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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 19 July 2011
House of Commons Commission
Catering
Mr Leigh: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission when the House of Commons Commission will respond to the First Report of the Administration Committee, Session 2010-12, on Catering and Retail Services in the House of Commons, HC 560; and if he will make a statement. [67391]
John Thurso: The Commission welcomes the Administration Committee's report on Catering and Retail Services in the House of Commons and is grateful to the Committee for its work. The Commission agrees with most of the recommendations, including all those which the Management Board has recommended be accepted. It has asked that the remainder be discussed with the Committee by officials of the House Service, after which the Commission will consider them again. That is expected to be in September.
Smartphone Applications
Priti Patel: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2010, Official Report, column 824W, on smartphone applications, what recent progress has been made in the development of smartphone applications for Parliament. [67110]
John Thurso: The development of a smartphone application, designed primarily for those visiting Parliament, has been halted. The quotes received from the procurement exercise were too expensive and it has been decided not to continue at this stage. Further work will be undertaken in due course to explore a more cost-effective method of providing visitor information via smartphones.
Home Department
Animal Experiments: Scotland
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places in Scotland were designated as a (a) supplying establishment, (b) breeding establishment and (c) scientific procedure establishment under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 at the end of 2010. [67046]
Lynne Featherstone: As at 31 December 2010, there were 32 establishments in Scotland designated as scientific procedure establishments under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Of these, 13 were also designated as breeding establishments and 19 as supplying establishments.
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Animal Welfare: Protest
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the level of threat from extremist animal rights protesters. [65442]
James Brokenshire: The police continually monitor the level of threat from all extremist groups, including animal rights extremists.
Apprentices
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has a policy on requirements for the provision of (a) apprenticeships and (b) other training by (i) her Department's prime contractors and (ii) suppliers in the supply chain of such contractors. [66521]
Damian Green: The Home Department does not have a mandatory policy on requirements for the provision of apprenticeships or other training by either its prime contractors or suppliers in the supply chain of such contractors. As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Strategy in 2010-11 79 of our top tier suppliers completed a questionnaire which included a section on apprenticeships. The responses received showed that 47% of the respondents helped to develop the skill set of local communities by providing apprenticeships within the supplier organisation.
In 2011-12 the Home Department will request that all suppliers with a spend of more than £5,000 respond to the questionnaire. This will provide us with a greater overview of apprenticeships in the Home Department's supply chain.
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many apprenticeships have been created directly by contracts with her Department in each of the last three years. [66523]
Damian Green: As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Strategy in 2010-11, 79 of our top tier suppliers completed a questionnaire which included a section on apprenticeships. The responses received showed that 47% of the respondents helped to develop the skill set of local communities by providing apprenticeships within the supplier organisation. This has resulted in 298 apprenticeships created within the Home Department's supply chain.
We do not hold centralised information on apprenticeships created directly by Home Department contracts for 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Asylum Seekers: Medical Treatment
Caroline Lucas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to Lord Roberts of Llandudno of 14 February 2011, Official Report, House of Lords, column 500, on asylum seekers: medical treatment and the answer to the right hon. Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark (Simon Hughes) of 15 February 2011, Official Report, column 651W, on asylum: sexuality, if she will make it her policy to issue guidance to the UK Border Agency instructing it immediately prior to removing a failed asylum seeker to assess whether the claim for asylum was made on the grounds of sexuality and rejected, by
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reference to the issue of discretion addressed by the Supreme Court in HJ (Iran) and HT (Cameroon) [2010] UKSC 31; and if she will direct the agency to review each such case where consideration has not yet been given to the Supreme Court's judgment. [66501]
Damian Green: Immediately following the HJ and HT judgment the agency initiated a review of all cases which had not yet exhausted their appeal rights. The agency does not, however, routinely review cases which have exhausted their appeal rights and does not plan to do so. The agency provides clear guidance on its website to individuals who have exhausted their appeal rights on how to bring forward further submissions if new circumstances apply since the original asylum decision and appeal determination were made.
Asylum: Sexuality
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum claims were made on the basis of sexual orientation or sexual identity in each of the last six quarters. [66498]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not routinely collect data on the basis of asylum claims; however, following the HJ and HT Supreme Court ruling in July 2010, arrangements were made to record data manually, but the resulting figures were initially not robust. Improved manual data were subsequently collected for the period April to June 2011 inclusive, as part of an internal audit of sexual orientation claims. Since 1 July, cases involving sexual orientation have been recorded on the agency's electronic case information database and this will provide a better basis for published data.
Data on claims based on sexual identity are not recorded.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy to remove sexuality asylum cases from the Detained Fast Track category; and if she will make a statement. [66500]
Damian Green: Entry to the detained fast track procedure is determined by reference to published policy. There are no plans to exclude applicants from the detained fast track process solely because their asylum claim is sexuality-related. However, published policy already stipulates that cases may enter and remain in the process only if they are amenable to a quick, fair and sustainable decision. If at the time of application it is apparent that this condition cannot be fulfilled in a sexuality-related persecution claim, or indeed in a claim with any other basis, the applicant will not be entered into the process.
Crime
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of (a) burglary, (b) sexual assault, (c) rape, (d) grievous bodily harm, (e) robbery, (f) violent disorder, (g) possession of a controlled substance, (h) intent to supply a controlled substance and (i) vehicle theft were recorded in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency in each of the last three years. [65837]
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James Brokenshire: Data for the Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency are not collected centrally. The constituency falls within the combined community safety partnership (CSP) areas of Blackpool and Wyre. The available statistics for these combined CSPs are given in the following table.
| Offences recorded by the police in the combined community safety partnership areas of Blackpool and Wyre | |||
| Number of offences | |||
| Offence | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
Crime: Nature Conservation
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to establishing measures against (a) smuggling of and (b) illegal trade in wildlife as priorities for the National Crime Agency. [67118]
Lynne Featherstone: The National Crime Agency (NCA) Plan sets out the Government's plan for the prioritisation of law enforcement activity against serious and organised criminality.
Crime: York
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many crimes were reported in York in each of the last four years; [65599]
(2) how many offences were recorded within the Safer York Partnership area in each year since 2004. [65598]
James Brokenshire: York and the York Community Safety Partnership area are coterminous. The available information relates to offences recorded by the police in the area and is given in the table.
| Offences recorded by the police in York | |
| Financial year | Number |
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Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of (a) crime related to vehicles, (b) burglary of a dwelling, (c) other burglary, (d) criminal damage, (e) theft, (f) violence and (g) other crimes were committed in York in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [65600]
James Brokenshire: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Offences recorded by the police in York | ||
| Number | ||
| Offence | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| (1) Aggravated vehicle taking, theft of and from a vehicle and vehicle interference. (2 )Excluding offences against vehicles. | ||
Crime: Young People
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the contribution of social media to gang culture and related youth violence; and if she will make a statement. [66696]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 18 July 2011]: There has been no formal assessment of the contribution of social media to serious youth violence.
It is possible for the courts to prohibit use of the internet to facilitate or encourage gang-related violence by adults using an injunction under the Policing and Crime Act 2009. This is where such a response is deemed proportionate and can be effectively monitored.
Gang injunctions for 14 to 17-year-olds will be piloted later this year.
Special Advisers
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenses were claimed by (a) paid and (b) unpaid special advisers working in her Department in the last 12 months. [62070]
Damian Green: Over the last 12 months the Department's special advisers claimed a total of £510 in expenses. This compares with £1118 in 2007-08, £1041 in 2008-09 and £717 in 2009-10 claimed by special advisers under the last administration. The Department has no unpaid special advisers.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the carbon dioxide emissions from her Department in (a) June 2010 and (b) June 2011. [66753]
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Damian Green: The Department's published carbon footprints for 2009-10 of 48,601 tCO2 and 2010-11 of 42,155 tCO2 are based upon energy consumption of all measurable buildings and employee rail, car and air travel while on official duty.
Carbon dioxide emissions from our buildings are falling against the 2009-10 baseline, due to investment in energy saving infrastructure and tighter controls. This has helped us to achieve a reduction of 17.6% as part of the Prime Minister's target to cut carbon emissions from key central Government offices by 10% in the 12 months to 13 May 2011.
Carbon dioxide emissions from travel have also fallen as we have rationalised our vehicle fleet and introduced measures to restrict business travel in favour of alternatives such as telephone and video-conferencing.
Departmental Contracts
Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual value is of her Department's current contracts in each sector in which contracts are held. [66522]
Damian Green: In the financial year 2010-11, the Home Department, inclusive of executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), spent £2.9 billion with over 3,500 suppliers. Details of contracts categorised by sector are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Industrial Disputes
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many managers at Grade 7 and above her Department employed to cover the work of junior immigration grades involved in industrial action on 29 and 30 June 2011; and whether she has made an estimate of the cost of employing such staff to provide this cover. [66117]
Damian Green: 356 managers at Grade 7 and above were used to cover the work of junior immigration grades in the industrial action on 29 and 30 June 2011. These staff were already employed by the Home Department so there was no additional salary cost.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employees of her Department were re-deployed to cover the work of staff involved in industrial action on 29 and 30 June 2011; and what the cost was of (a) overtime payments including travel time, (b) time off in lieu of overtime, (c) travel, accommodation and subsistence costs and (d) bonus and other payments for this purpose. [66118]
Damian Green: During the industrial action on 29 and 30 June 2011, a total of 394 employees from a variety of grades were re-assigned to manage the UK Border Agency’s (UKBA) strategic priorities of maintaining border security and managing the vulnerable in our care. The total cost associated with this centrally co-ordinated critical incident planning exercise are not yet available but the accounting process has identified, as at 12 July 2011, a total of £8,398 in related expenditure.
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In Home Office HQ, the Identity and Passport Service, the Criminal Records Bureau and in areas of UKBA, on work not covered by the centrally co-ordinated re-deployment exercise, managers made local arrangements where necessary to ensure that the essential work of the Department continued. Details of these local arrangements are not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Manpower
Shabana Mahmood:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Border Agency
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staff were based at
(a)
London Heathrow,
(b)
London Gatwick,
(c)
London Stansted,
(d)
Birmingham,
(e)
Manchester,
(f)
Leeds,
(g)
Bristol,
(h)
Edinburgh,
(i)
Glasgow,
(j)
Belfast and
(k)
Cardiff airport in each of the last five years. [65997]
Damian Green [holding answer 14 July 2011]:Due to border security considerations the UK Border Agency does not report on staff numbers at individual Ports, but does however report on staff numbers on a regional basis.
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) recruited and (b) made redundant from (i) her Department and (ii) each non-departmental body for which she is responsible since May 2010. [66327]
Damian Green: The following table has been compiled using Office for National Statistics guidelines for work force management reporting.
There has been an external recruitment freeze in place across the civil service since 24 May 2010. The only exceptions to the recruitment freeze are for the graduate fast stream, and truly exceptional business-critical and frontline appointments. External recruitment is only allowed once every effort has been made to fill a role internally, from staff in the redeployment pool, or from elsewhere in the civil service. The recruitment freeze and targeted voluntary exit schemes helped reduce the headcount (paid civil servants) of the Home Office and its Executive agencies from 31,459 on 1 June 2010 to 28,162 on 30 June 2011. The largest proportion of the 3,297 reduction has been achieved through voluntary exit schemes.
The changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) in December 2010 oblige Departments first to offer voluntary redundancy to any staff identified as being at risk of redundancy, who are in re-deployment, and who have not been able to secure an alternative post. This must take place prior to the Department being allowed to consider whether to issue notice of compulsory redundancy.
| Table 1: Staff who have been (a) recruited or (b) made redundant since May 2010 | |||
| Headcount | |||
| (a) Staff who have been recruited since May 2010 | (b) Staff who have been made redundant since May 2010 | ||
| (1) This includes 373 existing civil servants who transferred from other Government departments to the Home Office during the period in question (101 of these transferred in when the Government Equalities Office (GEO) became part of the Home Office in May 2011). (2) The number of individuals identified within this category falls between 0 and 5 and has been redacted in accordance with the Data protection principles to avoid inadvertent identification of particular individuals. Notes: 1. All figures are paid civil servants as to comply with Office for National Statistics definitions. 2. All figures are inclusive of 1 June 2010 to 30 June 2011. Sources: For the Home Office return the data was obtained by Data View, the Home Office's single source of monthly Human Resources data. Individual NDPB returns were manually collated | |||
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Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to her Department was of employing press and media officers in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [66810]
Damian Green: The cost of press officers employed between May 2010 and June 2011 was £1,727,459. The Home Office do not employ media officers.
Departmental Official Visits
Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times she has visited (a) Buckinghamshire, (b) Surrey, (c) Liverpool and (d) Dorset in an official capacity since May 2010. [65934]
Damian Green: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has visited Surrey on three occasions and Dorset on one occasion. No visits by the Secretary of State for the Home Department have taken place to Liverpool or Buckinghamshire.
Departmental Publicity
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on (a) photographs of Ministers, (b) videos of Ministers and (c) other similar products since 12 May 2010. [67806]
Lynne Featherstone: Since 12 May 2010, the Home Office staff communications team has spent £1,000 on official photographs of Ministers.
There has been no spend on videos of Ministers or on other similar products.
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Departmental Redundancy
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on redundancy costs since 12 May 2010. [67723]
Damian Green: Since 12 May 2010, no members of staff have been made compulsorily redundant and therefore no costs have been incurred.
Business Regulation
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many regulations her Department has introduced (a) in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and (b) in the six months after 1 September 2010 which it has determined do not impose costs on businesses; [65321]
(2) how many regulations that impose costs on businesses her Department has (a) introduced and (b) removed since 1 September 2010; what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was; and what regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address (i) emergencies and (ii) systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010; [65338]
(3) how many regulations that impose costs on businesses her Department (a) introduced and (b) removed in the six months prior to 1 September 2010; and what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was. [65355]
Damian Green: The following tables give information about the regulatory measures introduced/revoked since March 2010, including details of (i) the costs (if any) on businesses and (ii) exclusions from the one-in, one-out system. Statistics about the net effect of the cost to businesses from the introduction and revocation of these regulations are not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost in time and resources.
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Departmental Responsibilities
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member of each political party was refused by (a) a Minister in her Department directly and (b) her Department on behalf of a Minister in November 2010. [67581]
Damian Green: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 July 2011, Official Report, columns 273-74W.
Deportation
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the UK Border Agency takes prior to setting removal directions to ensure that the removal is not inconsistent with any change in (a) law, (b) policy and (c) any court or tribunal decision arising (i) after the decision that a person is to be removed and (ii) after any appeal against such a decision to remove has been finally decided. [66499]
Damian Green: UK Border Agency staff are provided with comprehensive guidance on the information to be considered and assessed when making a decision to remove individuals from the UK. Each case will be considered on its individual merits, which will include any extenuating compassionate circumstances, together with any recent changes to law, policy, or court or tribunal decisions.
The procedures to be followed and the factors to be considered when setting removal directions can be found in the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance (EIG) manual at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/enforcement/detentionandremovals/
Separately UK Border Agency Staff are notified as and when important policy changes or court or tribunal decisions might impact on a decision to remove.
Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which unit of her Department is responsible for (a) accompanying, (b) monitoring and (c) reporting on the treatment of those to be removed from the UK during each stage of the removal process. [67114]
Damian Green: The Government expect that those with no right to stay in the UK leave voluntarily. Many do so but for those who fail to leave we have to enforce their departure. Our arrangements for doing so can extend to individuals being escorted on to an aircraft or, for a smaller number, overseas. The UK Border Agency's Criminality and Detention Group is responsible for arranging the escort of individuals who are detained prior to removal from the UK and for monitoring and reporting on their treatment immediately prior to and during removal.
Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure her Department follows to accredit private security escorts responsible for enforced removals; and whether an assessment of the training in the use of handcuffs and other mechanical restraints is a mandatory element of the accreditation process. [67115]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has used private sector escorting companies to undertake enforced removals for nearly 20 years. These companies operate within a clear framework set out in legislation and in a set of operating standards and instructions which are published on the Agency's website.
Individuals employed to work as detention custody officers (DCOs) must be certified before they can undertake duties on behalf of the UK Border Agency. The process, which includes gaining security clearance and completing mandatory control and restraint training, is set out in Detention Service Order 04-2011, entitled Detainee Custody Officer Certification, available on the UK Border Agency website:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/detention-services-orders/
All DCOs are trained in control and restraint techniques accredited by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), and receive refresher training every 12 months as a mandatory condition of their individual certification to work as a DCO. The control and restraint training includes the use of two types of handcuffs and a leg restraint which takes the form of a velcro strap. The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) also provides UKBA contracted escorting staff with additional training in the use of rigid bar handcuffs.
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Detection Rates: York
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the crime detection rate was for North Yorkshire Police Force in each year since 2005-06. [65601]
James Brokenshire: The information requested is shown in the following table.
| Detection rates for crimes recorded in North Yorkshire | |
| Financial year | Detection rate (%) |
Domestic Violence
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which police forces have trained staff in the domestic abuse, stalking and harassment and honour-based violence risk identification and assessment and management model; [66783]
(2) whether she has any plans to ensure that the domestic abuse, stalking and harassment and honour-based violence risk identification and assessment and management model is used by all police forces in England and Wales; [66784]
(3) how many police forces use the domestic abuse, stalking and harassment and honour-based violence risk identification, assessment and management model; and how many cases of homicide there were where there was (a) prior stalking and (b) harassment behaviour by a former partner, in each such police force area. [66733]
Lynne Featherstone [holding answer 18 July 2011]: The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Council accredited the Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence (DASH) Risk Identification, Assessment and Management Model to be implemented across all police services in the UK from March 2009. Although we understand that the majority of forces currently use DASH it is for individual forces to decide which risk assessment models to use and the training their officers and staff receive.
Entry Clearances
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to ensure consistency in decision-making in respect of the admittance to the UK of (a) Rael Salah and (b) Pastor John Hagee. [65392]
Damian Green: The Government do not routinely comment on individual exclusion cases.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has the power to exclude or deport individuals whose conduct she considers non-conducive to the public good.
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Entry Clearances: Entertainers
Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications to enter the UK with an entertainment visa under Paragraph 46S of requirements for leave to enter have been (a) received and (b) refused since 2005; [67023]
(2) how applications to enter the UK with an entertainment visa under Paragraph 46S of requirements for leave to enter are assessed in respect of (a) family ties to the home country and (b) earnings threshold in pounds sterling equivalent. [67024]
Damian Green: The amendment of the Immigration Rules to include provision for leave to enter as an Entertainer Visitor (Paragraph 46S) came into effect on 27 November 2008. The number of visa applications in this category that were (a) received; and (b) refused, to 31 December 2010 were 9,075 and 1,999, respectively.
All non-EEA nationals seeking leave to enter as a visitor, including as an Entertainer Visitor, must show, amongst other things, that they:
(a) intend to come to the UK for a limited period not exceeding six months;
(b) will either (i) be able to adequately maintain and accommodate themselves, or (ii) be adequately maintained and accommodated, during their stay without recourse to public funds; and
(c) will be able to meet the cost of their return or onward journey.
The onus is on the applicant to provide evidence to show that these and the other requirements for entry are met.
All visa applications are assessed on their individual merits. It is standard practice to take into consideration an applicant's personal and family circumstances overseas when assessing their intentions. There is no earnings threshold which Entertainer or other categories of visitor must meet but they will be expected to show that they or their sponsors have sufficient funds for the trip.
Entry Clearances: Higher Education
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given in determining her policy on visas to the introduction of exemptions from visa requirements for those undertaking research and development work at a university. [66848]
Damian Green: There are no exemptions from visa requirements for those undertaking particular types of work under tier 2 of the points-based system. However, those undertaking work in an occupation requiring PhD-level skills are given high priority when allocating places in the annual limit for tier 2. There is additional provision for sponsored researchers in tier 5 of the points-based system and the new tier 1 (exceptional talent) route will be a further alternative for world leaders in their field.
Identity Cards: Finance
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of her Department's budget was allocated to the (a) implementation and (b) management of identity cards. [65729]
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Damian Green: Between 2003 and March 2006, the Home Office spent a total of £41 million developing the policy, legislation and business case for ID cards which represents approximately 0.1% of the Home Office Budget for that period.
The ID Cards Project joined the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) on its establishment in April 2006 and IPS spent a total of £251 million on set-up costs between April 2006 and March 2010, approximately 0.5% of the Home Office Budget for that period.
Approximately £8 million was spent on delivering ID cards from their launch in October 2009 until the decommissioning of the National Identity Scheme (NIS), representing less than 0.1% of the Home Office Budget for that period.
Illegal Immigrants
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal migrants have failed to attend an immigration reporting centre after being arrested at the border and requested to do so on the following day. [64302]
Damian Green: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Immigrants: Detainees
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time an individual awaiting an upper tribunal hearing was kept in detention in the latest period for which figures are available. [65264]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency's Case Information Database indicates that for detained subjects, between the months of March 2010 and February 2011, the average length of time between an application for permission to appeal and the Upper Tribunal hearing outcome was 32.65 weeks. The figures are provisional and have not been subject to the detailed checks that apply to our National Statistics.
Marriage
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for future arrangements for the certificate of approval for marriages. [67109]
Damian Green: The Government abolished the Certificate of Approval scheme on 9 May 2011. We have no plans to reintroduce the scheme which was ineffective in tackling sham marriage and which the courts had ruled incompatible with the European convention on human rights. The family migration consultation launched on 13 July proposes new measures aimed at tackling sham marriages and other abuse, promoting integration and reducing burdens on the taxpayer.
Metropolitan Police: Firearms
Mr Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan police officers are qualified in the use of firearms. [67307]
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James Brokenshire: The latest available figures for 2009-10 show that there were 2,856 authorised firearms officers in the Metropolitan police force.
National Security Adviser
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she had with the National Security Adviser in (a) January, (b) March and (c) June 2011. [67356]
Damian Green [holding answer 18 July 2011]: The Secretary of State for the Home Department meets the National Security Adviser on a regular basis as part of the National Security Council briefing committees. For security reasons what was discussed cannot be disclosed.
National Security Council
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role and responsibilities she has in relation to the National Security Council; and what recent contribution she has made to its work. [67416]
James Brokenshire: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is a member of the National Security Council (NSC) which meets regularly to ensure prompt, coherent, co-ordinated and informed decision making on all strategic defence and security issues.
The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) sets out those areas for which the Home Secretary is accountable to the NSC: Counter-Terrorism, Border Security and Serious Organised Crime.
National Wildlife Crime Unit
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all the responsibilities of the National Wildlife Crime Unit are to be incorporated into the National Crime Agency. [67119]
Lynne Featherstone: The National Crime Agency (NCA) plan sets out the Government’s plan for the scope and functionality of the NCA. The planning and implementation phase has now begun and will include detailed consideration of the functions of the new agency.
Organised Crime
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to address the activities of organised gangs engaged in benefit and other frauds. [65152]
James Brokenshire:
As part of the work to strengthen the response to organised crime, the key law enforcement agencies—the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), UK Border Agency and the police—are pooling their intelligence on organised criminal groups. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, run by the City of London police, is also a key contributor. A good example of joint working against organised criminal groups engaged in fraud is the work of the Northern Ireland Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF)
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where HMRC, SOCA, the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, have been active in tackling organised criminal gangs involved in fuels duty fraud. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has specialist fraud investigation teams which focus specifically on identifying and disrupting organised fraud attacks on the benefits system. Investigations are undertaken in partnership with other agencies such as local authorities, the police and HMRC. There is also a specialist Financial Investigation Unit, which carries out financial investigations to track proceeds of crime and seeks to recover assets where benefit fraud has been committed against DWP. In the last financial year, DWP teams prosecuted 1,076 cases of organised fraud and identified criminal assets totalling £8.74 million of which around £3.5 million was recovered by confiscation orders.
Passport Agency: ICT
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the original estimate, at current prices, was for the cost to the public purse of the Siemens IT system for the Passport Agency; what the final cost, at current prices, was at the time of completion; and whether additional costs have been incurred since completion. [65627]
Damian Green: At the time of contract award, the anticipated contract value was between £80 to £100 million over a 10-year period. The contract duration extended to 11 years at a total cost of approximately £365 million.
The increase in costs over the term of the Siemens contract can be attributed to numerous factors including additional demand for passports, enhancements of the IT infrastructure and business processes to accommodate changes in policy, response to changes in security threats and customer service improvements.
Police
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made on the impact of deploying officers on single police patrol on levels of (a) violent knife crime, (b) anti-social behaviour and (c) gun crime. [66176]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 18 July 2011]: The deployment of officers patrolling on their own, rather than in pairs, maximises visibility and increases engagement with the public, by potentially doubling the policing visibility within a given neighbourhood. However, the deployment patterns of police officers are a matter for individual chief constables, working with their police authorities. No assessment has been made by the Home Office of the effects of single police patrol on the level of crime or antisocial behaviour.
Steve Rotheram:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of single police patrols on levels of (a) knife
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crime,
(b)
gun crime and
(c)
anti-social behaviour. [64969]
James Brokenshire: The deployment of officers patrolling on their own, rather than in pairs, maximises visibility and increases engagement with the public, by potentially doubling the policing visibility within a given neighbourhood. However, the deployment patterns of police officers are a matter for individual chief constables, working with their police authorities. No assessment has been made by the Home Office of the effects of single police patrol on the level of crime or antisocial behaviour.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to carrying out value for money profiles of police forces to measure the amount of uniformed officer time spent on each type of activity. [66824]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 18 July 2011]:HM Inspectorate of Constabulary has published value for money profiles on its website:
www.hmic.gov.uk
which include breakdowns of the police workforce by function. In addition, in its report “Demanding Times” (March 2011), HM Inspectorate of Constabulary identified the different police roles and quantified each category. That report also included the results of surveys of the availability and visibility of warranted police officers and police community support officers in England and Wales. More detailed measurement of the time spent by officers on each type of activity that they undertake would create a disproportionate bureaucratic burden on the police service.
Police Cautions
Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police cautions were issued in (a) England and Wales, (b) Cheshire and (c) City of Chester constituency in each year since 1997; [66282]
(2) how many police cautions were issued for assault in (a) England and Wales, (b) Cheshire and (c) City of Chester constituency in each year since 1997; [66283]
(3) how many police cautions were issued for burglary in (a) England and Wales, (b) Cheshire and (c) City of Chester constituency in each year since 1997. [66285]
James Brokenshire: Information available centrally does not allow a breakdown of cases by parliamentary constituency.
Data provided by the Ministry of Justice, showing the numbers of offenders cautioned for all offences, burglary and assault in England and Wales and Cheshire police force area from 1997 to 2010 can be viewed in the following tables.
| Offenders cautioned (1,2) for all offences, burglary and assault (3) in England and Wales and Cheshire police force area, 1997 to 2010 | |||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
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| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| (1) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 10 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3) Includes: Assault on a constable and common assault offences. Note: 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 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. | |||||||
Police Cautions: Greater London
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police cautions were issued for (a) drug offences, (b) burglary, (c) assaults and (d) vehicle crime in London in each of the last five years. [67373]
Mr Blunt: I have been asked to reply.
The number of cautions issued in the Metropolitan police force area (including the City of London) for drugs offences, burglary, assaults and vehicle crime, from 2006 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table.
Cautions and court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring, 2012.
| Number of cautions issued for drugs offences, burglary, assaults (1) and vehicle crime (2 ) in the Metropolitan police force area 2006-10 (3, 4, 5) | |||||
| Metropolitan police force area (6) | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| (1) Includes offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), malicious wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH) and summary offences of assault on a constable and common assault. (2) Includes notifiable offences of; aggravated taking of a vehicle: stealing from vehicles; stealing and unauthorised taking of motor vehicles; interference with motor vehicles. (3) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (4) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (5) 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. (6) Includes City of London police force area. Source: Justice Statistical Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice. | |||||
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Police: Bureaucracy
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much time police officers spent on (a) crime incident-specific activities, (b) non-crime incident-specific activities and (c) activities not related to specific incidents in each of the last five years. [66812]
James Brokenshire: The information requested is given in the table for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08. For later years, the information is not available as collection of data on police activity has been discontinued to reduce the bureaucratic burden on the police.
| Table 1: Percentage of police time spent on crime-related incidents, non-crime related incidents and non-incident specific activity, 2006-07 and 2007-08 | ||
| Percentage of total police officer time | ||
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
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| Notes: 1. Totals may not equal 100% due to rounding errors. 2. The information is taken from activity analysis, which was collected by all forces over a two-week period in each year and provides a snapshot of how officers are deployed. 3. 2007-08 excludes Staffordshire. | ||
Police: Length of Service
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers of each rank in each police authority area will have completed 30 years service on 1 April 2012; and if she will make a statement. [67333]
James Brokenshire: Based on the latest available information of police officers in post with 28 years or more length of service as at 31 March 2010, and assuming none of these would have left post in the meantime, the following table gives the number of officers that would have completed 30 years or more length of service on 1 April 2012, by police force area and rank.
| The number of police officers which have 28 years or more length of service as at 31 March 2010, by police force area and rank (1 2) | ||||||||
| ACPO | Chief Superintendent | Superintendent | Chief Inspector | Inspector | Sergeant | Constable | Total | |
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| (1) Figures are provisional and have not been verified by forces. (2) Cheshire is unable to provide length of service figures. | ||||||||