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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 28 January 2013
Home Department
Asylum
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2013, Official Report, column 238W, on the UK Border Agency, (1) if she will take steps to ensure that the monthly analysis of asylum claims by the UK Border Agency includes a breakdown of claims by gender; and if she will make a statement; [139105]
(2) what areas were highlighted as requiring improvement in the thematic review of asylum claims based on or featuring gender-related persecutions and gender issues completed by her Department in June 2011; and if she will make a statement. [139106]
Mr Harper: The agency does not routinely analyse the quality of asylum decisions by gender because sample sizes are not large enough to identify the contribution of gender to differences in quality in a statistically meaningful way. Under the new quality assurance process being developed for the asylum process, the agency will continue to collect data on quality and gender. The intention is to monitor how interviewers and decision makers handle gender-related issues on a six monthly basis and monitor trends in performance over the longer term. Areas where specific gender-related performance issues are identified will be addressed through, for example, further guidance, training or staff management.
Among the issues identified in the agency's thematic review of asylum claims based on gender were that, in some cases, full consideration had not been given to whether women claimants were members of a particular social group under the terms of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and that, in some cases, there was a lack of investigation into instances of domestic violence committed by relatives other than a husband. In light of the issues raised the agency has developed dedicated training on managing asylum claims from women and this has been delivered to decision makers. The agency has also been working closely with corporate partners on a number of other actions aimed at improving the gender sensitivity of the asylum system.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are supported by the National Asylum Support Service; and what the equivalent number was in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011. [140052]
Mr Harper: The National Asylum Support Service was disbanded in 2006. Asylum support is now managed through regional asylum teams. The legislation in respect of eligibility for asylum support, and the categories of support available, has not changed.
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Support may be provided under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute until their asylum claim is determined. Section 95 support can be provided as both accommodation and subsistence, or accommodation or subsistence only.
At the end of Q3 2012, the most recent published figure available, 19,366 asylum seekers were in receipt of Section 95 support.
Corresponding figures for previous years are:
| Number | |
Figures on Section 95 support are published on a quarterly basis. Latest figures are available in Table as.16.q of the release ‘Immigration Statistics, July to September 2012' which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q3-2012/
City of London Police
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) full-time equivalent police officers, (b) full-time police community support officers and (c) other full-time equivalent staff were working for the City of London police in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement. [139272]
Damian Green: The number of police officers, police community support officers and other police staff working for City of London police as at 31 March 2011 and 2012 are shown within the following table (full-time equivalent). Figures as at 31 March 2013 are obviously not yet available.
| Number of police officers, police community support officers and police staff strength within City of London police as at 31 March 2011 and 2012(1,2) | |||
| As at 31 March: | Police Officers | Police Community Support Officers | Police Staff |
| (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (2) Figures for 2012-13 are not yet available. | |||
Data Protection
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions each Minister in her Department carried classified documents on public transport in the last 12 months for which information is available. [137114]
James Brokenshire: This information is not held centrally.
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Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department currently remunerates (a) telephone companies, (b) internet service providers and (c) others annually for data storage; and what estimate she has made of such figures if the draft Communications Data Bill was passed. [139631]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 25 January 2013]:Payments reimbursing the costs to industry of communications data retention, and provision of dedicated staff to answer law enforcement inquiries, are normally met by the police and other operational agencies requesting the data.
The total estimated payment to the communications industry for these purposes by the Home Office for FY 2012-13 is £15 million. 80% of this expenditure is through a pilot project established by the Home Office to ensure value for money and auditing of payments to industry. Under this pilot, a subset of providers are reimbursed directly by the Home Office, with the money then recharged to operational agencies.
It is not possible to break this figure down as requested, as companies may offer multiple services (eg a broadband and a mobile service) but only receive a single payment.
Information on the expected costs that would be incurred following future legislation will be included in the impact assessment published to accompany it.
Domestic Violence
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to meet its objectives on reducing domestic violence. [139563]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The Government's Call to End Violence Against Women and Girls Action Plan sets out our steps to tackle all forms of violence against women. This includes ring-fencing funding of nearly £40 million over the spending review period towards specialist domestic and sexual violence services. We are also piloting the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme in the four police areas of Greater Manchester, Gwent, Nottinghamshire and Wiltshire, and are evaluating the Domestic Violence Protection Order pilot that concluded in June 2012.
Domestic Violence: Males
John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps her Department is taking to tackle domestic violence against men; [139151]
(2) what steps her Department is taking to support voluntary sector organisations who work with men subjected to domestic violence. [139152]
Mr Jeremy Browne: We recognise that men can be victims of domestic violence and need advice and support. In December 2011, the Home Office set up the Male Victims Fund to support frontline organisations working with male victims of sexual and domestic violence. Details of the organisations can be found at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/violence-against-women-girls/domestic-violence/
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We also fund Respect to run the Men's Advice Line for male victims of domestic violence and Broken Rainbow to run a helpline for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) victims of domestic violence.
Drugs: Misuse
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much her Department has spent on advertising the risks associated with Class (a) A, (b) B and (c) C drugs via the FRANK drug information campaign in each of the last five years; [139578]
(2) how much her Department has spent on advertising the risks associated with Class (a) A, (b) B and (c) C drugs in each of the last five years. [139579]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The following information summarises Home Office spend on advertising the risks associated with Class (a) A, (b) B and (c) C drugs via the FRANK drug information campaign in each of the last five years. This spend includes the cost of advertising to raise awareness of the FRANK service.
| £ | |
The figures relate to the cost of TV, cinema, radio, print, posters and online media, and exclude VAT, production costs and agency fees.
Entry Clearances
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for family dependant visas to non-EU citizens were (a) received and (b) fully processed by her Department in (i) August and (ii) September 2012. [139142]
Mr Harper [holding answer 24 January 2013]: Information on the total number of entry clearance visa applications and entry clearance visas resolved (total decisions) is currently published annually.
Corresponding information for 2012 on a quarterly basis, is planned to be published on 28 February 2013, as part of the Home Office's quarterly Immigration Statistics release.
The figures for family dependant visas provided in response to this question and appearing in the following tables provide the latest available published statistics (2011) for entry clearance visa applications, entry clearance visas resolved (total decisions), and (2012 Q1 to Q3) for entry clearance visas issued.
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| Family dependant entry clearance visas: applications, resolved(1), issued and refused, 2011 | |||||
| Of which: | |||||
| Family route | Applications | Total resolved | Issued | Refused | Withdrawn or lapsed |
| Family dependent entry clearance visas issued, 2012 Q1 and Q2 and Q3 | |||
| Family route | 2012 Q1 | 2012 Q2 | 2012 Q3 |
| (1)( )The information provided relates to applications received and cases resolved in the calendar year 2011. Some applications received may be resolved in a subsequent year. (2) Relates to visas issued for Indefinite Leave to Enter the United Kingdom. (3) Does not include children of a parent given limited leave to enter or remain in the UK for a probationary period. (4) Relates to those given Limited Leave to Enter as pre-existing family members of those recognised as refugees or afforded humanitarian protection. (5) Relates to those dependants who are not partners or children, such as adult relatives and Ghurkhas and their dependants. Elderly adult dependent relatives cannot be separately identified from published entry clearance figures. Note: Figures for visa applications and resolutions are currently published on annual basis in the release ‘Immigration Statistics’. Source: Immigration Statistics, July to September 2012 | |||
The latest Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visas are published in the release Immigration Statistics July to September 2012, which is available from the Library of the House and on the Department's website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q3-2012/
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications by non-EU citizens for family dependant visas were (a) received and (b) fully processed in (i) October and (ii) November 2012. [139836]
Mr Harper: Information on the total number of entry clearance visa applications and entry clearance visas resolved (total decisions) is currently published annually.
Corresponding information for 2012 on a quarterly basis, is planned to be published on 28 February 2013, as part of the Home Office's quarterly Immigration Statistics release.
The figures for family dependant visas provided in response to this question and appearing in the following table provide the latest available published statistics (2011) for entry clearance visa applications, entry clearance visas resolved (total decisions), and (2012 Q1 to Q3) for entry clearance visas issued.
| Family dependant entry clearance visas: applications, resolved(1), issued and refused, 2011 | |||||
| of which | |||||
| Family route | Applications | Total Resolved | Issued | Refused | Withdrawn or Lapsed |
| Family dependent entry clearance visas issued, 2012 Q1 and Q2 and Q3 | |||
| Family route | 2012 Q1 | 2012 Q2 | 2012 Q3 |
| (1 )The information provided relates to applications received and cases resolved in the calendar year 2011. Some applications received may be resolved in a subsequent year. (2 )Does not include children of a parent given limited leave to enter or remain in the UK for a probationary period. (3 )Relates to visas issued for indefinite leave to enter the United Kingdom. (4 )Relates to those given limited leave to enter as pre-existing family members of those recognised as refugees or afforded humanitarian protection. (5 )Relates to those dependants who are not partners or children, such as adult relatives and Ghurkhas and their dependants. Elderly adult dependent relatives cannot be separately identified from published entry clearance figures. Note: Figures for visa applications and resolutions are currently published on annual basis in the release “Immigration Statistics”. Source: Immigration Statistics, July to September 2012 | |||
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Entry Clearances: Married People
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications by non-EU citizens for marriage visas were (a) received and (b) fully processed in (i) October and (ii) November 2012. [139837]
Mr Harper:
Information on the total number of entry clearance visa applications and entry clearance visas resolved (total decisions) is currently published
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annually. Corresponding information for 2012 on a quarterly basis, is planned to be published on 28 February 2013, as part of the Home Office's quarterly Immigration Statistics release.
The figures for visas relating to partners provided in response to this question and appearing in the following tables provide the latest available published statistics (2011) for entry clearance visa applications, entry clearance visas resolved (total decisions), and (2012 Q1 to Q3) for entry clearance visas issued.
| Entry clearance visas for partners: Applications, resolved(1), issued and refused, 2011 | |||||
| Of which: | |||||
| Family route | Applications | Total resolved | Issued | Refused | Withdrawn or lapsed |
| Family route entry clearance visas for partners issued, 2012 Q1 and Q2 and Q3 | |||
| Family route | 2012 Q1 | 2012 Q2 | 2012 Q3 |
| (1) The information provided relates to applications received and cases resolved in the calendar year 2011. Some applications received may be resolved in a subsequent year. (2) Relates to visas issued for Indefinite Leave to Enter the United Kingdom. Notes: Figures for visa applications and resolutions are currently published on annual basis in the release “Immigration Statistics”. Source: “Immigration Statistics, July to September 2012” | |||
The latest Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visas are published in the release Immigration Statistics July-September 2012, which is available from the Library of the House and on the Department's website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q3-2012/
Homosexuality
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were convicted of gross indecency for homosexual acts and have not been convicted of any other crime have been asked to give a DNA sample by the police. [138465]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 21 January 2013]: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Police forces are currently carrying out an exercise to take DNA samples and fingerprints from those with convictions for sexual offences who do not currently have DNA and fingerprint records on the national databases. Guidance issued to forces by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in July 2012 clearly states that forces should not seek to obtain a DNA sample from those who have convictions relating only to consensual homosexual acts. The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 allows people with such convictions to apply for them to be disregarded.
The ACPO Criminal Records Office sent further guidance to forces on 15 January 2013 to emphasise this point.
Intelligence Services
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2013, Official Report, column 419W, on intelligence services, whether the UK currently shares intelligence regarding drugs trafficking with (a) Pakistan, (b) Afghanistan and (c) Iran. [140057]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The UK shares intelligence regarding drug trafficking with a range of international partners. We do so to tackle the international drugs trade and minimise the threat it poses to the UK. It is important to protect activities which form part of the UK's contribution to the international counter-narcotics effort and to respect the principle that international partners are able to operate in secrecy on matters of national security against organised crime. As such, it is our policy not to disclose details of our counter narcotics work, as to do so risks reducing its effectiveness and damaging international relations.
Meetings
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many meetings she and officials of her Department had with Google in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; [138071]
(2) how many meetings she and officials of her Department had with Amazon in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; [138079]
(3) how many meetings she and officials of her Department had with Oracle in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; [138087]
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(4) how many meetings she and officials of her Department had with Xerox in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; [138095]
(5) how many meetings she and officials of her Department had with Dell CSC in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [138103]
(6) how many meetings she and officials of her Department had with Symantec in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [138111]
James Brokenshire: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Metropolitan Police: Disclosure of Information
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the number of occasions the Metropolitan Police has declined to provide information under section 29 of the Data Protection Act 1998. [139443]
Damian Green: This information is not collected centrally.
National Policing Improvement Agency
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which responsibilities of the National Police Improvement Agency are being transferred to (a) the proposed National Crime Agency, (b) the College of Policing, (c) her Department and (d) are being discontinued. [139702]
Damian Green: The following responsibilities transferred from the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) to successor organisations as planned. Where relevant, examples of these responsibilities are included for illustration; the full list of units or teams delivering different parts of these requirements is on the NPIA website.
(a) Interim move to Serious Organised Crime Agency on 1 April 2012 before transfer to National Crime Agency (NCA) on 1 October 2013 (subject to the passage of the Crime and Courts Bill) Specialist Operations Centre; Crime Operational Support; Central Witness Bureau; Serious Crime Analysis; National Missing Persons Bureau; National Injury Database.
The Proceeds of Crime Centre moved to SOCA on 1 November 2012 before transfer to NCA in autumn 2013, albeit statutory responsibility for this function remains with the NPIA until the commencement of the Bill.
(b) To the College of Policing on 1 December 2012 Professional Practice and Improvement; Criminal Justice and Local Policing; Equality, Diversity and Human Rights; Research, Analysis, and Information including the National Police Library; elements of the Communications Capability Development programme; Efficiency and Knowledge Support; Workforce Policy and Strategy; Learning Development, Strategy and Specialist Training Delivery; Examinations and Assessment; National College of Police Leadership and Leadership Services; the International Academy; Uniform Operational Support; Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN); the Police Gazette.
(c) (i) to the Home Office on 1 October 2012 Airwave; National Databases (including the Police National Computer), IDENT1 and Livescan Fingerprint Service; National DNA Database;
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National IT Systems delivered by third party suppliers including Automatic Number Plate Recognition and Crime Mapper; the Police National Database; National Identification Services including the National Fingerprint Office; Forensics 21 Programme; Forensic Policy, Procurement and Pathology; Information Systems Improvement Strategy (subsequently discontinued); National Procurement Hub; 101 non-emergency; Reducing Bureaucracy Programme, elements of the National Police Air Service project, and a number of National Information Systems in development such as the Schengen Information System II.
(c) (ii) To the Home Office in 2011—Non-IT Procurement.
(d) None was discontinued by the NPIA at the point of transfer.
Police
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Metropolitan Police and (b) other police force full-time equivalent police officers were working on (i) Operation Trident and (ii) Operation Sapphire in (A) 2010-11 and (B) 2011-12; and if she will make a statement. [139431]
Damian Green: The information requested is not held by the Home Office. Details of the number of police officers deployed on Operation Trident and Operation Sapphire is a matter for the Metropolitan Police.
Police: Finance
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what advice she has given to Police and Crime Commissioners for the setting of (a) budgets and (b) precept to council taxpayers for the next financial year; and if she will make a statement; [139901]
(2) which police and crime commissioners have sought her advice on (a) setting of their budget and (b) the level of precept to be served on council taxpayers for the next financial year; and if she will make a statement; [139902]
(3) if she will publish the level of precept to be served by each police and crime commissioner on council taxpayers for the next financial year. [139903]
Damian Green: Individual Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are responsible for setting the budget and precept for their police force area—not the Home Office. As a result, no PCC has sought advice on these issues from the Secretary of State.
However, the Home Office has issued a 'Financial Management Code of Practice' to provide clarity around the financial governance arrangements within the police in England and Wales. This provides high level guidance while promoting flexibility and avoiding overt prescription.
The levels of precept for PCCs in England are published annually on the Department for Communities and Local Government website. For Welsh PCCs, precept levels are published annually in a Statistical Bulletin issued by the Welsh Government. The deadline for PCCs to set their final precept for the next financial year is 1 March 2013. Details of PCC precept levels for the next financial year will be published in the usual way after this date.
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Police: Vehicles
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department gives to police and crime commissioners and police and crime panels on the (a) fitting and (b) use of covert lights for police force senior management vehicles; whether she requires each police and crime commissioner to inform her Department of the (i) fitting, (ii) cost and (iii) use of any such covert lights; and what steps she is taking to ensure that the use of such covert lights is (A) operationally appropriate and (B) value-for-money. [139698]
Damian Green: The Home Office has not issued any guidance to police and crime commissioners or police and crime panels on the fitting or use of covert public warning equipment (lights and sirens) to police vehicles used by police force senior management and we do not collect any information about this. The fitting and appropriate use of public warning equipment is an operational matter and is the responsibility of chief officers of police, who will take into account the value for money of such equipment as part of their decision making.
UK Border Agency
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all UK Border Agency recruits responsible for (a) casework decisions and (b) writing reports (i) are required to and (ii) have relevant previous experience. [140036]
Mr Harper: Full training is given on joining the UK Agency, so relevant experience, while welcome, is not required.
Young Offenders
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people under the age of 18 were arrested in each year from 1997 to 2012; [139763]
(2) how many people aged (a) 17, (b) 16, (c) 15, (d) 14, (e) 13, (f) 12, (g) 11 and (h) 10 years old were arrested in each year from 1997 to 2012; [139764]
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(3) how many people under the age of 18 were arrested in each police authority area in each year from 1997 to 2012; [139765]
(4) how many people under the age of 18 were arrested for each type of offence in each year from 1997 to 2012. [139766]
Damian Green: Arrests data for England and Wales are collected by the Home Office and published on an annual basis in the National Statistics series “Police Powers and Procedures”. Data currently available cover the period up to the financial year 2010-11 and are included in the latest internet-only release, which is available via:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/police-research/police-powers-procedures-201011/
Available data relating to the number of persons aged under 18 arrested for notifiable offences broken down by (a) age grouping, (b) police force area (c) offence grouping are provided in tables A, B and C respectively.
Data on arrests of persons broken down by individual age are not collected centrally. Additionally, data on arrests of persons aged 10-17 broken down by police force area are not available for the year 1999-2000. Prior to 1999-2000, police forces were not required to provide data on arrests to the Home Office.
| Table A: Number of arrests of persons aged under 18 by age group, England and Wales 1999-2000 to 2010-11 | |||
| Financial year | Aged under 10 | Aged 10-17 | Total |
| Note: Figures for the years 2000-01 to 2005-06 are estimated due to unavailable data from some police forces. As a result, figures are presented rounded to the nearest hundred. | |||
| Table B: Persons aged under 18 arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) by police force area, England and Wales 2000-01 to 2010-11 | |||||||||||
| Police force area | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
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| (1) Figures for England and Wales for the years 2000-01 to 2005-06 are estimated due to unavailable data from some police forces. Additionally, totals for these years for England and Wales are rounded to the nearest hundred. As a result, police force area figures may not sum to totals for the years 2000-01 to 2005-06. | |||||||||||
| Table C: Persons aged under 18 arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) by offence group, England and Wales 1999-2000 to 2010-11 | ||||||
| Offence group | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 |
| Offence group | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
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| Note: Figures for the years 2000/01 to 2005/06 are estimated due to unavailable data from some police forces. As a result, figures are presented rounded to the nearest hundred. | ||||||
Attorney-General
Animal Welfare
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of (a) wildlife crime and (b) animal cruelty the Crown Prosecution Service has prosecuted in each of the last five years; and what the conviction rates were for such offences. [139842]
The Attorney-General: Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) records identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted, as defendants may be charged with more than one offence.
Offences of wildlife crime and animal cruelty may be prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Deer Act 1991, the Hunting Act 2004, the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996. The table showing the number of these offences prosecuted by the CPS during the last five years has been deposited in the Library of the House. Prosecutions can also be brought by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
The CPS does not hold data on the conviction rates by offence.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of (a) wildlife crime and (b) animal cruelty have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision in each of the last five years. [139843]
The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains no central record of the offences or category of offences on cases referred to the CPS for a charging decision. This information could only be obtained by examining all of the files sent to the CPS for charging advice, which would incur disproportionate cost.
Many cases of wildlife crime and animal cruelty are prosecuted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) directly without reference to CPS.
Autonomy
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General whether the Serious Fraud Office is carrying out a criminal investigation into the company Autonomy. [139581]
The Solicitor-General: As and when matters are brought to the attention of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) they are assessed in the context of the SFO's remit to investigate fraud, bribery and corruption. If appropriate, relevant matters will be considered for criminal investigation in line with SFO internal procedures. The SFO does not comment on its assessments or their status at any one time but does publish on its website details of those cases formally adopted for criminal investigation, whenever this is possible without prejudice to the investigation.
Birds: Eggs
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of egg stealing from the nests of wild birds have been prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last five years. [139844]
The Attorney-General: Stealing eggs from the nests of wild birds are prosecuted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA). The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) hold data related to the number of offences charged under this Act but not the number of individual cases. It is possible that some defendants may be charged with more than one offence. The following table shows the number of offences charged under the relevant sections of the Act for the last five years:
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | ||
|
Possession or control of an egg or part of an egg of any wild bird |
Burglary
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many burglary prosecutions the Crown Prosecution Service has carried out in each of the last five years; and what the rate of conviction was. [139840]
The Attorney-General: The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) provide an analysis of the outcome of proceedings, divided into 12 principal offence categories indicating the most serious offence with which the defendant was charged at the time of finalisation. The following table shows, in each of the last five years, the volume and conviction rates for defendants whose principal offence was Burglary.
| Number | Conviction rate (percentage) | |
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The principal offence category Burglary comprises offences of burglary and aggravated burglary either in a dwelling or in a building other than a dwelling. The figures represent the volumes and conviction rates for offences categorised as Burglary handled by the 13 Areas of the CPS.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of burglary have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police for a charging decision in each of the last five years. [139841]
The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains no central record of the offences or category of offences on cases referred to the CPS for a charging decision. This information could only be obtained by examining all of the files sent to the CPS for charging advice, which would incur disproportionate cost.
Training
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Attorney-General how many away days the Law Officers' Departments have held since 2010; and what the cost was of each such event. [139954]
The Attorney-General: The information requested is contained in the following table.
| Department | Number of recorded away day events | Cost (£) |
| (1) £27,207 of this relates to an all staff event held in April 2010. (2) The cost relates to a single all-staff away day held in March 2010. (3) TSol data also covers HMCPSI. | ||
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not centrally record the information requested and this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Prime Minister
G8
Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister which additional heads of government he proposes to invite to attend the forthcoming G8 summit hosted by the UK. [139442]
The Prime Minister: Attendance options for non G8 country attendance are still under consideration. A decision will be taken in due course.
Iraq Committee of Inquiry
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects Sir John Chilcot to publish his report on Iraq. [139452]
The Prime Minister: The Iraq Inquiry has previously advised the Government that it will need until at least summer 2013 to publish the report. Further details can be found at the Iraq Inquiry website.
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Rescue Services: Glencoe
George Galloway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will meet members of the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team to convey his thanks for the action taken by that team on 21 January 2013. [139833]
The Prime Minister: I wish to express my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those who died in the avalanche on 21 January. I would also like to pay tribute to members of the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team for the brave action they took in the aftermath of the avalanche, along with those individuals in the Northern Constabulary and the Royal Navy for their part in the rescue efforts. A Minister from the Scotland Office will meet the Rescue Team to express the Government's thanks.
World War II: Military Decorations
Mr Burrowes: To ask the Prime Minister when the Arctic Convoy Star Medal will be awarded. [139536]
The Prime Minister: At present the Royal Mint Advisory Committee is developing the design of the medal and the aim is that this will be announced by early March, once it has received the necessary approvals. The application process and qualification criteria will be announced at the same time. The priority for awarding the medal will be given to veterans and widows, with applications from additional next of kin dealt with thereafter.
Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many and what proportion of questions for written answer on a named day by No. 10 Downing Street (a) received a substantive answer after the named day and (b) have not received a substantive answer in this Session; [139319]
(2) how many and what proportion of questions tabled for ordinary written answer by No. 10 Downing Street (a) were answered after 30 days and (b) have not been answered in this Session. [139320]
The Prime Minister: Departmental statistics on written parliamentary questions are published in full by the Procedure Committee at the end of each session.
Yemen
Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister when he last spoke with the President of Yemen. [139441]
The Prime Minister: I last spoke to President Hadi on 24 September 2012 during his visit to the UK. In recognition of our long and productive bilateral relationship and our leading role in the Friends of Yemen, the President chose the UK for his first visit to a non-Arab country since becoming Head of State in February 2011. We discussed the support that the UK is providing Yemen on political, economic and security reform and agreed to continue working closely together to tackle the threat of terrorism posed by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
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Education
Boarding Schools
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to ensure the financial sustainability of state boarding schools. [138997]
Mr Laws: State boarding schools are responsible for ensuring their own financial sustainability through charging fees for the cost of the boarding provision. The fees can cover the maintenance of school buildings. Education must be provided free of charge as in all other state funded schools.
Charities
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department provided for (a) Action on Addiction, (b) Adoption UK, (c) Adoption and Fostering Information Line, (d) child bereavement charities and (e) Well Child in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13 to date; and if he will make a statement. [132470]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department has made no funding available to these organisations during the period April 2010 to November 2012.
Free Schools
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to ensure that 16-18 free schools are funded to provide free meals. [137878]
Mr Laws: No schools—whether LA maintained schools, Academies, Further Education colleges, 16-18 Free Schools receive specific funding for free school meals. All 16-19 providers, whether schools or colleges, are funded by the same formula, and that formula contains a factor for deprivation. 16-18 Free Schools are free to use this funding to provide free meals.
16-18 Free Schools are treated in a similar manner to sixth form colleges under legislation, in that their students are not entitled to free school meals. However, a 16-18 Free School that wishes to provide free meals out of its overall budget (as other schools must), is free to do so.
We are presently reviewing the issue of free school meal entitlement beyond 16.
Metropolitan Police
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department allocated to the Metropolitan police in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; how much he plans to allocate in future years; and if he will make a statement. [139422]
Mr Laws: The total funding made available to the Metropolitan police by this Department was £15,394 in September 2010 to act as a national partner under the ContactPoint project. No funding has been made available since then.
Schools: Finance
Chris Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent in total on educating each child in
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the cohort of children in state education who completed a 14 year period of education in the school year ending in
(a)
2009-10 and
(b)
2010-11. [139610]
Mr Laws: For pupils who completed their state schooling aged 18 in 2009-10, their schools will have on average received approximately £58,580 revenue funding per pupil (2011-12 prices) over the 14 years of their schooling from when they started reception in 1996.
For those who completed their 14-year period in 2010-11, having started reception in 1997, their schools will have on average received £61,250 revenue funding per pupil (2011-12 prices).
Special Educational Needs
Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to improve outcomes for children with special educational needs in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) the North East and (c) England. [138187]
Mr Timpson: The Government are committed to improving the way in which children and young people who have special educational needs (SEN) or who are disabled are identified, assessed, and supported. Our proposed legislative reforms will improve the system for 0 to 25-year-olds by giving parents and young people more control and focusing on the outcomes that they want. Local authorities will provide clear information about local services for all children and young people with additional needs. Education, health and care services will jointly commission services to meet the needs of children and young people. We will introduce a new integrated assessment and plan, the Educational Health and Care Plan, which will replace Learning Difficulty Assessments and Statements of SEN—retaining all the protections provided by Statements—but will better reflect the child's or young person's plans for the future as well as their current needs and there will be a stronger focus on preparing for adulthood.
We are testing new approaches to improve choice and control and improved outcomes for families and young people in 20 pathfinders involving 31 local areas. In the North East, this involves Gateshead and Hartlepool with Darlington, putting families and young people at the centre. Last year, I announced an 18 month extension of the pathfinder programme, to September 2014. Learning from the pathfinders has informed development of the Children and Families Bill and will continue to feed into development of regulations and guidance.
International Development
Developing Countries: Mental Health Services
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Minister in her Department is responsible for mental health issues in developing countries. [139986]
Lynne Featherstone: I am the DFID Minister responsible for mental health issues in developing countries.
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Plants
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has spent on indoor and outdoor plants and trees since her appointment. [139946]
Mr Duncan: The Department has spent nothing on indoor and outdoor plants and trees since the Secretary of State's appointment. The last such departmental expenditure was £17,803 in 2008-09 and £13,479 in 2009-10.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Algeria
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number of UK nationals currently working in Algeria; and what advice and information his Department is offering to individuals and businesses in that country. [139692]
Alistair Burt: We estimate that there are around 450 British nationals working in Algeria. This figure will fluctuate given the transient nature of the international work force in Algeria.
Our travel advice for Algeria was last reviewed and updated during the incident at In Amenas. The latest update issued on 24 January; this includes advice against all travel within 100 km of the Libyan-Tunisian border south of the Algerian town of Tebessa. We recommend that individuals already in, or planning to travel to Algeria regularly check FCO travel advice for updates.
During the crisis we were in close contact with BP and the other companies involved. On 28 January I will meet with representatives of British companies in the extractive industries who have a presence in Algeria to discuss future co-operation.
British Indian Ocean Territory
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to contest the ruling of the Information Commissioner on the application of Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 to information held by his Department relating to the British Indian Ocean Territory; and when this information will be released. [140053]
Mark Simmonds: Further to my answer of 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 886W. We will not be appealing the Decision Notice of 6 November 2012. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 do not apply to Overseas Territories. The Information Commissioner has accepted that the Governments of the British Indian Ocean Territory and the UK are constitutionally separate. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have accepted that information related to the British Indian Ocean Territory stored on FCO systems is subject to requests made to the FCO under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
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Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the ceiling on the costs to his Department of litigation concerning the desire of the Chagos Islanders to return to the Islands is including the Marine Protected Area. [140054]
Mark Simmonds: There is no ceiling. While we have not instigated these cases, the Government will continue to defend them where we consider that to be the right course of action.
Burma
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with his EU counterparts on the discovery of the use of Swedish-made weapons in Burma. [139036]
Mr Swire: In December last year, Sweden's Agency for Non-Proliferation and Export Controls said an investigation had revealed that the Swedish-made weapons found by Kachin forces in early December were part of a larger shipment of arms Sweden sold to the Indian Government. It remains unclear how they ended up being used in Burma. Swedish Trade Minister, Ewa Bjorling, has requested clarification from Indian authorities on the matter.
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Minister of State raised the use of rape against ethnic minorities by the Burmese army with the Government of Burma on his visit to that country in December 2012. [139037]
Mr Swire: During my visit to Burma in December, I met Defence Minister Lt Gen Wai Lwin and set out clearly our continued concerns about human rights, including allegations of abuses by troops.
I also met Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin. I pressed Burma to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and requested support for the Foreign Secretary's Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative.
British officials continue to urge the Burmese Government to sign up to key international human rights instruments such the ICCPR as part of Burma's ongoing commitment to reform.
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the Burmese Government on ensuring that the recent ceasefire between rebels in Kachin and the Burmese army is maintained. [139695]
Mr Swire: As I set out during Foreign and Commonwealth Office oral questions on 22 January 2012, Official Report, columns 150-51, we continue to call for the cessation of violence in Kachin State at every opportunity. During my visit to Burma in December, I made clear to the Burmese Government the need to make progress on resolving the conflict in Kachin State and to move towards a lasting peaceful political settlement.
In my statement of 3 January, I expressed the British Government's deep concern at the escalation in hostilities in Kachin State, and the risk that continued violence
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poses to the chances of a lasting peace. I emphasised the need for military commanders in Burma to heed their President's calls for an end to hostilities.
Our ambassador to Burma reiterated these concerns with senior members of the Burmese Government on 16 and 19 January.