Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 18 January 2011
Scotland
Universal Credit
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effects of the introduction of the proposed universal credit in Scotland. [34041]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland and I are in regular discussion with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions on a number of issues, including the introduction of the universal credit in Scotland.
House of Commons Commission
ParliQuiz
Mr Knight: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost to the House of Commons Service was of developing the ParliQuiz application for the Apple iPhone; and which company was contracted for this project. [33769]
John Thurso: The cost of the ParliQuiz application to the House of Commons was £5,075, which included content and technical development. The technical build was undertaken by an independent developer, Eknath Kadam. The content authoring was undertaken by an independent writer, Mike Greenwood.
Wales
Chinese Trade
Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and (b) UK Trade and Investment on the recent Chinese trade delegation to the UK. [34161]
Mr David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales continues to have ongoing discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and other Cabinet colleagues regarding overseas trade both to and from Wales.
The Secretary of State has also met with the former chief executive of UK Trade and Investment and will be meeting the new Trade Minister in the near future. We remain committed to ensuring that Wales derives the greatest possible benefits both from overseas trade and from inward investment.
Welsh Assembly Government
Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which Minister in each Department is responsible for liaison with the Welsh Assembly Government. [34087]
Mr David Jones: Each Government Minister is responsible for liaising with the Welsh Assembly Government on their specific areas of responsibility.
Transport
Cycling: Accidents
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists died as a result of road traffic accidents in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010. [33859]
Mike Penning: There were 104 pedal cyclists killed in road accidents in Great Britain in 2009. Data for 2010 will be published in June 2011.
Dartford-Thurrock Crossing
Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 21 December 2010, Official Report, column 1299W, on the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: tolls, what procedure is followed to determine whether to suspend the tolls at the Dartford Crossing; what criteria inform the decision; and who is responsible for the decision. [33582]
Mike Penning: The road user charge at the Dartford Crossing can be suspended in both directions, in exceptional emergency circumstances, to facilitate the safe movement of traffic or in the interests of the safety of the public, in accordance with the Transport Act 2000, section 172A.
The decision to suspend the charge is taken by a senior civil servant within the Highways Agency on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport, in accordance with the relevant legislation.
The Department for Transport has made it clear that it is willing to consider suspending the charges when congestion is particularly severe, and where the need to collect charges is contributing to that congestion and we will be issuing guidance in the near future.
Departmental NDPBs
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average salary was of people on fixed-term contracts in each of the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department in April 2010 and each subsequent month. [31015]
Norman Baker [holding answer 16 December 2010 ]: The average annual salary of people on fixed-term contracts in each of the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department for Transport in April 2010 and each subsequent month was:
There were no staff employed on fixed-term contracts by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, Traffic Commissioners and Deputy Traffic Commissioners in this period.
Departmental Procurement
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible have taken to comply with the guidance of the Office of Government Commerce on promoting skills through public procurement issued in 2009. [31320]
Norman Baker: The primary purpose of Government procurement is to buy goods and services the Government need, at the best combination of quality and whole-life costs to obtain the best value for money. This, of course, with due regard to environmental considerations in support of which Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) recently published the Action Plan for driving Sustainable Operations and Procurement across Government. Government will shortly be publishing revised commitments for waste, water and carbon (including transport and business travel) for the Government estate.
The Department for Transport supports the promotion of skills and considers it has most opportunity to encourage the use of apprenticeships through the construction work contracted by the Highways Agency.
At the start of 2010 the Highway Agency (HA) Board agreed to a target to deliver 100 new apprenticeships through procurement activity by the end of 2012.
From information gathered from 45 key suppliers in September 2010 HA identified 42 apprenticeships had started working on HA contracts since 1 January 2010.
Highway Agency also took the opportunity to promote the "Skills Pledge" administered by the Skills Funding Agency. To date 49% of their 45 key suppliers have signed up to the Skills Pledge to invest in the skills and training of their workforce.
Highway Agency has also begun incorporating elements relating to skills and apprenticeships into various stages of the procurement process.
Heathrow Airport: Snow and Ice
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on mobilising resources to permit the maximum functioning of Heathrow during the recent severe weather. [32631]
Mrs Villiers: Through the course of the recent severe weather conditions, the Secretary of State chaired the Ministerial Winter Resilience Network set up to co-ordinate actions across Government Departments. He also provided the Prime Minister with regular updates on the position on the recent severe weather, with particular reference to the functioning of Heathrow.
Humber Bridge: CCTV
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what purposes CCTV is used on the Humber bridge. [33974]
Norman Baker: Installation and monitoring of CCTV is the responsibility of the Humber Bridge Board. The Board have informed the Department that CCTV at the Humber bridge is primarily employed to allow remote monitoring of the Board's property and infrastructure which would otherwise be impractical.
The equipment is located to allow visual confirmation of conditions throughout the site occupied by the Humber Bridge Board although the Board recognises that this will, unavoidably, sometimes include surrounding land which cannot be practically excluded from the field of view of the CCTV equipment.
The images collected will allow observations to be made in respect of ensuring the Bridge Board operates a safe and secure environment for both staff and visiting members of the general public and is able to identify and respond to issues arising that could affect this environment. These issues may include:
Traffic Management and traffic conditions generally
Security in areas unauthorised for general access
Casual observation of vehicles and persons entering Bridge
Board property to enable early identification of behaviour likely to compromise the safe and secure environment
The observation of vehicles or persons whose behaviour causes concern
Specific observation of vehicles or persons involved in an incident, dispute or collision on Board property.
Humber Bridge: Snow and Ice
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is responsible for clearing snow from the highway over the Humber Bridge during bad weather; for what reason both lanes in each direction were not cleared of snow on 28 November 2010; whether consideration was given to not charging the full toll to motorists using the bridge in this state; and if he will make a statement. [33770]
Norman Baker: Snow clearance and toll reductions during extreme weather are a matter for the Humber Bridge Board. The Board has informed me that the extreme weather conditions on 28 November, made it impractical to ensure the road surface of the Humber Bridge was entirely free of snow. The bridge was, however, passable throughout this period although local police forces imposed their own restrictions on some roads giving access to the bridge.
Humber Bridge: Speed Limits
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who decides (a) when temporary speed limits are to be imposed on the Humber Bridge crossing and (b) what such speed limits should be; whether a review mechanism of such decisions is in place to ensure that a low speed limit is not unnecessarily imposed; and if he will make a statement. [33771]
Norman Baker: The Humber Bridge Board has responsibility for any temporary speed limits and the limit at which they are set. Temporary speed limits are imposed by the Board on the Humber Bridge to ensure the safety of users of the bridge in adverse conditions including bad weather and work requiring traffic management. The Board has in place detailed written procedures formulated with consideration of national precedents and historical experience at the bridge, which allows the speed limits to be set at an appropriate level. These restrictions are reviewed in real time and modified or removed as appropriate.
Motorways: Speed Limits
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the M18 motorway to be clear of roadworks and temporary speed restrictions in both directions. [33984]
Mike Penning: There are currently four schemes being undertaken on the M18 between junctions 2 and 5 which are due to be completed by the end of March 2011.
This work includes three schemes to replace steel central reserve barriers, which are approaching the end of their design life, with new concrete central reserve barrier:
Junction 4 North (Waterton Bridge): commenced 20 December for 13 weeks.
Junction 3 North: commenced 18 October for 16 weeks.
Junction 2 to 3: commenced 20 December for 10 weeks.
In addition to the safety barrier works, work has also commenced at the A1 (M)/M18 Wadworth Interchange (M18 Junction 2) to install traffic signals. This is also due to be completed by the end of March 2011.
Railway Network: Subsidence
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding Network Rail has allocated to the prevention of land slips near railway lines in each of the last five years. [34153]
Mrs Villiers: This is an operational matter for Network Rail as the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's acting chief executive at the following address for a response to her question:
Peter Henderson
Acting Chief Executive
Network Rail
Kings Place
90 York Way
London
N1 9AG.
Sea Rescue
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 December 2010, Official Report, columns 133-4WS, on coastguard services (modernisation) what the lower cost is that he estimates will be achieved by implementing his proposals. [34343]
Mike Penning: The consultation document 'Protecting our Seas and Shores in the 21st Century' (pages 38-39) states that the proposals would reduce both long-term running costs and capital expenditure and generate a total saving, in net present value terms, of some £120 million over 25 years.
Copies of the consultation have been placed in the Libraries of the House and are available on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's website at:
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 December 2010, Official Report, columns 133-4WS, on coastguard services (modernisation), what the membership is of the team which brought forward the modernisation proposals; and what experience each such member had in the coastguard and rescue service. [34345]
Mike Penning: The Coastguard Modernisation programme team within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has pulled together a wide range of skills and experience covering Operational Coastguard, Human Resources, Finance, Communications and Programme/Project Management. Operational Coastguard experience has been drawn from headquarters officers who have performed a wide range of operational roles during their careers, and current serving coastal safety managers, watch officers and watch managers.
The proposals set out in the consultation document represent the collective, corporate position of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and its chief executive, Sir Alan Massey.
Southeastern: Franchises
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) by what date he expects to take a decision on the extension of the Southeastern rail franchise by a further two years as provided for under the Integrated Kent Franchise; [33333]
(2) whether he plans to undertake a public consultation before deciding whether to extend the Southeastern rail franchise by a further two years. [33334]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 17 January 2011]: The Southeastern Continuation Review period under the Integrated Kent franchise agreement ended on 12 December 2010. The Department for Transport is currently reviewing Southeastern's performance against the review criteria and the Secretary of State expects to notify the operator of the outcome in due course.
The Secretary of State will not be undertaking a public consultation. The terms of the franchise agreed by the previous Administration require the Secretary of
State to offer an additional two years to Southeastern, at the price agreed in 2005, if it passes the Continuation Review.
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the future of the Integrated Kent Franchise; and if he will make a statement. [33904]
Mrs Villiers: The franchise contract agreed with Southeastern by the previous administration includes a Continuation Review. The terms of the franchise provide that if the targets contained in the Continuation Review are met by Southeastern, the Department for Transport is obliged to offer the train operator a two year extension of its franchise to cover the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2014.
The Continuation Review period ended on 12 December 2010. Department for Transport officials are currently assessing Southeastern's performance against the review criteria and an announcement on the outcome will be made in due course.
Train Operating Companies: Weather
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what sanctions are open to him to use against (a) train operating companies and (b) Network Rail in the event that he determines that they failed to fulfil their contractual obligations during the winter weather of November and December 2010; and if he will make a statement. [29628]
Mrs Villiers: The provisions contained in train operators' franchise agreements specify the sanctions available in the event that the operator fails to fulfil its contractual requirements. All new rail franchises incorporate performance requirements-including punctuality and cancellations-which are monitored by the Department for Transport.
Franchise agreements set out a staged process to be followed in the event that train operators fail to comply with their contractual obligations. This may include a fine, and/or requiring the operator to produce remedial plan setting out measures to restore performance and targets for improvement.
The Office of Rail Regulation monitors Network Rail's operational activities. If it considers that Network Rail is falling short of its Network Licence obligations, it may take enforcement action against Network Rail. This involves issuing an Enforcement Order, the provision for which is set out in the Railways Act 1993, which sets out the steps Network Rail must take in order to comply with its licence obligations, the timescales for achieving compliance, and any financial penalty that it is felt appropriate to impose.
Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial support his Department plans to provide to the hybrid motor vehicle industry in each of the next four financial years. [33633]
Mr Prisk: I have been asked to reply.
To meet UK carbon targets, the road transport sector needs to be decarbonised and a key element will be the move to ultra-low carbon vehicles, including electric and plug-in hybrid. The spending review announced provision of in excess of £400 million over the lifetime of this Parliament to support the decarbonisation of road transport. This support will include:
A commitment to a national recharging infrastructure for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, informed by the eight Plugged-In Places (PIP) pilot projects which will deliver approximately 8,000 charging points, between 2010-13;
The Plug-In Car Grant (PICG) which was successfully launched on 1 January 2011. The PICG promotes consumer uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles by providing 25% of the cost of the car up to a cap of £5,000 to both private and business purchasers of eligible cars (which include the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid);
The Technology Strategy Board's (TSB) core budget for the upcoming spending review period has yet to be allocated and until such a time it will not be possible for the TSB to specify the level of funding that it is likely to allocate towards the development of Low Carbon Vehicle technology. The TSB has been working in close partnership with this Department, the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to support Low Carbon Vehicle Research and Development (R and D) under a range of themes-including hybrid vehicle technology-prioritised by an industry-led steering group and informed by the New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team Technology Roadmap and Automotive Council findings. Funding is not, however, pre-allocated to specific themes, is subject to a competitive process and success will depend on the quality of the proposals submitted.
The projected R and D spend over the period 1 April 2011-31 March 2015 by the EPSRC in support of the hybrid motor vehicle industry is shown in the following table (based on current grants only).
| Financial year | EPSRC spend on hybrid motor vehicle research (£) |
The DfT funded Low Carbon Vehicle Public Procurement programme has provided 200 all-electric and hybrid vans into public sector fleets. The value of this has been £6 million in the financial year 2010-11, and will be £1 million in 2011-12.
DfT pays a bus subsidy incentive, at a rate of 6 pence per kilometre, to bus operators in England who use low carbon buses (including hybrid buses) on their local bus network.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts: Employment
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the number of people employed in the arts sector in each local authority area in the South West; and if he will make a statement. [34029]
Mr Vaizey: The Department does not hold this information. However, Arts Council England has provided figures relating to the number of arts sector staff, in each employment category, in their Regularly Funded Organisations (RFOs). The 2009-10 figures for the south-west are set out in the table.
| Local authority | Permanent full-time | Permanent part-time | Contractual |
Broadband
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many (a) homes and (b) businesses he expects to have access to superfast broadband by 2015; and if he will make a statement. [34058]
Mr Vaizey: Broadband Delivery UK is assessing the current broadband provision at community level in its work on delivering the coalition Government's superfast broadband and universal broadband access commitments.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the number of households with access to high-speed broadband in rural communities in England over each of the next five years. [34201]
Mr Vaizey: I have made no specific assessment of the numbers of households in rural areas that will have access to superfast broadband. It is the Government's aim that rural and remote areas should benefit from greater availability of superfast broadband access, as do more densely populated areas, in support of the goal of the UK having the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.
Football
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent progress he has made on his proposals for the future of football governance; and if he will make a statement. [34364]
Hugh Robertson: I am continuing my discussions with the football authorities on further governance reform and a greater involvement for supporters at their local clubs, with a view to setting out a way forward in these areas by May as agreed in the Department's recent business plan.
Furthermore, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee will also be conducting its own inquiry on these issues over the next few months.
We look forward to following the Committee's Inquiry and responding to their recommendations.
Football Foundation
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has for future funding of the Football Foundation. [34030]
Hugh Robertson: Through Sport England, the Government will be investing £47 million into the Football Foundation for the period 2009 to 2013.
Along with the Football Association and the Premier League we remain key funding partners to the Foundation, which continues to help deliver new and improved community sports facilities in many towns and counties across the country.
Television: Licensing
Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) how many times TV Licensing has written to an individual threatening (a) court action and (b) a fine for not buying a television licence where it has subsequently been revealed that the person in question (i) had already paid for a licence and (ii) did not have a television at the time in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; [33856]
(2) how many formal complaints the BBC has received about TV Licensing writing to people threatening (a) court action and (b) a fine where it has subsequently been revealed that the person in question (i) had already paid for a licence and (ii) did not have a television at the time in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [33858]
Mr Vaizey: The BBC is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the television licensing system. It is independent of Government. I have therefore asked the BBC television licensing team to consider the question raised by the hon. Member for Dewsbury and to write to him direct.
A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of both Houses
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs: Crime
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost to police forces of (a) alcohol and (b) drug-related crimes in each of the last three years. [34002]
James Brokenshire: Following the review by Sir David Normington of data burdens placed by the Government on the police service, police cost estimates by crime type based on activity based costing (ABC) data are no longer collected centrally by the Home Office. 2007-08 is therefore the latest year for which these data are available.
Some incidences of acquisitive and violent crime are likely to be related to alcohol or drugs. However, ABC did not record whether violent and acquisitive offences were drug or alcohol-related. Spend on violent and acquisitive crimes is therefore presented here with no further break down.
Based on ABC, estimates of the cost to the police of dealing with acquisitive crime, violent crime and drug offences in 2007-08 are as follows:
| £ million | |
These estimates include business support costs such as personnel and finance activities. Excluding business support costs results in the following estimates:
| £ million | |
Crime prevention activity is excluded from these figures. Drug offences are only those directly related to the sale and possession of drugs. Violent crime includes more serious and less serious violence. Acquisitive crime includes burglary from a dwelling, burglary from commercial or other premises, robbery, theft of or from a motor vehicle, and other theft. Figures exclude data from Essex, Suffolk, Staffordshire and Thames Valley police forces, which are not available.
Asylum: Children
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were detained between the date of final determination of a family asylum claim and the date of deportation in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009. [34548]
Damian Green: The information requested is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
Crossbows
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place to regulate the sale and use of crossbows. [34122]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 17 January 2011]: The Crossbows Act 1987 made it an offence to sell or hire a crossbow to a person under the age of 17 and for a person under the age of 17 to purchase or possess a crossbow. Section 44 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 changed this to a person under the age of 18.
Darlington
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has made an assessment of the effects on the local economy of closing her Department's offices in Darlington; and if she will publish a cost-benefit review of closure. [34239]
Lynne Featherstone: The Home Office does not have plans to close any of its offices in Darlington. The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), which is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office, is located in Darlington.
The Vetting and Barring Scheme review, which is under way, will consider the role of the Independent Safeguarding Authority. There are no plans to close the ISA's offices and therefore a cost benefit review has not been commissioned or published.
Deportation: Human Rights
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportations from the UK did not proceed as a consequence of the application of the provisions of (a) Article 3 and (b) Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in each year since 2005; and if she will make a statement. [34146]
Damian Green: In responding to this question, we have assumed 'deportations' to mean 'removals'.
The UK Border Agency does not record this information centrally. Providing a breakdown of specific reasons for removals not to be pursued, either at initial decision stage or following a successful appeal, can only be determined by investigating individual case files which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employers have been prosecuted for employing non-EU students in breach of the conditions of their visa each year since 2001. [33731]
Damian Green: The information is not recorded centrally, to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.
Details of employers prosecuted under section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 and section 21 of the Immigration Asylum and Nationality Act 2008 (employing illegal workers) are recorded on the National Operations Database (NOD). However, we only record the details of the offence against the employer and do not record how many of the illegal workers encountered or arrested were specifically non-EU students working in breach.
Details of the UK Border Agency prosecution cases for England and Wales are published by offence in the Control of Immigration Statistics which is available on the Home Office website at:
and a copy is available in the House Library.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the colleges on the sponsors list of the UK Border Agency were inspected prior to a licence being issued in the latest period for which figures are available. [33732]
Damian Green: Of the educational institutions on the register of sponsors on 12 January 2011, 54% received a pre-licence visit by the UK Border Agency. The remaining 46% received a post-licence visit. Since May 2009 all educational institutions applying to become a sponsor receive a pre-licence visit.
Immigration Controls
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what impact assessment her Department has undertaken on the effect on scientists and researchers who will be transferred from Tier 1 to Tier 2 under the Government's proposed changes to the points-based immigration system. [33830]
Damian Green: The Government will give a degree of priority within the revised Tier 2 for high-level scientists and researchers.
We will also introduce a new Tier 1 route for people of exceptional talent, such as world-leading scientists and academics who have achieved international recognition or are likely to do so.
Details of the new arrangements will be published in due course.
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research her Department has undertaken on the effect of the points-based immigration system on low-earning but highly-qualified scientists and researchers. [33832]
Damian Green: Over last summer we carried out a full public consultation on our proposed changes to the points-based system, to ensure that we took a wide range of views and evidence on board and into account. Details of the new Tier 1 route for people of exceptional talent will be published in due course.
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to change the number of points allocated for (a) incomes and (b) qualifications under Tier 2 of the points-based immigration system. [33833]
Damian Green: We will publish full details of how the revised Tier 2 will operate in future in due course.
National Policing Improvement Agency: Fees and Charges
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has assessed the merits of charging police forces for activities that are carried out by the National Policing Improvement Agency. [31502]
Mrs May [holding answer 20 December 2010]: The National Policing Improvement Agency already charges police forces for some of its activities.
Neighbourhood Policing Fund
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department allocated to the Neighbourhood Policing Fund in 2009-10 and each year of the comprehensive spending review period using 2010-11 prices. [31504]
Mrs May [holding answer 20 December 2010]: The following table applies gross domestic product deflators to the Neighbourhood Policing Funding grants for 2009-10 and each year of the last comprehensive spending review period.
| £ million | |||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | |
Passports
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many free passports were issued to British citizens born before 2 September 1929 between March 2009 and March 2010; and whether her Department plans to extend the duration of the current scheme. [32774]
Damian Green [holding answer 10 January 2011]: Between March 2009 and March 2010, 71,311 applicants born before 2 September 1929 were issued with a British passport free of charge. This is a special concession for the Second World War generation in recognition of their contribution to the national effort during the war years. The current concession is not subject to an expiry date and there are no plans to limit its duration.
Passports: Lost Property
Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many compensation claims were made to the UK Border Agency for loss of passports and other identity documents in each of the last three years; how many payments against such claims were made; and what the combined monetary value was of such payments. [34202]
Damian Green: Information relating to the number of compensation claims made to the UK Border Agency for loss of identity documents is not centrally recorded. Information for each of the last three years in relation to how many claims were made and the combined monetary value of payments is therefore not available.
Police: Automatic Number Plate Recognition
Mr Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of installing automatic number plate recognition cameras in each police patrol car in each police force. [33223]
James Brokenshire: The use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, including the number of police vehicles in which it is installed and the degree of investment in it, is an operational matter for individual police forces. This information is not centrally collated and no estimate has been made of the cost of installing ANPR in all police patrol vehicles.
Mr Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate the cost to the public purse of supplying hand-held automatic number plate recognition devices to police forces and other appropriate agencies. [34150]
James Brokenshire: The acquisition and use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology, including any hand held devices, is an operational matter for individual police forces or other relevant agencies. The information necessary to provide an estimate of the costs of supplying such devices could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Police: Finance
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department has allocated to each police force under the Forensic DNA Grant. [34032]
James Brokenshire: The Forensic DNA Grant has not existed as a specific grant since 2006-07 when it was amalgamated into Rule 2 grant. The amalgamated grant was assigned to each police authority with allocation based on actual provision in 2005-06.
The allocations for Rule 2 grant in 2006-07 can be found at:
For the provisional Police Grant Settlement for 2011-12, Rule 2 grant has been rolled into Police Main Grant to give police authorities, and thereafter police and crime commissioners, greater freedom and flexibility over their spending decisions.
Police: Roads
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department has provided to police authorities on the issue of road closure notices under the Town and Police Clauses Act 1847. [34085]
James Brokenshire: The Home Office has provided no such guidance.
Sham Marriages
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of individuals who obtained leave to remain as a result of sham weddings organised by Vladymyr Buchak. [34000]
Damian Green: Operation Gomozia was a major investigation carried out by the UK Border Agency as a result of suspicions being raised after a high number of immigration applications involving people who had married at the Church of St Peter and St Paul in St Leonards.
Of the 379 marriages that formed part of this investigation, current information shows that 81 non-European nationals were granted leave to remain. However, the UK Border Agency is still actively investigating all of these cases. Anyone who has gained leave as a result of this scam will have that leave revoked and will face removal from the UK.
Theft: Churches
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many thefts of building material from faith buildings in (a) England and (b) Leeds North West constituency have been recorded in the last five years. [34391]
James Brokenshire: The information requested is not available from the police recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office.
The recorded crime data collected within the Other Theft Group, as with all offence groups, are based on an aggregate count of offences which are defined by statute. Unless the offence specifies the item(s) stolen, e.g. theft of mail, or theft of pedal cycle, it would be recorded within the 'Other theft or unauthorised taking' classification. It is not possible to separately identify thefts of building material from this classification. Details on the specific type of building where the offence occurred are also not available from the recorded crime statistics.
Prime Minister
Liu Xiaobo
Mr MacShane: To ask the Prime Minister whether he raised the issue of the continuing imprisonment of Liu Xiaobo directly and in person with the Vice-Premier of the People's Republic of China on 10 January 2010. [33627]
The Prime Minister: In my meeting with Vice-Premier Li, I discussed the full range of UK interests, including human rights. No subjects were off limits.
Office of UK Permanent Representative to EC
Mr Carswell: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will take steps to enable select committees to hold confirmation hearings before the appointment of each UK Permanent Representative to the EU; [33851]
(2) if he will consider the merits of appointing to the Cabinet the next UK Permanent Representative to the EU for the purpose of ensuring greater accountability of that representative to Parliament. [33853]
Mr Lidington: I have been asked to reply.
The post of UK Permanent Representative to the EU is being handled as part of a continuing appointments process to fill a number of senior diplomatic posts from within the civil service. Diplomatic service appointments
of ambassadorial rank are agreed by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Prime Minister and made by Her Majesty the Queen. An announcement will be made once this process is complete. The Government do not propose to bring forward proposals to enable either the Foreign Affairs Select Committee or the European Scrutiny Committee to have the right to confirm the appointment of a new UK Permanent Representative to the European Union, or any other diplomatic service appointment. We do propose to continue the practice that political appointees to diplomatic service positions should appear before the Select Committee after their appointments have been made. It would not be appropriate to appoint the UK Permanent Representative to the Cabinet: Ministers are accountable to Parliament for all aspects of the Government's European policy.
Women and Equalities
Companies: Directors
Mrs Grant: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities (1) what steps she is taking to encourage FTSE 100 companies to include more women on their boards of directors; [33889]
(2) what estimate she has made of the percentage of members of executive boards that are women in UK-registered companies. [33896]
Lynne Featherstone: We have made no estimate of the percentage of members of executive boards that are women in UK-registered companies. The Female FTSE Report produced by the Cranfield School of Management provides a regular benchmarking measure of the number of women executive directors in the UK's top companies.
The 2010 report revealed that only 7.8% of directors of FTSE 250 companies are women(1).
A further recent and broad estimate of the proportion of women on boards across the UK corporate sector as a whole is approximately 7.8%(2).
Lord Davies has been appointed to look at how obstacles can be removed to allow more women to make it to the boardroom. Lord Davies is due to report with recommendations for an effective business led strategy shortly and we will respond to his recommendations in due course.
The further measures that we are taking on positive action, on flexible working, and on parental leave will also help address some of the barriers to progression that women face in the workplace.
(1) Source-Female FTSE Report, December 2010.
(2 )Source-Women on Boards: A Statistical Review by Country, Region, Sector and Market Index; Governance Metrics International; March 2009.
Women's National Commission
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities which bodies are responsible for the discharge of functions formerly undertaken by the Women's National Commission. [33806]
Lynne Featherstone:
We announced on 14 October 2010 that the core functions of the Women's National Commission (WNC) will be brought into the Government Equalities Office (GEO). This means that the work
traditionally carried out by the WNC-ensuring that women's voices are heard at the centre of Government-will be carried out by the GEO.
GEO has now embarked upon developing a new approach to enable women and women's organisations to interact more closely and directly with Government. We will be consulting on the new approach early this year; this will include how we engage with former WNC partners and reach a wider range of women and women's organisations.
Attorney-General
Specialist Fraud Investigation
9. Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review on specialist fraud investigation services. [33915]
The Solicitor-General: Over the course of the spending review period the Law Officers' Departments which play a part in tackling fraud-namely the Serious Fraud Office, the Crown Prosecution Service and the National Fraud Authority-will reduce overall spending by 25% in real terms. This is challenging, but presents an opportunity to rethink processes and organisational arrangements, without undermining frontline casework.
The Government have also made a commitment, confirmed in the coalition programme, to create a single Economic Crime Agency (ECA) to rationalise the current piecemeal law enforcement landscape. The Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and South Downs (Nick Herbert) and I are actively engaged in this work. The ECA will be developed in parallel with the National Crime Agency, which will take the lead on organised crime.
National Fraud Authority
10. Nick Smith: To ask the Attorney-General what responsibilities the Law Officers' Departments have for the National Fraud Authority. [33916]
The Solicitor-General: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the oral question from the hon. Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray) today.
Human Trafficking
Mr Bone: To ask the Attorney-General how many people recognised as trafficked under the national referral mechanism procedure were prosecuted for criminal offences by the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last three years. [34018]
The Attorney-General: The CPS has no records to identify how many people recognised as a trafficked victim under the national referral mechanism have been prosecuted for criminal offences in each of the last three years. The National Referral Mechanism was introduced on 1 April 2009, and up to 31 December 2010, 1,254 referrals have been made for potential victims of trafficking.
Prosecutions: Crime
Fiona Mactaggart:
To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions were (a) initiated and (b) brought to court for (i) perverting the course of justice, (ii) perjury and (iii) wasting police time following the
withdrawal of a complaint of rape or domestic violence in the (A) last six months for which figures are available and (B) previous six months. [33963]
The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) data systems record offences charged and reaching a first hearing in a magistrates court, and includes offences of perverting the course of public justice; perjury; and wasting police time. However, the CPS data systems are not capable of identifying whether such cases were charged following the withdrawal of a complaint of rape or domestic violence or any other offence.
In December 2010, in order to provide the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with a snapshot of the number of prosecutions of complainants who had made allegations of rape for perverting or attempting to pervert the course of public justice, all CPS areas undertook a trawl of cases. This identified 113 cases in 2010 involving the consideration of prosecuting a person who had made a rape allegation for perverting or attempting to pervert the course of justice. Of those, 61 were prosecuted and convicted; seven were unsuccessful prosecutions (which includes the case being discontinued by the prosecution or acquitted by a jury); and 45 were recorded as 'other' which included cases that were awaiting trial and cases that were not yet charged.
Justice
Approved Premises: Community Orders
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how much funding his Department allocated to each probation trust for the administration, running and management of approved premises for offenders serving community orders in the last year for which figures are available; [33706]
(2) what the average cost was of a place in an approved premises for an offender serving a community order in 2009-10. [33707]
Mr Blunt: Approved premises accept prisoners released on licence, offenders on community sentences and bailees. These are not differentiated in funding terms, so it is not possible to give specific figures for residents serving community sentences.
The funding allocated to each Probation Trust in 2010-11 for the running of approved premises is set out in the following table. In addition to those run by Probation Trusts, 11 approved premises are operated by independent third-sector organisations, and these are shown in the table.
The grant for approved premises in 2009-10 equated to an average £26,600 per bed space. More than one resident will occupy a single bed space in approved premises over the course of a year, with an average stay per resident of 74.7 days in March 2010 and 70.8 days in November 2010.
Approved premises provide for enhanced supervision, particularly of high risk of harm offenders on release from custody. It would be much more difficult to provide that level of supervision, were such offenders to be dispersed into less suitable accommodation in the community on release from custody.
| Allocation (£) | |
Burglary: Sentencing
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 11 January 2011, Official Report, column 263W, on burglary offences: custodial sentences, what proportion of custodial sentences for burglary offences were suspended sentences in 2009. [34334]
Mr Blunt: There were 22,758 offenders sentenced for burglary in 2009 of which 44% were given an immediate custody and 10% were given a suspended sentence.
This information can be found in Sentencing Statistics 2009, supplementary tables la available at the following link:
Please note that court proceedings data for 2010 are planned to be published in the spring.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of his Department's legal aid budget was allocated to (a) solicitors, (b) Citizens Advice Bureau and (c) other organisations providing legal advice in the last financial year for which figures are available. [33693]
Mr Djanogly: During 2009-10, the last financial year for which figures are available, £2.1 billion was spent on legal aid. Of this, £295 million was spent on legal help, which is the level of service under which legal advice is provided in civil matters. The following table shows the proportion of legal help spent on solicitor firms, the CAB and other organisations.
| Type of legal aid provider | Total legal help spend (£ million) | Proportion of legal help budget (percentage) |
The figures for solicitors include disbursements, which are paid to solicitors but may then be paid on to other organisations.
The figures for 'Other' include not-for-profit organisations, Community Legal Advice Centres, and telephone advice.
All figures are inclusive of VAT.
Community Orders: Reoffenders
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders carrying out unpaid work under community orders were sent back to prison following breaches of the conditions of their order in 2009-10. [33705]
Mr Blunt: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Although statistics are collected on the number of unpaid work requirements which fail to complete and on the number of prison receptions for breach of a community order or suspended sentence order, the two data sets are separate and it would require a time-consuming data-matching exercise to combine them and calculate the number of receptions into custody which were specifically related to breach of an order with an unpaid work requirement.
In 2009-10 23,251 unpaid work requirements attached to community orders and suspended sentence orders were revoked for failure to comply or for conviction of a further offence.
Data published for the calendar year 2009 show that 3,996 persons were received into prison establishments in England and Wales for breach of a community sentence and 4,361 for breach of a suspended sentence(1).
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
(1) Source:
Table 6.9, Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2009, Ministry of Justice
Courts
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely cost of extending the virtual court system to some or all magistrates courts following the pilot scheme. [33666]
Mr Djanogly: An assessment has not been made in relation to the cost of extending the virtual court as tests are ongoing to examine how a cost-effective operating model might be developed.
Crime
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice by what date he proposes to end automatic escalation of out-of-court disposals in cases where young people have committed low-level crime. [34111]
Mr Blunt: The Government published the Green Paper "Breaking the Cycle" on 7 December 2010. This consultation document includes proposals to end automatic escalation in youth out of court disposals, and a decision will be made following the close of this consultation. Any change on this policy would require primary legislation.
Custody: Death
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on procedures associated with deaths in custody including (a) investigations by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman, (b) inquests and (c) other follow-up action in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10. [33773]
Mr Blunt: The information in the following table shows the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman's average cost of an investigation into a death for each financial year since 2007-08. Also shown is the number of death in prison custody investigations for each financial year since 2007-08.
| Data on PPO death investigations | ||
| Average cost of a death investigation (£) | Number of death in prison custody investigations | |
Information about the procedural costs incurred on inquests by local authorities, who are responsible for funding the coroner system, is not held centrally
The procedural costs for any follow up actions related to deaths in prison custody in each financial year since 2007-08 are unknown and can be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost of legal representation of the Government at inquests into all cases where the state is represented including (a) deaths in custody, (b) deaths of military personnel on active service and (c) hospital deaths in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10; and how much his Department spent on legal aid for families of the deceased in such cases. [33774]
Mr Djanogly:
The Ministry does not have oversight of the provision of legal advice to the Government as a whole and as such the Ministry does not hold information on the cost of legal advice to other departments. The estimated cost of the provision of legal advice and representation of the Government at inquests following the deaths of military personnel on
active service and hospital deaths are matters for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Department for Health (DoH) respectively.
The Ministry does, however, have responsibility for the welfare of prisoners, and, as such, it has obtained legal advice and representation from the Treasury Solicitor's Department and Counsel at inquests following the deaths of prisoners in custody. These costs came to £1.8 million in 2007-08; £2.2 million in 2008-09 and £2.7 million in 2009-10.
Legal aid funding for inquests is not within scope of the legal aid scheme. Nevertheless, under the Access to Justice Act 1999, the Lord Chancellor has the power to authorise the Legal Services Commission to grant exceptional legal aid funding in cases which are not within the scope of the civil legal aid scheme. The total amount spent on exceptional funding was £1.1 million in 2007-08; £1.5 million in 2008-09 and £1.6 million in 2009-10. While most of the applications for exceptional funding are for inquests, it is not possible to disaggregate the expenditure on inquests from the total amount spent on exceptional funding.
Drug: Offences
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions in the London borough of Bexley for drug-related offences resulted in prison sentences in the last three years for which figures are available. [33583]
Mr Blunt: The number of defendants found guilty at all courts and sentenced to immediate custody for drug offences in the Metropolitan police force area, for the years 2007 to 2009 (latest available) are presented in the table.
Information at borough level is not collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice.
Data for 2010 are planned for publication in the spring of 2011.
| Number of defendants found guilty at all courts and sentenced to immediate custody for drug offences in the Metropolitan police force area, for the years 2007 - 09( 1, 2) | ||
| Metropolitan police force area | Found guilty | Immediate custody |
| (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice. | ||
HM Prison Ford: Operating Costs
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the operating cost of HM Prison Ford was in each of the last 10 years; [34114]
(2) what the cost to the public purse per prisoner place at HM Prison Ford was in each of the last 10 years. [34149]
Mr Blunt: The following table shows the direct establishment expenditure and the corresponding cost per prison place and per prisoner at HMP Ford for each of the last 10 years:
| HMP Ford | |||
| £ | |||
| Direct establishment expenditure | Cost per place | Cost per prisoner | |
The costs comprise the establishment's direct resource expenditure as published in HM Prison Service (HMPS) annual report and accounts, and for 2008-09 with the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) annual report and accounts. This is only expenditure met locally at the establishment.
For 2007-08 and 2008-09 an overall cost per place/prisoner which also includes prison related costs met by NOMS at regional and national level has been calculated as follows:
| HMP Ford | |||
| £ | |||
| Overall expenditure | Overall cost per place | Overall cost per prisoner | |
The overall average cost for 2007-08 and 2008-09 comprises the direct establishment expenditure, (as recorded in the HMPS and NOMS Agency annual report and accounts), increased by an apportionment of relevant costs borne centrally and in the regions by HMPS and NOMS. This involves some estimation. 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). Prisoner escort service costs are included.
Care should be taken in making comparisons over years as there may be changes in scope and accounting treatment that affect comparability.
Cost per prison place is expressed in terms of the certified normal accommodation number of places, which in this case gives a lower unit cost than the cost per prisoner.
HM Prison Ford: Sentencing
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many prisoners at HM Prison Ford were serving a sentence of four years or more on 31 December 2010; [33689]
(2) how many prisoners at HM Prison Ford were serving sentences for (a) drug offences and (b) violent offences on 31 December 2010; [33690]
(3) how many prisoners at HM Prison Ford were serving sentences of more than four years for (a) drug offences and (b) violence on 31 December 2010; and how many such prisoners had more than two years of their sentences remaining; [33691]
(4) how many prisoners that were transferred to HM Prison Ford had more than (a) two, (b) three and (c) four years of their sentences remaining in the last year for which figures are available. [33692]
Mr Blunt: The following tables provide relevant information on the prison population for HMP Ford as at 31 December 2010 relating to sentence length and offence type.
However to establish transfer of prisoners to HMP Ford would involve disproportionate cost. Prisoners are not generally allocated to open prisons with more than two years to serve to their expected release date.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
| Table A: Prison population in HMP Ford, by sentence length, on 31 December 2010 | |
| Population | |
| Notes: 1. The figures exclude those recalled to prison. 2. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Source: Further breakdown of the prison population as published in the 31 December 2010 NOMS 'Prison Population and Accommodation Briefing'. | |
| Table B: Prison population in HMP Ford, by specific offence group, on 31 December 2010 | |
| Population | |
| Notes: 1. The figures include recalls and indeterminate sentences. 2. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Source: Further breakdown of the prison population as published in the 31 December 2010 NOMS 'Prison Population and Accommodation Briefing'. | |
| Table C: Prison population in HMP Ford, by sentence length and specific offence group, on 31 December 2010 | ||
| Sentence length of four years or more | Those with more than two years to serve | |
| Notes: 1. The figures include immediate custodial sentenced prisoners and those recalled to prison. 2. We provided sentence length of four years or more in order to be consistent with the content of our publication. 3. Prisoners are not generally allocated to open prisons with more than two years to serve to their expected release date. Both of the drugs cases with more than two years to serve have less than three years to serve. 4. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Source: Further breakdown of the prison population as published in the 31 December 2010 NOMS 'Prison Population and Accommodation Briefing'. | ||
HM Prison Ford
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what changes there have been to the (a) certified normal accommodation and (b) operational capacity at HM Prison Ford in the last 10 years. [34148]
Mr Blunt: The certified normal accommodation (CNA) at HMP Ford was 501 in December 2000, providing an operational capacity of 501 places. At the end of December 2010, the number of places had increased to a certified normal accommodation (CNA) of 557, providing an operational capacity of 557 places.
Offenders: Mental illness
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of offenders with mental health disorders who will require treatment in the community as a result of his proposals to reduce the prison population. [34039]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice estimate, that as a result of full implementation of mental health liaison and diversion policies in police stations and courts, annually between 3,000-10,000 people might be diverted away from short prison sentences, instead being suitable for treatment by community mental health services, in the majority of cases in combination with a community sentence.
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of offender cases referred to mental health services; and what support he plans to offer to young offenders who are unable to access an appropriate mental health service. [34110]
Mr Blunt: I understand the hon. Member's question to refer to an increase in the number of offender cases referred to mental health services.
The Government are committed to diverting mentally ill offenders from the criminal justice system where appropriate and increasing access to mental health services. In particular proposals about the NHS making available mental health liaison and diversion services at police stations and courts by 2014, for young and adult offenders, are set out in "Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders" published by the Ministry of Justice in December 2010.
The cross-Government Mental Health Strategy, due to be launched by the Department of Health on 24 January 2011, aims to improve mental health outcomes for people of all ages, including offenders. It will take a life course approach and prioritise early intervention.
Prisoners
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost per prisoner to his Department is of a category C prisoner in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [33715]
Mr Blunt: The average direct establishment cost per prisoner and per prison place in category C establishments is as follows:
| Direct public sector establishment expenditure 2008- 09 | |
| Category C establishments | £ |
The costs comprise the public sector establishments' direct resource expenditure as published in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) annual report and accounts. This is only expenditure met locally at each establishment.
The costs represent the total cost per place/prisoner at each prison where the majority use at the end of each year was for category C prisoners. There is no adjustment for prisons holding prisoners of more than one category.
For 2008-09 an overall cost per place/prisoner which also includes prison related costs met by NOMS at regional and national level has been calculated as follows:
| Total overall cost of public and private establishments 2008-09 | |
| Category C establishments | £ |
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. 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 (eg Health and Education). The prisoner escort service costs are included. Expenditure recharged to the Youth Justice Board in respect of young people is included.
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.
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoner places have been destroyed or otherwise put out of use as a result of recent disturbances at (a) HM Prison Ford, (b) HM Prison Doncaster Moorland and (c) HM Prison Littlehey. [34615]
Mr Blunt: As a result of the recent concerted indiscipline at the three establishments 61 places were lost at Ford, 265 at Moorland and none at Littlehey.
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have been moved away from (a) HM Prison Ford, (b) HM Prison Doncaster Moorland and (c) HM Prison Littlehey as a result of recent disturbances. [34616]
Mr Blunt: As at result of the Ford disturbance 86 prisoners have been transferred out. Following the Moorland disturbances 252 prisoners were transferred out and subsequently 23 prisoners were transferred out as a precaution against further incidents. 10 prisoners were transferred from HMP Littlehey.
Prisoners' Release
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to review the criteria by which parole boards assess risk to the public when considering release of prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection. [33601]
Mr Blunt: We are conducting an assessment of sentencing to ensure that it is effective in deterring crime, protecting the public, punishing offenders and cutting reoffending. On 7 December we published proposals in the Green Paper, "Breaking the Cycle: effective punishment, rehabilitation and sentencing of offenders", for public consultation. These proposals included the reform of sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPPs).
As now, offenders who have completed their minimum term will still have to undergo a risk assessment before being considered for release, and the Parole Board will consider whether each individual case is suitable for release on licence. We are, however, proposing to make amendments to the risk test used by the Parole Board, so that the Parole Board will need to satisfy themselves that the offender presents a risk which cannot be managed in the community. These proposals have been published on the Ministry of Justice website at:
Prisoners' Release: Rehabilitation
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection have taken part in a rehabilitation programme to address offending behaviour before reaching their tariff date. [33603]
Mr Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does not hold a central record of the dates that individual prisoners serving indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) undertook accredited programmes. It is, therefore, not possible to identify the proportion of prisoners who had undertaken a programme prior to tariff expiry.
NOMS has implemented a range of measures to improve the progression of indeterminate sentence prisoners through the prison system, particularly short tariff prisoners, and an additional £3 million allocation was made in each of the last three years to establishments to support work with this group of prisoners, with a view to ensuring assessments are made on time and to improving access to interventions.
Prisoners' Release: Reoffenders
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2011, Official Report, column 191W, on prisoners' release: reoffenders, what the baseline figure is from which the reduction in reconvictions which will trigger payments to social bond investors is to be measured. [34614]
Mr Blunt: The Social Impact Bond will work with up to 3,000 adult male short-sentenced prisoners discharged from HMP Peterborough, in three cohorts each comprised of approximately 1,000 offenders.
The baseline will be calculated by an independent assessor, the contract for which is currently being let by the Ministry of Justice. This assessor will calculate the total frequency of reconviction events for the offenders in each Social Impact Bond cohort, during the 12 months following their release. This will be compared with the frequency of conviction events over the same time period for a comparison group of 10,000 offenders released from other prisons, who are identified by the independent assessor as having similar characteristics to the Peterborough offenders.
Prisons: Closures
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what reduction in prison capacity will be attributable to the closure of (a) HM Prison Lancaster Castle, (b) HM Prison Ashwell and (c) HM Prison Morton Hall. [34617]
Mr Blunt: The closure of prisons Lancaster Castle and Ashwell and the change of use of Morton Hall to an immigration removal centre, to be operated by the National Offender Management Service on behalf of the UK Border Agency, will reduce our current prison capacity by 849 places:
| Establishment | Current operational capacity |
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the projected savings are from the closure of (a) HM Prison Lancaster Castle, (b) HM Prison Ashwell and (c) HM Prison Morton Hall. [34618]
Mr Blunt: On 13 January 2011, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke) announced the closure of Lancaster and Ashwell prisons and the change of use of Morton Hall prison to an immigration removal centre, to be operated by the National Offender Management Service Agency on behalf of the UK Border Agency.
Until the final outturn costs for site decommissioning, disposal or transfer are known, it is not possible to provide full figures for the savings from the prisons in question. However, in the last financial year, the operating costs for these sites were around £25 million (£10 million at Ashwell, £6.5 million at Lancaster Castle and £8.5 million at Morton Hall) which indicate a potential saving of up to this figure could be made.
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