recipient of a PND has 21 days to either pay the penalty or seek a court hearing. No admission of guilt is required and the PND recipient discharges all liability for the offence and receives no criminal record if the penalty is paid. The number of PNDs issued in the Bedfordshire police force area in 2006 and 2007, by quarter, broken down by offence, is shown in table 3 as follows.
Information held by the Ministry of Justice is not available at parliamentary constituency level and therefore data for Bedfordshire police force area are given in lieu.
Court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) can be issued by local authorities for littering offences. These data are collected annually by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Information on fixed penalty notices issued for littering offences in Bedfordshire, by local authority area, are shown in table 4 as follows.
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