Written Answers to Questions
Monday 1 November 2010
Attorney-General
Crown Prosecution Service: Pay
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Attorney-General for what performance-related bonuses senior officers of the Crown Prosecution Service are eligible. [20642]
The Attorney-General: Senior civil servants (SCS) employed, by the CPS are eligible for consideration of performance related payments in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines. For 2009-10, payments of between £1,259 and £12,117 were made to 22 members of the SCS. For Chief Crown Prosecutors, awards of between £666 and £9,675 were made for the same period to 45 members of staff.
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Attorney-General what criteria are used to determine the payment of bonuses to Crown Prosecution Service employees. [20643]
The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviews the achievement of annual personal objectives and business performance measures in determining performance related pay for staff.
Daniel Ubani
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Attorney-General what information the Crown Prosecution Service holds on the date on which the German authorities (a) commenced investigations into Dr Daniel Ubani's treatment of David Gray in the UK, (b) arrested him and (c) initiated legal proceedings against him. [21009]
The Solicitor-General: Before 23 March 2009, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had no information on any criminal process contemplated or taken by the German authorities. The CPS has no information on: (a) when any criminal investigation was commenced by the German authorities; or (b) whether Dr Ubani was arrested in Germany. The CPS has a copy of a German prosecutor's document, which suggests that legal proceedings were initiated against him on 12 March 2009.
Departmental Sick Leave
Mike Freer: To ask the Attorney-General for how many days on average staff in the Law Officers' Departments in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10. [18580]
The Attorney-General: The information requested is contained in the following table.
| Average working days lost 2009-10 | ||||
| Grade | TSOL | SFO | CPS | NFA( 1) |
| (1) The NFA was launched on 1 October 2008 with a staff base of predominantly interim and temporary employees. During 2009-10 the Agency began a process of recruiting permanent civil service staff and therefore the average figures are depressed by there being less than the full complement of staff in post throughout the whole year. (2) In both cases relatively small numbers of people were employed at these grades, and the figures for average working days lost have consequently been heavily distorted by a very small number of staff who were on long term sick leave. | ||||
Euthanasia: Switzerland
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Attorney-General what reports he has received on the number of UK residents who have been assisted to die in Switzerland since the publication of the Director of Public Prosecutions' interim policy on the prosecution of offences assisted suicide; and how many of such cases have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for investigation. [20861]
The Attorney-General: I have not received any direct reports on the number of UK residents who have been assisted to die in Switzerland since the interim policy for prosecutors in respect of cases of assisted suicide was issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on 23 September 2009.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has advised that its central records indicate that four cases involving UK residents who have been assisted to die in Switzerland have been referred to the CPS since September 2009. This number includes both those cases that are ongoing and in which decisions on prosecution have been taken.
Following a public consultation exercise, the DPP amended the interim policy and published a revised version on 25 February 2010.
Sexual Offences: Young People
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many cases of underage sex involving boys aged 15 years and under were passed to the Crown Prosecution Service in (a) 1980 to 1989, (b) 1990 to 1999 and (c) 2000 to 2009; and in how many such cases (i) charges were made against the adults involved, (ii) charges were made against the underage boys involved and (iii) the underage boys were prosecuted; [20282]
(2) how many cases of underage sex involving girls aged 15 years and under were reported to the Crown Prosecution Service in (a) 1980 to 1989, (b) 1990 to 1999 and (c) 2000 to 2009; and in how many such cases (i) charges were made against the adults involved, (ii) charges were made against the underage girls involved and (iii) the underage girls were prosecuted. [20283]
The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) came into existence in 1986. Limited information on the volume of prosecutions for specific offences is captured on the Compass Management Information System. Compass was fully implemented in April 2005 and there are no central records prior to that date. The records show that in the five years ending March 2010 there were 13,282 offences charged under the sections of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which relate to sexual assaults or activity with a child or young person under the age of 16. This figure relates to the age of the victim and not that of the, defendant. Charges for other sexual offences, for example rape, may also involve victims aged 15 years or under but it is not possible to ascertain the age of the victim.
It is also not possible to ascertain the number of offences that were reported, whether the charges were modified or the outcome of the proceedings, because the records show the nature of the offence at the outset of the proceedings. Furthermore, it is not possible to ascertain the age or gender of any victim or whether the victim in any case was also prosecuted from the database.
This information is held on individual case files and could be obtained only by identifying and examining every relevant file in each CPS office, which would incur disproportionate cost.
Northern Ireland
Billy Wright Inquiry
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Justice Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive on implementation of the recommendations of the Billy Wright inquiry. [20077]
Mr Paterson: I discussed the matter with the Justice Minister shortly after publication of the report on 14 September and continue to engage with him on this issue. Work has since been commissioned to follow up the report's recommendations; this is being taken forward by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and the Northern Ireland Prison Service, as well as by officials in the Northern Ireland Office where recommendations relate to non-devolved matters. I shall issue a written statement to the House shortly.
Wales
Disability: Public Expenditure
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions she had with carers and disability organisations in Wales on the effect of the Comprehensive Spending Review on the payment of benefits to their members; and if she will make a statement. [20062]
Mrs Gillan: I have met with a range of organisations, including the Older People's Commissioner for Wales, prior to the announcement of the comprehensive spending review and discussed the issues raised with colleagues.
I now intend to continue a programme of meetings with organisations and individuals from across Wales to discuss key issues, including the comprehensive spending review outcome.
Public Expenditure: Wales
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effects of outcomes of the Comprehensive Spending Review on funding for Government services in Wales. [20599]
Mrs Gillan: I have discussed the comprehensive spending review with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Cabinet colleagues, and will continue to do so.
The spending review sets out how the Government will carry out Britain's unavoidable deficit reduction plan. It is in line with our policy of building a freer, fairer and more responsible society and puts public services and the welfare reform onto a sustainable footing, while protecting the most vulnerable.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Committee
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority: Manpower
Mr Liddell-Grainger: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2010, Official Report, column 875W, on the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority: manpower, what the annual cost to the public purse is of staff participation in Benenden Healthcare. [20660]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the total annual cost to the public purse is of staff participation in Benenden Healthcare.
The total annual cost to the public purse of IPSA staff participation in Benenden Healthcare will be nil, as the scheme is funded by contributions from staff.
Members: Allowances
Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the average amount paid by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to each hon. Member receiving payments for (a) mortgage interest and (b) rent has been in each month since May 2010. [18098]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the average amount paid by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to each hon. Member receiving payments for (a) mortgage interest and (b) rent has been in each month since May 2010. (18098)
Average mortgage payments in each month since May are as follows:
| £ | |
Average rent payments in each month since May are as follows:
| £ | |
The average mortgage interest payments are lower than average rental payments, in part due to historically low interest rates. The expenses scheme does not provide for future payments of mortgage interest, picking up one of the recommendations that was central to the report on MPs' expenses and allowances made by the Committee for Standards in Public Life:
"Recommendation 3: MPs should no longer be reimbursed for the cost of mortgage interest payments or any other costs associated with the purchase of a property. No new arrangements for support of mortgage interest should be allowed from the date of this report. In future only rent or hotel costs should be reimbursed."
Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority will estimate (a) the average time spent by (i) hon. Members and (ii) the staff of hon. Members dealing with the Authority and (b) the cost to the public purse of the time so spent in the latest period for which figures are available. [18422]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question regarding time spent by hon. Members and hon. Members staff dealing with IPSA and the cost to the public purse of the time so spent.
IPSA does not keep time records of how long Members of Parliament or their staff spend dealing with IPSA, nor does IPSA keep any estimates of the cost to the public purse of their doing so.
IPSA does keep records of the number and length of phone calls from Members of Parliament and their staff. In September, the last full month for which there is data, IPSA received some 2,980 calls to our information line with each call lasting on average 5 minutes and 30 seconds.
Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if he will make representations to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority for claims made by hon. and right hon. Members to be repayable without the requirement that they must be made within 90 days of the expense being incurred. [18676]
Mr Charles Walker: Although I greatly sympathise with the concerns of the hon. Member, the role prescribed by statute for the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority does not include making representations on the scheme.
Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what provision will be made for a review of the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) as part of the forthcoming review of the expenses scheme for hon. Members; and what professional advice will be provided to IPSA on those matters. [20346]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what provision will be made for a review of the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) as part of the forthcoming review of the expenses scheme for hon. Members; and what professional advice will be provided to IPSA on those matters. 20346
IPSA launched an organisational review in October which will run in parallel with the forthcoming review of the expenses scheme for hon. Members. The organisational review is aimed at improving IPSA's efficiency and cost-effectiveness and will make use of internal and external professional advice as appropriate.
Personnel: Privilege Days
Mr Liddell-Grainger: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many staff of the Independent Parliamentary Speaker's Authority are entitled to privilege days; and what the annual cost to the public purse is of the entitlement per employee. [19821]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many staff at IPSA are entitled to privilege days, and the annual cost to the public purse is of the entitlement per employee.
There are a total of 54 employees at IPSA who are entitled to privilege days at IPSA. The notional cost per employee per annum for this benefit is approximately £375 (net).
Season Ticket Loans
Mr Liddell-Grainger: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how much funding the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has allocated to the provision of interest-free season ticket loans for its staff; and what the average cost to the public purse is of the scheme in respect of each participating member of staff in 2010-11. [19888]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how much funding the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has allocated to the provision of interest-free season ticket loans for its staff, and what the average cost to the public purse is of the scheme in respect of each participating member of staff in 2010-11.
In the current financial year to date, IPSA has granted season ticket loans totalling £22,777.56 to 20 employees. Assuming an average notional rate of interest of 3.5%, the annual cost of the scheme is currently £797.21. The average cost of the scheme for each participating member of staff is therefore £39.86.
IPSA provides for an equivalent scheme for Members' staff.
House of Commons Commission
Officials: Accommodation
Mr Whittingdale: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission, which posts in the House of Commons Service entitle the holder to accommodation (a) in the gift of the House Service and (b) paid for from the public purse; and what the address is of each property owned by the House Service which is put at the disposal of such staff. [20072] [Official Report, 12 November 2010, Vol. 518, c. 3MC.]
Sir Stuart Bell: The following positions in the House entitle the holder to accommodation: Clerk of the House, Serjeant at Arms, Speaker's Secretary, Head Office Keeper and two Senior Office Keepers. Sleeping facilities are provided for the Deputy Serjeant at Arms, Assistant Serjeant at Arms, Clerk Assistant, Clerk of Committees and Clerk of Legislation, reflecting their particular need to be available on the parliamentary estate over prolonged periods and at unpredictable times. The addresses of the accommodation are: 2 Parliament street, 3 Parliament street, 2a Canon row, 2b Canon row, 4 Canon row, 102 Rochester row and 22 John Islip street. The sleeping facilities are also used by other staff when there is a need to do so.
Prime Minister
Members: Allowances
Bob Russell: To ask the Prime Minister how long on average he spends managing expenses and allowances claims; and if he will make a statement. [19608]
The Prime Minister: I am aware of concerns surrounding the expenses system and am keen to see improvements. I do not claim accommodation expenses.
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe: UK Delegations
Mr Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what progress he has made in appointing a new UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; and if he will make a statement. [20249]
The Prime Minister: We are still waiting for a full list of candidates for the UK delegation.
Task Force on Strengthening Economic Governance in EU
Mr Cash: To ask the Prime Minister what negotiating position he intends to adopt on the conclusion of the Task Force on Strengthening Economic Governance in EU, presented to the European Council and dated 21 October 2010, that endorsement by the Council of the recommendations in the report will contribute to strengthening economic governance in the EU and the euro are and can be implemented within the existing treaties; and if he will place immediately in the Library a copy of (a) the Task Force Report and (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer's submission to the Task Force made on 9 July 2010; and if he will make a statement. [20485]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to my statement today and to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr Hoban) on 27 October 2010, Official Report, column 318.
Home Department
Police Stations: Opening Hours
19. Mark Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will issue guidance to police authorities on the opening hours of inquiry desks at police stations. [20317]
Nick Herbert: Opening hours of inquiry desks are a matter for individual chief constables to decide, based on their local priorities.
UK Border Agency
20. Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effects on UK Border Agency services of the proposed reduction in its staff numbers by 2015. [20318]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency priorities will be to secure the border and reduce migration. It will do this at the same time as reducing the budget by up to 20% through cutting overhead costs, improving efficiency and quality through investment in technology and getting better value for money from suppliers.
Rural Police Forces
21. Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms are in place to determine the funding of rural police forces. [20319]
Nick Herbert: I will put before this House more detail on funding allocations for all forces, including rural forces, in December.
Licensing Act 2003
22. Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to publish her proposals to amend the Licensing Act 2003. [20320]
James Brokenshire: The proposals for amendments to the Licensing Act will be included within the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill. The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill will be introduced later in the year.
Immigration Cap: Science and Industry
23. Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the likely effect of her proposed immigration cap on science and industry. [20321]
Mrs May: Our recent consultation on the immigration system fully involved scientific organisations. They have underlined the importance of being able to recruit the best scientists from around the world. I am aware of the case of the Beatson Institute in my hon. Friend's constituency and can assure her that the UK Border Agency is looking closely at this and related cases.
Firearm and Knife Injuries
24. David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the sharing of non-confidential information on firearm and knife injuries between hospitals and police forces. [20322]
James Brokenshire: The Secretary of State for Health and the Home Secretary have established the Department of Health Information Sharing Implementation Group, to determine how to deliver the coalition Government commitment to share non-confidential information on gun and knife crime. Home Office officials sit on that group.
Animal Welfare
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has made an estimate of the likely change in the number of inspections of designated establishments carried out by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate in each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement. [18802]
Lynne Featherstone: I am not in a position to estimate the number of inspections of designated establishments to be carried out by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate in each of the next three years.
The inspectorate plays a key role in the implementation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act. Visits by inspectors to designated establishments, many of which are unannounced, are important to check for compliance with the Act. An additional important role is to advise those working under the Act and encourage best practice with respect to the 3Rs-replacement, refinement and reduction. The inspectorate implements a risk-based approach to inspection and I expect this to continue.
The new European Union directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, to be implemented in United Kingdom legislation in January 2013, also requires a risk-based approach to inspections. A detailed assessment of the impact of its provisions, including those relating to inspections, is under way and will in due course be included in a public consultation on options for transposition.
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspectors are in post in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate; what the average length of service of those inspectors is; and how many inspectors have left the Inspectorate in each of the last seven years. [19072]
Lynne Featherstone: At 25 October 2010 there were 25 Inspectors in post in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate with an average length of service in the Home Office of between five years and 10 years. Both records of length of service and the number of inspectors who have left the Inspectorate in each of the last seven years, which follow, are recorded in bands that comply with the Office of National Statistics guidelines.
2009: Less than five
2008: Less than five
2007: None
2006: Less than five
2005: Less than five
2004: Less than five
2003: Between five and 10
Asylum: Deportation
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children of asylum seekers awaiting deportation were in detention on the latest date for which figures are available. [19588]
Damian Green: National Statistics on children detained solely under Immigration Act powers are published quarterly in the "Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom". The Statistical Summary for the second quarter of 2010, the most recent available, coupled with local management information indicates that one child of an asylum seeking family was detained with its family awaiting removal as at 30 June 2010.
This figure is based on management information and is not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics. It is provisional and may be subject to change.
Information on people detained solely under Immigration Act powers as at 30 September will be available on 25 November in the Control of Immigration:
Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom, July-September 2010 is on the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
The Government have made clear their commitment to end the detention of children and continues to work with its corporate partners to find an alternative that protects the welfare of children, without undermining UK immigration laws.
Borders: Personal records
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of new procurement exercises for the e-Borders programme. [20457]
Damian Green: Since the termination of the contract with the prime supplier, Raytheon Systems Limited, the e-Borders programme has been developing a strategy to procure services to replace those under the original e-Borders contract. The programme is currently examining options for contracting with new suppliers and expects to be able to identify the costs by December 2010.
Criminal Records Bureau
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2010, Official Report, column 201W, on the Criminal Records Bureau, on how many occasions the processing of enhanced disclosures initially received in each month of 2010 to date has taken more than 28 days. [18619]
Lynne Featherstone: The following table details the total number and percentage of enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks that took over 28 calendar days to issue for the period 1 January 2010 to 31 August 2010. September figures are not yet available as 28 calendar days have not yet elapsed since the end of this month. Figures for September will be available from the bureau from 28 October.
| Application form received month | Total enhanced CRB checks received | Total enhanced CRB checks despatched after 28 days or still in progress | Percentage over 28 days |
The length of time a CRB check can take to process can include "time out with customer". This occurs when the CRB has to contact the registered body for additional information about the applicant, when the application form has not been completed correctly or where the police require additional clarification about the applicant's identity. The CRB cannot continue to process the application until the registered body provides this information; or the applicant resolves any question of identity to the satisfaction of the police force.
There are a number of other factors that can affect the timely completion of CRB checks, including but not restricted to the length of time it can take for an employer to deal with the initial application; the accurate completion of the application form; the clarity of the information provided; the existence of conviction or
non-conviction information; any ongoing or outstanding criminal investigations or proceedings; where more than one force holds relevant information and the operational effectiveness of the Disclosure Units of the police forces involved in the CRB checking process.
The CRB have been working with police forces through joint operational performance reviews, to address the problems associated with delays and the impact that exceptional demand for CRB checks can have on police forces. The CRB has set up improvement plans with those forces that have been having problems meeting the demand for certificates. This is aimed at maintaining a steady output of applications on the system while also reducing the number of outstanding cases that have been with police forces for more than 25 days.
Criminal Records: Fees and Charges
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to require volunteers applying to work as leaders in recognised youth organisations to pay a fee for Criminal Records Bureau checks; and if she will make a statement. [20170]
Lynne Featherstone: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced the terms of reference for the review of Criminal Records Bureau and the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) on 22 October 2010, Official Report, columns 77-78WS. The first phase of the Criminal Records Review and the VBS review are expected to report early in the new year.
While the reviews may have an impact on the requirements to undertake Criminal Records Bureau checks, the Government remain committed to reducing the barriers to volunteering and they do not intend to review the provision of free checks for volunteers (at this stage).
Departmental Consultants
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) consultants and (b) contractors were employed by or on behalf of the UK Border Agency to work on the e-Borders programme in each of the last five years. [20451]
Damian Green: The following table provides the numbers of consultants and independent contractors employed by the e-Borders programme since 2005. Separate figures are not held for contractors and consultants. The current figure as at 28 October 2010 is 39.
| Consultancy headcount | |
Human Trafficking
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the merits of opting in to the EU Directive on human trafficking. [20644]
Damian Green: The Government decided not to opt in to the Directive at the outset, but to review the position once the Directive has been agreed. We still have the option of applying to opt in at a later stage.
In reaching this decision, the Government considered whether the Directive would make a practical difference to the way the UK fights trafficking and whether it contained operational co-operation measures from which the UK would benefit.
Immigration
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent progress she has made on reform of the immigration system. [20311]
Damian Green: In just six months the coalition Government have made significant progress in the reform of the immigration system. We have introduced an interim limit on non-EU economic migrants and consulted on proposals for the annual. We are also reviewing student and family routes. We have made significant progress towards ending the detention of children and we have also begun exploring improvements to the asylum system.
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) from what countries of origin applicants for indefinite leave to remain normally resident in the Medway council area (a) applied for, (b) were granted and (c) were refused indefinite leave to remain in the latest period for which figures are available; [20545]
(2) how many individuals who at the time of their application for indefinite leave to remain in the UK were resident in the Medway council area, were granted such leave in the latest period for which figures are available. [20546]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is unable to provide definitive data on the applicants address at the time of application. The information provided is therefore for the applicants last known address.
The number of applications made for indefinite leave from April 2009 to March 2010 for applicants living in the Medway council area was 398. Of this figure 332 were granted and 26 were refused.
The breakdown by nationality can be found in the House of Commons Library.
This is internal management information and is subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
Knives
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated recent research on controlling the sale of knives; what recent assessment she has made of the merits of licensing the sale of knives; what guidance her Department issues on the restrictions in place on the sale of (i) domestic and (ii) non-domestic knives; and if she will make a statement. [19669]
James Brokenshire: The Home Office has not commissioned or evaluated any research on controlling the sale of knives, or made any assessment of the merits of licensing the sale of knives. Guidance on the restrictions in place on the sale of domestic and non-domestic knives is available at:
Law Enforcement Agencies: Expenditure
Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent estimate is of the average annual expenditure of law enforcement agencies on investigations of financial crime; and what proportion of that expenditure is accounted for by forensic analysis of currency for controlled drugs. [19060]
James Brokenshire: It is not possible to provide this estimate as the majority of crimes contain a financial element and financial investigation is an integral part of a broad range of law enforcement investigations.
Offensive Weapons
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there were for possession of an offensive weapon in St Albans constituency in each of the last five years; and how many such arrests resulted in convictions for which a prison sentence of five years or more was imposed. [19664]
James Brokenshire: The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally.
The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crimes (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery.
It is not possible to separately identify which arrests under these offence categories were related to the possession of offensive weapons.
The maximum sentence for the possession of a knife or offensive weapon is four years, therefore no defendants convicted of these offences were sentenced to imprisonment for five years or more.
Prostitution
Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the effect of advertisements for sexual services on levels of demand for prostitution. [20833]
Lynne Featherstone: We do not believe it is appropriate to advertise sexual services in local newspapers. The Government Equalities Office commissioned research into the advertising of women and services supplied by women in personal classified advertisements. Two reports were produced: 'Women Not for Sale', which was published in January 2008, and a follow-up report published in March 2010. However, no assessment has been made of the effect of advertising on levels of demand for prostitution.
Rape: Finance
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2010, Official Report, columns 404-05W, on rape: finance, what the reasons are for the difference in the timetables for making payments to sexual assault referral centres in Wales and England. [20366]
Lynne Featherstone: Resource funding for sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) in England is in the process of being paid from the Department of Health to strategic health authorities, and will be allocated by SHAs to SARCs in their region. Capital grants were issued by the Home Office in September and where correctly signed agreements have been returned, payment will be made in October.
Home Office funding for Welsh SARCs was initially due to be administered through the Home Office Crime Team for Wales, part of the Government Office Network. However, as a result of the decision to dissolve the Government offices, including the Home Office Crime Team for Wales, that funding will now also be administered by the Home Office. Grant agreements have been issued to all Welsh SARCs receiving funding in this round, and on the return of correctly signed agreements, funding will be paid in November.
Justice
Capital Projects
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) which of his Department's capital projects he plans to (a) abandon, (b) defer and (c) continue; [20086]
(2) how much capital funding he has allocated to maintenance of the prison estate in each of the next four years; [20087]
(3) whether he plans to close any (a) prisons and (b) prison wings. [20218]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice is currently developing its capital expenditure plans in the light of the spending review that was announced on 20 October 2010.
The Chancellor announced in his spending review statement that plans for a new 1,500 place prison had been deferred. Initial plans for other capital projects for the SR period, including budgets for maintenance of the prison estate will be in place by the end of the calendar year.
Decisions about prison and wing closures have yet to be made. The Ministry of Justice is committed to publishing a Green Paper on Rehabilitation and Sentencing, consulting on our longer term plans for offender management. As a consequence the Ministry will re-evaluate its strategy for prison capacity.
Departmental Pay
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how much was paid to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to salary in each year since its inception; how many officials received such payments; and what the monetary values was of the largest 20 payments made in each such year; [18701]
(2) what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each year since its inception; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year. [18702]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: Within the Ministry of Justice, payments of salary, non-consolidated performance pay and other allowances depend on the contractual terms that an individual is employed on. The information provided as follows covers a range of contractual terms.
Members of the Senior Civil Service (SCS) are employed on common terms across the Ministry. Details of the non-salary elements of their remuneration are set out in the Senior Salaries Review Body Report.
Since the establishment of the Ministry, payments of non-consolidated performance pay to members of the SCS are shown in the following tables:
| Paid in calendar year | Staff receiving payments | Average payment (£) | Total amount awarded (£) | Maximum payment (£) | Largest 20 payments (£) |
| (1) Refers only to those Ministry members formerly in the Department of Constitutional Affairs. | |||||
Performance payments are awarded as part of the annual pay award process to members of the SCS whose performance has exceeded their agreed delivery objectives during the previous performance year.
Non SCS employees within the Ministry are eligible to non-consolidated payments and occupational allowances. Payments of non-consolidated performance pay to staff may be either:
'In Year' non-consolidated performance pay, awards of which are made during the performance year to staff who have made exceptional contributions on specific occasions.
'End of Year' non-consolidated performance pay, awarded as part of the annual pay award to staff who have exceeded their performance objectives during the previous performance year.
The Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS)
The following table provides information on 'In Year' non-consolidated performance payments.
| Paid in financial year | Staff receiving payments( 1) | Average payment (£) | Total amount awarded (£) | Largest payment (£) | Value of largest 20 payments (£) |
| (1) Includes those working in HM Court Service, Tribunals Service, Office of the Public Guardian and those Non-Departmental Public Bodies whose pay terms are aligned with the Ministry. | |||||
The following table provides information on 'Year End' non-consolidated performance payments.
| Paid in financial year | Staff receiving payments | Average payment (£) | Total amount awarded (£) | Largest payment (£) |
| Note: The value of the 'Year end' payment of non consolidated performance pay is set as part of the pay award and is an equal amount for all staff who receive it. | ||||
Payments of occupational allowances to staff are made in accordance with the Ministry's Pay Policy Manual. These allowances may be based on the requirement of a job role (e.g. qualification) or reflect a recognised market premium. An allowance also may be paid to reflect the pattern of working (e.g. on-call payments) and where an individual performs duties at a higher level than their own substantive grade. Central records on the total number of staff receiving allowances are not held. Nor is the value of the top 20 largest payments paid to individuals. Information on the total amount paid in each year since 2007 are shown in the following table.
| £ | |
Details of total amounts paid in overtime paid to staff in the Ministry is shown in the following table. Records on the number of individual employees paid overtime or the highest 20 payments are not held centrally.
| £ | |
National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
Information on the number of staff in grades below the SCS receiving 'In Year' non-consolidated performance payments and the total amount paid in the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 financial years across HM Prison Service and National Offender Management Service Headquarters is contained in the following table.
| Paid in financial year | Number of staff receiving a payment | Total amount paid( 1) (£) | Value of the largest 20 payments (£) |
| (1) Information has been adjusted to exclude payments that are not Special Bonus payments. The figures presented here will therefore differ from previously published totals. The nature of the excluded payments is not known. | |||
Details for payments of 'Year End' non-consolidated performance pay in the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years for staff below SCS employed across HM Prison Service and the National Offender Management Service Headquarters are shown in the following table:
| Paid in financial year | Number of staff receiving a payment | Total amount paid (£) | Value of largest 20 payments (£) |
| Note: The value of the 'Year End' payment of non consolidated performance pay is set as part of the pay award and is standard percentage of salary for all staff who receive it. | |||
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does hold information on allowances and payments in addition to salary but not in the detail requested. However, the sum of all payments in addition to standard salary payments for NOMS staff for 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 is as shown in the following table:
| £ | |
| (1) The 2007-08 data are prior to the formation of the NOMS agency. (2) The data for 2008-09 are incomplete as they do not include values before September 2008 for circa 1,000 staff who transferred from HM Prison Service into NOMS that month. | |
Details of total amounts paid in overtime paid to staff in the NOMS Agency is shown in the following
table. Records on the number of individual employees paid overtime or the highest 20 payments are not held centrally.
| £ | |
Information Commissioner' s Office
The Office of the Information Commissioner is a non Departmental Public Body of the Ministry and employs staff on separate contractual terms. In addition to basic salary, employees may be eligible for non-consolidated performance pay depending on their performance measured over the performance year. These arrangements have been in place since 2008.
| Paid in financial year | Amount paid (£) | Number of staff receiving award | Total amount paid (£) |
| (1) The value of the 'Year end' payment of non consolidated performance pay is set as part of the pay award. The amount is pro-rated for reduced hours staff. | |||
Allowances are paid to staff working in Office of the Information Commissioner to recognise specific skills and proficiencies or requirements of the role. The maximum skills/proficiency allowance is £519 and other allowances £240. Both allowances have been paid to fewer than 10 individuals in any year since 2007.
Information on total payments of overtime to staff in since 2007 are shown in the following table. Records on the number of individual employees paid overtime or the highest 20 payments are not held centrally.
| £ | |
Food Supplements Directive
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions his Department has had with the authorities in (a) Jersey and (b) Guernsey on progress in implementing the EU (i) Food Supplements Directive and (ii) Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation. [20830]
Mr Djanogly: My noble Friend the Minister of State for Justice (Lord McNally), the Minister responsible for the Crown Dependencies raised the implementation of the Food Supplements Directive and the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation with the Guernsey authorities during his visit to the Island on 24 September 2010 and expects to raise the issue with the Jersey authorities in the course of his forthcoming visit there.
Freedom of Information: Public Expenditure
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which bodies funded solely from the public purse are not public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [20852]
Mr Djanogly: The Department does not maintain a list of bodies funded solely from the public purse that are not public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Over 100,000 public authorities are currently subject to the Act. These are either listed in Schedule 1 of the Act, or covered under section 6 as "publicly owned companies" that are wholly owned by the Crown or a public authority listed in Schedule 1.
The Government are considering a range of options to increase transparency, including extending the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to additional public authorities. The Government will announce their intentions in due course
Ian Tomlinson
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether a senior judicial officer has been appointed to head the inquest into the death of Ian Tomlinson. [19904]
Mr Djanogly: The authority to appoint assistant deputy coroners to hear specific inquests lies with the coroner and his or her local authority. The Ministry of Justice has received a request from the coroner for the nomination of a suitable judge for appointment to hear the inquest into Mr Tomlinson's death. In accordance with the usual practice in such cases, we have been discussing with the Lord Chief Justice the availability of suitable candidates for appointment to this inquest. The Lord Chief Justice has now agreed to nominate a judge, and details of the appointment are likely to be made public by the local authority for the coroner at the earliest opportunity.
Legal Aid
Yvonne Fovargue:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on legal aid for social welfare cases (a) in total and (b) in respect of
(i) welfare benefits, (ii) housing, (iii) debt, (iv) community care and (v) employment in each year since 2006-07. [20638]
Mr Djanogly:
The total amount spent each in each year 2006-07 to 2009-10 in the social welfare categories
of law, including; housing, debt, welfare benefits, employment and community care, is provided in the following table:
| £ million | ||||
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10( 1) | |
| (1 )The figures for 2009-10 are subject to audit.( 2) The figures for housing include the Housing Possession Court Duty Solicitor Scheme. | ||||
Magistrates Courts
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received from Nottinghamshire police on the closure of magistrates courts; what response he has made to such representations; and if he will make a statement. [21073]
Mr Djanogly: Nottinghamshire police authority has submitted a county wide response to the consultation proposals. This is being carefully considered alongside the other responses received. We hope to announce decisions by the end of the year.
Magistrates Courts: Bassetlaw
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what estimate he has made of the number of residents of Bassetlaw constituency unable to reach Mansfield magistrates court on public transport by 10.00 am on a weekday; and if he will make a statement; [21071]
(2) what estimate he has made of the maximum journey time by public transport from Mansfield to Bassetlaw at the end of the working day on each day of the working week. [21072]
Mr Djanogly: I am aware of the concerns regarding public transport in north Nottinghamshire that have been raised in the court estate consultation responses and I can assure the hon. Member that these are being very carefully considered.
Ministry of Justice economists are currently working on the provision of area wide impact assessments that will provide a full assessment of the costs and benefits of each closure. These will include an assessment of the travel impact on court users. We intend to publish the impact assessments alongside the consultations responses, by the end of the year.
National Offender Management Service: Public Expenditure
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the cost to the public purse was of the National Offender Management Service head office and regional offices in each financial year since 2004-05; [20406]
(2) what the cost to the public purse was of the Director of Offender Management regional organisations in the financial year 2009-10. [20407]
Mr Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Agency was established from April 2008. There are therefore no comparable figures for the financial years 2004-05 to 2007-08.
The NOMS Agency accounts for 2009-10 show, on a comparable basis, figures for both 2008-09 and 2009-10 for HQ and Policy as follows:
| £ million | |
However, of the year-on-year difference, £113 million is due to the accounting treatment on the impairment of assets.
The 2008-09 expenditure on regional offices was £57 million.
The 2009-10 expenditure for the Directors of Offender Management regional organisations was £48 million.
Offenders: Deportation
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign national prisoners he expects to be repatriated in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011. [20092]
Mr Blunt: The United Kingdom has in place prisoner transfer arrangements with over 100 countries and territories. The majority of these arrangements are voluntary agreements which require the consent of both states involved, as well as that of the prisoner concerned, before transfer can take place. In the calendar year 2010 we expect approximately 45 prisoners to have been repatriated from prisons in England and Wales (38 prisoners have transferred to date). In 2011, up to 50 prisoners are expected to be repatriated.
The repatriation of prisoners from Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the relevant devolved administration.
Offenders: Mental Illness
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what arrangements he plans to make for the custody of mentally-ill offenders whom he proposes to divert into treatment. [20088]
Mr Blunt: Mentally ill offenders who require transfer and detention for treatment can be transferred to secure hospital services, if they meet the relevant clinical criteria under section 47 or section 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983. Mentally ill offenders who do not need to be in custody can access treatment from community mental health services, as part of community sentences with a mental health treatment requirement.
The Government are also exploring how more effective mental health assessment and liaison services can help identify and support police and court decisions, cases where offenders with mental health problems pose a low risk to the public, and for whom a community based approach would be justified.
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what tests his Department undertake to ascertain whether an offender is mentally ill. [20089]
Mr Blunt: The responsibility for establishing whether a defendant or an offender is suffering from a mental disorder rests with qualified clinical practitioners. Such assessments can take place at any stage of the criminal justice process including at the point of arrest, during court proceedings, on reception in custody or during sentence.
Pleural Plaques Compensation Scheme
Mr Nicholas Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the next of kin of deceased claimants who would otherwise have had a valid claim under the
Pleural Plaques Compensation Scheme are entitled to compensation under that scheme. [19881]
Mr Djanogly: The pleural plaques former claimants' payment scheme does not extend to dependants or to personal representatives claiming on behalf of deceased claimants.
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to extend the (a) eligibility criteria and (b) period for which the Pleural Plaques Compensation Scheme will be open. [19883]
Mr Djanogly: There are no proposals to extend the eligibility criteria or the time period for the pleural plaques former claimants' payment scheme. The scheme was set up to provide payments to those individuals who had begun, but not resolved, a legal claim for compensation for pleural plaques at the time of the 2007 House of Lords judgment, on the basis that they had an understandable expectation at the time of beginning the claim that it would result in compensation. The scheme will be open to applications for one year, which will provide sufficient time for those who are eligible to make an application.
Prisoners
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of prisoners serving custodial sentences of up to six months have (a) no previous convictions and (b) seven or more previous convictions. [20091]
Mr Blunt: The proportion of prisoners sentenced to immediate custody with sentence lengths of up to six months in 2009 who had no previous convictions was 5.6%. The figure for prisoners with seven or more previous convictions was 74.6%. The following table presents figures for the last 10 years.
| Proportion of offenders who were sentenced to immediate custody with sentence length up to six mon ths for indictable offences( 1,2 ) by the number of previous convictions, 2000-09 | ||||||||||
| Percentage | ||||||||||
| Number of previous convictions | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| (1 )Including indictable and trial either ways offences.( 2) Counts of offenders sentenced during the year; an offender may be counted more than once if an offender had been sentenced more than once. | ||||||||||
The figures are further breakdowns of the criminal history statistics presented in chapter 6 of "Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales 2009" which was published on 21 October 2010 and can be found at:
The figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
Prisoners: Terrorism
Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what conditions may be imposed when granting a release on licence to prisoners with convictions for terrorism; [20547]
(2) how many prisoners with convictions for terrorism offences are under consideration for release by the Parole Board; [20548]
(3) how many prisoners with convictions for terrorism offences have an earliest date for release in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [20549]
Mr Blunt: All offenders convicted of terrorism or terrorism related offences serving a sentence of 12 months or more are subject to statutory probation supervision on licence, with strict conditions, on release from prison.
All of these offenders are subject to standard licence conditions. Additional licence conditions may be applied, where they are necessary to manage the risks presented by an individual. Where offenders are released on the direction of the Parole Board, the board will set the licence conditions. Where offenders are released automatically from custody, licence conditions will be set by the governor of the releasing prison.
A Probation Instruction (PI 13/2010) was issued on 27 September 2010 on the subject of licence conditions. This instruction replaced previous policy guidance on licence conditions and includes a menu of licence conditions for those convicted of terrorism or terrorism related offences.
Two prisoners, one from a previous terror campaign, are subject to consideration for release by the Parole Board at this present time. 31 terrorist or terrorism-related prisoners will be eligible for consideration by the Parole Board for release in the future.
2010: A total of 20 offenders have or will have been released by the end of 2010. Of the 20, six have been re-released following recall. In addition, one further offender will reach his parole eligibility date in November 2010, and his release will be considered by the Parole Board in due course.
2011: A total of 18 offenders will reach their earliest date for release during the course of 2011.
2012: A total of seven offenders will reach their earliest date for release during the course of 2012.
Note:
The number of relevant offenders who will actually be released in any of the three years will depend on a number of factors, including: in the case of parole-eligible prisoners, a direction for release from the Parole Board; whether any offenders are sentenced in the intervening period to custodial sentences; and whether offenders appeal successfully against the length of their sentence.
Prisons: Education
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Prison Service on educational and training opportunities within HM prisons; and if he will make a statement. [20919]
Mr Blunt: I meet frequently with officials from the National Offender Management Service, including those responsible for prisons, and discuss a range of issues including prisoner learning and skills.
A review of offender learning is being undertaken jointly by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Ministry of Justice. The review will make recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of such arrangements.
Prisons: Population
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the evidential basis was for his decision to reduce the prison population by 3,000 by 2014. [20076]
Mr Blunt: The Government's expectation that the prison population will be 3,000 fewer by 2014 is based on (a) prison population projections and recent population trends and (b) our new approach to sentencing and rehabilitation which we will outline in a Green Paper later this year, with an accompanying impact assessment.
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what steps he plans to take to reduce the prison population by 3,000 by 2014. [20093]
(2) whether he plans to reduce the numbers of suspects held on remand. [20219]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice will publish a Green Paper later this year setting out plans to reform sentencing and rehabilitate offenders more effectively. The Green Paper will set out our approach to reducing the prison population, including our approach to the use of remand.
Probation Service
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the effect on prison numbers of reductions to the probation service budget in the financial year (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12. [20409]
Mr Blunt: The probation budget for 2010-11 is £864 million compared to £894 million 2009-10. Before the new Probation Trust arrangements came into general operation in April 2010, all trusts and potential trusts were required to demonstrate how they would drive down costs and improve performance. There is no evidence that the savings that have been achieved have had any adverse impact on performance, and as such these savings are not expected to adversely impact on the prison population. Internal resource allocations for the spending review 2010 period have not yet been decided, but we have already been clear that a large part of our savings will be achieved through improvements in efficiency and cutting administration.
Redundancy: Public Expenditure
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of redundancies from frontline posts in his Department to be incurred under the proposals in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [20090]
Mr Kenneth Clarke:
My Department is developing firm plans to deliver its priorities within the funding baselines announced in the Spending Review. We will be consulting widely on proposals for change but as yet no
internal budgets have been set. Preliminary estimates suggest that the Department will lose around 14,000-15,000 posts, including a significant reduction in our headquarters and administrative areas. Preliminary modelling assumptions split the posts between 10,000 in the National Offender Management Service, 3,000 in courts and tribunals services and 1,000-2,000 elsewhere in the Department over the four-year period. Where possible, staff reduction will be through natural turnover and voluntary redundancy, avoiding compulsory redundancies if possible.
My Department's response to the Spending Review marks the beginning of a programme of radical change which will fundamentally reform the way justice is provided by 2015. I am confident that the process will lead to a transformed Ministry of Justice which is efficient and affordable.
Reparation by Offenders
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on community payback schemes in each year since 2005; and how much it plans to spend on such schemes in each of the next three years. [20084]
Mr Blunt:
Reliable year-by-year information on the expenditure on community payback by probation trusts for the past five years is not available. A cost collection exercise in 2008-09 estimated that roughly £95 million was spent on unpaid work but the estimate is not
considered robust. The National Offender Management Service is currently introducing a new costing system for probation trusts which will collect reliable information on both budgeted and actual expenditure on unpaid work. Budgets for unpaid work are set locally by providers and commissioners and will be determined in the light of the Spending Review settlement. Allocations within the Ministry of Justice to business groups, including the National Offender Management Service, are yet to be decided but will reflect the impact of the forthcoming Green Paper on Sentencing Reform and need to deliver services as efficiently as possible including through the use of the new competition framework for unpaid work.
Sentencing
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many community sentences he expects to be handed down in each of the next four years. [20083]
Mr Blunt: We have no targets for the number of community sentences to be imposed over the next four years. We want to see sentencing that is effective in rehabilitating offenders so that they do not offend again. This includes increased use of community sentences where they are more effective than short prison sentences in providing punishment and rehabilitation, and in helping offenders come off drugs.
Over the 11 years to 2009 the numbers of community sentences imposed on adults and juveniles are shown in the following tables.
| Persons senten ced to community sentences at al l courts by t ype of community sentence, 1999 to 2009-England and Wales | ||||||
| Number of persons and percentage | ||||||
| Type of community sentence | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| Persons sentenced to community sentences and percentage sentenced to communit y sentence by age and sex, 1999 to 2009-England and Wales | |||||||
| Number of persons and percentage | |||||||
| Age | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | |
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