Members: Correspondence
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to respond to the letter of 24 February 2012 from the hon. Member for Harrow West (Mr Thomas) on the possible deportation of a constituent to Sri Lanka; and if she will make a statement. [97659]
Damian Green [holding answer 1 March 2012]: I refer the hon. Member to my letter of 28 February 2012.
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Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer the letter sent to the Minister for Immigration by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) on 23 January with regard to Ms N. Ali. [98292]
Damian Green: I refer the right hon. Member to my letter of 5 March 2012.
Metal Theft
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports she has received on the number of instances of metal theft that involved liquified petroleum gas cylinders, in the two most recent years for which figures are available. [97429]
James Brokenshire: We believe that the theft of gas cylinders for their scrap value is a growing problem. The Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers are working with UKLPG, the trade association for the Liquid Petroleum Gas industry, and the scrap metal industry to highlight the serious risks associated with handling cylinders that contain flammable gas, and to promote legitimate disposal routes. Crime data held centrally by the Home Office are not however available at the level of detail required to provide specific information relating to the theft of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders.
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the funding set aside for a metal theft task force has been allocated; and in which areas of the UK it is being spent. [97855]
James Brokenshire: The British Transport Police is the lead agency for the delivery of the national Metal Theft Taskforce and is responsible for developing, implementing and managing the taskforce, including how funding is allocated and in which areas. The taskforce will operate in England, Wales and Scotland.
The Home Office will report on the taskforce's progress in due course.
National Crime Agency: Costs
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the projected cost is of establishing a shadow National Crime Agency as set out in her Department's Business Plan 2011-15. [97530]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The Home Office business plan 2011-15 committed to introducing a shadow National Crime Agency. Costs will be minimal in this phase as it will primarily be about ensuring better co-ordination of existing law enforcement activity. Any additional costs will be funded from existing budgets.
Police
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department issues to police authorities on the effect of the changes in expenditure by her Department on reorganisation of front-line services. [98081]
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Nick Herbert: The Government have not issued any such guidance. Decisions on force spending are for individual chief constables and their police authorities (and, from November this year, police and crime commissioners). The Government do, however, have a clear expectation that frontline services should be prioritised and we are supporting the police service in a number of ways to deliver transformational change in order to do so.
Police: Information and Communications Technology
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of costs associated with establishing a police information and communications technology company. [97776]
Nick Herbert: The costs associated with establishing a police information communications technology company are being examined. The company will be delivered within existing, funding allocations and projected costs will be subject to official scrutiny in the full business case.
Reoffenders: Foreign Nationals
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals formerly held in immigration removal centres and released subsequently reoffended in the latest period for which figures are available. [90042]
Damian Green [holding answer 16 January 2012]: In the period between April 2010 and March 2011, 153 foreign national offenders who met the deportation criteria and were formerly held in an immigration removal centre have subsequently reoffended.
This information is taken from internal management information and is subject to change.
Riots (Damages) Act 1886
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made for (a) acknowledging and (b) reporting progress to claimants on claims under the Riots (Damages) Act 1886 relating to the riots of August 2011. [97412]
Nick Herbert:
Police Authorities are responsible for acknowledging and assessing claims under the Riot Damages Act, both from insurance companies and those directly from individuals and businesses who were
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uninsured. Around 90% of businesses and individuals affected by the riots were insured, and able to make a claim to their insurance company. For those without insurance, the Government set up a claims handling bureau to help victims make claims from their police authority and the majority of these have now been processed.
UK Border Agency
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Border Agency (UKBA) employees will be transferred to the UK Border Force when it is separated from the UKBA. [97436]
Damian Green: Under current assumptions, it is estimated that 7,539 full-time equivalent Border Force staff will transfer from the UK Border Agency. This does not include any additional UK Border Agency support staff that may transfer as a result of ongoing discussions.
West Midlands Police
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many officers are based at each of West Midlands Police Authority's Road Traffic Policing Unit bases; and how many arrests such officers have made in the latest period for which figures are available; [98040]
(2) how many specially trained traffic officers will be employed by the West Midlands Police Authority's Road Traffic Policing Unit in each of the next four years; [98042]
(3) how many specially trained traffic officers worked for the West Midlands Police Authority's Road Traffic Policing Unit in each of the last three years. [98044]
Nick Herbert: This information is not collected centrally. These are matters for the chief constable of west midlands police.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of changes in expenditure by her Department on the West Midlands Police Authority's Road Traffic Policing Unit; and if she will make a statement. [98043]
Nick Herbert: No such assessment has been made by the Home Office. Decisions on force spending—including on road traffic policing units—are for individual chief constables and their police authorities (and, from November this year, police and crime commissioners) to make within the resources available.