Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 25 October 2007
House of Commons Commission
Management and Services of the House of Commons Review
In July the Commission agreed to fast track several areas of the Tebbit Review as detailed in my answer on 24 July 2007 (HC Deb 925W). Following the debate in Westminster Hall on 18 October and comments from the Finance and Services, Administration and Audit Committees, the Commission approved the following changes on 22 October.
A new Management Board replaced the existing Board of Management with immediate effect. The Management Board consists of the Clerk, as Chief Executive and Chairman, four director generals with functional responsibilities, and up to two external advisers. The six House Departments other than PICT will be merged into four new Departments broadly aligned with the Director Generals’ responsibilities. These will be:
Department of Chamber and Committee Services—incorporating Clerk’s Department, Hansard and core elements of the Serjeant’s Department;
Department of Information Services—incorporating the Library and allied information services;
Department of Resources—incorporating Finance and Administration;
Department of Facilities—incorporating Estates and Works, Accommodation Services and Refreshment Department.
These new Departments will come into effect on 1 January 2008. A recruitment exercise to fill the new post of Director General of Facilities will be put in place. Pending an appointment, the Commission has agreed that the Director of Catering Services will lead the work to create the new Department of Facilities.
PICT will be formally vested as joint Department of the two Houses early in 2008. Pending a review in 2009 of the working of the Parliament (Joint Departments) Act 2007, the Director of PICT will attend the Management Board as one of its external members.
The aim is to create a fully unified House Service that will provide Members and others with the highest standards of service. The changes are consistent with the approach recommended in the Tebbit report, but also address a number of issues on which the report did not reach a firm conclusion. The intention is that the changes will be cost neutral and there are no planned redundancies. I understand that consultation has begun with both staff and trade unions on how best to create the new Departments.
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards: Public Appointments
The Commission’s report recommending to the House Mr. John Lyon CB, currently the Director General of Legal and Judicial Services in the Ministry of Justice, is being published today at 11 am as House of Commons Paper 1096. Copies are available from the Vote Office. It is expected that the recommendation will be put to the House for approval in early November.
International Development
Departments: Correspondence
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Cabinet Office answer on 22 October 2007, Official Report, column 45W.
Guatemala: Children
In Guatemala between 2004-05 DFID contributed $150,000 through the InterAmerican Development Bank to NGOs working with street children. This funding provided education, psycho-social care and work opportunities.
The British Embassy in Guatemala City has supported many local NGO projects on child rights including a sustainable training programme for police officers in the city centre. This aims to improve officers’ dealings with street children, ensure the inclusion of child rights in the Police Academy training curriculum and encourage efforts to bring child abusers to justice.
Overseas Aid: Forestry
In 2005-06 £15 million of DFID bilateral expenditure was spent directly on forestry programmes. This represented 0.35 per cent. of the total DFID programme and 0.62 per cent. of the bilateral programme in 2005-06. In 2006-07 a further £15 million of DFID bilateral expenditure was spent directly on forestry programmes representing 0.31 per cent. of the total DFID programme and 0.60 per cent. of the bilateral programme in that year. These figures do not include spending on forestry programmes funded by partner governments to whom we provide budget support, nor do they include spending through the multilateral system to which we also contribute.
Children, Schools and Families
Academies: Finance
(2) what percentage of academies opened since September 2005 have exceeded budgets for (a) new buildings and (b) start up costs;
(3) what the average amount is by which academies opened since September 2005 have exceeded original budgets for (a) new buildings and (b) start up costs.
There are now 83 academies open. Up to and including September 2005, 27 academies were opened, with the remaining 56 academies opening between September 2006 and September 2007 (inclusive). Of the 27 academies which opened up to and including September 2005, 16 (59 per cent.) have exceeded their budgets for new buildings. Of the 56 academies opening between September 2006 and September 2007 (inclusive), 13 (23 per cent.) have exceeded their budgets for new buildings. For those academies opened between September 2006 and September 2007 (inclusive) that have exceeded their original budgets for new buildings, the average overspend is £3,850,5361.
Academies are allocated fixed budgets to cover start up costs, which they are free to apply as they see fit. There are two types of start up grant. The first is intended to cover expenditure to acquire a basic stock of books and equipment. All academies are paid this grant by a formula which is based mainly on pupil numbers.
The second is paid to meet costs arising in the first years of an academy and comprises two elements, one of which is allocated by formula and the other, for which academies must bid, to cover exceptional transitional costs.
1 The number and percentage of academy building projects exceeding their agreed budgets for buildings, and the average overspend is subject to change, as not all open academy building projects have been completed.
Academies: Governing Bodies
All academies have at least one local authority representative on their governing body. Where the local authority is a co-sponsor, the lead sponsor retains majority control over the Academy Trust, but can appoint two local authority appointed governors to the governing body.
Literacy: Greater London
The following tables set out the percentage of pupils in each London borough achieving the target level 4 and above at key stage 2, and level 5 and above at key stage 3 in English and in maths for each year since 2002. The underlying numbers can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 English Maths English Maths English Maths English Maths English Maths London GOR 73 72 76 72 77 73 79 74 80 75 City of London 93 89 97 79 80 73 83 74 64 71 Inner London boroughs 68 68 72 68 74 70 76 71 77 72 Camden 72 70 78 74 77 73 79 73 75 72 Hackney 65 65 63 59 70 65 69 64 71 64 Hammersmith and Fulham 74 76 79 76 77 73 79 74 81 74 Haringey 65 66 67 66 70 67 73 68 75 70 Islington 68 67 69 68 71 68 74 68 74 68 Kensington and Chelsea 80 79 84 79 87 82 84 81 85 80 Lambeth 67 67 72 67 76 70 76 68 78 70 Lewisham 69 66 73 69 73 70 77 72 79 71 Newham 63 68 68 67 71 70 75 72 76 72 Southwark 66 62 70 62 69 64 72 67 74 69 Tower Hamlets 70 67 74 71 77 75 78 76 80 78 Wandsworth 73 72 75 67 75 71 80 72 78 73 Westminster 77 77 80 77 82 77 81 76 84 76 Outer London boroughs 75 74 78 73 79 75 80 76 81 76 Barking and Dagenham 69 73 71 69 73 71 75 70 74 73 Barnet 81 79 81 78 84 81 84 81 85 82 Bexley 75 72 77 69 79 71 80 74 81 75 Brent 74 75 77 72 78 74 78 73 79 73 Bromley 80 77 83 78 83 78 84 77 85 79 Croydon 74 71 78 71 79 74 78 72 81 75 Ealing 74 74 77 73 78 73 79 75 79 75 Enfield 73 74 78 72 77 73 77 73 79 72 Greenwich 68 66 70 67 70 68 73 68 74 71 Harrow 80 79 82 77 84 80 82 78 85 79 Havering 80 78 80 78 81 78 85 81 84 80 Hillingdon 78 77 80 75 79 77 80 77 81 77 Hounslow 71 71 76 73 77 73 79 75 80 77 Kingston upon Thames 80 77 83 77 85 80 86 82 86 82 Merton 73 68 75 66 75 72 78 74 81 75 Redbridge 78 75 78 74 79 77 83 79 82 78 Richmond upon Thames 84 83 87 82 87 83 88 85 89 85 Sutton 80 78 81 77 80 76 83 78 83 79 Waltham Forest 66 65 70 68 73 69 73 69 77 72
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 English Maths English Maths English Maths English Maths English Maths London 64 63 66 67 70 70 74 71 73 75 Inner London — — 58 59 63 62 68 65 68 70 Camden 66 63 68 65 73 70 76 72 75 76 Hackney 45 48 59 52 59 56 60 58 64 65 Hammersmith and Fulham 60 59 62 67 64 67 73 73 77 77 Haringey 56 52 52 55 59 58 65 62 61 64 Islington 51 50 49 57 55 59 64 61 61 64 Kensington and Chelsea 72 69 79 72 80 76 81 76 87 84 Lambeth 59 55 61 62 69 66 71 65 72 71 Lewisham 58 54 60 60 64 64 66 65 70 70 Newham 56 53 55 60 63 62 67 66 64 68 Southwark 50 46 51 52 63 58 66 59 66 65 Tower Hamlets 51 49 54 55 57 58 67 61 65 68 Wandsworth 64 60 62 63 68 67 73 70 71 73 Westminster 62 61 69 65 68 68 76 69 69 74 Outer London — — 69 71 74 74 76 74 75 77 Barking and Dagenham 58 58 62 61 65 65 66 66 67 70 Barnet 72 72 73 76 78 78 82 80 81 82 Bexley 66 69 71 73 75 77 76 74 74 77 Brent 64 66 64 66 70 72 73 74 74 76 Bromley 76 72 73 76 80 77 80 79 80 82 Croydon 65 65 66 68 70 72 75 71 73 74 Ealing 60 61 68 69 73 72 75 72 73 76 Enfield 64 65 67 68 70 71 72 72 71 74 Greenwich 54 54 61 61 63 60 67 63 68 68 Harrow 75 73 71 75 76 77 82 79 80 81 Havering 74 76 72 76 81 79 80 81 79 81 Hillingdon 67 64 65 73 71 74 74 73 70 76 Hounslow 64 64 71 68 70 71 76 71 76 77 Kingston upon Thames 74 78 79 80 80 83 80 83 84 84 Merton 62 62 65 67 66 68 75 71 67 71 Redbridge 75 74 75 76 78 79 82 80 81 83 Richmond upon Thames 72 70 74 72 77 75 75 73 80 79 Sutton 81 78 75 79 83 82 84 82 86 87 Waltham Forest 60 57 60 62 68 66 74 67 70 71
Schools: Finance
I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer given on 23 July 2007, Official Report, column 880W.
Home Department
101 Calls
A decision on the 101 single non-emergency number will be made shortly.
Asylum: Aviation
(2) which airlines have refused to carry failed asylum seekers from the UK to their country of origin.
It is not the policy of the Border and Immigration Agency to disclose such information.
Drugs: Misuse
The Home Department undertakes and evaluates several surveys in order to monitor levels of illegal drug production, supply and use. These are not predicated on the ABC classification system but where they are drug specific, any changes are closely monitored following a drug’s reclassification. Relevant published research is also routinely considered.
Foreign Workers
Copies of the table containing the requested figures for 1995 to 2006 have been placed in the Library.
Information for earlier years can be found in the Command Papers entitled “Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom” for those years, also from the Library.
Human Trafficking
Figures on the number of trafficking victims recovered will be published at the end of Operation Pentameter 2.
We shall not be releasing any interim figures during the period of this operation whilst we carry out the process of identification of victims. To issue interim figures in these circumstances may be misleading.
49 migrant workers were arrested on 11 October in central London on suspicion of committing immigration offences. Current operational procedures require all those arrested to be interviewed to establish their identity and their current immigration status. If there is a suspicion of illegal entry then further detailed questions may be asked in relation to their route and method of entry and if they were assisted.
All the individuals arrested were questioned by Border and Immigration Agency officials as to their route of entry to the UK, and given the opportunity to obtain legal representation.
Any evidence or intelligence that leads to facilitators or traffickers will be vigorously pursued. In particular the Border and Immigration Agency is examining the role of the employers in all this to identify whether further offences have been committed.
Land: Security
I understand that police do not have such powers. Local authority powers are the responsibility of the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Metropolitan Police: Emergency Calls
(2) how long on average a caller to the Metropolitan Police emergency call system must wait before being answered.
This is a matter for the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis.
Metropolitan Police: Eyesight
This is a matter for the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis.
Official Hospitality
On 16 October 2007, the Immigration Minister visited Stansted Airport to meet Border and Immigration Agency staff to discuss local operations and view the more visible Border controls at the port. The Minister then visited Burnt Mill Comprehensive School in Harlow where he spent an hour with some of the children from Years 9-11 to discuss immigration issues, hosted by the school’s citizenship teacher. The Minister also made a speech at the school to local stakeholders on immigration policy. The costs to the Home Office were negligible, comprising travel and subsistence for officials travelling on the day from London.
Police
The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for each chief constable.
Police Stations
(2) how many police stations were in use in each year since 1997.
The management of the police estate and allocation of resources are matters for each police authority and the Chief Officer, who are responsible for assessing local needs.
Police: Brent
(2) how many unfilled police vacancies there are in each London borough.
This is a matter for the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis.
Police: Bureaucracy
This information is not collected centrally.
Police: Finance
The allocation of resources within each force is a matter for the chief officer and the police authority.
Police: Firearms
The information is not available centrally in the form requested. The number of operations involving armed response vehicles (ARVs) in the Cambridgeshire Constabulary is shown in the following table. We do not collect statistics by force division. The overall number of incidents where a conventional firearm was used in England and Wales, is also shown.
Number 1996-97 23 1997-98 19 1998-99 27 1999-2000 54 2000-01 36 2001-02 43 2002-03 45 2003-04 155 2004-05 172 2005-06 160
Incidents Percentage of incidents compared with number of authorised operations 1996-97 5 0.040 1997-98 3 0.025 1998-99 5 0.046 1999-2000 7 0.064 2000-01 9 0.081 2001-02 11 0.079 2002-03 10 0.067 2003-04 4 0.024 2004-05 5 0.031 2005-06 9 0.048
Police: Informers
[holding answer 23 October 2007]: Spending on informants is an operational matter for each chief officer and police authority in the light of their budget provisions.
Protest: Animal Experiments
Although exact figures are not available, the statistics that are collected for pharmaceutical research and development in the UK started to decline from 2002 when the ARE activity was at its height.
The Government takes seriously the illegal activities of animal rights extremists aimed at discouraging investment in the UK. We have in place a robust interdepartmental strategy to eradicate the threat. The strategy is centred on an improved law enforcement approach, with additional resources provided to the police to tackle animal rights extremism, a central team set-up to drive forward police action nationally, and legislation enacted to protect animal research organisations. The strategy has led to a significant fall in illegal extremist activity.
Protest: Cenotaph
Protests in the vicinity of the Cenotaph are already allowed. As the Cenotaph falls within the designated area around Parliament, organisers of static demonstrations are required to notify their intention to demonstrate to the Commissioner in advance. The Commissioner must authorise any demonstration which is notified to him in advance. Marches are subject to prior notification under section 11 of the Public Order Act 1986.
We announced in the Green Paper “The Governance of Britain” in July that we would review the provisions that govern the right to protest in the vicinity of Parliament. We shall be consulting widely with a view to ensuring that people’s right to protest is not subject to unnecessary restrictions. The consultation will begin very shortly.
Scouts and Guides
(2) how many scouts from overseas who were due to attend the World Scouting Jamboree in August in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, applied for political asylum since 28 July.
(3) what action has been taken by (a) the Border and Immigration Agency and (b) the police to track down those overseas scouts who entered the UK to attend the World Scouting Jamboree in August in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, and failed to turn up to the Jamboree or disappeared during the course of the Jamboree.
[holding answer 8 October 2007]: A number of overseas scouts attending the World Scouting Jamboree would have made an application for entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom. They would have been issued with visitor visas for the standard six month period.
The information requested regarding how many scouts from overseas disappeared or did not arrive at the World Scouting Jamboree event is not collected by the Border and Immigration Agency because no Immigration offences were committed.
The Border and Immigration Agency cannot confirm how many overseas scouts claimed asylum as we do not comment on individual cases.
Essex police have confirmed that a total of 11 scouts are missing and they are actively trying to locate them. All referrals from the police to The Border and Immigration Agency relating to the overseas missing scouts have been investigated and all individuals continue to have valid entry clearance and are in the United Kingdom legally. As such, this is an ongoing police matter.
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Departments: Publicity
The Department is planning an advertising and promotional campaign for student support in 2007-08. The advertising and publicity budget allocated to this programme is £4.5 million of which £1,777,776 will be spent on advertising and promotion. The costs following have been broken down as requested.
Projected spend (£) Television 1,145,813 Radio 374,173 Print 257,790
It is not possible to provide figures for 2008-09. Budgets will not be agreed until communications priorities and objectives for 2008-09 have been finalised and planning (informed by evaluation of 2007-08 activity) has been completed.
Graduates: Higher Education
(2) what advice is provided to graduates on the (a) merits and (b) mechanics of pursuing a second degree; and whether guidance is available on the choice of subject.
We have asked HEFCE to phase out the support it gives to institutions for students doing a second degree at an equivalent or lower level in order to redistribute around £100 million a year by 2010/11 towards our priorities. While there may be some benefit to individuals, and their employers, in them retraining for a second qualification at the same level, it is generally fairer to both students and the taxpayer to give priority to those either entering higher education for the first time, or progressing to higher qualifications. All of the £100 million will be redistributed to support our priorities, including the challenges posed by Sandy Leitch around the proportion of the work force with graduate level skills from under 30 per cent. to over 40 per cent. by 2020. At the same time, we also published details of these changes and the rationale for them so that prospective students both with and without existing Higher Education qualifications can plan ahead in the knowledge of our priorities.
Laboratories: Security
I have been asked to reply.
There is a wide range of pathogens which could be considered as potential bioweapons. Guidance on hazardous pathogens and toxins, including security considerations is included within the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act (2001). Pathogens (or derivatives) are covered under schedule 5, Order 2007 while security considerations are covered in part 7 of the Act.
Students: Loans
In March 2007 there were 253,200 English domiciled income-contingent borrowers repaying their loans. There were 154,300 mortgage-style borrowers ahead or up to date with repayments. In addition a number of mortgage-style borrowers classed as in arrears may have made repayments that did not bring their accounts up to date.
The information requested is not held centrally.
Disease Control: Research
I have been asked to reply.
The drainage systems of laboratories licensed by DEFRA to handle specified animal pathogens under the Specified Animal Pathogens Order (SAPO) 1998 are not routinely inspected, nor is this a condition of a SAPO licence.
However, following the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD), DEFRA and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued a safety alert to all SAPO Category 3 and 4 laboratories. The alert relates to issues arising from the independent reviews carried out by Professor Spratt and the HSE into potential breaches of biosecurity at the Pirbright site. It requires all such laboratories to satisfy themselves that their facilities and procedures address all the issues identified by Professor Spratt and the HSE. DEFRA and the HSE will also undertake a programme of inspection at all SAPO Category 3 and 4 laboratories. SAPO licences for those laboratories have also been amended to make clear their responsibilities towards biosecurity.
In addition, we have commissioned a review of the regulatory framework for animal pathogens under Sir Bill Callaghan. This review will include a consideration of the appropriate enforcement standards for animal pathogens, including issues such as drainage.
Justice
Coroners
The definition of a working day in the draft Charter is any day between Monday and Friday inclusive, with the exception of Christmas Day, Good Friday or a bank holiday in England and Wales under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. I intend to publish the draft Charter at the same time as the Coroners Bill is introduced. This will enable Members to see a summary of how the measures in the Bill will benefit bereaved families. There will be further opportunities for consultation on the draft Charter in the future, following Royal Assent of the Bill, and before reform is fully implemented.
Courts: Pay
There are no direct cash savings to the Department arising from the introduction of the new pay system. Rather this system enables the Department to make best use of the available budget.
Departments: Manpower
The figures for the Ministry of Justice (former DCA and its’ agencies) have been compiled and are detailed as follows.
(a) (i) The total number of permanent and casual staff, and the percentage of staff above state retirement age, employed by the Ministry of Justice (former DCA) as at 30 September 2006, taken from the Ministry of Justice new oracle single human resource system are as follows:
Formerly Department for Constitutional Affairs (excl. agencies) Number/percentage Total all staff (permanent and casual) 2,190 Number of staff above 65 (state retirement age) 5 Percentage of staff above age 65 and above 0.23
(b) (i) The total number of permanent and casual staff, and the percentage of staff above state retirement age, employed by the Ministry of Justice agencies (former DCA and it’s agencies) as at 30 September 2006, taken from the Ministry of Justice new oracle single human resource system are as follows:
Ministry of Justice’s agencies Total all staff (permanent and casual) Number of staff above 65 (state retirement age) Percentage of staff above 65 HM Courts Service 22,570 211 0.93 Public Guardianship Office 350 2 0.57 Tribunals Service 3,070 10 0.33 Scotland Office (excl. Office of Advocate General) 30 0 0 Wales Office 60 1 1.7
(b) (ii) The ONS does not collate the information for NDPB’s centrally. Therefore, my Department would need to approach each of the individual NDPB’s and amalgamate responses at a disproportionate cost.
Departments: Public Participation
The Ministry of Justice has not contracted any companies to undertake citizens’ juries. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) on 23 October 2007, Official Report, column 283W.
Legal Aid
The Legal Services Commission is responsible for awarding General Criminal Contracts, and for enforcing compliance with the standards required of contract holders. Any provider with a criminal legal aid contract, including Arani and Co., is subject to a series of reviews. The reviews test whether claims for legal aid have been made in accordance with the rules; whether the provider’s performance meets the requirements of the General Criminal Contract and specialist quality mark; and whether an independent peer review assesses the provider of sufficient quality to deliver an acceptable standard of legal advice and assistance.
Any decision to terminate a criminal legal aid contract is a matter for the Legal Services Commission, should any of the reviews demonstrate that such action is necessary.
Police Custody
The Department has not separated the costs of used and unused police cells under Operation Safeguard. Places identified for use on the basis of potential operational need are paid for whether they are used or not.
The number of places used and the location of those places can vary on a day to day basis due to police and prison operational requirements.
Prisoners’ Release
(2) how many prisoners recalled to prison after release on the End of Custody Licence Scheme remained unlawfully at large until their scheduled release date.
Offenders who breach any condition of the End of Custody Licence (ECL) are liable to be recalled, and a revocation order revoking their licence will be issued. From the revocation issue date, until they are arrested and returned to custody, the offender remains unlawfully at large (UAL). This period of absence is not treated as part of the sentence served unless the Secretary of State directs that it should be. Therefore, when the prisoner is returned to custody, the sentence must continue to be served including any custodial days outstanding.
All offenders whose End of Custody Licence is revoked are notified to the police local to the area to which the offender has been released. The police are committed to arresting and returning offenders to custody as quickly as possible.
Data on ECL, including prisoners recalled, are published at the end of each month on the Ministry of Justice website. The August report, published on 28 September, states that of the 205 offenders notified to NOMS as recalled between 29 June and the end of August, 48 offenders had not been returned to custody by end of 21 September, and all of those have passed their scheduled release date.
Information on the number of recalled offenders who have returned to custody and those who have not, as notified to NOMS, is reported monthly on the Ministry of Justice publications website.
Prisoners Transfers
Details of expenditure on inter-prison transfer and court escort services, including the daytime staffing of court facilities and docks in courts by escort contractors for each year since 2001 are set out in the following table:
£ million 2001-02 105.1 2002-03 111.1 2003-04 116.1 2004-05 126.5 2005-06 140.7 2006-07 150.5
Details of expenditure for the financial year 2007-08 on a monthly basis are as follows:
£ million April 5.4 May 4.8 June 24.9 July 13.3 August 16.8 September 12.7
Some of these payments do not necessarily relate to the months the actual costs were incurred.
Neither set of figures include costs of locally managed prisoner transfers. These are not recorded centrally.
Prisoners: Voting Rights
The Government are currently considering how to take forward the implementation of the “Hirst” judgment in light of the first stage of consultation on this issue.
Prisons: Film
Her Majesty’s Prison Service does not collect information to this degree of detail on its central accounting system. This information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
No specific guidance has been issued. Prison governors are expected to comply with the certification requirements and will exercise their professional judgement over the suitability of films to be shown to prisoners.
Prisons: Infectious Diseases
The information requested is not held centrally.
The Prison Service’s Performance Standard, Health Services for Prisoners (May 2004), requires every prison establishment to have in place effective arrangements for the prevention, control and management of communicable diseases. These must include arrangements for the notification of all incidents of notifiable disease, such as tuberculosis, to the local Health Protection Agency’s Consultant in Communicable Disease Control (CCDC) and an action plan in the event of an outbreak of a communicable disease.
Upon the detection of any infection in a prison establishment, appropriate health care and infection control procedures should be instituted in partnership with infection control teams in primary care trusts and health protection units.
Prisons: Telephones
The information requested is not held and would require detailed consultations with the provider of the public prisoner telephone network at a disproportionate cost. Additionally detailed information on the precise commercial terms of purchasing, rental and installation of telephones by private sector prisons may not be available for commercial-in-confidence reasons.
Prisons: Visits
A new Prison Service Order was recently issued to prisons which emphasises the need to make social visits as child friendly as possible, although there is currently no performance standard that requires prisons to operate specific child or family day schemes. As a result, we do not collect information about how many have been run. However, while practice and provision varies across the prison estate, a growing number of establishments are running schemes to ensure meaningful contact between prisoners and their children.
Reoffenders
We have data on the proven re-offending of offenders who were released on licence, but some of the re-offending of these offenders may have been committed after their licence period ended.
The available information on number of offences committed over three months by those offenders who were on licence when the snapshot of the probation caseload was taken is given in the following table. Information relating to 2002 is not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
Date of data extract Total number of offenders on post-release supervision on probation caseload1 Period of re-offence Number of re-offences2 Number of re-offenders End March 2006 23,573 April to June 2006 4,332 2,086 End June 2006 23,519 July to September 2006 4,260 1,984 End September 2006 23,414 October to December 2006 3,861 1,914 End December 2006 24,066 January to March 2007 3,962 1,967 1 Based on data matched with the PNC 2 A re-offence is defined as an offence leading to a caution or conviction which took place in the three months following the end of that quarter and was proven within six months of the end of that quarter. For example, for March 2006, re-offences which took place in April, May or June 2006 will be included as long as they were proven by the end September 2006. Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
The latest available data for adult offenders discharged from custody in the first quarter of 2004 show a 64.7 per cent. re-offending rate. The latest available data for juvenile offenders discharged from custody in the first quarter of 2005 show a 76.2 per cent. rate of re-offending.
The adult results show a 4.6 per cent. reduction in re-offending since 2000 and the juvenile results show a 2.8 per cent. reduction since 2000. Reductions in re-offending are measured by comparing the actual rate of proven re-offending to a predicted rate (which controls for changes in offenders characteristics) which is based on the results of the 2000 dataset.
The following tables set out adult and juvenile results since 2000.
Percentage change in re-offending Actual re-offending rate Predicted re-offending rate Increase Reduction 2000 64.8 — — — 2002 67.5 67.2 0.4 — 2003 65.9 67.4 — 2.2 2004 64.7 67.8 — 4.6
Actual re-offending rate Predicted re-offending rate Percentage change in re-offending (reduction) 2000 78 — — 2004 78.2 1— — 2005 76.2 78.4 2.8 1 Unavailable.
A great deal of work is being taken forward across Government to build on this success. Reducing re-offending is a key element of the new Home Office Crime Strategy “Cutting Crime: A New Partnership 2008-11”. The new “Make Communities Safer” Public Service Agreement sets a target both to reduce adult and youth re-offending, and to reduce the level of serious re-offences. NOMS and DIUS will be producing an overarching Strategic Plan in spring 2008 to set out how the Government intend to meet this challenge and a consultation paper will be published shortly. Alongside this consultation, we will also be consulting on an Offender Health and Social Care Strategy and a NOMS Third Sector Action Plan. While these will focus on specific elements of work to reduce re-offending, they will support the overarching Strategic Plan, and underscore the Government’s commitment to tackling re-offending holistically.
The Youth Justice Board (YJB) is working to reduce youth re-offending. The YJB has a scaled approach to youth justice interventions to ensure that youth offending services focus on those children and young people most likely to re-offend. The YJB has developed the assessment tool “Asset” which is used by all Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) to identify the risk factors driving offending behaviour and the protective factors that will support desistance. Asset is used to design a “multi modal” package of interventions to reduce risk factors and build up the protective factors. The Wiring-Up Youth Justice Programme is providing YOTs with the latest technology to improve the speed and quality of information transfer between YOTs, secure establishments and other key service providers.
The new local government performance framework which contains six specific youth justice indicators (out of total of 197) provides YOTs with an excellent lever to encourage local authority chief executives to prioritise young offenders’ access to services.
The reducing re-offending agenda also makes important contributions to a number of other cross-Government PSAs including, PSA 16: Increase the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation, employment, education or training; PSA 25: Reduce the harm caused by Drugs and Alcohol and PSA 24: Deliver a more effective transparent and responsive Criminal Justice System for victims and the public.
We are introducing new ways of measuring progress on reducing re-offending, which will include reducing the reporting time lag in the adult results from two years to one year and producing a metric to provide a more detailed understanding of the volume and seriousness of re-offences.
Reoffenders: Eastern Region
The number of offenders who were charged with a serious further offence while under the supervision of the probation and police services and managed at levels 2 and 3 of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in each of the last three years in (a) East of England and (b) Suffolk is set out in the following tables.
Number 2004-05 8 2005-06 2 2006-07 4
Number 2004-05 1 2005-06 0 2006-07 0
Sentencing
The Government monitor closely the effectiveness of sentencing in reducing reoffending. A major review currently being conducted by Lord Carter is looking at sentencing policy as part of the wider examination of prison and probation services In England and Wales.
Transport
A303: Stonehenge
We are considering the findings of the inter-departmental review of the Stonehenge improvement scheme and alternative options together with the results of more recent traffic surveys and analysis carried out by the Highways Agency. We expect to announce our decision on the A303(T) improvement scheme later in 2007.
A38: Devon
The Highways Agency is currently negotiating with developers and local authorities to identify the most appropriate improvements for the Deep Lane junction, in order to accommodate the new community at Sherford along with other nearby developments. The Highways Agency has exercised its powers under Article 14 of the Town and Country Planning Act to instruct the local planning authority not to grant planning consent to the development until the applicant has provided additional information enabling the Highways Agency to assess fully the impact of the proposals on the A38 trunk road. The Highways Agency will continue working with all the relevant parties to ensure the improvement works are implemented in time to accommodate traffic generated by the new developments. The improvements have been identified as a priority for funding within the current regional funding allocation period.
Air Pollution: Standards
The Department for Transport (DFT) plays a key role in negotiating ever-tighter air quality standards for vehicles at EU level. The European Council recently voted for the latest set of Euro standards (Euro 5 and 6 for light duty vehicles), negotiated by DFT. Euro 6, due to come into force in 2015, will deliver a 68 per cent. reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from diesel cars and vans, in comparison to the Euro 4 levels.
DFT requires local authorities to produce local transport plans (LTPs). Local authorities submitted their five-year LTPs in 2006, which cover all of England outside of London. In its guidance, DFT emphasised the importance of air quality by making it one of four shared priorities in the LTP.
The UK’s new Air Quality Strategy, published in July 2007, recommended that the Government further consider three new transport measures: incentives for the early uptake of new Euro standards; increased uptake of low emission vehicles; and reduced emissions from ships. Discussions have already begun across Government as to the possible implementation of these measures.
Aircraft: Air Conditioning
We commissioned the independent Committee on Toxicity (COT) to evaluate evidence submitted by the British Air Lines Pilots Association (BALPA) in relation to cabin air “fume events”. The COT received extensive information from oil companies, airlines, engine manufacturers, independent scientific experts and campaign groups. The COT also reviewed previous studies of cabin air. The COT reported on 20 September 2007. The report is published on COT's website at www.advisorvbodies.doh.gov.uk/cotnonfood/index.htm where there is a mass of material.
The committee considered that it was not possible to conclude whether cabin air exposures (either general or following incidents) cause ill-health in commercial aircraft crews. It recommended further work, in particular and as a priority, to ascertain whether substances in the cabin environment during fume events could potentially be harmful to health. COT considered that this work should be designed to detect any potentially harmful substances, rather than focus on named substances.
In keeping with its commitment to promoting healthy flying, the Department for Transport accepts this priority. We have recently been testing equipment which may be capable of capturing substances released during fume incidents. Subject to the results of this testing, the Department hopes to begin a study later this year or early next year.
Bus Services: Tickets
[holding answer 22 October 2007]: We have been providing regular guidance and support to Travel Concession Authorities (TCAs) to help them issue ITSO compliant smartcard passes. This includes issuing detailed bulletins and holding a series of regional seminars.
We have put in place a network of mentor authorities to provide additional advice and guidance to TCAs and have a dedicated and experienced team within the Department to provide support to TCAs and to monitor their progress.
We have put in place a framework agreement which TCAs can use to produce their smartcards, though they are free to other ITSO compliant smartcard producers if they wish. We have also put in place a number of other framework agreements offering related services, such as smartcard database management and the provision of equipment to allow TCAs to produce passes in house.
We are paying TCAs a grant of around £30 million this year which covers the cost of ordering passes under the framework agreement.
We are funding a new company, ITSO Services Ltd, to remove from TCAs most, if not all, of the financial and administrative burdens associated with becoming an ITSO member.
We have no plans to require smart readers to be installed on all buses in England. In areas where there are no smart readers, the passes will simply be shown to the bus drivers as they are now.
Departments: ICT
Since May 2005, eight mobile phones and seven laptops issued to departmental Ministers for official use have been returned following reshuffles. Detailed information for previous years can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Driving Tests: Motorcycles
The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Driving: Licensing
The following table shows the estimated number of people holding a full driving licence in (a) the West Midlands government office region and (b) Great Britain based on data from the National Travel Survey. It is not possible to produce estimates for Sandwell metropolitan borough council using data from this survey.
Estimated licence holders (million) West Midlands 1996-98 2.7 1997-99 2.8 1998-2000 2.8 1999-2001 2.8 2002-03 2.9 2003-04 2.9 2004-05 2.9 2005-06 3.0 Great Britain 1996-98 30.7 1997-99 31.1 1998-2000 31.6 1999-2001 31.7 2002 31.9 2003 32.1 2004 32.2 2005 33.3 2006 33.7 1 Data for several years have been combined in some cases to increase the sample size.
London Gateway Port
A detailed assessment of the impact of London Gateway on other ports by region was included in the Container Port Transhipment Study, prepared by the Department’s consultants MDS Transmodal and DTZ Pieda and published in May 2006.
Scenarios 2(b), 4(b) and 5(b) in this study considered the net effect of addition of London Gateway to other development scenarios. Depending on deep-sea development assumed elsewhere, the study estimated that it would reduce additional feeder-service quay length required elsewhere by 2030 by between 14 per cent. and 35 per cent. as well as abstracting deep-sea traffic from other ports.
London Gateway Port: Road Traffic
An assessment of the impact of the London Gateway port on road congestion in Essex was made as part of the Government decision giving consent for the port. The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron), was satisfied that the impact of additional road traffic in Essex resulting from the port would be adequately addressed by the proposed highway capacity improvements set out in undertakings given by the London Gateway port promoters to Essex county council.
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
Ministers and officials have had a number of meetings with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (on an individual basis or as part of a wider group) since 27 June to discuss a range of issues.
River Thames: Bridges
The first part of the study will include extensive consultation with both public and private sector stakeholders. In addition the study will have access to the comments made on capacity issues included in the response to the consultation on "Changes to Charges at the Dartford Crossing" carried out earlier this year.
No detailed work has been carried out on the access and congestion implications of any specific option.
Detailed work on the specification of the study has been completed in house and the project is now out to tender with consultants. No locations have been ruled out.
Roads: Accidents
The information requested is given in the table:
Resulting in: Accident year Accidents Injury1 Death 2002 91 90 1 2003 98 98 0 2004 87 87 0 2005 88 88 0 2006 74 74 0 1 Serious or slight.
Rolling Stock
[holding answer 22 October 2007]: The information is not held in the form requested. Information on the age of rolling stock by operator is as follows:
Years All operators 13.95 Long distance 16.40 London and SE 12.98 Regional operators 16.12
Shipping: Oil
(2) when her Department plans to hold the consultation on the secondary legislation that will regulate ship to ship transfers within UK territorial waters.
The regulations which will regulate ship-to-ship transfers within the 12 nautical mile limit of the UK's territorial sea are still in draft. The Department now expects to put the draft regulations out for public consultation in early 2008, with a view to their coming into force later in that year.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
The total estimated monetary value of thefts reported of both military supplies and private effects in transit to UK forces in Afghanistan from April 2006 to February 2007 is estimated at approximately £400,000.
Armed Forces
The Secretary of State and I both received letters dated 12 September from Frances Done, then director general of the Royal British Legion, formally notifying the Ministry of Defence of the public launch of the ‘Honour the Covenant’ campaign on 13 September and setting out its principal concerns.
Since the launch of the campaign, Ministers have received in excess of 200 representations from members of the public concerning the Military Covenant. A majority of these have used the proforma generated by the Royal British Legion or state that they are writing on its behalf but we do not know the exact number of the correspondents who are members.
Armed Forces: Housing
[holding answer 8 October 2007]: The number of Service Families Accommodation (SFA) properties upgraded to our highest ‘Standard One for Condition’ in each financial year since 1999 is:
Number 1999-2000 2,393 2000-01 2,700 2001-02 3,870 2002-03 1,440 2003-04 1,402 2004-05 2,610 2005-06 1,705 2006-07 1,215
Records pre-dating 1999 are incompatible and inconsistent with those now held due to changes in data collection and standards measured.
[holding answer 22 October 2007]: The total number of service families accommodation (SFA) which will be retained in 10 years' time is dependent on wider rationalisation and disposal decisions yet to be taken. Under the housing prime contract, a survey is underway on SFA which will inform future upgrade plans. It would be premature to predict at this stage how many properties will be at a particular standard in 2017. The upgrading of properties is, however, proceeding and at present some 95 per cent. of SFA is at the top two standards for condition. This includes increasing the condition of properties at the top Standard from 40 per cent in 2001-02 to 59 per cent. now.
So far as single living accommodation (SLA) is concerned, the current programme extends to 2013 and by then we anticipate that 52 per cent. (70,000 bed-spaces) will be at the highest standard (Grade 1), with a further 14 per cent. (19,000 bed-spaces) at Grade 2.
Armed Forces: Lifelong Education
The information is not held in the format requested in that records are not readily available by rank for either scheme, financial data about the Standard Learning Credits (SLC) Scheme is only kept to hand for the past five full financial years, and the first payments under the Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) Scheme were only available from 1 April 2004. The full data requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
SLC Scheme
The total service uptake and expenditure of the SLC Scheme for the last five years is provided in the following table:
Financial year Number of claims Strength Percentage take up Total spent (£ million) 2002-03 24,888 181,700 13.7 3.035 2003-04 29,748 182,700 16.3 3.504 2004-05 28,020 184,500 15.1 3.475 2005-06 28,452 182,800 15.6 3.336 2006-07 26,629 178,300 14.9 2.800
ELC Scheme
Prior to 1 April 2004 a total of 177,534 personnel registered for the ELC Scheme.
Personnel only become eligible to claim ELC after accruing a minimum of four years service post their initial registration on the scheme. It would be misleading to express take-up as a percentage of registered personnel for such a demand-led scheme where, once eligible, personnel can make up to a maximum of three claims, no more than one per annum, at any time during their career or for up to 10 years after leaving the Service. The table below shows the number of additional registrations, the number of claims authorised and the value of those claims in the three financial years the scheme has been operating:
Financial year Number of additional registrations Number of claims authorised Total spent (£ million) 2004-05 19,893 4,632 3.630 2005-06 14,962 6,125 5.044 2006-07 14,882 6,570 5.645
Armed Forces: Racial Discrimination
[holding answer 22 October 2007]: The Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force have done a great deal in recent years to promote racial equality and continue to work hard to develop an organisational culture that welcomes racial diversity and places the highest priority on tackling racism. The armed forces respect and value every individual's unique contribution regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, social background or sexual orientation. The goal is to create a working environment free from harassment and unlawful discrimination, in which all have equal opportunity to realise their full potential. From 1997 to 2006, the armed forces worked in formal partnership with the Commission for Racial Equality to improve racial equality.
The MOD published a race equality scheme (RES) in 2003 and subsequent reports about the scheme detail the range of measures that the armed forces have undertaken to improve racial equality. The RES was superseded in June 2006 by the Department's overarching equality and diversity scheme. The armed forces achievements in promoting racial equality were recognised when all three services finished in the top 10 in Business in the Community's annual Race for Opportunity annual benchmarking report for 2006.
Armed Forces: Weapons
In answering this question the term ‘weapons’ is taken to be firearms and ‘missing’ is taken to include lost and stolen. Separate records are not maintained for other weapons and such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The number of firearms lost or stolen in the period 1 January 2005 until 1 October 2007 is 64. The breakdown is as follows:
Stolen Recovered Automatic weapon 2005 1 0 2006 0 0 2007 0 0 Total 1 0 Heavy arms (mortar etc.) 2005 0 0 2006 1 1 2007 0 0 Total 1 1 Other weapon 2005 13 0 2006 1 1 2007 1 1 Total 15 2 Pistol 2005 5 2 2006 8 2 2007 5 1 Total 18 5 Rifle (mil) 2005 9 2 2006 12 0 2007 4 1 Total 25 3 Shotgun 2005 0 0 2006 0 0 2007 2 0 Total 2 0 Rifle 2005 0 0 2006 2 0 2007 0 0 Total 2 0 Grand total 64 11
Thefts of weapons are investigated by the Service Police, Ministry of Defence Police or the Home Department Police, either jointly or independently.
The MOD holds numerous types of ammunition. Although the loss and theft is recorded, the information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Army: Operating Costs
This information is not held in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Expenditure is spread over a variety of budgets and will vary according to the composition of the infantry battalion, the tasks in which it is engaged and where it is deployed.
Army: Working Hours
The Defence Analytical Service Agency (DASA) carry out a continuous sample survey of working patterns providing estimates of the average working hours per person, per week, for each service.
The results of the 2005-06 survey gave an estimate of an average of 45.2 "hours worked" per week for all regular trained junior ranks in the Army.
“Hours worked” includes time spent carrying out normal work, secondary duties, compulsory fitness training, organised sports and representational activities, but excludes annual leave, meal and tea breaks and time spent on call.
A copy of the 2005-06 Continuous Working Patterns report is available in the Library of the House.
Defence Estates: Official Hospitality
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Consultants
[holding answer 18 October 2007]: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, I have placed in the Library of the House, the MOD’s expenditure on Management and Business Consultancy, Finance and Accountancy Consultancy, Corporate Governance and Audit Consultancy, and Public/Private Partnership and Private Finance Initiative Consultancy contracts signed in financial year 2006-07 that have passed through a centralised approval process. The figures do not contain spend by the MOD’s Trading Funds or Agencies or on other types of consultancy.
Summaries of the MOD’s expenditure on External Assistance have been placed in the Library of the House on an annual basis since 1995-96. Furthermore, information on organisations, including consultancy firms, paid £5 million or more by the Department in each financial year is published in the UK Defence Statistics. Copies are also available in the House Library.
Departments: Manpower
The number and percentage of employees in the Department and each Executive agency as at 1 September 2007 are shown in the following table.
Number Percentage Ministry of Defence (Less Agencies) 1,390 2.5 Defence Analytical Services Agency 1— 2.2 Defence Medical and Education Training Agency 25 1— Defence Storage and Distribution Agency 70 1.8 Defence Vetting Agency 10 2.6 Ministry of Defence Police 55 0.7 Pay and Personnel Agency 25 2.0 Service Children’s Education 5 0.6 Service Personnel and Veterans Agency 45 4.0 Trading Fund Personnel 95 1.0 Ministry of Defence Total 1,730 2.1 1 Less than 5. Source: DASA (Quad Service).
Data for non-departmental public bodies funded by the Department is not held centrally.
Meteorology: Manpower
[holding answer 24 October 2007]: At the current time, the Met Office has some 400 forecasting and observing staff working directly in weather forecast production in the UK. The Met Office also has a small number of forecasters and observers working in overseas locations. In addition there are some 300 scientists working in meteorological research and development. There are also a number of staff working in management and support roles who have a meteorological background.
The Royal Navy currently has 136 HM (hydrographic, meteorological, oceanographic) officers and 13 warrant officers and chief petty officers who have received some form of training as meteorological forecasters. Only a proportion of these will be directly employed on forecasting duties at any one time. In addition to the trained forecasters, the RN has around 70 junior and senior rates trained as meteorological observers/forecasters’ assistants, most of whom will be employed on forecasting duties at any one time.
In addition to those working at the Met Office and in the Royal Navy, the Royal Meteorological Society estimates there are approximately 550 meteorologists working in academia and industry throughout the UK.
[holding answer 24 October 2007]: On current plans the requirement for meteorologists both at the Met Office and in the Royal Navy is likely to remain broadly constant in the future although the requirement is kept under regular review.
I am unable to comment on the future requirement for meteorologists working outside of MOD.
Nuclear Weapons: Testing
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) hold an epidemiological database which is used for the ongoing follow-up study of the UK participants in the UK Atmospheric nuclear weapons tests and experimental programmes at Maralinga, conducted between 1952 and 1964.
The HPA epidemiological database includes details of individuals recorded as having been issued with film badges as well as recorded details of any external doses that had been incurred above the threshold of detection.
In addition to the information on the database, HPA has carried out post mortem radiochemical analyses on tissues from four nuclear weapons tests participants, at the request of either a coroner or relatives of the individual. The results of these analyses have been passed to the relevant individuals and are not in the public domain and are not part of the epidemiological database.
Royal Irish Regiment
This information is not readily available in the format requested. I will write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Service Children's Education: Standards
The information for 2005 and 2006 is shown in the table:
2005 2006 Subject Number Percentage Number Percentage English 700 83 611 82 Mathematics 634 75 598 79 Science 749 89 696 92 Reading 740 87 648 87 Writing 550 65 495 67 Reading and Writing 543 64 485 65 Reading, Writing and Mathematics 488 58 450 60
Academic results for 2007 await formal validation. They will be published in the Service Children’s Education Annual Report and Accounts, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.
I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 2 February 2006, Official Report, columns 708-709W, by the then Under Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for gave answers for the years from 1997 to 2004.
Unidentified Flying Objects
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 27 June 2007, Official Report, column 801W.
Northern Ireland
Departments: Accountancy
None of the Northern Ireland Office’s budgets, including its Agencies and NDPBs, have been reclassified following the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007.
Departments: Citizens’ Juries
(2) how many citizens’ juries were arranged for (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s agencies in each year since 1997; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens’ jury; and what the cost was of each.
To date the Northern Ireland Office has not consulted citizens’ juries on departmental policies.
We do, however, provide an opportunity for stakeholders and the wider public to contribute to NIO policies and legislation including, where appropriate, focus groups and public meetings. Consultations are carried out in accordance with the Cabinet Office code of practice on written consultation and the consultation period will normally last for a minimum of 12 weeks. The Northern Ireland Office website www.nio.gov.uk provides a library of consultations and, where available, the summary of responses and associated revision to the policy or legislation.
Departments: Public Expenditure
Since 2001 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) Department has not had any breaches of its (a) resource budget, (b) Near-cash budget, (c) administration budget and (d) capital budget.
However, in 2001-02 the Department did have an excess vote relating to the funding of the grant to the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund, which is a stand-alone RfR (request for resources) within the Department’s supply estimates. The excess against the RfR was £285.2 million which in turn lead to an excess of £148.7 million over the total voted net cash requirement for the Department.
The reason for the breach was due to a breakdown in communication between the Department of Finance and Personnel, the NIO and HM Treasury during the spring supplementary estimates of that year.
Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
The Police Ombudsman has advised that any information received by her in the conduct of her duties and responsibilities is in compliance with powers conferred on her as Police Ombudsman.
Prime Minister
Armed Forces
I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects.
Committee on Standards in Public Life
I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 958W.
Departmental Responsibilities: Offshore Industry
I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 959W.
Since 27 June, my office has received approximately 200 representations on energy-related matters. Given the volume of correspondence I receive—thousands of letters each week covering a broad spectrum of issues—my office records letters by subject rather than by the view expressed.
Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers
I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 10 October 2007, Official Report, column 680W.
Departments: Written Questions
In the period from September 2006 to September 2007, 103 named day parliamentary questions were tabled to my office, all of which received a substantive answer on the day named.
EU Reform: Treaties
I refer the hon. Member to statements by the organisation ‘Conservatives Against a Federal Europe’, signed up to by the hon. Member in his former role as a vice-president of that organisation.
General Elections: Petitions
Information on the number of signatures is available on the e-petitions website:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
I regularly have discussions on a wide range of issues with President Bush, including on Iraq.
Official Hospitality: Prime Minister’s Office
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) on 17 October 2007, Official Report, column 1135W.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers
My special advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers.
Departments: Standards
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has one public service agreement (PSA) target: to deliver a successful Olympic games and Paralympic games with a sustainable legacy and get more children and young people taking part in high quality PE and sport.
The PSA will be measured through five indicators. Indicators 1-3 do not require rural proofing as they relate specifically to the construction and design of the Olympic Park and Olympic venues and regeneration of East London. DCMS will ensure that the impact on rural communities is considered in relation to indicator 4—the delivery of public participation in cultural, sporting and community activities related to the 2012 games across the UK. In relation to indicator 5—creation of a world-class system for physical education (PE) and sport—DCMS is monitoring jointly with DCSF participation in PE and sport in all maintained schools, including those in rural communities. We will use this data to assess the impact in both rural and urban areas.
Solicitor-General
Inside Justice Week
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave in the House today.
Street Prostitutes
The CPS policy is to consider alternatives to prosecution in the courts to help prostitutes find a route out of prostitution. In many areas of the country, the CPS and the local police have developed strategies that focus on rehabilitation.
Fireworks
It is not possible to provide a definitive response to this question from the records held by the CPS.
Information on prosecutions for offences against the person and for criminal damage is held at aggregate level, and it is not possible to identify separately any cases falling into these categories in which the offence involved a firework.
Offences under the Fireworks Regulations 2004 are within the scope of the Penalty Notice for Disorder Scheme, and are not prosecuted by the CPS unless the penalty notice is challenged.