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19 Jan 2010 : Column 259W—continued
Crimes of Violence: Halifax
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded incidents of violent crime there were in Halifax in (a) 2005 and (b) 2009. [310457]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The term 'violent crime' is no longer used and we now provide figures for violence against the person.
Additionally, the Halifax area does not directly map to a police force, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) or Basic Command Unit (BCU). However, data are available for Calderdale.
At BCU and CDRP level, 2,951 violence against the person offences were recorded in 2008-09 in Calderdale, compared to 4,532 in 2004-05.
Criminal Records
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many records on the Police National Computer are held in respect of individuals arrested but not charged with or convicted of a criminal offence. [310958]
Mr. Hanson [holding answer 18 January 2010]: The Police National Computer is an operational tool used for policing purposes and is not designed to produce the information requested. The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Buildings
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) area and (b) estimated value is of (i) vacant and (ii) occupied office space (A) owned and (B) rented by his Department. [310526]
Mr. Woolas: The Department holds 20,801m(2) of owned and rented offices other than PFI. Currently no owned office space is vacant and 160m(2) of rented office space is vacant estimated to cost £24,000 per annum in rent. Current rental values are not held for rented space but the total current rent payment figure is £6.5 million. The book value of our owned office space is currently £7.75 million.
Departmental Food
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the quantity of food waste generated by his Department in each year for which figures are available. [310806]
Mr. Woolas: The HO records its total waste arisings as required for the annual Sustainable Development in Government report, and is working to reduce its total waste arisings. The HO does not record food waste as a separate waste stream.
Departmental Housing
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) flats and (b) houses are (i) owned and (ii) rented by his Department for use by officials who are required to work in London away from home. [310929]
Mr. Woolas: None. From information currently held and recorded centrally my Department does not own or rent residential accommodation for use by Home Office civil servants.
Departmental Official Residences
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the former ministerial residence at 62 South Eaton Place has not yet been sold; and what advice his Department has commissioned on the marketing of the property. [311551]
Mr. Woolas: 62 South Eaton Place was placed on the market in September 2008 through leading agents and has attracted considerable interest. A redacted copy of the agent's pre-disposal report has previously been placed in the Library. Following a recent further advertisement in the national press closing offers are anticipated shortly.
Departmental Public Consultation
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) citizens' juries and (b) summits have been hosted by his Department since June 2007; on what date each event took place; and which Ministers were present at each event. [310235]
Mr. Woolas: The Home Office has held one citizens' jury to discuss the issues of law and order, crime-fighting and community policing. It was held on 12 September 2007 in Leicester.
The Home Secretary and Prime Minister attended the event, along with approximately 105 members of the public. The transcript for the event can be found on the Parliament website at:
The Home Office has held no citizens' summits since 2007. However, the Department has held two stakeholder summits. On 20 May 2008 my hon. Friends the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker) (former Home Office Minister), the Member for Cardiff, West (Kevin Brennan) (former DCSF Minister) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) (former FCO Minister) attended a summit with stakeholders from the drugs sector to discuss the current levels of cocaine use and its impact on individuals and communities. On 4 February 2009 the former Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Redditch (Jacqui Smith) attended a burglary summit with voluntary, private and public sector stakeholders to discuss what more could be done to protect vulnerable people against burglary.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizen juries or summits have been hosted by his Department since October 2008; on what date each event took place; and which Ministers were present at each event. [310779]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 14 January 2010]: The Home Office has not held any citizens' juries since October 2008.
The Home Office has held no citizens' summits since October 2008. However, the Department has held one stakeholder summit. On 4 February 2009 the former Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Redditch (Jacqui Smith) attended a burglary summit with voluntary, private and public sector stakeholders to discuss what more could be done to protect vulnerable people against burglary.
Detention Centres: Children
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the UK Border Agency on policy on detention of children in immigration removal centres. [311098]
Meg Hillier: I recently assumed responsibility for overseeing the policy surrounding the detention of children for the purposes of immigration control and held discussions with UK Border Agency officials about the main policy issues in December.
Families with children are detained only where they have failed to leave the UK voluntarily despite the courts having upheld a decision of the UK Border Agency that they have no legal basis of stay in the country. Detention is necessary to effect removal in these circumstances.
We aim to keep such detention to the minimum period necessary and, to this end, it is subject to frequent and rigorous review, including ministerial scrutiny in those minority of cases where detention lasts for 28 days or more.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visa applications have been made to enable attendance at courses at each National Qualification Framework level in the UK since March 2009. [311736]
Mr. Woolas: The United Kingdom Border Agency does not keep a central record of the level of courses proposed by student visa applicants. The information requested could therefore be obtained from individual records only at disproportionate cost.
Between April and September 2009, 264,205 applications were received and 180,773 visas issued under Tier 4 of the Points Based System (Students).
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many colleges which have had Tier 4 sponsor licences revoked are registered with Companies House. [311359]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 18 January 2010]: As at 14 January, 13 education providers have had their Tier 4 sponsorship licence revoked, of which 11 are registered with Companies House.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visa applications have been made to study in (a) higher education institutions, (b) further education colleges, (c) sixth form colleges and (d) schools in the UK since March 2009. [311737]
Mr. Woolas: The United Kingdom Border Agency does not keep a central record of the types of educational establishments proposed by student visa applicants. The information requested could therefore be obtained from individual records only at disproportionate cost.
Between April and September 2009, 264,205 applications were received and 180,773 visas issued under Tier 4 of the Points Based System (Students).
Entry Clearances: Thailand
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitor visa applications have been made from British missions in Thailand in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those applications have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected; and how many have been the subject of appeal. [311308]
Mr. Woolas: In the 12-month period from October 2008 to September 2009, our Visa Section in Bangkok received 53,419 visit visa applications, refused 4,801 such applications and issued 47,604 visit visas. We are unable to identify from our records those appeals that were received specifically against the refusal of visit visa applications. However, the total number of appeals lodged during this period against Bangkok visa refusals in general was 478.
European Convention on Cybercrime
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are required in order for the UK to achieve ratification of the Council of European Convention on Cybercrime. [311139]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The process for ratifying the Cybercrime Convention is to check that we meet the requirements of the Articles of the Convention and then to gain agreement from the devolved administrations that any legislation or processes specific to them are reflected in the ratification.
This process is nearing completion and the Government expect to seek Parliament's approval for ratification in the near future.
Extradition: USA
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2010, Official Report, column 518W, on extradition: USA, and pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2010 by the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Official Report, columns 419-20W, on USA: extradition, how he ensures that he exercises his powers in respect of such extraditions to the US in accordance with the obligations of the Human Rights Act 1998. [311000]
Meg Hillier [holding answer 18 January 2010]: The Secretary of State has an implied power to withdraw an extradition order where, exceptionally, a new issue arises subsequent to the completion of all proceedings under the Extradition Act 2003 but before the person has been extradited. The basis for that implied power, whether in respect of an extradition request from the USA or from any other of the UK's many extradition partners, is section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998. It follows that the new issue must be evidence that extradition would breach the person's convention rights. In deciding that question, the Secretary of State considers thoroughly all of the issues raised taking account of legal advice available to him and recognising that his decision in such cases is susceptible to challenge by judicial review.
Firearms: Licensing
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many handgun licences are held by individuals who are not members of the security services, the armed forces or the police. [309436]
Alan Johnson
[holding answer 7 January 2010]: Information on the total number of handguns held on firearms certificates is not available centrally. A firearms
certificate is not needed by members of the security services, the armed forces or the police who are required to possess firearms in the performance of their official duties.
Forensic Science Service: Chorley
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he had with the Chief Constable of Lancashire Police on the closure of Chorley Forensic Science Service laboratory. [311129]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Decisions on the future of the Forensic Science Service Ltd.'s laboratory in Chorley are a matter for the management and board of the company. Home Office Ministers have had no discussion with the Chief Constable of Lancashire. However, the Chairman of FSS Ltd. met the Chief Constable on 18 August 2009, specifically to discuss the company's plans for transformation.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent assessment is of the future of the Forensic Science Service laboratory at Chorley. [311366]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 18 January 2010]: The future of the Forensic Science Service Ltd.'s laboratory in Chorley is a matter for the management and board of the company. Currently, the intention is to wind down operational activity with a view to closure by spring 2011.
Identity Cards and Passports: Greater Manchester
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been made by residents of (a) Manchester and (b) the Greater Manchester area for (i) a stand alone identity card, (ii) a passport plus identity card and (iii) a stand alone passport. [310938]
Meg Hillier: Since 30 November 2009 and up to and including 14 January 2010, over 1,300 people who live in Greater Manchester, have applied and attended an enrolment appointment for an identity card.
For the same period over 439,000 passport applications were received in total by the Identity and Passport Service. Information about passports is not readily held in a format to enable a further breakdown of those resident in Greater Manchester.
Those British citizens eligible for an identity card are also able to apply for a passport. However, the passport and identity card application processes are currently separate. While a precise date has not yet been set, we are planning to start issuing fingerprint biometric passports from 2012, so that from then onwards any adult who decides to apply for a British passport will also have the choice of being issued with a fingerprint biometric identity card or both documents all on a voluntary basis through a single application process.
Independent Safeguarding Authority
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training staff of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will undertake on commencement of their employment; and what ongoing training will be provided for ISA employees. [310856]
Meg Hillier: All staff attend a corporate induction day which includes information on information governance and security, terms and conditions of employment and health and safety. Each casework employee undergoes a Caseworker Development Programme (CWDP) upon joining the ISA. The CWDP is six weeks of intensive training made up of classroom and practical experience.
Following this, casework officers, decision makers, team managers and unit heads undertake the "University Certificate of Advanced Professional Development (UCAPD)-Professional Decision Making in Independent Safeguarding Authority Casework", which is an Accredited Caseworker Programme. The UCAPD is accredited by Teesside university.
Staff will benefit from on-going training programmes which cover a range of specialist areas including legal training, risk management, equality and diversity, changes in IT and business processes, policies and procedures.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the average cost to the Independent Safeguarding Authority of processing a vetting application. [310857]
Meg Hillier: The fee for application to the Vetting and Barring Scheme reflects the anticipated average cost per application of £64. Of this, £28 represents the costs of the Independent Safeguarding Authority and £36 those of the Criminal Records Bureau.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department has produced on the obligations of organisations in respect of the vetting of their staff by the Independent Safeguarding Authority. [310858]
Meg Hillier: Interim guidance on the Vetting and Barring Scheme including the responsibilities of employers was issued in November 2009. Further guidance will make clear that applications to the scheme will initially be limited to new entrants to regulated activities as defined under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, and thereafter applications should be made on a phased basis. Similar advice will be provided to Criminal Records Bureau-registered bodies which help manage the application process.
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations his Department has received from voluntary organisations on the Independent Safeguarding Authority's vetting procedure. [310859]
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