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3 Mar 2010 : Column 1257W—continued
Reliable data on 1999 staff in post are not available for all areas/trusts. This type of information is usually retained in accordance with the six-year retention limit specified by the Data Protection Act 1998.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons he decided to establish an all-Wales probation trust to replace the four probation service areas in Wales. [319554]
Maria Eagle: The application to form an all-Wales trust met the criteria required for Trust status in terms of performance and it is considered that this would be the best means of delivering locally tailored and cost effective services for all communities in Wales.
In common with all probation trusts, the Wales trust will be formed of local delivery units who are empowered to work with partners to understand and meet local needs, either through direct provision or commissioning. These units will provide a visible local presence for probation in all communities and ensure that the diverse needs in different parts of Wales are met. Compared with the retention of four separate probation areas in Wales, the single trust will save £1.5 million. This additional saving equates to 46 posts in corporate support and governance arrangements. In reducing management overheads, the all-Wales trust will focus resources on the frontline, improving public protection. These savings will allow 34 full-time equivalent probation officers to be employed across Wales who would otherwise not be funded.
Young Offender Institution: Costs
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost of providing a place in a young offender institution was in each of the last three years. [319686]
Maria Eagle: The average direct prison cost per place in a young offender institution for each of the last three financial years is as follows:
| Financial year | £ |
The direct prison cost is only the expenditure met locally by prisons. It does not include expenditure met at area, regional, or national level by Her Majesty's Prison service (HMPS) or the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). The figure for 2008-09 includes private prisons and is net of income from the Department of Health and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
For the last two years (2008-09 and 2007-08) an overall average cost per place in a young offender institution including prison related costs met by NOMS, in addition to the direct prison cost, has been calculated as follows:
| Financial year | £ |
The overall average cost for 2008-09 comprises the expenditure on public and private prisons (as recorded in the NOMS agency annual report and accounts), increased by an apportionment of relevant costs borne centrally and in the regions by NOMS. This involves some estimation. In addition, expenditure met centrally by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in respect of prisoners under the age of 18 is included. The figures do not include the cost of prisoners held in police or court cells under Operation Safeguard, nor expenditure met by other Government Departments (e.g. Health and Education). The prisoner escort service costs are included. Expenditure recharged to the YJB in respect of young people is included. Prison costs are classified to categories according to each prison's major use at the end of the year. If a YOI shares a site with an adult prison (over 21 years) the YOI cost will not be reflected in the figures above.
The overall cost for 2007-08 was calculated on a broadly similar basis. Cost per prison place is expressed in terms of the certified normal accommodation number of places; this gives a higher unit cost than the cost per prisoner. Figures to nearest £1,000.
Young Offender Institutions: Social Workers
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2009, Official Report, column 1248W, on young offender institutions: social workers, how many (a) social worker posts and (b) vacant social worker posts there are in each young offender institution in England and Wales. [316177]
Maria Eagle: The number of social worker posts and vacant social worker posts there are in each young offender institution in England and Wales are shown in the table.
Local authorities have a legal responsibility to provide social work services to children in need. We are actively exploring with the Association of Directors of Children's Services and the Youth Justice Board what more we can do to ensure local authorities fulfil their responsibilities in this regard.
| Establishment | Number of social worker posts | Number of vacancies |
| (1) Brinsford will be decommissioned in mid-February, so will no longer be part of the young people's estate. Note: The data in this table have been provided by NOMS. | ||
Youth Offending Teams
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2010, Official Report, column 1077W, on local government finance, what requirements local authorities have to submit data not contained in the national indicator set to (a) his Department and (b) its agencies other than the Youth Justice Board. [319462]
Claire Ward: Local authorities have no central requirements to submit data not contained in the national indicator set to the Ministry of Justice and its agencies.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2010, Official Report, column 1077W, on local government finance, how many different items of data are collected from local authorities as part of the mandatory summary-level process by the Youth Justice Board. [319520]
Maria Eagle: The Youth Justice Board collects local authority data from youth offending teams. 12 different mandatory summary-level data items are collected. These data items are:
Rate of reoffending (National Indicator 19/Welsh Youth Justice Indicator 2) broken down by disposal
Use of custody (National Indicator 43/Welsh Youth Justice Indicator 3)
Ethnic Disproportionality (National Indicator 44-only English YOTs submit these data) compared to overall 10-17 population
Education, training and employment (National Indicator 45/Welsh Youth Justice Indicator 4)
Accommodation (National Indicator 46/Welsh Youth Justice Indicator 5)
First-time Entrants (National Indicator 111/Welsh Youth Justice Indicator 1), broken down by ethnicity and gender
Access to substance misuse services (Welsh Youth Justice Indicator 6-only Welsh YOTs submit these data)
Annual YOT budget and staffing data
Prevention programme data, caseload, number of young people starting programme by age, gender and ethnicity, number who become first-time entrants, number receiving education, training and employment at start/end and 'Onset' progress
Knife Possession Prevention Programmes data, young people convicted of knife-enabled offence who receive a knife 'intervention' by age, gender and ethnicity
Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme data, number of young people starting, qualifying for and breaching programme, by age, gender ethnicity and disposal
Priority and Prolific Offenders data, number, age, gender and ethnicity of young people in cohort and reoffending rate
Integrated resettlement support data, 'Asset' progress and number of young people starting on and completing integrated resettlement support, broken down by offence, ethnicity, age and gender
Treasury
Banknotes: Forgery
Mr. David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many counterfeit banknotes have been seized in the UK in each of the last two years for which figures are available; and how many purported to have been issued by (a) the Bank of England, (b) Scottish banks and (c) banks in Northern Ireland. [319952]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Bank of England is responsible for collating statistics on counterfeits of its own banknotes and these are available at:
Scottish and Northern Ireland banknote issuers are responsible for collating statistical information on counterfeits of their own banknote issue. The Scottish banks publish their statistics on the Committee of Scottish Clearing banks website available at:
The Northern Irish banknote issuers do not publish statistics on counterfeits of their banknote issue.
Council Tax: Valuation
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average council tax band of a new build dwelling in England was in the latest period for which figures are available. [319121]
Ian Pearson: The band which has most frequently been applied to dwellings first brought into council tax valuation lists between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009 in England is band B.
Financial Services: Advisory Services
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to provide financial advisory services through the Post Office network. [319422]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government currently have no plans to provide financial advisory services specifically through the Post Office network.
The Government however are committed to ensuring that people can access helpful, impartial information and guidance on money. This will help them make better-informed financial decisions, manage their money well and avoid getting into financial difficulty. As part of this, the Government will shortly launch the roll-out of a national Money Guidance service.
The Government have also indicated that they want Post Office to play a bigger role in banking services. A public consultation on Post Office banking recently closed on 24 February and the Government are now considering the comments they received and will publish their response in due course.
Government: Assets
Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what correspondence his Department has had with the Crown Estate on its proposed sale of the (a) Cumberland Market, (b) Millbank, (c) Victoria Park and (d) Lee Green housing estate; and if he will make a statement. [319945]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Treasury has been kept informed of the current consultation taking place. Recent correspondence included the materials sent to residents of the estates. No decision has yet been made.
Housing: Valuation
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 11 January 2010, Official Report, column 766W, on housing: valuation, how many and what proportion of dwellings in England have an entry on the Valuation Office Agency database with (a) dwellinghouse coding and (b) one or more value significant codes assigned to them. [319736]
Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 16 October 2009, Official Report, column 140W.
Non-domestic Rates: Valuation
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many pleasure piers were on the Valuation Office Agency's Rating List in England in (a) 1997 and (b) 2010; [319002]
(2) how many Traveller camp pitches in England were on the Valuation Office Agency's rating List in (a) 1997 and (b) 2010; [319127]
(3) how many public libraries in England were on the Valuation Office Agency's rating List in (a) 1997 and (b) 2010; [319128]
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