Written Answers Written Answers to Questions Wednesday 11 November 2009 Transport Bus Services: Concessions Stephen Hammond To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the administrative cost to the Government of running the national concessionary bus fares scheme has been in each year since its introduction. Mr. Khan [holding answer 9 November 2009]: Although the statutory minimum concession is funded by central Government, it is administered by local authorities known as travel concession authorities (TCAs). They have the statutory responsibility for issuing passes to those eligible and ensuring that bus operators offer, and are properly reimbursed for, free off-peak local travel anywhere in England. The Department for Transport does not hold figures for how much it costs each authority to administer the national scheme. Christmas Mr. Prisk To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many Christmas functions arranged by his Department and its agencies (a) the then Secretary of State, (b) officials of his Department and (c) officials of its agencies (i) hosted and (ii) attended in 2008; what the cost to the public purse was; and if he will make a statement. Chris Mole The then Secretary of State for Transport only attended two Christmas functions that were arranged by the central Department (none by agencies). Details as follows: He hosted Christmas drinks for journalists on 16 December 2008 at a cost of £645.82. He also attended the Private Office Christmas party on 17 December. There was no cost to the public purse. No official funds were used for internal departmental Christmas parties/functions attended by officials of the Department in 2008. The information on the number of Christmas functions attend by officials is not held centrally, therefore could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The Department for Transport's expenditure and acceptance of hospitality is conducted in accordance with the principals of Government Accounting and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety. Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have spent on Christmas (i) cards, (ii) parties and (iii) decorations in the last 12 months. Chris Mole The amounts spent by the Department for Transport (central) and its agencies in the last 12 months. ----------------------------------------------------------------- | |(i) Cards|(it) Parties|(iii) Decorations| ----------------------------------------------------------------- |(a) Central Department|1,395 |0 |1,052 | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |(b) Executive Agencies|2,993 |0 |1,147 | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls Norman Baker To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the change in (a) the average delay time experienced by drivers and (b) levels of carbon emissions resulting from that change as a result of recent changes to the toll payment arrangements at the Dartford Crossing; and if he will take steps to reduce (i) congestion and (ii) carbon emissions on the A282 on the approaches to the Dartford Crossing. Chris Mole Between M25 junction 2 and M25 junction 30, (which includes the Dartford Crossing) the estimated average delay per journey during the period March to August 2009 compared to the same months in 2008 decreased by 0.4 minutes northbound and increased by 0.7 minutes southbound. The months of March to August have been used for comparison of average delays per journey before and after the revised charges came into effect on 15 November 2008. The Department has made no specific estimates of the levels of carbon emissions resulting from the revision of the charges in November 2008. The Department for Transport and the Highways Agency are committed to improving the levels of service experienced by users of the Dartford Crossing. In the short term the Highways Agency are in the process of implementing a package of measures, including the introduction of average speed cameras and further traffic management technology, to reduce the number of incidents at the Crossing, which will improve journey times. Additionally, in April 2009, the Department published its initial analysis of the current and possible future capacity constraints at the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing. On the basis of the findings and conclusions of the analysis, we announced further work to investigate what can be done in the short to medium term to improve the level of service provided by the existing Crossing. The study recommended further work on two possible measures, recognising that each had the potential to generate some small benefits by increasing throughput while avoiding impacts on safety. The first set of measures could see changes to the configuration of the toll plaza, signing and promotion of DART-Tags to see whether this would improve traffic flows. The second set of measures could entail one-way tolling with the removal of the southbound plaza to allow a larger improved northbound plaza. This work is being taken forward and is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete. Departmental Billing Mr. Weir To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what percentage of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in (a) September and (b) October 2009. Chris Mole The Department for Transport has paid 91.01 per cent. of valid invoices received in September 2009 within 10 days measured against the total number of 20,406 valid invoices received; and 92.99 per cent. of valid invoices received in October 2009 within 10 days measured against the total number of 21,306 valid invoices received. Departmental Dismissal Justine Greening To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many staff have (a) been dismissed and (b) had their contract terminated by his Department in each of the last five years; what the reason was in each case; and what the severance costs in relation to (i) dismissal and (ii) contract termination were in each such year. Chris Mole The information requested is as follows: Dismissals The total number of employees who have been dismissed in the last five years is broken down by category in the following table together with an indication as to whether severance costs were involved: ----------------------------------------------- | |Number| ----------------------------------------------- |2004-05 | | ----------------------------------------------- |Discipline (without severance costs) |11 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (with severance costs) |12 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (without severance costs)|18 | ----------------------------------------------- |2005-06 | | ----------------------------------------------- |Discipline (without severance costs) |28 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (with severance costs) |11 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (without severance costs)|23 | ----------------------------------------------- |2006-07 | | ----------------------------------------------- |Discipline (without severance costs) |11 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (with severance costs) |12 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (without severance costs)|48 | ----------------------------------------------- |2007-08 | | ----------------------------------------------- |Discipline (without severance costs) |14 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (with severance costs) |19 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (without severance costs)|18 | ----------------------------------------------- |2008-09 | | ----------------------------------------------- |Discipline (without severance costs) |13 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (with severance costs) |7 | ----------------------------------------------- |Inefficiency (without severance costs)|24 | ----------------------------------------------- In addition there have also been seven other discipline (with costs) dismissals during the period 2004-09. However these cases have not been broken down further by category in order to protect the confidentiality of individuals. There have also been a further 68 dismissals during the period 2004-09 for which details can not be broken down further. To do so would incur disproportionate cost. The severance costs for dismissals are as follows: -------------------- | |£ | -------------------- |2004-05|21,203.87 | -------------------- |2005-06|50,154.11 | -------------------- |2006-07|64,930.10 | -------------------- |2007-08|170,515.91| -------------------- |2008-09|129,710.00| -------------------- The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency are unable to provide this information as it can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Contract Termination The total number of employees who have had their contract terminated over the last five years is broken down by category in the following table: ------------------------ | |Number| ------------------------ |2004-05 | | ------------------------ |Probation |28 | ------------------------ |2005-06 | | ------------------------ |Failed training|8 | ------------------------ |2006-07 | | ------------------------ |Failed training|7 | ------------------------ |2007-08 | | ------------------------ |Probation |11 | ------------------------ |Failed training|6 | ------------------------ |2008-09 | | ------------------------ |Probation |21 | ------------------------ In addition there have also been seven other dismissals during 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09. However these cases have not been broken down further by category in order to protect the confidentiality of individuals. Departmental Energy Grant Shapps To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the (a) energy rating and (b) energy band of each building occupied by his Department and its agencies was in each year for which figures are available. Chris Mole I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 10 November 2009, Official Report, columns 200-01W. Departmental Fraud Bob Spink To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many employees of his Department were convicted of an offence of fraud in each of the last 10 years. Chris Mole The Department for Transport was formed on 29 May 2002. To date 10 employees have been convicted of an offence of fraud. An annual breakdown is unavailable. Where figures are fewer than five in any year, it is Department for Transport policy to withhold details on grounds of individual confidentiality. Departmental Freedom of Information Mrs. Laing To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many staff in his Department were employed on the management of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in each year since 2005; and how much his Department spent on the management of such requests in each such year. Chris Mole Freedom of information requests are not handled centrally by most parts of the Department of Transport and it is therefore not possible, without incurring disproportionate costs, to say precisely how many staff were employed in the management of those requests, or how much has been spent on such management. The central Department and each of its agencies do however have central teams that advise on the handling of requests, provide guidance and training, and monitor performance etc., and the total number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff employed in these teams across the Department is as follows: ------------------------------------ |Financial year|Number of FTE staff| ------------------------------------ |2005-06 |18.36 | ------------------------------------ |2006-07 |17.68 | ------------------------------------ |2007-08 |15.86 | ------------------------------------ |2008-09 |14.82 | ------------------------------------ More detailed information about the staffing of these central teams has, following a recent FOI request, been published on the Department for Transport website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/responses/2009/aug/foi5554/foi5554.pdf An assessment of the cost of freedom of information within Government can be found in Frontier Economics 2006 report "Independent Review of the Freedom of Information Act". A copy of this report is available in the House of Commons Library. Departmental ICT Mr. Vaizey To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what discussions his Department has had with UK companies about tendering to supply technology for the forthcoming hard shoulder running projects. Chris Mole [holding answer 9 November 2009]: The Highways Agency has had discussions with a number of potential suppliers (both UK- and overseas-based) regarding a technical solution for monitoring the hard shoulder prior to opening. A worldwide search of available systems for hard shoulder monitoring has been conducted which included discussions with potential suppliers. There is only one operational UK-based system available and that is currently being used on the M42 Active Traffic Management Pilot. The Highways Agency intends to review the performance of available commercial off the shelf hard shoulder monitoring technologies in order to produce a functional specification. This specification can then be used to competitively tender for an end to end solution for monitoring the hard shoulder, for both future managed motorway schemes involving use of the hard shoulder as a running lane and the technology refresh of existing schemes. Grant Shapps To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with which organisations his Department has had exclusivity agreements for information technology (a) hardware and (b) software in each of the last five years; how many such agreements have been breached in each year; and what the cost to his Department was of each breach. Chris Mole The only known case in the Department for Transport is that the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency has a PFI contract with Siemens since April 2005 which includes an exclusivity agreement for the provision of hardware (but not software) to MOT Testing Stations. There have been no breaches associated with it. All other agencies have no such agreements. No central record is kept for the Department for Transport (Central) and this information can therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, it is felt that the number and scope of such agreements will be very small, if any. Departmental Manpower John Mann To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many staff there were in his Department (a) in 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. Chris Mole The Department for Transport was formed in 2002 and the figures used below are Full Time Equivalent as shown in our 2008-09 Annual Report: ------------------- | |Number| ------------------- |March 2003|15,305| ------------------- |March 2009|18,545| ------------------- Departmental Official Cars Mr. Heald To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department was in the last 12 months. Paul Clark No special advisers are provided with an allocated Government car and driver. As with all civil servants, special advisers may use an official car or taxi in properly defined circumstances. Details of such use is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Departmental Pay John McDonnell To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his Department's policy is on payment of the London living wage. Chris Mole [holding answer 26 October 2009]: The Department for Transport does not have an HR policy on the London living wage as it does not employ staff in roles where pay rates at or close to the London living wage would be appropriate. Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by press officers in his Department and its agencies in 2008-09. Chris Mole The Department for Transport reimburses staff only for expenses necessarily incurred in the course of official business. Expenses reimbursed to press officers in 2008-09 are set out in the following table where readily available: ------------------------------------------------ | |£ | ------------------------------------------------ |Department for Transport - Central |4,208.88 | ------------------------------------------------ |Driving Standards Agency |537.00 | ------------------------------------------------ |Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |2,893.33 | ------------------------------------------------ |Highways Agency |14,453.11| ------------------------------------------------ |Vehicle and Operator Services Agency|656.80 | ------------------------------------------------ The Highways Agency (HA) has seven regional press officers to support its new Traffic Officer service and seven regional control centres. These press officers are employed to raise awareness of the Traffic Officers and the agency's role as network operator for England's motorways and major A roads. These press officers have to travel between the Regional Control Centres, outstations and Highways Agency offices, as well as travelling to media opportunities and to accompany journalists during visits to the HA network and premises. Press officer activities in most executive agencies are not carried out by staff or units solely dedicated to this purpose. The Government Car and Despatch Agency and the Vehicle Certification Agency have no press officers, and the Marine and Coastguard Agency are unable to identify press officer reimbursements without disproportionate cost. Departmental Political Activities Mr. Don Foster To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2009, Official Report, column 1446W, on party conferences, how much Passenger Focus spent sending representatives to attend each of the party political conferences in 2009; and whether prior permission was sought from the Cabinet Office for Passenger Focus to attend. Chris Mole In accordance with Cabinet Office guidance, Passenger Focus sought the Department for Transport’s approval before attending. The cost of attendance is a matter for Passenger Focus itself. Departmental Postal Services Mr. Graham Stuart To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with which providers (a) his Department and (b) its agencies had a contract to provide postal services in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) between 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2009 and (iv) since 1 July 2009. Chris Mole The requested information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Departmental Travel Norman Baker To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many miles (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have travelled by (i) car, (ii) rail and (iii) air on official business in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009. Chris Mole Department for Transport records on travel are not kept by length of journey, and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code. Immobilisation of Vehicles: Leeds Greg Mulholland To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many cars have been impounded in Leeds North West constituency in each year since 2005; and at what cost in each such year. Paul Clark The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not keep the information in the format requested. However the number of vehicles wheel-clamped and/or impounded by the enforcement team based in Leeds is as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Financial year|Vehicles wheel clamped in Leeds|Vehicles impounded in Leeds| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 |1,011 |748 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006-07 |2,148 |1,301 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007-08 |2,007 |787 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008-09 |1,559 |562 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is not possible to provide cost information for the Leeds North West constituency. Motorcycles Lembit Öpik To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport for what reasons motorcycles were not included in his Department's research project on the future of urban transport; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Khan The report by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit on Urban Mobility, which the unit undertook jointly with the Department for Transport and other Government Departments, provided a strategic analysis of the impact of all forms of surface transport, including motorcycles, on people that live and work in cities and towns. It concluded that the impacts went well beyond the benefits of mobility and economic consequences of congestion, with poorly planned transport causing significant adverse impacts in terms of air quality, ill health, noise and road accidents. The report concluded that a new vision was required to provide greater choice for all travellers and to take better account of the needs not only of those travelling but of residents and businesses. The Department's paper “The Future of Urban Transport” responds by offering a vision of urban transport that envisages enhanced mobility through a wider choice of journey, reduced congestion, better health and enjoyable urban spaces. Motorway Service Areas Stephen Hammond To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers), 16 September 2009, Official Report, column 2279W, on motorway service areas, when he plans to publish the detailed valuation study; and if he will make a statement. Chris Mole The Highways Agency commissioned an investigation into whether potential exists for the disposal of the remaining 20 Government owned motorway service area (MSA) sites. The resulting report will be published by the end of the year, and copies placed in the Libraries of the House at that time. Road Signs and Markings Norman Baker To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department has made any recent assessment of the degree to which the meanings of individual road signs are understood by (a) motorists, (b) cyclists and (c) pedestrians. Mr. Khan Familiarity and understanding of traffic signs are an integral part of the theory and practical driving test. The Department for Transport last published research on understanding of traffic signs in March 2004 in a report entitled ‘Increasing Understanding of Traffic Signs’. The research considered a limited number of traffic signs and did not provide detailed analysis by road user category. A further research project has been agreed to inform the ongoing traffic signs policy review. This will include detailed analysis by road user category. We plan to commission this work later this year. Road Traffic Control and Immobilisation of Vehicles Mrs. Villiers To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the (a) Association of Chief Police Officers, (b) Metropolitan Police and (c) Secretary of State for the Home Department on the (i) time taken to clear the scene of motorway incidents and (ii) activities of companies which use wheel-clamping to enforce parking restrictions on private property in the last three years. Chris Mole The Highways Agency (HA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have entered into a strategic agreement setting out how they will work together to improve the way road traffic incidents on the Strategic Road Network are managed. The HA/ACPO Partnership Board meets three times a year when a number of issues, including incident clear-up times, are discussed. The last meeting was held on 4 August 2009. The Secretary of State for Transport met with ACPO recently. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Transport and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Gillingham Paul Clark, have met with/spoken to Home Office Ministers. Departmental officials are in regular contact with their opposite numbers in the Home Office about the activities of companies that use vehicle immobilisation and/or removal to enforce parking restrictions on private land. Roads: Finance Mr. Timpson To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A11 Fiveways to Thetford improvement, (ii) A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement, (iii) A21 South Pembury to Hastings route improvements, (iv) A21 Tonbridge to Pembury dualling scheme and (v) A23 Handcross to Warninglid improvement; and what the total projected cost of each is; (2) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A30 Temple to Higher Carblake improvement, (ii) A38 Derby Junctions scheme, (iii) A45/46 Tollbar End improvement scheme, (iv) A57/A628 Mottram in Longdendale, Hollingworth and Tintwistle bypass and (v) M1 junctions 10 to 13 improvements; and what the total projected cost of each is; (3) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass), (ii) M23 Hooley junction improvement, (iii) A1 Peterborough to Wittering junction improvement, (iv) A453 widening (M1 junction 24 to A52 Nottingham) scheme and (v) Chichester area and A27 transport proposals; and what the total projected cost of each is; (4) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) M6 Bescot Viaduct and (ii) A419 Covingham and Kingsdown noise fences; and what the total projected cost of each is; (5) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A49 Stapleton Crossroads junction improvement scheme, (ii) A5/A444 Red Gate junction improvement, (iii) M5 junction 3 to Newton farm resurfacing scheme, (iv) A11 Ketteringham Station Lane improvements and (v) A1 Tuxford filter drain refurbishment; and what the total projected cost of each is; (6) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A20 New Dover Road lay-by improvements, (ii) A56 Haslingden gas pipeline, (iii) A40 Churcham flood relief scheme, (iv) A40 Highnam Woods slope stabilisation scheme and (v) M11 junctions 8 to 9 major maintenance scheme; and what the total projected cost of each is; (7) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A1 Cawledge Burn wildlife crossing, (ii) A27 Southerham railway bridge refurbishment, (iii) A45/A452 Stonebridge Island Disability Discrimination Acts compliance work, (v) M4 junctions 18 to 19 central reserve barrier replacement and (v) M5 junctions 15 to 17 central reserve barrier replacement; and what the total projected cost of each is; (8) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) M5 junctions 18 to 18a Lawrence Weston overbridge replacement, (ii) A1 Colsterworth to Little Ponton gap closures, (iii) M6 hard shoulder strengthening works, (v) A38 Carkeel Roundabout footbridge and (v) M6 junction 7 to Perry Barr southbound resurfacing; and what the total projected cost of each is; (9) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) M6 junctions 18 to 17 resurfacing works, (ii) A1 Stamford heavy goods vehicles overtaking ban, (iii) M25 junction 24 link overnight safety work, (iv) M5 junctions 25 to 26 Poundisford drainage and resurfacing scheme and (v) A12 Witham major maintenance and improvement scheme; and what the total projected cost of each is; (10) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) M1 junctions 32 to 35a managed motorway scheme, (ii) A2 Kingston Bridleway bridge, (iii) A483 Pant Embankment stabilisation and carriageway repairs, (v) A13-A1089 safety improvements near Thurrock and (v) A21 Pembury Bypass slip road widening works; and what the total projected cost of each is; (11) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A66 Bowes Interchange, (ii) A1/A69 Denton Interchange, (iii) M5 junction 29 east of Exeter improvement, (iv) M62 junctions 25 to 30 managed motorway scheme and (v) A56 lay-by improvements; and what the total projected cost of each is; (12) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) M25 north viaduct maintenance at junction 28 and the A12 Brook Street interchange, (ii) A160/A180 improvements at Immingham, (iii) A1 East Ancroft to Cat Inn scheme, (iv) A66 Cross Lanes to Lowfields scheme and (v) A66 Southorpe to Hutton Magna scheme; and what the total projected cost of each is; (13) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A21 Riverhead Bridge refurbishment, (ii) A1 Newlands Burn otter crossing, (iii) A1 Newton Burn otter crossing, (iv) A1 Oxford to Scremerston scheme and (v) A1 River Aln wildlife crossing; and what the total projected cost of each is; (14) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A66 Viewley Hill to Long Newton scheme, (ii) M1 junctions 28 to 31 managed motorways scheme, (iii) M4 junction 19 to 20 and M5 junctions 15 to 17 managed motorways scheme, (iv) M6 Birmingham Box Phase 3 managed motorways scheme and (v) M25 junctions 17 to 10 controlled motorway scheme; and what the total projected cost of each is; (15) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A1 Birtley to Eighton Lodge scheme, (ii) A194(M) Whitemare Pool interchange microprocessor optimised vehicle activation scheme, (iii) A184 Whitemare Pool interchange, (iv) A66(M) Darlington Spur scheme and (v) A1 Blaydon to Kenton Bar scheme; and what the total projected cost of each is; (16) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A50/A500 Queensway Island road marking works, (ii) A63 Castle Street improvement, (iii) A5111 Raynesway River bridge works, (iv) M60 junctions 15 to 12 lane gain and (v) A14 Kettering Bypass widening; and what the total projected cost of each is; (17) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A1 Belford Bypass road renewal, (ii) M62 junctions 35 to 36 major road renewal, (iii) A19/A1058 Coast Road junction improvement, (iv) A180 Croxton to Ulceby scheme and (v) A27 Southwick Tunnel 2009 closures; and what the total projected cost of each is; (18) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on (i) M11 junctions 6 to 8 improvements, (ii) M11 and A120 Stansted Generation 2 airport access, (iii) A556 Knutsford to Bowdon environmental improvement, (iv) A1(M) major maintenance at Sawtry and (v) M6 junction 32 to 33 bridge maintenance; and what the total projected cost of each is; (19) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A27 Southerham Bridge works, (ii) M6 junctions 11A to 19 scheme, (iii) M54 to M6/M6 toll link road, (iv) M1 junction 19 scheme and (v) A1/B6387 Twyford Bridge junction improvement; and what the projected cost of each is; (20) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) M25 junctions 5 to 7 widening, (ii) M20 junction 10A scheme, (iii) A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst improvement, (iv) A1 Elkesley Junctions improvement and (v) A1 Gateshead and Newcastle western bypass; and what the total projected cost of each is; (21) how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on the (i) A64 York to Scarborough proposed dualling, (ii) A19/A1067 Seaton Burn junction improvements, (iii) A19 Testos junction improvements, (iv) A47 Acle Straight and (v) M25 junctions 23 to 27 widening; and what the total projected cost of each is. Chris Mole A table which gives the estimated costs for the schemes listed above and spend on them as at the end of October 2009 has been placed in the Libraries of the House. For major schemes, total project costs are given as range estimates in accordance with the Highways Agency’s operating procedures. Start of works and completion dates have been given for the major schemes (where appropriate) which have been used in the assumptions underpinning the range estimates. Range estimates are updated at key stages during the development of a project and will take into account any changes in start or completion dates. The non-major schemes are a combination of routine and major maintenance projects, local network management schemes (LNMS) and Fiscal Stimulus projects. Forecasts are point estimates based on best information available and are subject to changes in priorities and affordability. Roads: Repairs and Maintenance Norman Baker To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the benefit-cost ratios of all road schemes in the targeted programme of improvements (a) were at programme entry and (b) are at present, taking into account (i) revisions to the Approach to Transport Appraisal guidance and (ii) recent changes to the monetary cost of carbon emissions. Chris Mole This information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Thameslink Patrick Hall To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many additional seats will be available for passengers travelling between Bedford and London St. Pancras International stations during the morning peak period on completion of the Thameslink programme. Chris Mole The Department for Transport is currently evaluating bids for the new fleet of trains that will operate on the Thameslink network. The new trains will be highly reliable and designed to provide an enhanced passenger environment, including air conditioning, state of the art passenger information, and will be fully accessible for mobility impaired passengers. The actual number of seats on the trains will be determined when the winning bidder is confirmed, but a new 12 car train will offer at least an additional 70 seats over the usual eight car trains operating from Bedford to St. Pancras International. The new trains will have a significantly higher overall capacity compared to the existing rolling stock. The overall additional seats offered during the peak period will be determined by the exact train service that will operate. This will be determined closer to the completion of the overall programme. Wheelchairs Mr. Streeter To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether he plans to review limitations on the size of motors in powered wheelchairs to enable children in hilly areas to use them; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Khan There is no statutory limit on the size of motors of powered wheelchairs or mobility scooters (referred to as invalid carriages in legislation). They are limited to specific maximum speeds and to maximum unladen weight limits when in use on the public highway. The use of mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs is covered by the Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988. These regulations divide powered mobility vehicles into two main categories. The Class 2 type can travel at speeds of up to 4 mph and is primarily intended for use on the pavement. The unladen weight should not exceed 113.4 kilograms. The Class 3 type can travel at speeds of up to 8 mph and can be used on both roads and pavements. Class 3 scooters must have the facility to be driven at no more than 4 mph when used on the footpath. The unladen weight should not exceed 150 kilograms. The regulations also subject Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles to requirements concerning their means of stopping. They further specify that in order to use a powered mobility vehicle a person must be “suffering from some physical defect or physical disability” and that a Class 3 vehicle must not be used by a person under 14 years. Olympics Departmental Home Working David Simpson To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many staff of (a) her Office and (b) the Government Olympic Executive have been authorised to work from home in the last 12 months. Tessa Jowell My Private Office is based in the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office has a home working policy in place as part of its commitment to flexible working. The Government Olympic Executive (GOE) is part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)—reporting to me through the permanent secretary. DCMS staff are actively encouraged to work alternative working patterns, including working from home. These are mainly arranged at local line management level and DCMS does not hold comprehensive data centrally about the number of staff involved. DCMS has a new human resources information system in place, and when this is fully operational, it will record this information. Olympic Games 2012 Jon Cruddas To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment she has made of the legacy for the sport of (a) shooting at the Royal Artillery Barracks, (b) badminton at Wembley Arena and (c) rhythmic gymnastics at Wembley Arena of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Tessa Jowell Government are working closely with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and with the national governing bodies to maximise all possible legacy opportunities for the sports from the games. This will include consideration being given to the relocation of assets and equipment used during the games, including shooting ranges, regardless of the location of the events. Using the inspiration of London 2012, Sport England has recently invested £750,000 in the development of grass-roots target shooting as part of the Whole Sports Plans 2009-13. The plan will harness the interest in the sport created by the 2012 games and aims to increase participation levels. In December 2008, Sport England awarded £20.8 million, spread over four years, to Badminton England to help more people play the game at school, club and community level as well as at the elite end of the game. The Gymnastics England Facilities Fund opened for applications in October 2009. £2.75 million is available for capital projects to develop new gymnastic facilities or to refurbish or improve existing facilities. The London borough of Greenwich, which will host the London 2012 shooting venue, has previously announced a £10.2 million investment into a “Greenwich 2012” Legacy Fund which will be invested partly in new sports facilities at local schools, parks and playgrounds. Proposals are well advanced to provide a legacy in gymnastics, basket ball, martial arts and an equestrian centre. Olympic Games 2012: Business Paul Flynn To ask the Minister for the Olympics what representations (a) she, (b) the current Olympic Executive and (c) the Olympic Delivery Authority has received from local representatives of devolved administrations and regions on promotion of local businesses via the London 2012 Olympics. Tessa Jowell [holding answer 11 May 2009]: I receive frequent representations via parliamentary questions and correspondence from representatives of the nations and regions on business opportunities associated with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. My officials in the Government Olympic Executive support me in this. Additionally, I receive representations through my 2012 visits to the English regions and the devolved Administrations. The Government are committed to ensuring businesses across the UK benefit from the Olympics. The London 2012 Business Network was established to ensure that businesses from across the UK have access to contracts in London 2012’s supply chains, and any support they need to win them. Since its creation in 2006, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has run an ongoing programme of visits across the nations and regions on the business benefits of London 2012. It runs a programme of regional visits in partnership with the nine English regions and the three devolved Administrations to raise awareness of current and future business opportunities generated by the ODA construction programme. London 2012 is planning more regional visits for 2010 to continue to engage businesses in the games. The ODA has also held various business events and workshops, including events in London for Welsh businesses to be briefed by its procurement team and tier one contractors. To source all other representations received by the ODA would incur a disproportionate cost, due to the large volume of engagement they have in this area. In all, London 2012 expects to directly procure £6 billion worth of contracts, generating tens of thousands of supply chain opportunities which are benefiting businesses across the UK. Olympic Games 2012: Human Trafficking Mr. Bone To ask the Minister for the Olympics what representations she has received on the possibility of an increase in human trafficking in the sex industry in relation to the London 2012 Olympics; and if she will make a statement. Tessa Jowell Major sporting events can be a magnet for the global sex and trafficking industry, this is wholly unacceptable and taints these events. In the past 12 months, I have had seven representations on this issue and I am determined to help deter traffickers from London 2012 by developing a plan for action based on discussions with all relevant parties. Scotland Departmental Data Protection Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department's information assurance procedures have been subject to an independent audit. Ann McKechin The Scotland Office is part of the Ministry of Justice, whose internal auditors have specifically reviewed our information assurance procedures. Departmental Freedom of Information Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff in his Department were employed on the management of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in each year since 2005; and how much his Department spent on the management of such requests in each such year. Ann McKechin Since 2005, the management of freedom of information requests submitted to the Scotland Office is undertaken by staff in conjunction with their other duties. As such, a precise breakdown of staff or costs is not available. The Office has seen a year on year increase in the number of freedom of information requests since 2007, with 2009 already showing a 48 per cent. increase on requests submitted in 2008. An assessment of the cost of freedom of information within Government can be found in Frontier Economics 2006 report ‘Independent Review of the Freedom of Information Act’. A copy of this report is available in the House of Commons Library. Departmental Procurement Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether there has been any nugatory cost to his Department on procurement under tender because the tender process had been cancelled prior to the award of the contract in the last 12 months. Ann McKechin No such costs have been incurred. Northern Ireland Crime Mr. Dodds To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what definition of cleared crimes is used by (a) the Police Service of Northern Ireland and (b) his Department for official figures. Paul Goggins My Department and PSNI follow the counting rules stipulated by the Home Office in defining cleared crimes. Clearances, or detections, can be either sanction or non-sanction. The following methods of clearance involve a formal sanction: Charging or issuing a summons to an offender; Issuing a caution to the offender; Having the offence accepted for consideration in court; In the case of an offender who is a juvenile, issuing an informal warning, restorative caution or prosecutorial diversion. A non-sanction clearance can be claimed if: The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) directs no prosecution; or The case cannot proceed because the offender has died. Crimes of Violence Mr. Dodds To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many offences of (a) murder, (b) manslaughter, (c) grievous bodily harm and (d) rape committed in Northern Ireland in each year since 2005 (i) were classified as cleared, (ii) resulted in a conviction and (iii) are still being investigated; (2) how many people in Northern Ireland were convicted of (a) murder, (b) manslaughter, (c) grievous bodily harm and (d) rape in each year since 2005. Paul Goggins Table 1 gives the number of murder, manslaughter, grievous bodily harm/wounding (including those with intent) and rape offences that were recorded and cleared for the years 2005 to 2008. Table 2 documents the number convicted of the offences requested for the years 2005 and 2006 (the latest year for which figures are available). Convictions for these offences also include attempts. It is not possible to reconcile PSNI data on the number of offences recorded and cleared directly with conviction data, as the former are offence-based whereas conviction data are offender-based. In addition, PSNI data denote the offence as it has been initially recorded and this may differ from the offence for which a suspect (or suspects) is subsequently proceeded against. With regard to the number still being investigated, the data requested are not stored in an easily retrievable format. As such an accurate response would require a resource intensive manual trawl which could be conducted only at disproportionate cost. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |2005 |2006 |2007 |2008 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Murder |Recorded |26 |27 |26 |20 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Of those recorded the number since cleared2|17 |22 |14 |15 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Manslaughter |Recorded |3 |3 |3 |4 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Of those recorded the number since cleared2|0 |2 |2 |3 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Grievous bodily harm/wounding1, |Recorded |1,120|1,238|1,189|1,647| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Of those recorded the number since cleared2|446 |442 |388 |545 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Rape1 |Recorded |383 |475 |422 |396 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Of those recorded the number since cleared2|152 |82 |69 |77 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Includes attempts.2 Clearance figures are subject to revision as non-cleared offences may be under ongoing investigation and may still be cleared.3 Figures for grievous bodily harm/wounding include the offences ‘grievous bodily harm with intent’ and ‘wounding with intent’.Source:PSNI| | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Offence |2005|2006| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Murder |14 |11 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Manslaughter |11 |17 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Grievous bodily harm/wounding2 |152 |180 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Rape |8 |11 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Total |185 |219 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1 Convictions for the above offences include attempts.2 Grievous bodily harm/wounding includes the offences ‘grievous bodily harm with intent’ and ‘wounding with Intent’.Note:Conviction data are collated on the principal offence rule; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.Source:NIO| | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Departmental Freedom of Information Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department were employed on the management of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in each year since 2005; and how much his Department spent on the management of such requests in each such year. Paul Goggins The information requested in relation to the numbers of staff employed in the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) dealing with the management of freedom of information requests and the cost is listed in the following table. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |2005 |2006 |2007 |2008 |2009 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Number of staff dealing with FOI for more than 50 per cent. of their substantive role|1 |3 |4 |5 |5 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Spend (£) |28,836|56,460|72,040|98,298|103,886| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This response relates to the core NIO only. Departmental Rail Travel Mr. Burstow To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2009, Official Report, column 1W, on departmental rail travel, how many (a) journeys were paid for and (b) people travelled in each year; whether any nugatory expenditure was incurred in each year; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Woodward The number of journeys paid for and number of people who travelled are shown in the following table. ------------------------------------------------------------------ | |Single journey equivalents|Number of staff who travelled| ------------------------------------------------------------------ |2006-07|414 |76 | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |2007-08|239 |55 | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |2008-08|288 |78 | ------------------------------------------------------------------ My Department receives refunds for unused rail ravel so there was no nugatory expense incurred. Offensive Weapons Mr. Dodds To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of knife amnesties in Northern Ireland: (2) how many knives were handed in during the three most recent knife amnesties in Northern Ireland; (3) what work his Department has undertaken together with the Department for Education in Northern Ireland on education of young people in relation to knife crime. Paul Goggins Two knife amnesties were held in 2006 resulting in over 1,500 potentially lethal weapons being disposed of. Based on feedback from the agencies involved, and given the number of weapons disposed of, my assessment is that the amnesties have been very effective. In the period since I have focused on the development of an educational and preventative strategy including a knife awareness campaign, delivered through schools, on the dangers of carrying knives. In April along with the Department of Education, PSNI and Crimestoppers we delivered a series of drama workshops called 'Choices'. 54 schools, involving around 4,000 pupils took part and were able to use a knife crime information pack as part of the citizenship curriculum. A second programme is running in the week commencing 9 November aimed at year 12 pupils (15 to 16 years of age). Police Service of Northern Ireland: Retirement Mr. Carmichael To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland officers of each grade have been medically retired in each of the last five years. Paul Goggins That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House. Mr. Carmichael To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland officers who have been medically retired have appealed against their percentage disablement in each of the last five years. Paul Goggins The number of Police Service of Northern Ireland officers who have been medically retired and have appealed their percentage disablement in the last five years are as follows: --------------------- | |Number| --------------------- |2005-06 |69 | --------------------- |2006-07 |47 | --------------------- |2007-08 |55 | --------------------- |2008-09 |61 | --------------------- |2009 to date|41 | --------------------- These figures were provided by the Northern Ireland Policing Board as the Northern Ireland Office does not hold this information. Mr. Carmichael To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland officers who have been medically retired and who have appealed against their percentage disablement have had their appeal heard in each of the last five years. Paul Goggins I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available. Women and Equality Dignity at Work Robert Neill To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will place a copy of her Office’s Dignity at Work strategy in the Library. Michael Jabez Foster I have placed a copy of the Government Equalities Office’s Dignity and Respect at Work Policy in the Libraries of the House. Robert Neill To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will place a copy of the Dignity at Work policy of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the Library. Maria Eagle The Commission has not yet finalised its Dignity at Work policy therefore I am unable to place a copy in the Library at this time. Equality and Human Rights Commission Robert Neill To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what assessment has been made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) value for money of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Maria Eagle The financial position and performance of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is regularly monitored by the Government Equalities Office (GEO). There are monthly financial reports to the GEO Board and Ministers hold regular review meetings with the EHRC’s accounting officer and chair of the Commission. The GEO has pushed for savings and improved efficiency from the Commission. The Commission’s budget has been reduced by 10 per cent. in light of these reviews and the Commission is looking further at efficiency in its value for money plan. Equality Bill Robert Neill To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what role (a) the Audit Commission and (b) other public sector inspectorates will play in monitoring public authorities adherence to the duty to tackle socio-economic disadvantage proposed in the Equality Bill. Michael Jabez Foster The Audit Commission and other public service inspectorates will have an important role to play in monitoring performance under the new duty, for the public authorities they inspect. We are working with them to develop suitable mechanisms for this, using information that in most cases they already collect through existing processes. Robert Neill To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether the duty to tackle social-economic disadvantage proposed in the Equality Bill will apply to fire and rescue authorities and their targeting of fire resources. Michael Jabez Foster The duty will apply to local authorities, and therefore to fire and rescue authorities (FRAs) where these form part of a local authority. We are discussing with the Fire and Rescue Service and other appropriate stakeholders whether the duty should be extended to all FRAs. Rape: Victim Support Schemes Mr. Oaten To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what services for rape and sexual abuse counselling there are in Winchester; how much funding has been allocated to refuge and rape crisis centres in Winchester (a) in the last 12 months and (b) for 2009-10; and how many women have been turned away from such centres in Winchester because of the no recourse to public funds rule in each of the last five years. Maria Eagle [holding answer 10 November 2009]: The Government do not collect information centrally on what services are available for victims of rape and sexual abuse. The provision of services to victims of rape and sexual abuse is a local issue; local decision makers are best placed to assess local needs. The majority of services are delivered through local providers who are supported and funded by local bodies, such as local councils and health organisations. The Government have invested around £11 million over the last five years in specialist services for victims of sexual violence; this is in addition to funding provided locally. Most of this funding has come from the Victims’ Fund. Refuges: Domestic Violence Mr. Kemp To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many refuges for victims of domestic violence have been opened in the last five years for which figures are available. Maria Eagle The Government do not collect information centrally on the number of women’s refuges in England or the provision of staff within refuges. The provision of services to victims of domestic violence is an issue for local authorities; decision makers in these authorities are best placed to assess the needs of their area. The majority of services are delivered through local providers who are supported and funded by local bodies, such as councils and health organisations. On 19 March 2009 the Government Equalities Office announced a cross-Government £1.6 million special fund for the sexual violence voluntary sector which will keep open much-needed services to victims of rape and sexual abuse. In addition, the Government Equalities Office is providing £220,000 to the two umbrella bodies, Rape Crisis England and Wales and The Survivors Trust to help member groups build capacity. The Ministry of Justice is investing £15.6 million over two years to help divert vulnerable women, who are not serious or dangerous offenders, from custody. The Ministry of Justice is investing in existing third sector organisations to enable them to work with courts, police and probation and other agencies to provide support and services to vulnerable women in the criminal justice system. Leader of the House Public Consultation: Legislation Mr. Maude To ask the Leader of the House what steps will be taken to consult the public on the Draft Legislative Programme 2009-10. Barbara Keeley The Draft Legislative Programme was published for consultation in June 2009 as part of “Building Britain’s Future” and the consultation process was completed on 21 September. The public were invited to submit comments in writing and Ministers hosted events around the UK to seek people’s views and answer questions. The Government have considered all of these comments and responses and a full summary and response to the Draft Legislative Programme consultation will be published alongside the Queen’s Speech on 18 November. House of Commons Commission Parliamentary Press Gallery: Catering Lembit Öpik To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) how much public subsidy has been paid in respect of meals provided in the Press Gallery cafeteria since 2004; (2) what the notional value was of the facilities used by newspaper journalists in the House of Commons in the latest period for which figures are available; (3) whether newspapers make payments for the use of facilities provided to them in the House of Commons; and if he will make a statement. Nick Harvey The information requested is as follows: (a) The Press Gallery Cafeteria closed in May 2007 and the replacement, Moncrieff’s Cafeteria which opened in October 2007, is open to all pass holders. The House does not provide a subsidy for individual eateries and bars although in common with all others, Moncrieff’s benefits from the House funding arrangements. In 2008-09 the overall net cost incurred by the Catering and Retail Directorate in the Department of Facilities was some £6.1 million, in accordance with the budget approved by the Finance and Services Committee. This represents the difference between income and the cost of the services provided. Food and drink pricing is agreed by the Finance and Services Committee, with advice from the Administration Committee. (b) There is no equivalent rental value for the facilities occupied by newspaper journalists as the Palace of Westminster is unique and held as freehold. (c) No payment is made for the use of Press Gallery facilities. Trade Unions: Political Levy Mr. Maude To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2009, Official Report, column 1212W, on trade unions: political levy, whether the staff handbook has now been amended to inform House of Commons staff of their right to opt out of the political levies of trade unions. Nick Harvey An amendment to inform staff of their right to opt out of the political levies of trade unions is one of a number of amendments to the Staff Handbook that are currently going through a consultation process with staff and the unions. The revised Staff Handbook is scheduled to be released in December. Solicitor-General Departmental Postal Services Mr. Scott To ask the Solicitor-General what percentage of postal services provided to the Law Officers' Departments were provided by (a) Royal Mail and (b) other postal service providers (i) in 2007, (ii) in 2008, (iii) between 1 January and 1 July 2009 and (iv) since 1 July 2009. The Solicitor-General The following tables show the percentage of postal services provided to the Law Officers' Departments by Royal Mail and other service providers in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) between 1 January and 1 July 2009 and (iv) since 1 July 2009. ----------------- |2007 | ----------------- | |Crown Prosecution Service|Serious Fraud Office|Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office1|Treasury Solicitors' Department2,3| ----------------- |Royal Mail |34.90|1.60|—|—| ----------------- |Other providers|65.10|98.40|—|—| ----------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Crown Prosecution Service|Serious Fraud Office|Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office|Treasury Solicitors' Department2,3| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Royal Mail |34.00 |3.48 |44.00 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Other providers|66.00 |96.52 |56.00 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Crown Prosecution Service|Serious Fraud Office|Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office|Treasury Solicitors' Department2,3| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Royal Mail |36.60 |3.44 |25.00 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Other providers|63.40 |96.56 |75.00 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2009 (since 1 July)Crown Prosecution ServiceSerious Fraud Office4Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office5Treasury Solicitors' Department2,3Royal Mail23.40100——Other providers76.60———1 In 2007, all postal and courier services were provided to the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) through contracts which were initiated and maintained by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), formerly HM Customs and Excise. Includes Attorney General's Office (AGO) and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI).2 he Treasury Solicitor's Department has a number of providers of postal services, including the Royal Mail. It is not, however, possible to provide a breakdown of the sort requested within the disproportionate cost threshold.3 Since July 2009, RCPO's Manchester office has started to use DX for an increasing percentage of its postal services, currently estimated to increase the overall percentage of RCPO non-Royal Mail postal services by no more than 5 per cent.4 The Serious Fraud Office is not in receipt of invoices from other postal service providers for the period since 1 July 2009 and therefore financial records currently attribute 100 per cent. of expenditure for postal services to Royal Mail.5 The National Fraud Authority (NFA), formerly the National Fraud Strategic Authority (NFSA) was established in 2008 as an executive agency of the Attorney-General's Office (AGO). NFA has not held any contracts with postal service providers, including Royal Mail, for the years 2008 and 2009 (1 January 2009 to present). Prior to the NFA's change of accommodation from 26-28 Old Queen Street, SW1H 9HP to 200 Gray's Inn Road, WC1A 9BP in July 2009, it made use of Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's postal arrangements (accounted for above as part of overall information for the Treasury Solicitor's Department). Since its relocation the NFA has made use of the arrangements put in place by the Serious Fraud Office.Note:Each of the Law Officers Departments has separate arrangements for the procurement of postal services. David T.C. Davies To ask the Solicitor-General with which providers the Law Officers' Departments held contracts to provide postal services (a) in 2007, (b) in 2008, (c) between 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2009 and (d) after 1 July 2009. The Solicitor-General Details of the providers with which the Law Officers' Departments held contracts to provide postal services in each of the periods (a) in 2007, (b) in 2008, (c) between 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2009 and (d) after 1 July 2009, are provided in the following table. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Crown Prosecution Service|Serious Fraud Office|Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office1|Treasury Solicitor's Department2| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007 |DX |DX |see note below |DHL | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Royal Mail |Royal Mail |— |DX | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008 |DX |DX |DX |DHL | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Royal Mail |Royal Mail |Royal Mail |DX | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 January to 1 July 2009 |DX |DX |DX |DHL | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Royal Mail |Royal Mail |Royal Mail |DX | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Since 1 July 2009 |DX |DX |DX |DHL | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Royal Mail |Royal Mail |Royal Mail |DX | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 In 2007. all postal and courier services were provided to the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) through contracts which were initiated and maintained by MM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). formerly HM Customs and Excise. New contracts were set up by RCPO in April 2008 with Document Exchange (DX) and the Royal Mail and continue to date.2 Includes Attorney General's Office (AGO) and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI). For the periods in question, TSol (including AGO and HMCPSI) has held formal contracts with DHL and DX Network Services, as well as with Pitney Bowes for the maintenance and re-charging of franking machines for franked mail which is delivered by Royal Mail. In addition to the contractedservices listed, the Treasury Solicitor's Department (including AGO and HMCPSI) has, for the periods listed, utilised services provided by Royal Mail and the InterDelivery Service of the Government Car and Despatch Agency.Notes:1. Each of the Law Officers Departments has separate arrangements for the procurement of postal services.2. The National Fraud Authority (NFA), formerly the National Fraud Strategic Authority (NFSA), was established in 2008 as an executive agency of the Attorney General's Office (AGO). NFA has not held any contracts with postal service providers, including Royal Mail, for the years 2008 and 2009 (1 January 2009 to present). Prior to the NFA's change of accommodation from 26-28 Old Queen Street, SW1H 9HP to 200 Gray's Inn Road, WC1A 9BP in July 2009, it made use of Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's postal arrangements (accounted for above as part of overall information for the Treasury Solicitor's Department). Since its re-location the NFA has made use of the arrangements put in place by the Serious Fraud Office.| | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Offences Against Children: Internet Margaret Moran To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases of viewing online child abuse images have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in each of the last five years; what proportion of cases relating to the viewing of online child abuse images were not pursued by the CPS in the last five years; and for what reasons such cases were not pursued. The Solicitor-General The following table shows the number of offences of possessing an indecent photograph of a child, and of making an indecent photograph of a child, in which a prosecution commenced in each of the last five years. It is not possible to identify from CPS sources how many of these offences related to online images and how many to images in other media. CPS records include no information on the outcome of proceedings at this level of detail, and it is therefore not possible to show either the number of proceedings discontinued or the reason for the decision to discontinue. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |2004-05|2005-06|2006-07|2007-08|2008-09| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Justice Act 1988 (160) |Possession of an indecent photograph of a child|2,742 |3,185 |2,768 |3,079 |4,241 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Protection of Children Act 1978 (1(1)(a))|Making an indecent photograph of a child |11,434 |12,573 |10,607 |10,832 |13,454 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wales Steel Industry Sir Nicholas Winterton 9. To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on the future of the steel industry in Wales. Mr. David The steel industry is hugely important to the Welsh economy and both Governments are determined to provide as much support as possible to ensure steel industry has a future in Wales. Economy Mr. Crabb 10. To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues and Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on the state of the Welsh economy. Mr. Hain Regular ones. Together, we have taken action to tackle the global economic crisis. Youth Employment John Robertson 11. To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on assisting young people in Wales to find employment; and if he will make a statement. Mr. David My right hon. Friend and I meet regularly with Welsh Assembly Government colleagues to discuss issues relating to the Welsh economy, including ways of improving access to employment. Thanks to our initiatives, long-term youth unemployment in Wales is down 17 per cent. from 1997 and down by 67 per cent. from the height of the recession in the 1990s. Welsh Defence League Mrs. James 12. To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary for the Home Department on the activities of the Welsh Defence League. Mr. Hain Both the Home Secretary and I are strongly opposed to the racist, fascist policies of the Welsh Defence League and I commend those Welsh people who united so effectively to drive this vile group out of our communities. Cross-border Health Services Mark Pritchard 13. To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the numbers of patients resident in Wales who used acute hospital services in Shropshire in 2008. Mr. David While there is no official definition of ‘acute hospital services’, according to Shropshire County PCT, ‘17,837’ patients resident in Wales had a period of hospital care under one consultant in Shropshire in 2008-09. I understand that Telford and Wrekin PCT, Shropshire County PCT, and Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust carried out a review of the configuration of health services in Shropshire, and that proposals for the future are still being considered. Ministerial Responsibilities Mr. Bone 14. To ask the Secretary of State for Wales with reference to the list of Cabinet Ministers in the Cabinet Office publication “List of Ministerial Responsibilities”, what assessment he has made of the contribution of his Department to the achievement of the Government’s overall objectives. Mr. Hain The Wales Office continues to make a significant contribution to the Government’s objectives, in particular the process of devolution, and the Wales Office is facing its busiest time ever. For example, we have continued to increase the legislative competence of the Welsh Assembly Government, which has gained new powers in 45 areas since GOWA 2006. We have also worked in partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government in response to the downturn, co-hosting the All Wales Economic summits, making sure that Wales benefited from schemes such as the Strategic Investment Fund and Future Jobs Fund; and we have led on brokering the new cross-border health protocol which will improve health services for those on both sides of the border. There is much more to tell and for the full picture I would recommend that you read our departmental annual report. Broadcasting Dr. Howells To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the future of broadcasting in Wales. Mr. Hain I have discussed this matter with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and he agrees with me that Wales needs a strong, vibrant, independent, high quality news service, besides BBC. The Digital Britain White Paper outlined the Government’s proposals for a pilot scheme for news in the nations and regions, and Wales is one of the pilot areas. This shows the Government’s commitment to securing a plurality of news provider and viewer choice, which is fundamental to the quality of democracy and accountability of Welsh Assembly Government to electorate in Wales. Wales has vibrant media both on television and via the internet through local print newspapers, and I want this not only to continue but grow and believe Independently Funded News Consortia can help this. An ideal partnership would involve news delivery on ITV Wales and through other innovative electronic delivery outputs as provided on web by Welsh printed media. I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will shortly be announcing the process and timetable for implementing the IFNCs and I look forward to this news. Departmental Air Travel Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many first-class flights were taken at public expense by Ministers in his Department in 2008-09. Mr. Hain None. Departmental Billing Mr. Weir To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in (a) September and (b) October 2009. Mr. Hain The percentage of invoices paid within 10 days of receipt for my Department were 94.5 per cent. in September 2009 and 96 per cent. in October 2009. Departmental Information and Communications Technology Grant Shapps To ask the Secretary of State for Wales with which organisations his Department has had exclusivity agreements for information technology (a) hardware and (b) software in each of the last five years; how many such agreements have been breached in each year; and what the cost to his Department was of each breach. Mr. Hain The Wales Office obtains its information technology services through the Ministry of Justice. Consequently, my Department does not enter into agreements or contracts with IT suppliers. Departmental Official Cars Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department was in the last 12 months. Mr. Hain No special advisers are provided with an allocated Government car and driver. As with all civil servants, special advisers may use an official car or taxi in properly defined circumstances. A detail of such use is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Departmental Statistics Chris Ruane To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the statistical datasets collected by his Department are published. Mr. Hain None, my Department does not produce any statistical datasets. Shoplifting Miss McIntosh To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on measures to reduce the incidence of shoplifting in Wales. Mr. Hain The Government take shoplifting very seriously. That is why we recently introduced the Home Office driven £5 million "Small Retailers Capital Fund" for both England and Wales. It was unveiled on 6 August 2009 and identified four priority areas in Wales—Merthyr Tydfil, Swansea, Blaenau Gwent and Rhondda Cynon and Taf. The fund provides grants of up to £3,000 for small retailers to: Support work to reduce the risk and occurrence of crime against smaller retailers in priority areas Strengthen local retail partnerships to work collectively to reduce crime and disorder Identify and create effective means to tackle crime against small retailers. Partnership grants of up to £50,000 are also available under the following themes: Theme 1 Work that reduces the risk and occurrence of crime such as antisocial behaviour, shoplifting, fraud, criminal damage, robbery, burglary, hate crime and violent crime through the installation of equipment within shop(s)/ retail outlet(s). Theme 2 Work that adds value to existing crime/antisocial behaviour prevention and reduction schemes to improve local shopping districts. Theme 3 External work that is visible, provides reassurance and builds confidence that shops and shopping areas are safe. Theme 4 Equipment that helps small business work collectively and in partnership with the police and other statutory agencies such as local authorities and fire and rescue authorities. Theme 5 Work that supports particularly vulnerable retailers including those in rural and minority communities where crime is a particular problem. Culture, Media and Sport Avebury: Conservation Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had on the (a) protection and (b) maintenance of the (i) Avebury and (i) Stonehenge world heritage site. Margaret Hodge Over the last year, my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Barbara Follett) has jointly chaired the Stonehenge Project Board which oversees plans to improve the environment and facilities at Stonehenge including closure of the A344. The Government recently announced a £10 million contribution to enable English Heritage to build new, environmentally sustainable visitor facilities which will deliver a world class visitor experience at this iconic monument. There are ongoing discussions between ministers, officials and English Heritage on the protection and maintenance of both Stonehenge and Avebury. Departmental Air Travel Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many first-class flights were taken by each Minister in his Department in 2008-09; and what the (a) origin, (b) destination and (c) cost was of each such flight. Mr. Simon Travel by Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code. Information relating to flights taken by ministers is published in the annual list of Minister's overseas travel costing more than £500. The list for 2008-09 can be accessed at: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/226022/travel_2008_2009.pdf Departmental Billing Mr. Weir To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in (a) September and (b) October 2009. Mr. Simon In October the Prime Minister announced that all central Government Departments will pay valid invoices within 10 (working) days. The Department's performance for payment of invoices against this commitment was 91.41 per cent. in September 2009 and 94.94 per cent. in October 2009. The value of invoices paid within 10 days totalled £5.95 million and £2.37 million in September and October respectively. Departmental Freedom of Information Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in his Department were employed on the management of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in each year since 2005; and how much his Department spent on the management of such requests in each such year. Mr. Simon A dedicated team handling freedom of information requests was set up in April 2008. The staffing levels of the team have varied at different times, but have equated to roughly three full-time equivalent members of staff, with low and variable levels of input from colleagues across the wider Department dependent on the subjects. As the exact numbers and grade structure of the central team has fluctuated, as have the levels of other input required at any given point, it is not possible to provide accurate costs for this period. It is also not possible to provide staffing numbers or costs prior to April 2008 as duties were spread across the entire Department. Departmental Official Cars Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department was in the last 12 months. Mr. Simon No special advisers are provided with an allocated Government car and driver. As with civil servants, special advisers may use an official car or taxi in properly defined circumstances. Details of such use is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All travel is in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers. Departmental Political Activities Mr. Don Foster To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of his Department's non-departmental bodies sent representatives to attend each of the party political conferences in 2009. Mr. Simon This information is not held by my Department. Departmental Procurement Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether there has been any nugatory cost to his Department and its agency on procurement under tender because the tender process has been cancelled prior to the award of the contract in the last 12 months. Mr. Simon The Department has cancelled one tender in the last 12 months, in respect of catering services. The nugatory costs involved were small, and in particular included a cost of £180 for setting up two electronic tender-boxes for the deposit of pre-qualification questionnaires and invitations to tender and an additional staff cost of £200 for preparation of documents, meetings and assessments. Our agency the Royal Parks has incurred no nugatory costs in this area. Departmental Travel Norman Baker To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many miles (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department travelled by (i) car, (ii) rail and (iii) air on Government business in each year since 1997. Margaret Hodge The Department does not hold or record any information on miles travelled by car for either ministers or officials centrally. This information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. The Department also does not hold any records with reference to mileage on rail and air travel prior to October 2007. However the following information collected since October 2007 can be provided: October 2007 to March 2008: Ministers travelled 3,102 miles by rail and Officials travelled 74,196 miles by rail. April 2008 to March 2009: Ministers travelled 7,997 miles by rail and Officials travelled 199,416 miles by rail. October 2007 to March 2008: A total of 168,544 miles by air was travelled by both Ministers and Officials. We do not have separate figures for Ministers and Officials. April 2008 to March 2009: A total of 743,851 miles by air was travelled by both Ministers and Officials. We do not have separate figures for Ministers and Officials. Government Art Collection: Lost Property Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent attempts his Department has made to reclaim works of art lost from the Government art collection. Margaret Hodge The Government art collection is currently involved in two legal claims on works of art previously registered as lost from its holdings. These are subject to ongoing legal processes and negotiations, which would be prejudiced (and possibly aborted altogether) by the disclosure of any further details at this stage. Government: Assets Mr. Don Foster To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with local authorities on the Government's proposed sale of public assets. Mr. Sutcliffe I have had no direct discussions with local authorities on this issue. The £11 billion of UK local authority asset sales assumed, at Budget 2009, over the period 2011-12 to 2013-14 are a Treasury forecast based on historic performance by the sector and forecast recovery in prices and transactions following the downturn. Outturn and budget data collected from the local authority sector by Communities and Local Government and the devolved Administrations inform the forecasting process. Internet: Counterfeit Manufacturing Willie Rennie To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to take steps to encourage digital distribution in the entertainment industry as a means of tackling internet piracy. Mr. Simon As part of our strategy to tackle Online Copyright Infringement, the Government have consistently encouraged the creative (entertainment) industries to develop new digital business models that offer consumers legitimate sources of digital content in a form and at a price that they find attractive. Olympic Games 2012: Gun Sports Mr. Ellwood To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for the legacy for pistol shooting of the London 2012 Olympic games. Tessa Jowell [holding answer 2 November 2009]: I have been asked to reply. Possessing a pistol is illegal in the UK under the Firearms Act 1968, therefore, no legacy specifically for pistol shooting is being planned. However, the 2012 games will provide the opportunity to showcase shooting as a sport more widely, in an iconic London location and provide a legacy for other shooting disciplines. After the London games, there is the potential to relocate temporary ranges and assets from the shooting venue at Woolwich. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic games and Paralympic games, the Olympic Delivery Authority and Government are working with British Shooting to deliver the best possible legacy for the sport. Through using the inspiration of London 2012 Sport England has recently invested £750,000 in the development of grassroots target shooting as part of the Whole Sports Plans 2009-13. The plan will harness the interest in the sport created by the 2012 games and aims to increase participation levels. Public Buildings: Finance Mr. Don Foster To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the (a) Tate, (b) British Museum, (c) British Library and (d) British Film Institute will be expected to release from their reserves to fund their building extension plans. Margaret Hodge The amount released from these bodies' reserves to pay for their extensions is dependent upon a range of factors including the final cost of the project and the amount of funding that can be raised in other ways; for instance, through donations. The Department approves the plans that these bodies produce and monitors the funding sources used throughout the life of the project to ensure that they remain affordable and provide good value for money. Television: Advertising Dr. Blackman-Woods To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects to publish the outcome of his Department's consultation on product placement on television programmes. Mr. Bradshaw My Department published a consultation document about television product placement on Monday 9 November, and this is available on my Department's website at: http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/6421.aspx I welcome responses to this consultation, which should be sent to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport by January 8 2010. I will announce the outcome of the consultation after we have given full consideration to all the responses. Television: Licensing John Mann To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many convictions there have been of Bassetlaw residents for non-payment of a television licence in the last five years. Claire Ward I have been asked to reply. Information showing the number of persons found guilty at all courts for television licence evasion in the Nottinghamshire police force area from 2003 to 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following table. Information is not available at constituency level nor can the Ministry of Justice separately provide data for Bassetlaw residents; therefore police force area level data have been provided in lieu. Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Number| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003 |2,416 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004 |2,146 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005 |2,025 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006 |3,621 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007 |4,266 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.| | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VisitBritain: Internet Mr. Hunt To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many page hits the (a) Visit Britain and (b) Enjoy England website has recorded in each year since its creation. Margaret Hodge [holding answer 10 November 2009]: VisitBritain has advised that they recorded the following number of page hits to their website for the following years as outlined in the following table. ------------------------------------ | |Number of page hits (million)| ------------------------------------ |2009|3,662.4 | ------------------------------------ |2008|3,073.8 | ------------------------------------ |2007|2,223.6 | ------------------------------------ |2006|2,136.4 | ------------------------------------ |2005|1308 | ------------------------------------ |2004|1,220.8 | ------------------------------------ |2003|697.6 | ------------------------------------ VisitBritain do not hold data on page hits prior to 2003. VisitEngland only hold data on page hits to the EnjoyEngland/VisitEngland website from July 2008 to October 2009. Total page hits for this period are as follows: --------------------------------------------- | |Number of page hits| --------------------------------------------- |July to December 2008 |1,289,347,246 | --------------------------------------------- |January to October 2009|2,313,955,042 | --------------------------------------------- World Heritage Sites Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what visits in an official capacity (a) he and (b) his predecessor made to each UK world heritage site in the last 12 months. Margaret Hodge My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be visiting UK Heritage Sites as part of a series of regional visits. His predecessor visited the Tower of London World Heritage Site in November last year. May I remind the hon. Member that the House of Commons itself is part of the Palace of Westminster, St Margaret's Church and Westminster Abbey World Heritage Site, one of the United Kingdom's 28 World Heritage Sites. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Departmental Air Travel Simon Hughes To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many domestic flights within Great Britain officials from his Department made in 2008-09; and at what cost. Dan Norris [holding answer 10 November 2009]: From information held centrally, core-DEFRA officials made 368 domestic flights within Great Britain in 2008-09 at a cost of £59,556.21. Travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Civil Service Management Code. Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many first-class flights were taken by each Minister in his Department in 2008-09; and what the (a) origin, (b) destination and (c) cost was of each such flight. Dan Norris Travel by Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code. The Cabinet Office produces an annual list of overseas travel over £500 undertaken by Ministers. The 2008-09 list was published on 16 July and can be viewed at: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/226022/travel_2008_2009.pdf Departmental Freedom of Information Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in his Department were employed on the management of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in each year since 2005; and how much his Department spent on the management of such requests in each such year. Dan Norris The Department has a small team providing advice, guidance and training to members of staff who respond to requests for information. Some members of the team also spend part of their time advising on other legislation, such as the Data Protection Act (DPA) and the environmental information regulations (EIRs). In particular, the environmental information unit within the team provides guidance to members of the public and other public authorities. The team is flexible in how it handles its day-to-day work load across all its information rights duties, and the percentages of time spent on the various functions can vary considerably over time. The approximate staffing levels in full-time equivalents are therefore as follows: ------------------------------ | |Full-time equivalent| ------------------------------ |2005-06|12 | ------------------------------ |2006-07|11 | ------------------------------ |2007-08|9 | ------------------------------ |2008-09|6 | ------------------------------ Because of this flexibility, it is not possible to give a figure that relates only to the management of freedom of information requests. The approximate figures, as follows, cover staff working on FOI, DPA and EIR requests as well as providing guidance to outside bodies and members of the public on the EIRs. These figures include salary, superannuation and ERNIC payments. ----------------- | |£ | ----------------- |2005-06|470,880| ----------------- |2006-07|449,000| ----------------- |2007-08|409,000| ----------------- |2008-09|306,000| ----------------- An assessment of the cost of freedom of information within Government can be found in the Frontier Economics 2006 report “Independent Review of the Freedom of Information Act”. A copy of this report is available in the House of Commons Library. Departmental Information and Communications Technology Grant Shapps To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with which organisations his Department has had exclusivity agreements relating to information technology (a) hardware and (b) software in each of the last five years. Dan Norris The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not entered into any exclusivity agreements for either hardware or software in the past five years. Departmental Political Activities Mr. Don Foster To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2009, Official Report, column 804W, on party conferences, how much each of his Department’s non-departmental public bodies spent sending representatives to attend each of the party political conferences. Dan Norris I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 3 November 2009, Official Report, column 804W. The actual cost of such attendance is a matter for the non-departmental public bodies concerned and officials have not been able to access the information requested, accurately and consistently for all four bodies, in the time available. I will ask the relevant bodies to write to you with this information. Departmental Publicity Simon Hughes To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what national environment campaigns have been undertaken by his Department since 1997; and what the (a) resource, (b) capital expenditure and (c) staffing costs in 2009 prices were of each such campaign. Dan Norris DEFRA was created in June 2001. Since then DEFRA has undertaken a wide range of various environmentally focussed campaigns through the core Department. This includes Every Action Counts, Climate Change Initiative, Act on CO2, Food Imports, and Muck in 4Life. The total costs for all marketing and communication activity since 2004-05 are as follows: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |£ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004-05 |4,174,571 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 |3,454,786 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006-07 |2,084,525 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007-08 |6,890,148 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008-09 |18,793,329| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1This includes the initial Act on CO2 mitigation campaign, now led by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Figures before financial year 2004-05 are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Figures for resource costs, capital expenditure costs and staffing costs in 2009 prices could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Departmental Rail Travel Mr. Burstow To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2009, Official Report, column 350W, on departmental rail travel, how many (a) journeys were paid for and (b) people travelled in each year; whether any nugatory expenditure was incurred in each year; and if he will make a statement. Dan Norris From information held centrally, on departmental rail travel, the information is: ---------------------------------------------------------------- | |Journeys paid for|Refund fees (£)| ---------------------------------------------------------------- |July 2006 to March 2007 |12,992 |6,351 | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2007 to March 2008 |15,400 |11,383 | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2008 to March 2009 |13,109 |7,199 | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2009 to September 2009|5,260 |2,857 | ---------------------------------------------------------------- Information on the numbers of people who travelled in each year could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Marine Management Organisation Mr. Benyon To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many Marine and Fisheries Agency staff have asked for a transfer to another department in preference to accepting a position at the new Marine Management Organisation; (2) how many Marine and Fisheries Agency staff have accepted (a) permanent and (b) temporary posts in the new Marine Management Organisation. Huw Irranca-Davies All staff in the Marine and Fisheries Agency at the time of vesting of the new Marine Management Organisation will automatically transfer to the new organisation under Cabinet Office protocols on transfers in the public sector. The Marine Bill provides that staff in the Marine and Fisheries Agency at the time of vesting of the Marine Management Organisation who choose not to transfer to it are deemed to have resigned. We are not aware of any staff in the Marine and Fisheries Agency who have requested a transfer to another Department because their post is being transferred to the Marine Management Organisation. The Marine and Fisheries Agency headquarters is relocating to Newcastle and will become the new Marine Management Organisation headquarters. Eleven staff are relocating. Sixty-seven staff have chosen not to relocate and have access to posts in core DEFRA or can apply for advertised vacancies in other Departments. Defence Afghanistan David Davis To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) journalists, (b) television crews, (c) other civilians, (d) officials from his Department and (e) other non-military personnel have visited British troops in Helmand province in each of the last five years; and what (i) assistance and (ii) facilities his Department has provided for them. Bill Rammell Between November 2006 and November 2009 the MOD has facilitated 354 media visits to Afghanistan, including to Helmand province. The composition of each group varies and records are not held centrally. I will write shortly to the hon. Member on non media visits. The MOD provides transport, accommodation, dining and security support to these visits, using facilities already available in theatre. Information on media visits to Afghanistan prior to November 2006 is not available centrally. Afghanistan: Armed Forces Dr. Fox To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units down to company level have been deployed to Afghanistan (a) once, (b) twice, (c) three and (d) four or more times since October 2001. Bill Rammell The following table shows which units at Company level have deployed once, twice, three and four times to Afghanistan since October 2001. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Regular unit name |Number of battalion deployments|Number of 3 Coy deployments|Number of 2 Coy deployments|Number of 1 Coy deployments| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |40 Commando Royal Marines |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |42 Commando Royal Marines |2 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |45 Commando Royal Marines |3 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards |3 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, The Coldstream Guards |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, The Welsh Guards |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, The Royal Scots Borderers, The Royal Regiment of Scotland |— |— |— |1 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment |— |— |— |3 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers |1 |— |— |2 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment |1 |1 |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (formerly Green Howards) |3 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) |— |3 |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers) |2 |— |— |2 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh |— |— |— |2 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment |2 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles |2 |— |— |1 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion, The Rifles, (formerly known as The Royal Gloucestershire Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry)|2 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion, The Rifles |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3rd Battalion, The Rifles |1 |— |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |4th Battalion, The Rifles |— |— |1 |1 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The apparent unevenness in the distribution of deployments between the various units shown reflect the narrow parameters of the question. Over the period that the answer covers, the Army have been committed on operations in not only Afghanistan and Iraq, but also have deployed in the Balkans, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands. When determining which units to allocate to operations, a number of considerations apply, not least the particular capability they offer. For example, those units which have deployed to Afghanistan will predominantly be those that operate in a light role. Mr. Holloway To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK soldiers have (a) died and (b) suffered injury that has required aeromedivac to the UK, due to improvised explosive devices detonated in the course of logistical moves in Helmand Province since 2005. Bill Rammell [holding answer 10 November 2009]: The MOD is committed to openly publishing casualty statistics on the number of service personnel killed and wounded on operations. Information on casualties sustained since January 2006 in Afghanistan and information on how each individual was killed is included in their eulogies available on our website at the following link. http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets I will place a copy of the most up to date statistics in the Library of the House. These statistics are updated fortnightly online. We do not disclose information on how casualties are injured as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. Information on patients from Afghanistan who require treatment at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak Hospital and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court is also publicly available on the website of the Defence Analytical Services and Advice. http://www.dasa.mod.uk/applications/newWeb/www/index.php?page=48&pubType=0&thiscontent=1350&Publish Time=09:30:00&date=2009-10-30&disText=30%20September %202009&from=listing&topDate=2009-10-30&skipCheck=l Mr. Holloway To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many limbs have been lost by UK troops in Helmand Province since 2005. Bill Rammell I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 2 November 2009, Official Report, column 644W. Determining amputations related to action specifically in Helmand would be complex and would at the very least necessitate interrogation of individual records. Even this would not be definitive as wounded could arrive at any one of many field hospitals, potentially including those outside Helmand. At the same time, casualties evacuated from Helmand field hospitals could have been wounded elsewhere. Consequently, obtaining verified data would be problematic and any data provided could not be relied upon. Afghanistan: Pakistan Lembit Öpik To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect recent steps taken by Pakistan against al-Qaeda have had on the number of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan; and whether he has made a recent assessment of the extent to which co-operation with the Pakistani armed forces could enable UK forces to withdraw from Afghanistan. Bill Rammell Current Pakistani military operations in South Waziristan are directed against Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), however, we assess that they have placed pressure on other militant groups in South Waziristan. A number of factors contribute to fluctuations in attack levels in Afghanistan, making it difficult to discern the precise effect that activity in Pakistan is having. While we work closely with the Pakistani military in building its capacity to conduct counterinsurgency operations within its own borders, we have always been clear that ISAF's mission in Afghanistan will only be complete once the Afghan National Security Forces themselves can take on the conduct of security operations. Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations Andrew Gwynne To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the diet provided to troops on active service in Afghanistan. Bill Rammell The Institute of Naval Medicine is currently assessing ‘end of deployment’ data on the diet experienced by personnel who were deployed to forward operating bases and patrol bases in Afghanistan. This data collection is one element of the surgeon general’s armed forces feeding project to provide an evidence base in support of UK armed forces feeding in training, in unit and during overseas operations. Andrew Gwynne To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the use of Snatch Land Rovers in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Quentin Davies The use by our armed forces in Afghanistan of all equipment types is kept under constant review to ensure that they continue to meet operational requirements. This includes the use of Snatch vehicles. Operational commanders have repeatedly stressed the importance of having a range of vehicles from which they can select the most appropriate for specific tasks. This includes a lighter, smaller and more agile patrol vehicle, such as the Snatch 2A and Snatch Vixen Land Rover. But to ensure that our personnel have the best possible protection, a strengthened variant of the vehicle, Snatch Vixen-Plus, is being procured for delivery to Afghanistan next year. This will be followed shortly thereafter by the new lighter protected patrol vehicle. Armed Forces: Cadets Mr. Lancaster To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the letter from the Prime Minister to the then Secretary of State of 11 March 2008, reference MSU/10/7/2 serial number 1421/2007, on expansion of the cadet force. Mr. Kevan Jones [holding answer 28 October 2009]: I am withholding the information requested as its release may prejudice the development of Government policy. However, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 4 November 2009, Official Report, columns 987-988W. Armed Forces: Deployment Dr. Fox To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what deployments have been made by each battalion of the infantry since 1997; and what the intervals were between each tour. Bill Rammell Historical data to support the calculation of the average tour interval for each battalion or regiment of the Infantry since 1997 is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The following table shows the last operational Tour Interval for each Infantry unit as at 1 November 2009, based on the unit's last two operational tours to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans, Northern Ireland or Cyprus. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Unit deployed/Infantry |End date |Last operational deployment (as a unit)|Start date |Previous operational deployment (as a unit)|End date |Last unit tour interval (months)| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion Grenadier Guards |— |Afghanistan |October 2009 |Afghanistan |October 2007 |24 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion Coldstream Guards |— |Afghanistan |October 2009 |Afghanistan |October 2007 |24 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion Scots Guards |May 2007 |Iraq |December 2007|Iraq |April 2005 |31 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion Irish Guards |November 2007 |Iraq |June 2007 |Northern Ireland |March 2004 |38 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion Welsh Guards |October 2009 |Afghanistan |April 2009 |Balkans |April 2007 |24 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland1 |May 2008 |Iraq |December 2007|Iraq |May 2006 |17 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |September 2008|Afghanistan |April 2008 |Iraq |December 2005|28 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |October 2009 |Afghanistan |April 2009 |Iraq |January 2005 |51 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |November 2008 |Iraq |June 2008 |Iraq |May 2006 |25 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |September 2008|Afghanistan |April 2008 |Balkans |October 2005 |29 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment |May 2009 |Iraq |December 2008|Iraq |December 2006|24 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment |June 2005 |Iraq |January 2005 |Northern Ireland |December 2003|12 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers |November 2008 |Iraq |June 2008 |Iraq |May 2006 |25 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers |October 2009 |Afghanistan |April 2009 |Northern Ireland |November 2003|64 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment |October 2007 |Afghanistan |May 2007 |Iraq |October 2005 |18 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment |November 2008 |Iraq |June 2008 |Iraq |October 2006 |20 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment2 |May 2008 |Iraq |December 2007|n/a |— |— | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment2 |— |Cyprus (Theatre Reserve Battalion) |July 2009 |Iraq |April 2008 |27 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment |May 2009 |Iraq |December 2008|Iraq |May 2007 |18 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment |— |Afghanistan |October 2009 |Afghanistan |April 2008 |18 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment |May 2005 |Iraq |December 2004|— |— |49 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Royal Welsh |— |Afghanistan |October 2009 |Cyprus (TRB) |April 2007 |18 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh |— |Afghanistan |October 2009 |Iraq |November 2007|23 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment |May 2007 |Iraq |December 2007|Iraq |October 2004 |37 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment |October 2009 |Afghanistan |April 2009 |Afghanistan |November 2007|16 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment |April 2007 |Iraq |November 2006|Iraq |October 2005 |12 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Rifles3 |March 2009 |Afghanistan |October 2008 |Iraq |November 2006|23 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Rifles |October 2009 |Afghanistan |April 2009 |Iraq |May 2007 |23 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3rd Battalion The Rifles |— |Afghanistan |October 2009 |Iraq |February 2007|19 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |4th Battalion The Rifles |November 2007 |Iraq |June 2007 |Balkans |October 2001 |67 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |5th Battalion The Rifles |May 2009 |Iraq |December 2008|Iraq |December 2006|24 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment |September 2008|Afghanistan |April 2008 |Iraq |December 2005|28 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment |September 2008|Afghanistan |April 2008 |Iraq |April 2006 |24 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment |September 2008|Afghanistan |April 2008 |Afghanistan |October 2006 |18 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Regiment |March 2008 |Afghanistan |October 2007 |Balkans |March 2006 |18 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Regiment |March 2009 |Afghanistan |October 2008 |Afghanistan |October 2005 |37 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 1 RS and 1 KOSB amalgamated to form 1 SCOTS in August 2006. 1 SCOTS deployed for the first time as a formed unit to Iraq in December 2007.2 1 KORBR, 1 KINGS and QLR amalgamated in July 2006 to form 1 LANCS and 2 LANCS. Due to the nature of this amalgamation it is not representative to carry forward the unit deployments of 1 KORBR, 1 KINGS and QLR to 1 LANCS and 2 LANCS.3 1 RGBW and 1 DDLI amalgamated in March 2007 to form 1 RIFLES. 1 RIFLES has deployed for the first time as a formed unit in October 2008 on Herrick 9.Note:The deployments listed are by units, defined as a regiment deploying with a regimental headquarters and more than two manoeuvre sub-units for four months or more.| | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The average tour interval is 26 months. The Army's harmony guidelines recommend that Army units achieve 24 months between each six-month operational tour. Whilst there are necessary exceptions for certain trades and units, the situation continues to improve and we are generally succeeding in this aim. Dr. Fox To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of each service is currently deployable for operations overseas. Bill Rammell This information is not held centrally. Atomic Weapons Establishment Nick Harvey To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when an improvement plan to reduce risks at Atomic Weapons Establishment sites will be prepared. Mr. Quentin Davies Effective risk management underpins all activities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), including nuclear operations, technical programmes and construction work. This is undertaken in close consultation with the Ministry of Defence, regulators and other stakeholders. A formal improvement plan does not exist, but continuous improvement is a fundamental part of safety management, and is embedded in all work relating to safety. Safety cases have been developed for every nuclear process and activity at AWE sites. These are based on the principle that risks should be as low as reasonably practicable. All AWE risks are managed continuously and proactively with stakeholders, in accordance with AWE's licence under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. Atomic Weapons Establishment: Radioactive Waste Nick Harvey To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes in the volume of (a) intermediate and (b) low level radioactive waste held at the Atomic Weapons Establishment are expected to take place over the next three years. Mr. Quentin Davies The 2007 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory lists the volume of intermediate and low level radioactive waste that is expected, as of 1 April 2007, to arise in future years at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. This document is available from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority website: http://www.nda.gov.uk/ukinventory/ It includes forecast quantities for the period 2010 to 2014. It states that the volume of intermediate level waste is forecast to be 1,040 cubic metres and the volume of low level waste is forecast to be 6,200 cubic metres. The forecast for the three years from 2009 is not held separately and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. AWE Aldermaston Nick Harvey To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for submission of all his Department's proposed planning applications at (a) AWE Aldermaston and (b) AWE Burghfield. Mr. Quentin Davies The following table represents the latest timetable for the submission of planning applications for AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Project description |Site |Timing of planning application | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Improved street lighting |Aldermaston|November 2009 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Replacement enriched uranium handling facility |Aldermaston|November 2009 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Hydrodynamics facility main and support building |Aldermaston|April 2010 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Small scale formulations |Aldermaston|Beyond 2010, but not yet determined| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Chemical processing |Burghfield |Beyond 2010, but not yet determined| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Emergency response capability facility training extension|Burghfield |Beyond 2010, but not yet determined| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Combined non metallurgy and material science |Burghfield |Beyond 2010, but not yet determined| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |High performance computer |Aldermaston|Beyond 2010, but not yet determined| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas Mr. Prisk To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Christmas functions arranged by his Department and its agencies (a) the then Secretary of State, (b) officials of his Department and (c) officials of its agencies (i) hosted and (ii) attended in 2008; what the cost to the public purse was; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Kevan Jones This response covers the Department and its agencies, but excludes trading funds which are outside the MOD’s departmental boundary for financial reporting purposes. Departmental policy is that Christmas functions are not an appropriate use of the Defence budget and therefore any functions should be fully funded from non-public funds such as staff subscriptions. No Christmas functions were arranged at public expense in 2008, but public funding of £838 was incurred in transporting MOD and service personnel to a Defence Equipment and Support Christmas Carol Concert in Bath. Information about the attendance at Christmas functions by officials of the Department and its agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have spent on Christmas (i) cards, (ii) parties and (iii) decorations in the last 12 months. Mr. Kevan Jones This response covers the Department and its agencies, but excludes trading funds which are outside the MOD's departmental boundary for financial reporting purposes. MOD expenditure on Christmas cards over the last 12 months has been £305. This figure includes printing, purchase and postage, but excludes a small amount spent by defence attaches, for permitted representational purposes which is not identifiable and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. There was no public money spent on Christmas parties and decorations. Defence: Research Willie Rennie To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated size of the defence research budget is in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13. Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 12 October 2009]: The majority of research expenditure is undertaken under the science, innovation and technology budget which in 2009-10 is £471 million. The current planning assumption is that approximately £439 million will be available in 2010-11. Departmental expenditure limits have not yet been set for the years beyond 2010-11. Departmental Air Travel Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many first-class flights were taken by each Minister in his Department in 2008-09; and what the (a) origin, (b) destination and (c) cost was of each such flight. Bill Rammell A full list of overseas travel by Ministers from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 is published by the Cabinet Office and can be found at the following link. http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/226022/travel_2008_2009.pdf During this period, the following first-class flights were taken by Ministers in the MOD. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Minister |Origin |Destination |Cost (£) | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Right hon. Bob Ainsworth MP |Bahrain|London |13,555.70| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Right hon. Bob Ainsworth MP |Bahrain|London |2,641.10 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Right hon. Baroness Taylor |London |Kuala Lumpur|24,527.00| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Including outward business class fare.2 Return fare.| | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Secretary of State has asked that Ministers in my Department do not fly first-class unless there is no alternative option. Departmental Billing Mr. Weir To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in (a) September and (b) October 2009. Mr. Kevan Jones Performance figures for September and October 2009, against the Government's agreed 10 day payment target, are provided in the following table: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Percentage of invoices paid within 10 days of receipt| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |September 2009|97.7 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |October 2009 |98.5 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The figures provided represent all invoices processed by the MOD financial management shared service centre and the four MOD trading funds; the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Met Office, the Defence Support Group and the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. Departmental Disclosure of Information Dan Rogerson To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which requests for information received by his Department under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in 2008 were (a) classified as not resolvable and (b) refused in full; (2) in respect of which requests for information received by his Department in 2008 under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 it has received permission to extend the deadline for a response by more than 40 days; and what the reason for the request for an extension was in each case. Mr. Kevan Jones In 2008 the Ministry of Defence received some 2,631 requests for information centrally, under the Freedom of Information Act. As of 30 January 2009, 258 cases were closed in which the information requested was withheld in full. A further 315 cases were closed and classed as not resolvable. As at the same date, 49 cases required more than 40 days on top of the statutory 20 working day period and have now been closed. As of 30 January 2009, a further 69 cases remained open in which the statutory 20 working day period and a further 40 working days had passed. The exact text of each of the 791 requests in the categories listed above, and the detailed reasons for each extension, could be provided at only disproportionate cost. However, I will write to the hon. Member to provide a short summary of each request for information received in 2008 that was classified as ‘not resolvable’ or ‘withheld in full’, and list any exemptions that applied. I will also set out simplified reasons for those that have required more than 40 working days on top of the statutory 20-working day period. Substantive answer from Mr. Kevan Jones to Dan Rogerson: I promised to write to you to provide more information in response to the written answer I gave you on 20 July, (Official Report, column 882W). I apologise for the time it has taken to reply to you. Firstly, I must make a correction to the information provided in the answer to the Parliamentary Questions. My reply included the following statement: “As of 30 January 2009, 258 cases were closed in which the information requested was withheld in full. A further 315 cases were closed and classed as not resolvable. As at the same date, 49 cases required more than 40 days on top of the statutory 20 working day period and have now been closed. As of 30 January 2009, a further 69 cases remained open in which the statutory 20 working day period and a further 40 working days had passed. The exact text of each of the 791 requests in the categories listed above, and the detailed reasons for each extension, could only be provided at disproportionate cost.” The total of 791 requests given in the answer is incorrect. The total number of cases in the categories listed is 691. This was a typographical error, for which I apologise. In my response to the question, I promised to provide you with a short summary of each request for information received in 2008 that was classified as not resolvable or withheld in full, and list any exemptions that applied. I will place in the Library of the House a spreadsheet showing a brief summary of the 573 requests, but it has proved impossible to list the exemptions that applied or provide a more detailed summary for all these cases as this could only be provided at disproportionate cost. This is because each record has to be individually retrieved from our management system and the information extracted. However, it has proved possible to provide the full information for 202 cases within the cost limit and this information is given within the spreadsheet. I also agreed to set out simplified reasons for those that have required more than 40 working days on top of the statutory 20 working day period. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to identify reasons for each individual case. There are many reasons why a response might be delayed. These include, for example, difficulties identifying the appropriate part of the Department to respond, difficulties identifying the relevant information, complex discussions about whether information can be released, resource constraints and consultation of third parties including other Government Departments, commercial partners and foreign governments. Departmental Freedom of Information Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department were employed on the management of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in each year since 2005; and how much his Department spent on the management of such requests in each such year. Mr. Kevan Jones The following table shows the number of centrally staffed posts dedicated to the management of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. ------------------------------------------ | |Number of staffed posts|Cost (£000)| ------------------------------------------ |2005|12.5 |504 | ------------------------------------------ |2006|13.5 |564 | ------------------------------------------ |2007|13.5 |578 | ------------------------------------------ |2008|12.5 |564 | ------------------------------------------ |2009|12.5 |570 | ------------------------------------------ In addition, staff in some 50 local FOI focal points spend varying amounts of their time on activities related to the management of FOI requests as part of wider responsibilities. Information on the amount of this effort is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. FOI related expenditure is also incurred on a range of other non-staff costs such as IT, publicity and training, but information on this expenditure could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Departmental Official Cars Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department was in the last 12 months. Bill Rammell No special advisers are provided with an allocated Government car and driver. As with all civil servants, special advisers may use an official car or taxi in properly defined circumstances. Details of such use is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations Mr. Hoyle To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medals have been received by members of the Gibraltar regiment in respect of service in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan since 2001. Mr. Kevan Jones [holding 2 November 2009]: Since 2001 the members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment have received 55 Iraq Medals, one Iraq Medal with clasp and one United States Bronze Star in respect of service in Iraq. For service in Afghanistan one Military Cross, 14 Operational Service Medals with Afghanistan clasp and two United States Commendation Medals have been awarded. Military Aircraft: Helicopters Mr. Benyon To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice he received from (a) the Chief of General Staff, (b) operational commanders and (c) other senior Army personnel on the decision to sell the Army's stock of Gazelle helicopters. Mr. Quentin Davies The advice received from the Defence boards which includes the chiefs of staff, was to dispose of those Gazelle helicopters which no longer have a role in operations. Mr. Gerald Howarth To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what offers of helicopters he has received from the private sector in the last two years; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Quentin Davies The Ministry of Defence occasionally receives offers from industry to purchase or lease helicopters in support of operations. I am withholding the information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Delivering helicopter capability is complex and beyond the immediate procurement of new airframes, additional time and cost is required to modify helicopters to meet specific operational and environmental threats and likely mission requirements, to certify the aircraft, to deliver support arrangements and to train air and ground crew. In order to deliver increased operational helicopter capability quickly, it has often proven more effective to invest in maximising the return from our existing fleets. Where possible though we have sought to make use of commercial capacity to deliver freight. We have a contract for routine freight movement in Afghanistan, which has allowed our own departmental helicopters to focus on supporting military operations. Nuclear Weapons: Decommissioning Mr. Dai Davies To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2009, Official Report, column 1469W, on what dates since October 2008 the specialist technical exchanges referred to in the answer have taken place; which of these involved discussion or demonstration of best practice on warhead disassembly; and whether any transfer of fissile material took place during such exchanges. Bill Rammell I am withholding further detail of individual technical exchanges conducted with the US through the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement for the purpose of safeguarding national security. Puma Helicopters Mr. Laws To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the probability of Puma helicopter aircrew surviving crashes of differing severity; and if he will make a statement. Bill Rammell We routinely assess the safety of our aircraft to ensure that the equipment remains safe to operate and that the risks to personnel are reduced to as low as reasonably practicable, as is required of us under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. As a result we have introduced a number of modifications to the Puma aircraft to enhance its safety through-life, and are planning further enhancements as part of life extension programme for the aircraft which we contacted with Eurocopter on 18 September 2009. Reservists Dr. Fox To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists are deployed on operations overseas. Bill Rammell I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 November 2009, Official Report, column 238W. Territorial Army Dr. Fox To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army personnel of each rank there were in each year since 1997. Bill Rammell The available data are given in the following table. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Date |All TA personnel|All TA officers|Brigadier|Colonel|Lt. Colonel|Major|Captain|Lieutenant|Second Lieutenant| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 1997 |57,620 |6,560 |1— |70 |270 |1,990|2,710 |960 |560 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 1998 |57,600 |6,780 |1— |70 |300 |2,090|2,780 |930 |600 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 1999 |52,210 |6,590 |1— |70 |300 |2,060|2,680 |860 |610 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2000 |45,480 |6,200 |1— |70 |300 |1,940|2,460 |860 |570 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2001 |41,720 |5,780 |1— |80 |280 |1,790|2,250 |840 |540 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2002 |40,660 |5,800 |1— |80 |270 |1,770|2,220 |880 |560 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2003 |39,330 |5,770 |1— |80 |290 |1,640|2,160 |880 |710 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2004 |38,120 |5,900 |1— |80 |320 |1,680|2,240 |840 |730 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2005 |37,260 |5,760 |1— |90 |320 |1,740|2,160 |770 |680 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2006 |38,460 |5,580 |10 |90 |340 |1,680|2,110 |810 |560 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |March 2007 |36,790 |5,320 |10 |90 |340 |1,700|2,030 |720 |430 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |October 2008 |234,330 |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2009 |235,320 |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |September 2009|234,380 |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Date |All TA other ranks|WO1|WO2 |Staff Sergeant|Sergeant|Corporal|Lance Corporal|Private| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 1997 |51,060 |170|1,530|2,410 |4,060 |6,380 |7,320 |29,200 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 1998 |50,820 |200|1,560|2,410 |4,020 |6,340 |7,210 |29,070 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 1999 |45,620 |200|1,590|2,360 |3,950 |6,100 |6,910 |24,510 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2000 |39,280 |200|1,520|2,130 |3,490 |5,410 |6,110 |20,420 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2001 |35,940 |190|1,340|1,840 |3,080 |4,780 |5,380 |19,340 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2002 |34,860 |190|1,320|1,830 |2,910 |4,570 |4,960 |19,080 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2003 |33,570 |180|1,300|1,760 |2,790 |4,180 |4,550 |18,740 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2004 |32,220 |180|1,300|1,720 |2,760 |3,900 |4,400 |17,960 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2005 |31,490 |210|1,310|1,730 |2,670 |3,680 |4,070 |17,820 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2006 |32,880 |220|1,340|1,720 |2,560 |3,480 |3,760 |19,790 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |March 2007 |31,470 |230|1,330|1,690 |2,420 |3,230 |3,450 |19,110 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |October 2008 |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |April 2009 |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |September 2009 |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— |3— | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 = Zero or rounded to zero.2 = Denotes provisional.3 = Denotes unavailable.Notes:TA Personnel include Group A and B, Mobilised TA, OTC and NRPS. FTRS are excluded.April 2003 includes 60 TA soldiers of unknown rank.After April 2007 Territorial Army Officer and Soldier breakdowns are not included due to JPA data validation issues.Figures have been rounded to 10; numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.| | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These figures represent the continuation of a process of rebalancing TA strength to the reduced requirement on the Reserves which started as part of the Options for Change process in 1991 when TA strength was 90,068. Cabinet Office Departmental Air Travel Mr. Heald To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many first-class flights were taken by each Minister in her Department in 2008-09; and what the (a) origin, (b) destination and (c) cost was of each such flight. Tessa Jowell Information on Ministers’ travel overseas is published on an annual basis. The list for 2008-09 can be accessed at: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/226022/travel_2008_2009.pdf and a copy is available in the Libraries of the House. Travel by Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the ministerial code. Departmental Freedom of Information Mr. Gordon Prentice To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many freedom of information requests under consideration by the Information Commissioner concern information held by her Department; and if she will make a statement. Tessa Jowell This is a matter for the Information Commissioner. However, my hon. Friend may wish to be aware that the Information Commissioner’s Office has published a list of requests under consideration, as of September 2009, on their website: http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/research_and_reports/foi_and_eir_caseload_snapshot_september_2009.pdf A copy of this list has been placed in the Library. Departmental Procurement Mr. Maude To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what use her Department makes of electronic auctions when undertaking procurement exercises. Angela E. Smith Cabinet Office policy is to always select the procurement strategy most likely to provide best value for money. To date, the Department has not used electronic auctions directly. As a major user of collaborative procurement, the Cabinet Office benefits from contracts placed by other Departments which employ electronic auction functionality. Departmental Work Experience Mr. Maude To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much interns in (a) No. 10 Downing street and (b) the Cabinet Office are paid. Angela E. Smith The Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office pays interns a salary which is commensurate with the grade of the role that the intern is filling. Disclosure of Information Mr. Maude To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2009, Official Report, columns 267-8W, on Operation Miser, if she will place in the Library a copy of her Department's protocol on handling unauthorised disclosures and national security cases; (2) if she will place in the Library a copy of the Cabinet Office document guidance on leak investigation policy and procedures. Tessa Jowell The guidance document “Official Information: standards of conduct and procedures” is being prepared and will shortly be sent to Departments. It will incorporate protocols for the investigation of unauthorised disclosures. The guidance will be submitted to the chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee and will be placed in the Library of the House. Publishing details of working methods and investigative techniques would compromise the effective conduct of investigations in future. Dorneywood Mr. Maude To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what process the trustees of Dorneywood are appointed. Tessa Jowell The trustees of Dorneywood are appointed as follows: One trustee is nominated by the Prime Minister, being a person holding Cabinet or ministerial rank. One trustee is appointed by the Council of the National Trust. One trustee is appointed by a resolution of the trustees on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Fourthly an additional trustee may be appointed by the other trustees. The three non-ministerial trustees are appointed for a period of five years, renewable for a further period of five years, subject to the agreement of all the trustees. Electoral Register Mrs. Laing To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what her most recent estimate is of the number of people eligible to register to vote in (a) local, (b) European and (c) UK parliamentary elections. Angela E. Smith The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Jil Matheson, dated November 2009: As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the most recent estimate is of the number of people eligible to register to vote in (a) local, (b) European and (c) UK Parliamentary elections. (299166) ONS publishes the number of people registered to vote in local, European and Parliamentary elections but does not hold data on the number who are eligible to register. The mid-year estimate of the resident population, aged 18 and over, provides an approximation to this although not everybody who is usually resident is entitled to vote. For example, foreign citizens from outside of the EU and Commonwealth are not eligible. The definition of the usually resident population is closer to the eligibility criteria for the local and European electorate than to those for the parliamentary electorate because the latter exclude EU citizens and include UK citizens resident abroad. The mid-year estimate of the resident population aged 18 and over for the UK, for 2008 is 48,263,000. This is the most recent year for which estimates are available. Futurebuilders England Mr. Maude To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether she plans to renew the Futurebuilders England Fund Management Ltd. contract on its expiry. Angela E. Smith The services agreement for the Futurebuilders Programme between the Cabinet Office and Futurebuilders England Fund Management Ltd expires on 31 March 2011. The Government are not yet in a position to make commitments to programmes which could extend beyond the current spending review period which runs from 2008-09 to 2010-11. Government Departments: Taxis Ian Stewart To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what contracts her Department has with private hire taxi companies; and what information her Department holds on such contracts held by other Government departments. Angela E. Smith The Cabinet Office has one contract for the provision of taxi services. It is with Addison Lee and it is used for most pre-booked journeys where public transport is deemed unsuitable, for example due to unsociable hours or a lack of available alternatives. The Cabinet Office has no information on contracts with private taxi companies held by any other Government Department. Iraq Committee of Inquiry Mr. Hague To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many serving Ministers have received requests to give evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry; and if she will make a statement. Tessa Jowell I refer the right. hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him by the Prime Minister on 19 October 2009, Official Report, column 1210W. Mr. Hague To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials from her Department are seconded to work on the Chilcot Inquiry; and if she will make a statement. Tessa Jowell There are currently 19 staff employed in the Iraq Inquiry Secretariat, comprising both full and part-time staff drawn from Government Departments as follows: Cabinet Office, six; Ministry of Defence, four; Foreign and Commonwealth Office, three; Northern Ireland Office, one; Serious Fraud Office, one; Government Communications Headquarters, one; Department for International Development, one. These staff are either on secondment, loan or attachment. In addition, there are currently two temporary staff engaged from outside Government. Lone Parents: Females Dr. Kumar To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many female lone parents there have been in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997; and what proportion of such women lived in council accommodation in each such year. Mr. Ian Austin I have been asked to reply. Estimates of the numbers of households headed by female lone parents with dependent children and the proportions of those households living in social rented accommodation, in the North East and England, for each year since 1997 are provided in the following table. Data are not available at constituency level. Estimates for council accommodation are not available. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |North East |England | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |Number of female lone parent households (thousand)|Percentage of which are social renters|Number of female lone parent households (thousand)|Percentage of which are social renters| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1997 |76 |63 |1,116|56| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1998 |75 |61 |1,157|56| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1999 |77 |60 |1,158|56| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2000 |79 |60 |1,194|55| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2001 |76 |62 |1,192|55| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2002 |73 |63 |1,233|54| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2003 |66 |62 |1,240|53| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2004 |71 |61 |1,261|52| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2005 |72 |58 |1,264|50| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2006 |74 |55 |1,287|50| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2007 |72 |51 |1,312|50| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1 Due to small sample sizes, figures are based on a three-year rolling average. 1997 represents the average for the period 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98.Source:Survey of English Housing| | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ministerial Policy Advisers Mr. Maude To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many special advisers in the Government are (a) members of the Government Communications Network and (b) primarily involved in the field of communications. Tessa Jowell The “Code of Conduct for Special Advisers” sets out the nature of work a special adviser may do at their Ministers request. This includes media and communication activities. Non-Governmental Organisations Mr. Maude To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what definition of a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation her Department uses. Tessa Jowell This is not a formal term used within Government. The term “non-departmental public body”—or NDPB—has been used by successive Governments since 1980 and refers to a body which has a role in the processes of national Government, but is not a Government Department, or part of one, they accordingly operate to a greater or lesser extent at arm’s length from Ministers. Public Relations Mr. Hurd To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what concerns the then Cabinet Secretary raised about the appropriateness of Mr Damian McBride’s conduct when Mr McBride was a civil servant. Tessa Jowell I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 October 2009, Official Report, columns 1038-39W, to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb). In relation to Mr. McBride’s employment as a permanent civil servant it is not the Government’s practice to disclose information relating to the employment of individual civil servants which is confidential between the employer and employee. Smith Institute Mr. Maude To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what payments her Department has made to the Smith Institute in the last 36 months. Angela E. Smith The Cabinet Office has not made any payments to the Smith Institute in the last 36 months. Home Department Acceptable Behaviour Contracts: Bexley Mr. Evennett To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many acceptable behaviour contracts have been (a) agreed and (b) breached in the London Borough of Bexley in each year since their inception. Mr. Alan Campbell Acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs) are non-statutory, voluntary agreements which are normally made between a perpetrator of antisocial behaviour and an antisocial behaviour agency or school. Data on ABCs are collected by the Home Office through a voluntary survey of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships' (CDRPs) use of antisocial behaviour tools and powers. The latest published data indicate that 23 ABCs were made in Bexley between October 2003 and September 2008. Data on breach of ABCs are not collected by the Home Office. Animal Welfare Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines his Department operates to ensure that veterinary surgeons do not have conflicts of interest under section 6(5) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Meg Hillier Section 3.19 of the guidance of the operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (HC321) stipulates that when a named veterinary surgeon (NVS) has under any other statutory role under the terms of the 1986 Act a substantial interest in the scientific outcome of a programme of work, alternative provision should be made for the veterinary oversight of the animals in question. Where the named veterinary surgeon holds a project licence, a different veterinary surgeon should be nominated to perform the duties of the named veterinary surgeon for that project. Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether project licences issued under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 require the substances or products which may be tested on animals to be specified. Meg Hillier It is not Home Office practice to authorise individual studies. Instead, the relevant project licences permit the testing of specified classes of materials, such as medical and veterinary materials and chemicals, using specified methods, generally conducted according to international test guidelines. In addition the licences specify the checks that will be made about what is already known about the substance to be tested and the order in which the tests may be done. Other than in the case of vaccines or other biological materials requiring batch testing, such licences do not usually name each substance in a particular class. Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether licensees are required to obtain the specific approval of his Department before testing a particular substance on animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Meg Hillier Licensees are not required to obtain the specific approval of his Department before testing a particular substance on animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. It is not Home Office practice to authorise individual studies. Instead, the relevant project licences permit the testing of specified classes of materials, such as medical and veterinary materials and chemicals, using specified methods, generally conducted according to international test guidelines. In addition the licences specify the checks that will be made about what is already known about the substance to be tested and the order in which the tests may be done. Other than in the case of vaccines or other biological materials requiring batch testing, such licences do not usually name each substance in a particular class. Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for project licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 he has rejected on the grounds that the procedures would cause severe pain or distress which cannot be alleviated in each year since 2004. Meg Hillier We do not hold the information requested. A feature of the regulatory regime under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is the discussion that often takes place at an early stage between applicants (or prospective applicants) and the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate. When serious deficiencies are discovered with the proposals during these early discussions with the local inspectors, or within the establishments’ local ethical review processes, proposals unlikely to meet the Act’s stringent requirements are revised or withdrawn before formal refusal becomes necessary. Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department issues guidance on the use of live animals for the purposes of training in (a) cervical dislocation and (b) injecting procedures carried out under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Meg Hillier Standard condition 17 for designated scientific procedure establishments in appendix B of the guidance of the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 stipulates that the certificate holder is responsible for assuring competence for a non-regulated procedure such as humane killings by methods listed in schedule 1 of the 1986 Act. Section 3.12 of the guidance stipulates that the project licence holder must ensure that personal licensees working under their control are adequately supervised and trained and that regulated procedures such as injecting substances are competently performed in accordance with the project licence authorities. The training framework for those with key responsibilities under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is set out in annex F of the guidance on the operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Module 2 of the Animal Research Training Course provides training on humane methods of killing appropriate to the relevant species and on the job training provides practical skills which would include injection techniques. The Home Office has also issued a code of practice—The Humane Killing of Animals under Schedule 1 to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Only those with appropriate personal licence authorities may lawfully perform regulated procedures on protected animals and other than a limited range of specialist procedures project licences are not issued for training in manual skills. Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bolton South East of 11 November 2003, Official Report, column 232W, on the Home Office, what steps he has taken to ensure that botulinium toxin tested on animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is not used off-label for cosmetic purposes. Meg Hillier The Government's position has not changed. Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 the Home Office grants licences for the testing on live animals of botulinium toxin for products licensed for clinical purposes as a prescription-only medicine. The Home Office does not license the use of animals for the testing of cosmetic ingredients or products. The off-label use of botulinium toxin products manufactured for therapeutic purposes is not a matter over which the Home Office has any control. Regulation of the uses made of health care products is a matter for the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which is an executive agency of the Department of Health. Antisocial Behaviour Mr. Tom Clarke To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps he has taken to reduce levels of antisocial behaviour. Mr. Alan Campbell Over the past 12 years we have introduced a wide range of tools and powers to tackle antisocial behaviour which are being used by practitioners to bring relief to communities across the country. We are committed to driving down antisocial behaviour by supporting victims and making all local partners take fast and effective action against it. On 13 October we announced a package of measures to improve the collective response to ASB, building on the Government's success in driving down antisocial behaviour. These are: Encouraging Crime and disorder reduction partnerships to make full use of the use of tools and powers; Challenging all CDRPs to set minimum local service standards so that the public have a clear set of commitments and know what they can hold agencies accountable for; Stepping up action on breach of ASBOs including through better case management, increased publicity and the use of community impact statements; Ensuring effective links between neighbourhood policing and neighbourhood management teams to resolve ASB in the community; A new deal for victims and witnesses of ASB including extension of Victim Support service to victims and witnesses bringing ASB cases in the magistrates courts; funding for 85 new victims champions in pioneer areas, and those where people have high perceptions of antisocial behaviour; and A national training campaign for ASB coordinators to improve their victim work. In addition, the Policing Pledge, which puts the police on the side of victims, will be strengthened in the White Paper. Antisocial Behaviour Orders James Brokenshire To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date his Department’s qualitative review of anti-social behaviour orders commenced; which matters are being analysed as part of the review; what estimate he has made of the cost of the review; what methodology is being used; and when he expects (a) the study to be completed and (b) the review to be published. Mr. Alan Campbell The Home Office has commissioned two pieces of work evaluating interventions to tackle antisocial behaviour. These are: Research to examine local variations in the use of antisocial behaviour interventions. This work was conducted by Ipsos MORI and comprised a survey sent to all CDRP ASB co-ordinators and multi stakeholder focus groups within eight CDRPs. All sites that participated in the focus groups were informed that the details of areas and individuals involved would remain anonymous to facilitate the open sharing of views and prevent identification of individuals involved. This research project contract costs were £37,700 and the field work was conducted between February and May 2008. The findings of this study will be published in due course. An evaluation of the comparative effectiveness of interventions to address antisocial behaviour. This started in December 2008 and results from this evaluation are due in early 2010. A mixed methodology has been used in this study with a quantitative data exercise to meet the PAC recommendation of gathering information on the extent to which individual and situational characteristics influence the effectiveness of interventions to tackle ASB. Qualitative data has been collected through interviews and case files reviews. Once again all sites that participated in the qualitative research were informed that the details of areas and individuals involved would remain anonymous to facilitate open sharing of views and to prevent the identification of both victims and perpetrators of ASB. Contract costs for the project are £200,463. The research will be published in due course. Mr. Stewart Jackson To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders in each category are in force in relation to residents of (a) Peterborough constituency, (b) Peterborough City Council area and (c) Cambridgeshire. Mr. Alan Campbell The latest available published data on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued covers the period 1 April 1999 to 31 December 2007 and are not available below Criminal Justice System (CJS) area level. The number of ASBOs issued at all courts in the Cambridgeshire Criminal Justice System area on application and the number issued following conviction is 49 and 103 respectively, a total of 152. ASBOs can be of a fixed duration (for a minimum of two years) or made until further order. It is therefore not possible to determine from centrally collected data how many ASBOs are in force at a particular point in time except by reference to individual court files which could be achieved only at disproportionate cost. Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Bexley Mr. Evennett To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people under the age of 18 years (a) were given and (b) breached an anti-social behaviour order in the London Borough of Bexley in each year since their inception. Mr. Alan Campbell Data centrally collected by the Ministry of Justice on the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued and breached is not available below Criminal Justice System area level. Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Children James Brokenshire To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to implement the automatic issue of parenting orders following the breach of an anti-social behaviour order by a child. Mr. Hanson We will bring forward legislation to achieve this as soon as parliamentary time allows. Implementation of legislation would entail guidance to the courts and practitioners and would be drawn up in consultation with practitioners and other relevant Government Departments and agencies. Arrest Warrants Mr. MacShane To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many European arrest warrants have been issued by the UK police and other authorities in respect of nationals of each other EU member state since January 2004. Meg Hillier The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) are the designated authorities in the UK for the receipt and transmission of European arrest warrants (EAWs). Since 1 January 2004 until 31 March 2009, UK authorities transmitted 836 EAWs to other EU member states. These resulted in 376 people being surrendered to the UK. It is not possible from current systems to break down this data into the nationality of the subject. A breakdown of data by nationality of the subject could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Mr. MacShane To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many European arrest warrants followed by extradition have been issued by each EU member state since 2004. Meg Hillier The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) are the designated authorities in the UK for the receipt and transmission of European arrest warrants (EAWs). SOCA cannot comment on the number EAWs transmitted between other EU member states. SOCA is only able to provide details of EAW requests processed by the agency and formerly by the National Criminal Intelligence Service. These figures were given in a previous reply on 9 June 2009, Official Report, columns 814-15W. Asylum Mr. Pelling To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of asylum seekers who will present at the UK Border Agency in Croydon once it becomes the central place of presentation. Mr. Woolas Prior to Croydon being designated as the single site for the screening of in country asylum applicants, Liverpool ASU completed an average of five to 10 asylum screening appointments per day for main asylum applicants. This is the number of extra people who will be expected now to make their claim in Croydon. Croydon ASU saw an average of 39 applications daily prior to its designation as the single site for screening of in country applicants. Since 14 October the highest number of applications seen in a week has been 42. Richard Ottaway To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the written ministerial statement of 13 October 2009, Official Report, columns 20-21WS, on asylum, on what grounds he decided that the asylum screening unit in Croydon should be the only location at which initial asylum applications may be made; what assessment he has made of the likely effects on Croydon of that decision; and if he will allocate funds to Croydon borough council for the purposes of making provision for an increase in demand on local services consequent on the closure of the Liverpool asylum submissions unit to initial asylum applications. Mr. Woolas [holding answer 28 October 2009]: An operational decision was taken to re-designate the asylum screening unit (ASU) in Liverpool to a further submissions unit (FSU). Failed asylum seekers who wish to submit any further submissions now have to do so in person instead of by post, as we believe it is appropriate to see individuals in person when they submit information about their asylum claim, as evidence suggests that the majority of further submissions are not accepted as a fresh claim. We think that requiring people to make further submissions in person will discourage abuse and help us run a more efficient system so that people who are in need of our protection get it without delay. We also believe that anyone seeking asylum should do so at the first available opportunity—this means on arrival at a port of entry. So only those who have failed to claim on arrival will be required to travel to Croydon to make their asylum application. The decision to designate Croydon ASU as the single site for applicants to lodge a claim for asylum reflects this fact. It also reflects the fact that the impact on Croydon is not expected to be dramatic as Croydon ASU has the capacity and existing infrastructure to screen the limited numbers of applicants that are expected to lodge an asylum claim at ASU Croydon once ASU Liverpool is redesignated. Before the change Liverpool ASU were booking on average between five—10 appointments a day. This is the number of extra people who will be expected now to make their claim in Croydon. It is therefore considered that the effects on Croydon would be minimal, particularly as a partial appointment system has been introduced which allows increased opportunity to manage the flow of intake into the ASU. There are insufficient grounds to allocate Croydon borough council more funds as a very small proportion of those who claim asylum in Croydon will remain there. Those asylum applicants who are destitute will be accommodated away from London and the south-east and there are transitional arrangements to take account of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children claiming in Liverpool. Once these transitional arrangements have ended, there should be minimal financial affect on Croydon borough council as the UK Border Agency fully funds the council on a per day basis for each UASC they are responsible for. Additionally, the numbers of additional UASC claiming asylum at Croydon ASU are not expected to be significant. Mr. Davidson To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers on the list of legacy cases (a) have been granted permission to remain in the United Kingdom and (b) are known to have left the country in (i) the last 12 months and (ii) the most recent period for which statistics are available. Mr. Woolas The UK Border Agency is continuing to clear the backlog of the older asylum cases. Lin Homer, the Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency, writes to the Home Affairs Select Committee every six months with a performance update in the resolution of the older asylum cases. She most recently reported that up to the end of September 2009 the UK Border Agency had granted some form of leave to remain in 74,000 asylum legacy cases and had removed over 30,000 cases. Up until the end of October 2008 the UK Border Agency had granted some form of leave to remain in 51,000 asylum legacy cases and had removed over 23,500 cases. A copy of these letters has been placed in the Library of the House. Asylum: Iraq Mr. Lidington To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of applications for asylum by former Iraqi locally employed civilians were rejected for having failed to amass 12 months’ continuous service; and how many such applications fell short by periods of one month or under. Mr. Ivan Lewis I have been asked to reply. Over 50 per cent. of all applications received from former members of the locally engaged staff have failed because the applicant did not meet the criteria set out in my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary’s written ministerial statement of 30 October 2007, Official Report, column 30WS. Of these, the majority failed because the applicant had not completed 12 months’ continuous service. Other reasons for failure were that the employment was not directly with the Government; the employment did not fall within the stated categories; or the applicant had been dismissed for disciplinary reasons. The information on numbers of those who failed because they had one month or less required service is not held centrally and would involve searching over 600 paper files held by four employing Departments. This could be done only at disproportionate cost. Mr. Lidington To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of former Iraqi locally employed civilians who have applied for asylum in the UK remain outstanding. Mr. Woolas As of 2 November 2009, the UK Border Agency is considering the applications of 35 former Iraqi locally employed civilians for resettlement to the UK. These data are normally used for management information only and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply to National Statistics publications. These data are provisional and may be subject to change. Asylum: Manpower Damian Green To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials of the UK Border Agency of each civil service grade are directly employed in making initial decisions on asylum claims. Mr. Woolas All asylum claims are carefully considered on an individual basis and a range of staff across the UK Border Agency may be engaged during the process of reaching any specific decision. For this reason it is not possible to give a definitive figure for the number of UK Border Agency staff of each grade directly involved in making initial asylum decisions. The main responsibility for initial asylum decision making rests with asylum case owners who manage claims through to their full conclusion of grant of leave to remain or removal. The agency has recently completed the appointment and training of over 250 new asylum case owners in regional teams in order to continue to hit its challenging targets to conclude new asylum claims within six months. Asylum: Young People Richard Ottaway To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the oral answer of 26 October 2009, Official Report, column 13, on asylum applications, what change there has been to the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people in Croydon in the last 12 months according to records held by his Department. Mr. Woolas Our records indicate that 731 unaccompanied asylum seeking children were in the care of Croydon council on 31 March 2008, and 708 on 31 March 2009. Borders: Patrol Chris Grayling To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vessels were (a) intercepted and (b) boarded by the Royal Navy in UK territorial waters in each of the last 10 years. Bill Rammell I have been asked to reply. Other than the Fishery Protection Squadron, Royal Navy units do not board vessels in UK territorial waters as a matter of course. The information on boardings of UK and non-UK vessels conducted by the Fishery Protection Squadron in each year since 1997 is provided in the following table. -------------------------- | |Number of boardings| -------------------------- |1997|1746 | -------------------------- |1998|1814 | -------------------------- |1999|1779 | -------------------------- |2000|1654 | -------------------------- |2001|1515 | -------------------------- |2002|1287 | -------------------------- |2003|1704 | -------------------------- |2004|1713 | -------------------------- |2005|1466 | -------------------------- |2006|1279 | -------------------------- |2007|1378 | -------------------------- |2008|983 | -------------------------- Information for other boardings is not held in the format requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Christmas Mr. Prisk To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Christmas functions organised by his Department and its agencies (a) his predecessor, (b) officials of his Department and (c) officials of its agencies (i) hosted and (ii) attended in 2008; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Woolas The information requested is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Computer Misuse Act 1990 Chris Grayling To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants were issued under section 14 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 in the last four years. Claire Ward I have been asked to reply. Information showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, and found guilty at all courts for offences under sections 1, 2, 3 and 3 A of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 in England and Wales from 2004 to 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following table. From the information available on the Ministry of Justice court proceedings database it is not possible to identify if any of the proceedings and convictions resulted from a warrant issued under section 14 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990. Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |2004 |2005 |2006 |2007 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Offence |Proceeded against|Found guilty|Proceeded against|Found guilty|Proceeded against|Found guilty|Proceeded against|Found guilty| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Unauthorised access to computer material. Section 1 |5 |3 |5 |4 |7|4|8|3| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offences. Section 2 |6 |2 |11 |7 |5|4|2|—| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Unauthorised modification of computer material. Sections 3 and 3A. |10 |7 |8 |5 |13|10|9|7| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Total |21 |12 |24 |16 |25|18|19|10| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1 The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.| | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Counter-Terrorism Jeremy Corbyn To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have received assistance from the Channel project for vulnerable individuals at risk of extremism since 1 January 2009; how many such people were under (a) 16 years and (b) 12 years old; how many such people were not Muslim; what evaluation of the outcomes of the programme has been undertaken; what proportion of people assisted by the Channel project were found to have been at risk of becoming violent extremists; and on what grounds such findings were made. Mr. Hanson [holding answer 2 November 2009]: We hold the following data on Channel which covers the period April 2007-December 2008: Between April 2007-December 2008: 228 referrals were made to the Channel project The known age range of those referred to Channel as potentially vulnerable to violent extremism and in need of multi-agency support was seven-50 years. The majority of referrals were aged between 15-24 years; Of those referred to Channel as potentially vulnerable to violent extremism and in need of multi-agency support 93 per cent. were male. We will be publishing, shortly, a guidance document on Channel for partnerships. This document will include and reflect feedback and the implementation lessons learned from some of the longest running sites. There is no single profile of a violent extremist. There are a range of factors and vulnerabilities that may facilitate the process of radicalisation. Delivering the Prevent Strategy: An Updated Guide for Local Partners includes a description of the factors that might make a person more susceptible to exploitation by violent extremists. These include: open support for violent extremist causes; possession of violent extremist material and behavioural change. Local partners work together and use their professional judgement to assess an individual’s vulnerability to being drawn in to violent extremism. Referrals are made on the basis of this assessment. Crimes of Violence Mr. Tom Clarke To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent steps he has taken to reduce the incidence of violent crime against people with learning disabilities; (2) what recent steps he has taken to reduce the incidence of violence against people with physical disabilities. Mr. Alan Campbell On 14 September 2009 we launched the Cross-Government hate crime action plan. This brings together the range of work being delivered across Government and criminal justice agencies to tackle all forms of hate crime, including violent hate crime against people with physical or learning disabilities. Action 58 provides for the Department of Health and the Home Office to develop guidance for learning disability partnership boards on effectively preventing and responding to hate crime. The Home Office is also engaged with the Department for Health, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Office in the review of the “No Secrets” guidance on safeguarding vulnerable adults. We have also published a strategy for reducing all forms of violence “Saving lives. Reducing harm. Protecting the public. An Action Plan for Tackling Violence 2008-11” in February 2008 and have recently published an update on progress “An Action Plan for Tackling Violence 2008-11. One Year On”. The refreshed document reports on the progress that has been made over the last year and looks at what more can be done to prevent violent crime. This includes exploring opportunities across government for early identification of all forms of violence and abuse, including against people with learning and physical disabilities. Criminal Records Mr. Amess To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received following the Court of Appeal judgment on 19 October 2009 on the retention of individual records on police computers; and if he will make a statement. Meg Hillier We have received no representations to date. It is vital that we do everything we can to protect the public from crime and this judgment provides valuable clarification of how we can continue to do so through retaining conviction data on the police national computer (PNC). My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has asked the newly appointed Independent advisor for criminality information management, Sunita Mason, to review how criminal records on the PNC are retained and disclosed. She will work closely with the police to develop proposals for a fair and proportionate approach. Departmental Procurement Mr. Wallace To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest assessment is of the effectiveness and efficiency of his Department's procurement of technology and equipment. Meg Hillier My overall assessment of the Department's procurement of technology and equipment is of a strong performing, effective and efficient commercial capability. The assessment is based on a number of factors, put in place over the past two years, which are bearing positive results. These include: The development and implementation of a three year procurement strategy, approved by the board in April 2007, which focuses on delivering holistic procurement, with as much focus on supplier/contract management and buying operations as on sourcing contracts; The implementation and operation of category segmentation into strategic and non-strategic areas, with a professional organisation designed and in place to manage spend and suppliers accordingly; Investments made to upgrade the procurement capability, specifically through the creation of a procurement centre of excellence and upgrading technology in support of eProcurement applications; The Office of Government Commerce procurement capability review which ranked the Department the second best performing Government Department; Independent research from Ipsos/Mori reported that 93 per cent. of suppliers rate their relationship with the Department to be good or excellent; The National Audit Office review of managing major contracts commended the Department for implementing and managing successful benchmarking of major IT contracts; The Department was the first central Government Department to have Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) accredited policies and procedures in place; The work by the Identity and Passport Service in sourcing the strategic framework for the national identity scheme has been recognised across Government as an exemplar to manage the procurement and suppliers of large scale complex IT programmes; The Department has recently concluded successful negotiations with its two major suppliers of IT services (Fujitsu and Atos Origin), which will result in contractually agreed savings of £112 million over the next six years. Departmental Travel Norman Baker To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many miles (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department travelled by (i) car, (ii) rail and (iii) air on Government business in each year since 1997. Mr. Woolas The Home Office does not record the mileage of journeys for Government business made by any of the Ministers or their officials. This could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. Departmental Visits Abroad David Simpson To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on overnight accommodation for (a) Ministers and (b) officials while overseas in each of the last three years. Mr. Woolas The Cabinet Office annual lists of overseas trips undertaken by Ministers costing over £500 can be accessed at: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/proprietyandethics/ministers/travelgifts.aspx. The list for 2008-09 was published on 16 July. This and earlier lists are available in the Library of the House. Information relating to how much was spent on overnight accommodation for officials while overseas could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. All travel by Ministers and civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the ministerial code and the civil service management code respectively. Deportation: West Midlands Mr. Jim Cunningham To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in the West Midlands were deported in 2008. Mr. Woolas [holding answer 27 October 2009]: Information relating to the number of residents in the West Midlands deported in the same year can be obtained only through the detailed examination of individual case files which would incur a disproportionate cost. Statistics on the control of immigration in 2008 including removal figures can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/hosb1409.pdf. Educational Institutions: Fraud Margaret Moran To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the last six months on the number of bogus colleges in operation. Mr. Woolas The Secretary of State for the Home Department has not met with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills specifically to discuss bogus colleges. I have met with my right hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr. Lammy) and there has been regular discussion between officials in the two Departments about the points-based system generally and bogus colleges in particular. We estimate that around 1,500 colleges have ceased to operate. Entry Clearances Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many academic staff from each overseas country have applied for visas to (a) work and (b) lecture in the UK in each of the last 12 months; how many such applications were refused; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Woolas There is provision in the immigration rules (paragraph 46G) for non-EEA nationals to enter as business visitors, including academic visitors. Prior entry clearance is only mandatory for visa nationals. Academics coming to participate in a conference or seminar where it is a single or occasional event, and the event is not a commercial venture, may enter as academic visitors. Those who intend to come to the UK solely to undertake a series of lectures for which they will receive a fee will normally be required to seek entry for employment purposes under tier 2 of the points-based system. Tier 2 applications from Academics cannot be separately identified. The number of (1) applications received; (2) visas issued; and (3) visas refused in the academic visitor category in each of the last 12 months (October 2008 to September 2009) is shown in the following table. A separate table has been placed in the House of Commons Library which gives this information for each nationality. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Reporting period |Endorsement DESC|Applications|Issued|Refused|Withdrawn|Lapsed|Resolved| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |October 2008 |Academic visitor|294 |242 |35 |15 |0 |292 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |November 2008 |Academic visitor|226 |188 |32 |15 |0 |235 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |December 2008 |Academic visitor|257 |195 |25 |5 |0 |225 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |January 2009 |Academic visitor|278 |251 |26 |3 |2 |282 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |February 2009 |Academic visitor|285 |258 |47 |5 |8 |318 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |March 2009 |Academic visitor|358 |279 |49 |8 |1 |337 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |April 2009 |Academic visitor|338 |254 |26 |13 |2 |295 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |May 2009 |Academic visitor|440 |411 |50 |15 |3 |479 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |June 2009 |Academic visitor|548 |452 |63 |5 |1 |521 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |July 2009 |Academic visitor|533 |440 |57 |2 |0 |499 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |August 2009 |Academic visitor|433 |377 |71 |6 |0 |454 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |September 2009 |Academic visitor|454 |359 |62 |8 |1 |430 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Total (number) | |4,444 |3,706 |543 |100 |18 |4,367 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Refusal rate (percentage) | | | |12 | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Source:CRS 2 November 2009.The data are unpublished and should be treated as provisional.| | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Equipment: Theft Hugh Robertson To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate he has made of the value of heavy plant and equipment stolen in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 5 November 2009]: The Home Office has not recently estimated the cost of the theft of heavy plant and equipment. The plant and agricultural national intelligence unit of the Metropolitan police estimates that approximately £1.5 million of construction and agricultural plant machinery is stolen in the UK every week. I am aware that vehicle security experts Thatcham estimate the total cost to the UK of plant theft to be upwards of £600 million per year. The Home Office takes the theft of plant and equipment very seriously. That is why the Home Office scientific development branch (HOSDB) published the “Security Guidance Document for Agricultural and Construction Plant", which was launched by me, in my capacity as the Minister for crime reduction at the construction industry theft solutions conference on 3 November this year. The new guidance provides up to date advice and information for the agricultural and construction industries, helping them to protect themselves from theft. The guidance was first published in January 2008, and has been revised and updated in the light of technological developments and our most recent understanding of the methods used by criminals to steal agricultural and plant machinery. I am grateful to the plant theft action group (PTAG), established by the Home Office but now operated by and for the plant industry, and to the plant and agricultural national intelligence unit of the Metropolitan police (PANIU) for their support in producing the updated guidance. PTAG and PANIU are also continuing to make a significant contribution to the reduction of plant theft through developments such as the CESAR plant marking and registration scheme, and the publication of guidance on construction site security. The availability of the HOSDB plant security guidance, the PANIU site security guidance and the CESAR scheme are together proving successful at reducing plant theft and increasing rates of recovery of stolen plant. Fraud: Direct Selling Mr. David Anderson To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the development of a password system to reduce the number of crimes which involve bogus doorstep callers. Mr. Alan Campbell I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 26 October 2009, Official Report, column 176W. Identity Cards Damian Green To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many identity card readers had been issued as at 1 October 2009. Mr. Woolas Identity cards issued to British citizens and foreign nationals can be read, in the same way as machine-readable passports, at border controls at all significant points of entry to the United Kingdom. Additionally, 12 specialist card readers have to date been issued for use by Home Office staff, for use at major ports and enforcement operations. These readers have been issued as part of a pilot to allow more sophisticated card reading checks. Mr. Leech To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate he has made of the number of applications for an identity card required for the scheme to be wholly funded from application fees; what methodology was used to make that estimate; and how many and what proportion of people in Manchester have applied to participate in the scheme. Meg Hillier Fees have yet to be agreed for 2011 and beyond and will need to be agreed with HM Treasury during 2010. However, over time, we expect national identity service costs to be recovered through fees. As published in the October 2009 national identity service cost report, over the time period October 2009 to October 2019, we expect to have issued approximately 88 million products. These are total product volumes, including transactions associated with the replacement of lost or damaged items (but excludes transactions that do not require product issuance, such as changes of address). In many cases the same application will result in the issuance of both a passport and identity card. Up to and including 2 November, almost 12,000 people have registered their interest in the national identity service. So far 17 per cent. of those registered are from the Greater Manchester area. Illegal Immigrants: Ports Damian Green To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were detected at the (a) Hull, (b) Dover, (c) Portsmouth and (d) Southampton port of entry in the last six months for which figures are available. Mr. Woolas In the period April 2009 to September 2009 inclusive, the UK Border Agency border force north region served illegal entry papers to 1,866 entrants, of which 571 were clandestine entrants. This answer relates to illegal immigrants detected within the north region of the UKBA border force, which includes Hull. In the same period, the UKBA border force south region served illegal entry papers to 2,957 entrants, of which 2,715 were clandestine entrants. This answer relates to illegal immigrants detected within the south region which includes Dover, Portsmouth and Southampton. Immigration Jim Cousins To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Ministers in his Department approved the issue of the UK immigration service’s operational instruction 01/2704, dated 7 July 2004; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the instruction. Mr. Woolas [holding answer 2 November 2009]: There is no legal requirement for Ministers to clear operational instructions of this nature. It is not possible, from the information currently available, to confirm whether operational instruction 01/2704 was approved by Ministers in the Home Department. The instruction is no longer extant and has been surpassed by chapter 4 of the border force operational manual. The current instruction was reviewed and authorised by a UK Border Agency director, on behalf of the Secretary of State. All operational instructions are electronically archived on the UK Border Agency database for a fixed period and are not routinely forwarded to the House of Commons Library. However, in this instance, I can confirm that a copy of operational instruction 01/2704 will be placed in the House of Commons Library. Immigration: Young People Lembit Öpik To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements there are on travellers below a given age to carry a letter of permission to travel alone; and what steps are taken to verify such letters. Mr. Woolas The UK Government have no specific requirements for travellers below a certain age to carry a letter of permission to travel alone. However, most carriers have their own policy on children travelling unaccompanied and published Government guidelines advise parents to check with the relevant carrier prior to booking a ticket. Where a child arrives in the UK unaccompanied, the UK Border Agency will only allow them entry/admission once they are satisfied that suitable arrangements are in place for their care. Members: Correspondence Sir Gerald Kaufman To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to reply to the letter of 22 September 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Jonathan Roche. Alan Johnson We have checked our records and have no record of receiving this letter. However, I understand that my right hon. Friend had in fact written to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mike Penning To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead dated 13 May 2009 on employment policy and visas. Mr. Woolas I wrote to the hon. Member on 10 November 2009. Offenders: Deportation Tony Baldry To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals in the UK who at the time of being sentenced to a term of imprisonment were ordered at the end of that term to be deported and who have completed their term of imprisonment and have yet to leave the UK. Mr. Woolas The UK Border Agency continues to build upon the success we have made with the deportation and removal of foreign national prisoners. In 2008 we deported or removed a record 5,395 foreign national prisoners. The process of deportation can be delayed in a number of ways through last minute legal barriers and the documentation process is often lengthy for some nationalities. As at 1 August 2009 there were approximately 1,800 foreign national offenders detained under immigration powers who had completed their sentence and were awaiting deportation. Passports: Northern Ireland Mr. Dodds To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are employed at the Passport Office in Belfast; and what the operational cost of that office was in the last 12 month period for which figures are available. Meg Hillier There were 141 members of staff employed in the Belfast Passport Office in September 2009. The operational cost of the office was £12.4 million for the last 12 month period. Police Cautions Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have received police cautions in the last 12 months. Mr. Hanson As reported to the Ministry of Justice, the number of persons cautioned in England and Wales in 2007 (latest available) is 362,889. Cautions and court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010. Police: Doncaster Caroline Flint To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers were in post in Doncaster on the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many (i) police officers were in post in each year since 1997 and (ii) police community support officers were in post in each year since 2002 in Doncaster. Mr. Hanson The available data are provided in the table. This information has been collected at basic command unit level since April 2002 for police officers and since June 2004 for police community support officers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Police officers|PCSOs3| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2009 |502 |74 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008 |528 |74 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007 |537 |73 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |20063 |542 |37 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |20053 |526 |36 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004 |549 |n/a | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003 |533 |n/a | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.2 Data on police officer strength by police basic command unit was collected centrally for the first time for the period beginning April 2002. Therefore, data broken down by BCU are not available prior to that.3 PCSO figures in 2005 and 2006 are as at 30 June. No data are available for PCSOs prior to 2005.| | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prisoners: Foreigners Mr. Dodds To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals are serving prison sentences in England and Wales. Mr. Woolas Figures published by the Ministry of Justice confirm that at June 2009 there were 11,400 foreign nationals held. This figure includes those in the immigration removal centres Dover, Haslar and Lindholme as well as those held on remand or serving custodial sentences. Statistics on the number of foreign nationals held in the individual prisons and immigration removal centres can be found at the Ministry of Justice’s website at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/population-in-custody-06-2009.pdf Proceeds of Crime Caroline Flint To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to enable proceeds of crime recovered in individual police force areas to be used for local community organisations in those areas. Mr. Alan Campbell Last month the Government announced details of local projects to be funded under the £4 million Community Cashback scheme, which gave communities a say on how recovered criminal assets are spent. Eight local projects are being supported under the scheme in the south Yorkshire area with total funding of £98,000. In addition many police forces use a portion of the money they receive under the asset recovery incentive scheme to support local projects in the community. Terrorism: Crime Prevention Harry Cohen To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2009, Official Report, column 9, on Prevent, what his most recent assessment is of the operation of the Prevent strand of his Department's counter-terrorism strategy in the Waltham Forest area; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Hanson Waltham Forest is one of the strongest performing boroughs in east London on Prevent. It is also a beacon borough for ‘cohesive and resilient communities’, which is in part a reflection of its good work on Prevent. Waltham Forest contributes positively to the national Prevent agenda and has a strong multi agency partnership, which is delivering a wide range of Prevent projects. Vetting Chris Huhne To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) standard and (b) enhanced checks from the Criminal Records Bureau were outstanding on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many such checks were outstanding on the same date in each year since 1997. Alan Johnson [holding answer 12 October 2009]: Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding. Data are not fully available in the format requested. Total applications in progress for the last four years on the latest date for which figures are available are: -------------------------------------------------------------- |As at 30 September each year:|Total applications in progress| -------------------------------------------------------------- |2009 |266,023 | -------------------------------------------------------------- |2008 |274,618 | -------------------------------------------------------------- |2007 |142,031 | -------------------------------------------------------------- |2006 |213,130 | -------------------------------------------------------------- These figures represent the total number of applications that were being processed as at 30 September in the last four years but do not show the length of time each individual application has been in the system. James Brokenshire To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate he has made of the number of people seeking registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority under the vetting and barring scheme in the next five years. Meg Hillier It is estimated that up to 11.3 million people will join the vetting and barring scheme over five years. James Brokenshire To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average he expects it to take for an application for registration under the vetting and barring scheme to be processed by the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Meg Hillier Applications for registration under the vetting and barring scheme (VBS) are processed by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The target date for all applications for registration to be processed by the CRB is within seven days of receipt. The Independent Safeguarding Authority is involved only if the registration process indicates that criminal records or other information must be considered. Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those convicted of (a) killing and (b) abusing children who were (i) known and (ii) not known to the victim had been subject to an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check in each of the last five years. Meg Hillier [holding answer 9 November 2009]: The Criminal Records Bureau does not hold this information. Violent and Sex Offender Register Mr. Grieve To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many offenders with records on the violent and sex offender register whose nationality is not British are recorded as residing at a UK address; (2) how many offenders of each nationality have records on the violent and sex offender register. Mr. Alan Campbell For the purposes of the register, it is not mandatory to record the nationality of the offenders concerned. The information requested is not otherwise held centrally, and could be obtained through comparison of individual records with other databases only at disproportionate cost. Wickham Research Laboratories: Animal Experiments Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits by inspectors of scientific procedures on animals have been made to Wickham Laboratories in the last two years; how long each visit lasted; and what report inspectors made on each visit. Meg Hillier Wickham Laboratories was visited by a Home Office inspector four times in 2007 and four times in 2008. There have also been four visits in 2009 to date. At present we do not have details of how long each visit lasted and what report inspectors made on each visit. We will write separately as soon as the information is available. Health Alcoholic Drinks: Death Mr. Tom Clarke To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce alcohol-related deaths. Gillian Merron The Government have a comprehensive strategy, “Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy”, to tackle alcohol harm, including alcohol-related deaths. This is based on informing and supporting people to make healthier and more responsible choices, creating an environment in which the healthier and more responsible choice is the easier choice, providing advice and support for people most at risk and providing a delivery system that effectively prioritises and delivers action on alcohol misuse. Key actions include: the Government's "Know Your Limits" campaign to challenge "binge drinking' and the public acceptability of drunkenness by highlighting the attendant personal and social consequences, and improving the public's knowledge of alcohol units and of the heath risks associated with regular drinking of alcohol above the recommended guidelines; the development of a range of new kinds of information and advice, such as interactive web-based support and advice, available nationally; publishing the School of Health and Related Research review assessing the effects of alcohol price and promotion on health, crime and employment; investing £8 million through a directed enhanced service in primary care nationwide to promote early identification of drinking alcohol linked to health harm and brief interventions to reduce excessive drinking; identifying a series of High Impact Changes (HIC) on alcohol for primary care trusts (PCTs) to help them identify the key actions they can undertake to reduce alcohol-related health harms, including improving the effectiveness and capacity of specialist treatment for dependence on alcohol; on 5 November 2008, we launched the Alcohol Improvement Programme, which includes new funding for regional alcohol managers to coordinate the Alcohol Improvement Programme in each region; the Alcohol Learning Centre, an on-line resource which promotes sharing of good practice; and a National Support Team for Alcohol providing support to local commissioners; from April 2008, a new NHS Indicator to reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions, which provides a real incentive for local PCTs to provide alcohol prevention and treatment services. 99 PCTs and 75 local authority areas have returned plans showing that they have retained or adopted this indicator for 2009-10; in June 2008, we established World Class Commissioning (WCC) competencies against which all PCTs are assessed, with prevention of alcohol-related harm appearing as one of the 10 most frequently chosen outcome measures; and in July 2009, we published 'Signs for Improvement', which provides alcohol-specific commissioning guidance, built on WCC principles, specifically for PCTs to aid them in commissioning appropriate and effective interventions and treatment. A copy has been placed in the Library. The Department supports Government-wide action such as the recent consultation by the Home Office on a mandatory code for alcohol retailers. This includes proposals to restrict irresponsible alcohol promotions. Barnet Primary Care Trust Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many requests for treatment outside service level agreements were made to Barnet primary care trust in each of the last three years; what estimate was made of the cost of meeting such requests in each such year; how many requests were (a) granted and (b) refused in each year; what the cost was of the treatment provided in each year; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien This information is not held centrally. Barnet Primary Care Trust: Drugs Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much Barnet primary care trust spent on pharmaceutical drugs in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien The net ingredient cost of drugs prescribed in Barnet primary care trust, for the most recent three financial years is given in the following table. ----------------------------------------- |Financial year|Net ingredient cost £000| ----------------------------------------- |2006-07 |47,820.9 | ----------------------------------------- |2007-08 |48,417.7 | ----------------------------------------- |2008-09 |48,968.1 | ----------------------------------------- Blood: Screening Mr. Burstow To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the scope of the current routine blood test for the purposes of extending it to include testing for levels of B12 serum; and if he will make a statement. Ann Keen The particular blood test or tests a clinician requests will vary according to the circumstances of an individual patient's case including the symptoms with which they present, their medical history, and information about their family or occupation. Cancer: Diagnosis Mike Penning To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) of 12 October 2009, Official Report, column 803W, on cancer: diagnosis, what his capital and revenue cost estimates are for (a) new buildings, (b) new equipment and (c) additional staff; and from which of his Department's budgets any additional revenue costs will be drawn. Ann Keen Further work is being undertaken to finalise the costs of implementing these plans, and to refine the modelling and assumptions that underlie them. This will take account of the investment made to date in improving cancer and diagnostic services and new models of delivery. Initial estimates are as follows: Capital costs will be about £650 million between the periods 2011-12 and 2014-15; and Early estimates of revenue costs are in the region of £1,250 million between the periods 2011-12 and 2015-16. (This corrects my written answer given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire on 13 October 2009, Official Report, column 802W in which it was stated that the revenue costs were for the period 2011-12 and 2014-15). Final costing requirements and profiling will be worked up over the coming months in consultation with the national health service taking into account new models of delivery and changes in working practices. Care Quality Commission: Political Activities Mr. Don Foster To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2009, Official Report, column 1268W, on party conferences, how much the Care Quality Commission spent sending representatives to attend each of the party political conferences in 2009; and whether the Care Quality Commission obtained prior permission from the Cabinet Office to attend. Phil Hope As required by Cabinet Office guidance, the Care Quality Commission gained approval from the Department of Health to attend the three main party conferences. This approval was obtained from the Department of Health prior to attendance at these conferences. The amounts spent were as follows: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |Liberal Democrat party conference|Labour party conference|Conservative party conference| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Travel costs |247 |398 |1,274 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Pass costs |840 |2,138 |3,035 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Accommodation costs |720 |7,470 |4,056 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Total |1,807 |10,006 |8,365 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Note:All amounts have been rounded off to the nearest pound.| | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Colindeep Lane Clinicenta Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of clinical activity at the Colindeep lane Clinicenta; what treatments are available at the centre; and how many patients from each postcode area have been treated at the centre. Mr. Mike O'Brien This information is not held centrally. Dental Services: Gloucestershire Mr. Drew To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust has access to a consultation in public health dentistry. Ann Keen It is for primary care trusts to plan and commission services to meet the needs of their local population. However, we are advised by the South West Strategic Health Authority that Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust has assigned a consultant in public health to work with its dental commissioning team in identifying oral health needs and targeting services appropriately. The Department recognises that there is a shortage in consultants in dental public health. The Chief Dental Officer has commissioned a review of the dental public health work force to show how we can best address this problem. Dental Services: Stroud Mr. Drew To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress is being made in the provision of NHS dentistry in the Stroud area through the dental access programme; and what interest has been shown in the forthcoming tender by existing local dentists; (2) what plans he has to increase access to NHS dentistry in the Stroud area; and what target he has set for the number of patients having access to an NHS dentist. Ann Keen The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available has been placed in the Library. It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to plan and commission services to meet the needs of their local population. ‘The NHS in England: The operating framework for 2009-10’, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, commits all PCTs to ensuring access to national health service dentistry for all who actively seek it. In January this year, the NHS committed to delivering this by at the latest March 2011. Delivering the 2011 goal requires every PCT to assess the level of local demand for NHS care. A dental access programme has been set up to support PCTs in increasing local provision of services where this is needed. Departmental Information and Communications Technology Grant Shapps To ask the Secretary of State for Health with which organisations his Department has had exclusivity agreements relating to information technology (a) hardware and (b) software in each of the last five years. Mr. Mike O'Brien Over the last five years the Department has not held contracts which contain exclusivity agreements for the provision of information technology hardware or software. Departmental Official Cars Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department was in the last 12 months. Phil Hope No special advisers are provided with an allocated Government car and driver. As with all civil servants, special advisers may use an official care or taxi in properly defined circumstances. Details of such use is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Departmental Rail Travel Mr. Burstow To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2009, Official Report, column 1261W, on departmental rail travel, how many (a) journeys were paid for and (b) people travelled in each year; whether any nugatory expenditure was incurred in each year; and if he will make a statement. Phil Hope The following figures represent travel booked through the central booking system which constitutes the vast majority of how travel is booked and paid for. Information on nugatory expenditure can only be provided at disproportionate cost. ------------------------------------------------ | |Journeys paid for|Number of passengers| ------------------------------------------------ |2006-07|20,538 |20,538 | ------------------------------------------------ |2007-08|22,549 |22,549 | ------------------------------------------------ |2008-09|27,502 |27,502 | ------------------------------------------------ Departmental Travel Norman Baker To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many miles (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department travelled by (i) car, (ii) rail and (iii) air on Government business in each year since 1997. Phil Hope The data requested before 2007 is not held centrally. Data for 2007-08 and 2008-09 is available from our central booking systems but this does not represent all the travel conducted by Ministers and officials this could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Information from our central booking systems is as follows: ----------------------------------- | |Car |Rail |Air | ----------------------------------- |2007-08|121,327|285,946|3,739,056| ----------------------------------- |2008-09|117,304|232,713|4,487,720| ----------------------------------- Edgware Hospital Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are for the improvement of services at Edgware hospital; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien This is information is not held centrally. Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make representations to Northwick Park hospital to take up the opportunities open to it for the treatment of its patients at Edgware Community hospital; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien The commissioning and organisation of local health services is the responsibility of the local primary care trust (PCT), and you may wish to discuss this with the chief executive of Barnet PCT. Finchley Memorial Hospital Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on plans for the redevelopment of Finchley Memorial hospital. Mr. Mike O'Brien This is a matter for the local national health service, however I understand that the Stage 1 Business case is now with NHS London. General Practitioners Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS body determines the proportion of GP appointments at a practice which may be booked in advance; what guidance his Department has issued on the matter; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien It is for general practitioner (GP) practices to decide how their appointments are divided between quick appointments and those that can be booked further ahead. “Improving Access, Responding to Patients: A ‘how to’ guide for GP practices” was launched on 2 September, and has been distributed to all GP practices and every primary care trust and strategic health authority. This guide gives practical advice on setting up appointment systems, which meet patients’ needs and preferences. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library. Health Centres: Barnet Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on plans for GP-led health centres in Barnet; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien This is a matter for Barnet primary care trust. Health Services: Overseas Visitors Patrick Mercer To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 1985W, on health services (overseas residence), what estimate he has made of the (a) non-reciprocal income received and (b) bad debts and claims abandoned in respect of overseas patients in relation to Newark in each of the last 10 years. Gillian Merron None of the national health service organisations serving the Newark area, as shown in the following list, reported any income from overseas patients under non-reciprocal agreements in any year going back to 2002-03. Similarly, none of these organisations reported any bad debts written off in respect of overseas patients in any year going back to 2002-03. Information before 2002-03 is not available centrally. NHS organisations covering Newark: Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Nottinghamshire County Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) Bassetlaw PCT Newark and Sherwood PCT Central Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust King’s Mill Centre for Health Care Services NHS Trust Notes: 1. This data is not held for foundation trusts. Therefore, data for Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for 2008-09 and 2007-08 is not included. 2. In April 2001, Central Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and King’s Mill Centre for Health Care Services NHS Trust merged to form Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust. 3. Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was authorised as a foundation trust on 1 February 2007. 4. The Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT was formed in October 2006 following the merger of six former PCTs: Ashfield, Broxtowe and Hucknall, Gedling, Mansfield District, Newark and Sherwood, and Rushcliffe. Source: Audited summarisation schedules Patrick Mercer To ask the Secretary of State for Health with which countries the UK has bilateral health agreements under paragraphs 4(m) and 4(o) of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989. Gillian Merron Under Regulations 4(m) and 4(o), the United Kingdom has bilateral health agreements with the following countries: Regulation 4(m) nationals of European Economic Area countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus (Southern), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Switzerland by special arrangement. Regulation 4(o) Other bilateral healthcare agreements: Anguilla, Armenia*, Australia, Azerbaijan*, Barbados, Bosnia*, British Virgin Islands, Croatia*, Falkland Islands, Georgia*, Gibraltar*, Isle of Man, Kazakhstan*, Kyrgyzstan*, Macedonia*, Moldova*, Montenegro*, Montserrat, New Zealand*, Russia*, Serbia*, St. Helena, Tajikistan*, Turkmenistan*, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine* and Uzbekistan*. Note: Those countries marked with an asterisk apply to the nationals of those countries and UK nationals only. The others cover those countries’ residents, irrespective of nationality. Herbal Medicine Bob Spink To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the proportion by value of all medicinal products used which were herbal medicines in the latest period for which figures are available. Gillian Merron Information on the value of medicinal products used, including herbal medicinal products, is not collected. Hospitals: Admissions Anne Milton To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged (a) between 45 and 55, (b) between 55 and 65 and (c) 65 years and over were readmitted to hospital within three days of being discharged in the latest period for which figures are available. Mr. Mike O'Brien Information routinely available from the compendium of clinical and health indicators is limited to information on emergency readmissions 28 days after discharge from hospital. A special analysis of data on emergency readmission rates was published by the Department in October 2008 and a copy has been placed in the Library. This shows that in 2006-07, the last year for which data were then available, 43,560 patients were readmitted as emergency readmissions within one day of discharge (14.9 per cent, of all emergency readmissions) and 104,255 within two to seven days of discharge (35.6 per cent.). An analysis by age group is not available. Miss McIntosh To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people aged 85 years and over in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber strategic health authority who had at least one emergency readmission to hospital in (i) 1997, (ii) 2003, (iii) 2007 and (iv) the latest year for which information is available; (2) what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority who had at least one emergency readmission to hospital in (i) 1997, (ii) 2003, (iii) 2007 and (iv) the last year for which information is available; (3) what estimate he has made of the number of people aged 60 years and over in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority who had at least one emergency re-admission to hospital in (i) 1997, (ii) 2003, (iii) 2007 and (iv) the last year for which information is available. Mr. Mike O'Brien The information available, based on information provided by the national centre for health outcomes development, is set out in the following table. Information on the number of people who have experienced at least one emergency readmission (as opposed to the total number of emergency readmissions), and information for the precise age groups requested, is not available and could not be obtained at proportionate cost. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Age group |0-15 years|16-74 years|75+ years|All ages| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |FY |1998-99 |2003-04 |2007-08 |1998-99 |2003-04|2007-08|1998-99|2003-04|2007-08|1998-99|2003-04|2008-08| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |England |60,531 |62,721 |77,631 |204,905 |243,316|309,589|94,283|123,769|159,134|359,719|429,806|546,354| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority |7,057 |7,196 |7,400 |26,878 |28,803|33,240|12,285|15,052|17,339|46,220|51,051|57,979| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Notes:The NHS Information Centre for health and social care. © Crown Copyright.Compendium of Clinical and Health Indicators/Clinical and Health Outcomes Knowledge Base (www.nchod.nhs.uk)Source:Hospital Episodes Statistics NCHOD FY vFeb 2009 (Extracts may only be reproduced by permission.)| | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hospitals: Bedfordshire Nadine Dorries To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people aged 60 years and over in (a) England and (b) Mid Bedfordshire constituency who had at least one emergency readmission to hospital in (i) 1999, (ii) 2004, (iii) 2008 and (iv) the most recent 12 months for which information is available. Mr. Mike O'Brien The information available, based on information provided by the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development, is set out in the following table. Information on the number of people who have experienced at least one emergency readmission (as opposed to the total number of emergency readmissions), and information for the precise geographical area and age group requested, is not available and could not be obtained at proportionate cost. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Financial year| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |1999-2000 |2004-05|2007-08| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |0 to 15 years | ||| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |England |60,330 |66,003|77,631| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Central Bedfordshire Unitary Authority |326 |263|319| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ||| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |16 to 74 years | ||| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |England |207,000 |268,242|309,589| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Central Bedfordshire Unitary Authority |622 |1,077|993| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ||| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |75+years | ||| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |England |96,329 |139,011|159,134| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Central Bedfordshire Unitary Authority |362 |590|552| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ||| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |All ages | ||| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |England |363,659 |473,256|546,354| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Central Bedfordshire Unitary Authority |1,310 |1,930|1,864| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Source:Hospital Episodes Statistics; National Centre for Health Outcomes Development, Compendium of Clinical and Health Indicators.| | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liver Diseases Miss McIntosh To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people aged (a) 18 years and over, (b) 60 years old and over and (c) 85 years and over who were diagnosed with a liver condition in (i) England and (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority in each year since 1997. Ann Keen Information on the number of people diagnosed with a liver condition is not collected centrally. The Government are taking forward their commitment to tackling liver disease by recruiting a new National Clinical Director to lead the development of a National Strategy for Liver Disease. Local Government Services Robert Neill To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on participating in the Total Place initiative with local councils. Phil Hope The Department is participating fully in the Total Place initiative. I sit on the Ministerial Group overseeing Total Place. David Behan (Director General for Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships) and Mike Farrar (Chief Executive of North West Strategic Health Authority) sit on the High Level Total Place Officials Group chaired by Sir Michael Bichard. The Department is also building links at working level to Total Place pilots as appropriate. We are working with the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Treasury, and local pilots to respond to recommendations and findings of Total Place as they emerge. Malnutrition: Elderly Anne Milton To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many older people had a delayed discharge from hospital as a result of malnutrition in the latest period for which figures are available. Phil Hope Information on the number of people who had a delayed discharge from hospital as a result of malnutrition is not collected centrally. Medical Records Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patient records are held in (a) electronic form and (b) paper form in (i) acute care and (ii) primary care trusts. Mr. Mike O'Brien The information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained, if at all, only at disproportionate cost. Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have made a written request to view information in their medical record in each year since 1998; and how many of these requests were refused in each year. Mr. Mike O'Brien The information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether a breach of the criteria established for the successful introduction of electronic patient records at the end of November 2009 constitutes a ground for the termination of local service provider contracts. Mr. Mike O'Brien All the national programme for information technology local service provider, and national application service provider, contracts contain provisions appropriate to contracts of their size and complexity to address foreseeable delivery and service issues. This includes provision for the termination of the whole contract, or a part of the services provided by a contractor, depending on the materiality of any divergence from the strict terms of the contract. However, termination is a step that the Department will only contemplate after every opportunity, and all possible assistance had been given to enable a contractor to recover its position. Achievement of the published criteria for progress in delivery of the Lorenzo and Millennium care records systems by the end of November will be assessed on this basis. Medical Treatments Mr. Baron To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department has received on the operation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's supplementary advice on appraising treatments which may extend life, at the end of life, since 17 December 2008; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien Between 17 December 2008 and 29 October 2009, the Department has responded to five questions from hon. Members and noble Lords relating to the operation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) end-of-life flexibilities. Over the same period, the Department has received 495 pieces of correspondence relating to NICE, some of which will relate to the operation of the end-of-life flexibilities. Information on specific correspondence on the flexibilities could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Mr. Baron To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what medicines which (a) have been appraised and (b) are under appraisal by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's supplementary advice on appraising treatments which may extend life, at the end of life, adopted on 17 December 2008, has been applied; what estimate he has made of the total annual eligible patient population for each indication for each such medicine; what the outcomes were of each completed appraisal; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien The information requested is in the following table. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Appraisal status |Appraisal title |Population (approx)1|End of life criteria fulfilled for all or some of potentially eligible patient population|Recommendation | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Published |Sunitinib for the first line treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma |4,000 |Yes |Partial recommendation | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Published |Lenalidomide for the treatment of multiple myeloma |2,100 |Yes |Partial recommendation | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Published |Bevacizumab for the first-line treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma |4,000 |Applicability considered by the appraisal committee but did not meet end of life criteria|Not Recommended | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Sorafenib for the first and second-line treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma|4,000 |Yes |Not recommended | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Sunitinib for the second-line treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma |4,000 |Applicability considered by the appraisal committee but did not meet end of life criteria|Not recommended | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Temsirolimus for the first-line treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma |4,000 |Yes |Not recommended | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Published |Sunitinib for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours |150 |Yes |Partial recommendation | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ongoing |Lapatinib for the treatment of breast cancer |2,000 |Applicability considered by the appraisal committee but did not meet end of life criteria|Final guidance not yet issued| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ongoing |Sorafenib for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma |Less than 1,000 |Yes |Final guidance not yet issued| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ongoing |Trabectadin for soft tissue sarcoma |500-600 |Yes |Final guidance not yet issued| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Ongoing |Azacitidine for myelodysplastic syndromes |700 |Applicability considered by the appraisal committee but did not meet end of life criteria|Final guidance not yet issued| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Approximate number of people annually with the condition. This will not necessarily represent the number of patients eligible for treatment with the drug.Source:National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence| | | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Medical Treatments: Compensation Mr. Marshall-Andrews To ask the Secretary of State for Health what ex-gratia payments have been made by his Department to (a) persons adversely affected by thalidomide and (b) other NHS patients who have been adversely affected by NHS treatment. Mr. Mike O'Brien Ex-gratia payments have been made to the Thalidomide Trust in 1974 (£5 million) and 1978 (£0.8 million) to offset the tax liability of the fund. A final payment of £7 million was made in 1996. This payment was expressed by the then Health Ministers as being for the unique and tragic circumstances that surrounded the thalidomide disaster and did not constitute a tax offset. There are three ex-gratia schemes in the United Kingdom that make payments to those infected with either HIV or hepatitis C via national health service supplied contaminated blood and blood products: The Macfarlane and the Eileen Trusts (for HIV) and the Skipton Fund (for hepatitis C). To the end of March 2009, around £50 million has been paid out via the Macfarlane and Eileen Trusts and almost £100 million has been paid out via the Skipton Fund. Ex-gratia payments have been made to other NHS patients adversely affected by NHS treatment, however data is not collected centrally. Mental Health Services Anne Milton To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged over 65 years received services under the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme in the latest period for which figures are available. Phil Hope Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services are available to adults of all ages on the basis of need. These services are specifically for the treatment of mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety disorders. The Department does not routinely collect national data about the age profile of those who have accessed the first phase of the national roll-out of IAPT services. However, following the end of the first full year of operation, the Department is currently undertaking a National Data Review to examine the impact of the new services. This will include identification of the age profile of people who have accessed these services. The findings of this review will be available in early 2010. Mentally Ill: Community Care Anne Milton To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many community treatment orders have been (a) challenged, (b) overturned after a challenge and (c) over-ruled following a second opinion; (2) how many patients have been recalled from a community treatment order since they were introduced; (3) how many patients have been subject to a community treatment order. Phil Hope Community treatment orders (CTOs) were introduced on 3 November 2008. In England between 3 November 2008 and 31 March 2009, CTOs were made on 2,134 occasions. During this period, there were 207 cases in which patients on community treatment orders were recalled to hospital. Information is not yet available centrally on the number of CTOs made and the number of recalls to hospital since April 2009. As at 6 November 2009, the First-tier Tribunal in England has received 716 applications resulting in 22 discharges from CTOs. In addition, 23 patients have been discharged as a result of automatic references to the First-tier Tribunal. There is no procedure in the Mental Health Act 1983 by which CTOs can be over-ruled by a second opinion. National Skills Academy for Social Care Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many courses the social care skills academy offers; how many enrolments that academy has recorded; and what the cost to the public purse of that academy was on the latest date for which figures are available. Phil Hope The National Skills Academy for Social Care was launched on 13 October 2009. It will be working to develop training and learning practice on leadership, management and commissioning skills in adult social care. It has launched a National Management Trainee Scheme, which has placed 20 graduates into employer organisations in the adult social care sector, for the first time, to develop future leaders for the sector. It is working with training providers to accredit and endorse training and will be commencing a pilot approach with these providers in the new year as well as working on delivering apprenticeships. The initial focus of the skills academy will be about improving the retention rates of those on social care courses. The National Skills Academy for Social Care receives funding from the Learning and Skills Council and from the Department of Health. The following table sets out the funding to date. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |2008-09|2009-10 |Total| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Learning and Skills Council |187.5 |1112.5 |300 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Department of Health |1,073.0|23,645.0|4,618| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total |1,160.5|3,757.5 |4,918| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1Learning and Skills Council funding is to end June 2009. 2Department of Health funding is for the full year.| | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Until the official launch on 13 October 20009, the Skills Academy as an organisation did not exist and funding was provided to the Social Care Institute of Excellence. NHS: Computer Software Mr. Bacon To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much local service providers have been paid for the (a) set-up costs and (b) running costs of each of the Lorenzo systems deployed in NHS trusts; and what his latest estimate is of the average cost per site of deploying the Lorenzo software system. Mr. Mike O'Brien The average agreed deployment charge per site for full deployment of all bundles of service of the Lorenzo software system, when complete, is £6.468 million. The total of payments made to the local service provider, to 30 September 2009, for deployment (set-up) activity to date for Lorenzo products is £434,400. In the same period, service charge (running cost) payments have totalled £27,117. Mr. Bacon To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the highest number of live concurrent users of the Lorenzo software system at NHS Bury (a) at any one time and (b) on any one day. Mr. Mike O'Brien As at 9 November 2009, the highest number of live concurrent users logged into the Lorenzo software system at the NHS Bury primary care trust (PCT) at any one time is 93. This occurred on the day the PCT went live with the system, on 3 November 2009. NHS: Drugs Julie Morgan To ask the Secretary of State for Health what drugs used in the NHS are known to have teratogenic effects; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Mike O'Brien Drugs can have harmful effects (teratogenic effects) on the foetus at any time during pregnancy, with the period of greatest risk being from the third to the eleventh week of pregnancy. The safety, efficacy and quality of each new medicine is thoroughly evaluated as part of the licensing procedure. European guidelines define the types of tests which should be undertaken, including those that assess the potential harm to a developing foetus. The available information is reflected in the product information for each medicine which contains a specific section that summarises the information in relation to safety of use during pregnancy. This is kept under review to ensure patients and prescribers are given accurate up to date information. A summary source of this information is appendix 4 of the British National Formulary (BNF). The BNF is provided free to prescribers and pharmacists within the NHS. NHS: Information and Communications Technology Mr. Bacon To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the projected lifetime costs are in respect of each contractor under the national programme for IT in the NHS; and how much each such contractor had been paid on the latest date for which figures are available. Mr. Mike O'Brien Relevant information is contained in the following table. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |£ million | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Core contracts |Projected lifetime costs1|Expenditure to 31 March 20091| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |London |1,021|326| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |South |1,104|133| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |North East |1,035|276| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |East |930|237| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |North West and West Midlands |1,042|271| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Spine |889|791| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |N3 Network |554|554| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Choose and Book |144|133| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Amount retained by Accenture2 |110|-52| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Notes:1. Figures in the two columns are not directly comparable. The projected lifetime costs are shown at 2004-05 prices, and final outturn will be higher due to inflation in subsequent years. Those for expenditure to 31 March 2009 are resource outturn figures.2. In 2006, Accenture made arrangements to voluntarily novate the company's contract to another existing supplier under the programme. Of the £179 million Accenture had received to that point the company retained £110 million for work completed. £52 million represents the value, for accounting purposes, of moneys repaid as at 31 March 2009.| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the expenditure on the implementation of the iSOFT Lorenzo care record service at (a) the South Birmingham Primary Care Trust, (b) University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, (c) Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, (d) Hereford Hospitals Trust and (e) Five Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust. Mr. Mike O'Brien Expenditure incurred in implementing computerised record systems at national health service trusts has two components. A one-off ‘deployment charge’ is paid when the trust has accepted the system, and there will be local costs associated with preparation, deployment and support. The agreed deployment charge for full deployment of all bundles of service, when complete, at the South Birmingham PCT, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust, and Five Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust is £4.758 million in each case. For Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust the agreed charge is £8.090 million. Information is not held centrally about the local costs, which will vary from trust to trust. These figures are at contract base-year values, exclude indexation, and do not reflect actual payments made to date. Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department plans to give to NHS trusts to enable them to purchase applications developed through the NHS interoperability toolkit; and from which budgets such funds will be drawn. Mr. Mike O'Brien The national health service interoperability toolkit is intended to allow and encourage trusts to build or procure innovative new applications at the local level that are able to use information from core systems supplied through the national programme for information technology. NHS organisations have always been expected to pay for any additional assets and services that they request or require over and above the national programme standard functionality. There will therefore be no additional funding to enable trusts to purchase toolkit-compliant applications. Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of users expected to be using (a) the Cerner Millennium care records system and (b) the iSOFT Lorenzo care records system by the end of November 2009. Mr. Mike O'Brien Numbers of users will depend on progress achieved in deployment of the systems concerned by that date. NHS: Standards Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospitals have made payments to primary care trusts consequent on a failure to meet a target; which targets were not met; and how much was paid in each case. Mr. Mike O'Brien The information requested is not held centrally. Norman Lamb To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the Care and Quality Commission has carried out inspections of (a) acute trusts and (b) private healthcare providers to ensure compliance with the Care and Quality Commission’s core standard C4b in the last 12 months. Mr. Mike O'Brien As part of the 2008-09 Annual Health Check, the Care Quality Commission inspected five acute trusts in relation to core standard C4b. Private health care providers are not subject to core standards. Norman Lamb To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of (a) acute trusts and (b) private healthcare providers were found to be compliant with the Care and Quality Commission’s core standard C4b at the time of their most recent inspection by the Commission. Mr. Mike O'Brien As part of the 2008-09 Annual Health Check, the Care Quality Commission judged 151 out of 169 acute trusts to be compliant with core standard C4b. Private health care providers are not subject to core standards. Norman Lamb To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS targets have been discontinued in each of the last six months. Mr. Mike O'Brien The Department constantly reviews the appropriateness of the performance indicators it uses. As a result, in his interim report “High Quality Care for All: Our Journey So Far” published on 30 June 2009, Lord Darzi recommended dropping the maximum 26-week inpatient standard and 13-week outpatient standard as these have been superseded by achievement of the 18 weeks standard. We are currently consulting on this issue. Pleural Plaques Mr. Hepburn To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people have been diagnosed with pleural plaques in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north-east and (d) England in each year since 1997; (2) how many people have required treatment for pleural plaques in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north-east and (d) England in each year since 1997. Ann Keen The only information available, relating to the number of in-patient admissions to hospital with a primary diagnosis of pleural plaques, is given in the following table. Information is given for the strategic health authority and primary care trust areas matching most closely those requested. Information on the number of people diagnosed with pleural plaques as a result of consultations in primary care or in hospital out-patient clinics is not available. In the great majority of cases pleural plaques result in no symptoms and do not require treatment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |England|North East Strategic Health Authority of treatment|South Tyneside Primary Care Trust of responsibility (5KG)| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008-09 |646 |47 |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007-08 |614 |39 |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006-07 |570 |34 |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 |508 |37 |7 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004-05 |433 |31 |6 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003-04 |379 |25 |7 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2002-03 |357 |22 |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2001-02 |352 |30 |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2000-01 |337 |22 |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1999-2000 |283 |26 |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1998-99 |291 |19 |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1997-98 |245 |* |* | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Notes:1Finished admission episodesA finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.2Primary diagnosisThe primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital.The IC10 diagnosis code for pleural plaque is 392.3Primary Care Trust (PCT) of ResponsibilityA derived field providing the primary care trust responsible for the patient. Commissioning responsibility for individual patients rests with the PCT with whom the patient is registered. This means that patients with a GP in one PCT area may reside in a neighbouring or other area but remain the responsibility of the PCT with whom their GP of registration is associated. PCTs are also responsible for non-registered patients who are resident within their boundaries.4Strategic Health Authority (SHA) of TreatmentThis field is derived from the hospital provider code (procode). It indicates the SHA area within which the treatment took place.Small numbersTo protect patient confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been suppressed and replaced with “*” (an asterisk). Where it was possible to identify numbers from the total due to a single suppressed number in a row or column, an additional number (the next smallest) has been suppressed.Data qualityHES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and PCTs in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.Assessing growth through timeHES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.Source:Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care| | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prescription Drugs Mr. Hoyle To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what timetable he has set for his Department’s consultation on generic substitution; and what the scope of that consultation will be; (2) what recent discussions he has had with pharmaceutical companies on generic substitution. Mr. Mike O'Brien We are currently refining our proposals for the implementation of generic substitution. The start date for the consultation process has not yet been agreed but we still expect this to start later this autumn. We expect the consultation period will last 12 weeks and the exact timetable for implementation will therefore be influenced by the outcome of this consultation. In order to inform proposals, departmental officials have been discussing the introduction of generic substitution with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, the Ethical Medicines Industry Group, the British Generic Manufacturers Association, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the General Practitioners’ Committee of the British Medical Association. Primary Care Trusts: Public Relations Ben Chapman To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to primary care trusts on their expenditure on public relations. Mr. Mike O'Brien Primary care trusts are allocated a budget annually and must decide as individual trusts how to prioritise this. There is no guidance given to trusts on the amount of money they should spend on public relations activities as this is a matter that should be decided locally. Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup Mr. Evennett To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions his Department has had with South London Healthcare NHS Trust about the full closure of the accident and emergency department at Queen Mary’s hospital. Mr. Mike O'Brien The Department has not had any discussions with South London Healthcare NHS Trust on this subject. Thalidomide Tony Baldry To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people identified as disabled by thalidomide are resident in each (a) primary care trust area and (b) local authority area. Mr. Mike O'Brien Data are not collected centrally for people identified as disabled by thalidomide. The Thalidomide Trust supports 463 people with thalidomide, however it is not known how many wish to be considered as disabled. Transplant Surgery: Foreigners Mr. Stephen O'Brien To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many overseas organ transplant patients from each country of origin have had transplant surgery in England since (a) March 2009 and (b) August 2009. Ann Keen The following table shows the number of deceased donor organ transplants in England in patients recorded as resident overseas (excluding the Republic of Ireland); between 1 March 2009 to 3 November 2009; and between 1 August 2009 to 3 November 2009. -------------------------------------------------------- |Country|March to November 2009|August to November 2009| -------------------------------------------------------- |Greece |9 |5 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Malta |3 |0 | -------------------------------------------------------- |India |1 |0 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Cyprus |1 |0 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Kenya |1 |0 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Brazil |1 |1 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Total |16 |6 | -------------------------------------------------------- The following table shows the number of living donor organ transplants in England in patients recorded as resident overseas (excluding the Republic of Ireland); between 1 March 2009 to 3 November 2009; and between 1 August 2009 to 3 November 2009. ---------------------------------------------------------- |Country |March to November 2009|August to November 2009| ---------------------------------------------------------- |Kuwait |5 |2 | ---------------------------------------------------------- |UAE |2 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------- |Egypt |1 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------- |Australia|1 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------- |Malta |1 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------- |Croatia |1 |0 | ---------------------------------------------------------- |Pakistan |1 |1 | ---------------------------------------------------------- |India |1 |1 | ---------------------------------------------------------- |Total |13 |4 | ---------------------------------------------------------- Justice Antisocial Behaviour Mr. Amess To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) cautions and (b) fines were imposed for (i) vandalism, (ii) graffiti, (iii) littering, (iv) throwing fireworks into any street or public place and (v) anti-social behaviour in each district and unitary council area in Essex in each of the last eight quarters for which records are available. Claire Ward The number of offenders given cautions, and those imposed with a court fine for selected offences of antisocial behaviour in the Essex police force area, by quarter, for 2006 and 2007 (latest available) is shown in tables 1 and 2. Apart from criminal damage (which includes minor acts of vandalism and graffiti up to a value of £300), littering and throwing fireworks, penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) can also be issued for a range of other antisocial behaviour offences including behaviour likely to cause fear, alarm and distress (section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986). This disposal was introduced as part of the Government’s strategy to tackle low-level, antisocial and nuisance offending. It has been designed to provide officers with a means of dealing with simple, straightforward cases in a prompt and effective way, saving police time, reducing bureaucracy and reserving courts for more complex cases. The number of PNDs issued in the Essex police force area in 2006 and 2007, by quarter, broken down by offence, is shown in table 3. Information held by the Ministry of Justice cannot identify the district or unitary council area in which these offences were committed. Hence, data for the Essex police force area are given in lieu. Court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010. Fixed penalty notices (FPNs) can be issued by local authorities for graffiti and littering offences. These data are collected annually by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. There were no fixed penalty notices issued for graffiti offences in Essex between April 2006 and March 2008. Information on fixed penalty notices issued for littering offences in each local authority in Essex are provided in table 4. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |2006 |2007 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Statute |Offence description |Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4|Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Theft Act 1968 Sec. 1 |Stealing from shops and stalls (shoplifting)3 |447 |488 |485|649|690|694|668|559| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Various |Other criminal damage4 |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Explosives Act 1875, Sec. 80 |Throwing, casting or firing any fireworks in or into any highway, street, etc. public place |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Public Order Act 1986 Sec. 5 |Harassment, alarm or distress |70 |78 |8|11|231|238|255|228| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S. 12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S. 12 |Contravene a community support officers’ requirement not to consume liquor. Penalty offence under S.1 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001—alcohol consumption in designated public places |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Justice Act 1967 Sec. 91 |Any person who in any public place is guilty, while drunk, of disorderly behaviour |3 |4 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec. 3) para 4(1). Licensing Act 1964 Sec. 169(1) |Holder of occasional permission or his agent knowingly selling to, knowingly allow consumption by or allowing any person to sell, intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Selling etc. intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises|0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Fire Services Act 1947 Sec. 31 |False alarms of fire |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Environmental Protection Act 1990 Sec. 87 |Depositing litter |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |British Transport Commission Act 1949 S.55, 56. Railway Offences: Offences against Private Acts relating to Railways (other than 169, 1-6). |Trespass, throwing stones |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Law Act 1967 Sec. 5(2) |Causing wasteful employment of the police etc. |2 |1 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Communications Act 2003 S. 127 |Improper use of public electronic communications network |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Total |522 |571 |493|660|921|932|923|787| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time, the principal offence is the more serious offence. From 1 June 2000, the Crime and Disorder Act 1988 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These are included in the totals.2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.3 A PND may be issued to an offender as an alternative to a caution or prosecution only where the value of the item stolen is less than £200.4 Includes offences of vandalism and graffiti but is not exclusive to those offences.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice.| | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |2006 |2007 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Statute |Offence description |Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4|Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Theft Act 1968 Sec. 1 |Stealing from shops and stalls (shoplifting) |77 |90 |89|84|114|73|91|68| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Various |Other criminal damage3 |15 |12 |10|6|4|6|4|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Explosives Act 1875, Sec. 80 |Throwing, casting or firing any fireworks in or into any highway, street, etc. public place |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Public Order Act 1986 Sec. 5 |Harassment, alarm or distress |70 |77 |84|88|110|94|101|95| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S. 12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S. 12 |Contravene a community support officers’ requirement not to consume liquor. Penalty offence under S.1 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001—alcohol consumption in designated public places |3 |1 |2|0|0|1|3|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Justice Act 1967 Sec. 91 |Any person who in any public place is guilty, while drunk, of disorderly behaviour |44 |49 |60|39|34|24|38|34| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec. 3) para 4(1). Licensing Act 1964 Sec. 169(1) |Holder of occasional permission or his agent knowingly selling to, knowingly allow consumption by or allowing any person to sell, intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Selling etc. intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises|6 |2 |0|0|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Fire Services Act 1947 Sec. 31 |False alarms of fire |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Environmental Protection Act 1990 Sec. 87 |Depositing litter |1 |4 |2|4|5|2|10|22| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |British Transport Commission Act 1949 S.55, 56. Railway Offences: Offences against Private Acts relating to Railways (other than 169, 1-6). |Trespass, throwing stones |1 |5 |3|3|1|2|2|3| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Law Act 1967 Sec. 5(2) |Causing wasteful employment of the police etc. |0 |0 |2|0|0|0|1|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Communications Act 2003 S. 127 |Improper use of public electronic communications network |2 |0 |0|1|1|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Total |219 |240 |252|225|269|202|250|222| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.3 Includes offences of vandalism and graffiti but is not exclusive to those offences.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice.| | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |2006 |2007 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Offence description |Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4|Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Wasting police time |17 |18 |17|16|20|13|18|14| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Misuse of public telecommunications system |4 |7 |8|7|5|4|4|3| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Giving false alarm to fire and rescue authority |0 |0 |0|0|1|1|0|3| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Causing harassment, alarm or distress |440 |527 |516|548|601|677|501|417| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Throwing fireworks |2 |4 |0|12|1|0|0|11| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Drunk and disorderly |240 |246 |192|193|97|89|134|134| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Selling alcohol to under 18 |8 |17 |11|58|21|45|21|24| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Purchasing alcohol for under 18 |0 |0 |4|2|3|1|3|4| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Purchasing alcohol for under 18 for consumption on premises |0 |0 |1|0|4|2|4|2| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing such delivery |2 |0 |1|0|6|6|4|3| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Criminal Damage (under £500)2 |88 |73 |92|105|93|95|68|67| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Theft (retail under £200) |259 |207 |195|235|234|279|221|306| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Breach of fireworks curfew |0 |0 |1|1|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Possession of category 4 firework |0 |0 |0|1|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Possession by a person under 18 of adult firework |0 |0 |0|3|0|0|1|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Sale of alcohol to drunken person |0 |0 |0|0|0|1|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Supply of alcohol to person under 18 |0 |0 |0|0|0|1|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Trespass on a railway |0 |1 |3|4|4|0|1|1| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Throwing stones at a train/railway |0 |0 |1|0|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Drunk in a highway |12 |8 |9|5|8|4|6|6| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Consumption of alcohol in public place |0 |0 |4|1|2|8|44|17| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Depositing and leaving litter |6 |12 |8|6|10|15|3|6| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Consumption of alcohol to under 18 on licensed premises |0 |0 |1|1|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Allowing consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 on relevant premises |0 |0 |0|0|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Buying or attempting to buy alcohol for person under 18 |0 |0 |1|0|0|0|0|0| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Total |1,078 |1,120 |1,065|1,198|1,110|1,241|1,033|1,018| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.2 Includes offences of vandalism and graffiti but is not exclusive to those offences.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice.| | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Number | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |April 2006 to March 2007|April 2007 to March 2008| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Local authority |Fixed penalties issued|Cases being prosecuted|Fixed penalties issued|Cases being prosecuted| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Basildon DC |19|1|39|9| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Braintree DC |35|0|17|0| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Brentwood BC |0|0|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Castle Point DC |7|0|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Chelmsford BC |25|2|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Colchester BC |105|9|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Epping Forest DC |0|0|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Harlow DC |98|0|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Maldon DC |2|0|14|1| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Rochford DC |0|0|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Southend-on-Sea BC |82|0|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Tendring DC |72|0|78|10| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Thurrock BC |150|2|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Uttlesford DC |0|0|1—|1—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 No data as of yet (5 November 2009).Source:Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ashwell Prison Mr. Garnier To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2009, Official Report, column 252W, on Ashwell prison; when he plans to publish the report of the investigation into the riot at HM prison Ashwell in April 2009; and for what reasons there has been a delay in publication. Mr. Straw In his written ministerial statement to the House on 20 April 2009, Official Report, columns, 2-3WS, my right hon. Friend the member for Delyn (Mr. Hanson) told the House that a committee of the corporate management board of the Ministry of Justice would scrutinise the report and pass it to Ministers. That process has been completed and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has drawn up an action plan in response to each of the recommendations in the report, all of which were accepted by Ministers. I am today placing a copy of the action plan in the Library. It would not be appropriate to publish a restricted report, containing sensitive information and while a police investigation is continuing. Key findings were, however that the incident could not have been foreseen; that the prisoners held at Ashwell were appropriate for the prison; and that staffing levels were also appropriate. A strategic review of Ashwell is well underway, and I will report to the House once further decisions have been taken. Cautions: Fines Nadine Dorries To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) cautions were given and (b) fines were imposed for offences of (i) vandalism, (ii) littering and (iii) antisocial behaviour in Mid Bedfordshire constituency in each of the last eight quarters for which records are available. Claire Ward The number of offenders given cautions, and those imposed with a court fine for selected offences of antisocial behaviour in the Bedfordshire police force area, by quarter, for 2006 and 2007 (latest available) is shown in tables 1 and 2 as follows. Apart from criminal damage (which includes minor acts of vandalism and graffiti up to a value of £300) and littering, Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) can also be issued for a range of other antisocial behaviour offences including behaviour likely to cause fear, alarm and distress (section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986). The recipient of a PND has 21 days to either pay the penalty or seek a court hearing. No admission of guilt is required and the PND recipient discharges all liability for the offence and receives no criminal record if the penalty is paid. The number of PNDs issued in the Bedfordshire police force area in 2006 and 2007, by quarter, broken down by offence, is shown in table 3 as follows. Information held by the Ministry of Justice is not available at parliamentary constituency level and therefore data for Bedfordshire police force area are given in lieu. Court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010. Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) can be issued by local authorities for littering offences. These data are collected annually by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Information on fixed penalty notices issued for littering offences in Bedfordshire, by local authority area, are shown in table 4 as follows. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |2006 |2007 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Statute |Offence description |Quarter1|Quarter 2|Quarter3|Quarter 4|Quarter1|Quarter2|Quarter 3|Quarter4| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Theft Act 1968 Sec 1. |Stealing from shops and stalls (shoplifting)3 |224 |250 |194|219|182|182|153|170| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Various |Other criminal damage4 |124 |109 |114|109|129|122|136|122| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Explosives Act 1875, Sec 80 |Throwing, casting or firing any fireworks in or into any highway, street, etc public place |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Public Order Act 1986 Sec 5. |Harassment, alarm or distress. |8 |9 |5|18|9|14|15|15| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S.12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S12. |Contravene a community support officers' requirement not to consume liquor. Penalty offence under S.l Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001—alcohol consumption in designated public places. |2 |— |1|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Justice Act 1967 Sec.91. |Any person who in any public place is guilty, while drunk, of disorderly behaviour. |1 |— |8|2|1|1|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec 3) para 4(1). Licensing Act 1964 Sec169(1) |Holder of occasional permission or his agent knowingly selling to, knowingly allow consumption by or allowing any person to sell, intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Selling etc intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises.|— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Fire Services Act 1947 Sec 31. |False alarms of fire. |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Environmental Protection Act 1990 Sec.87. |Depositing litter. |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |British Transport Commission act 1949 S.55,56. Railway Offences: Offences against Private Acts' relating to Railways (other than 169,1-6). |Trespass, throwing stones. |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Law Act 1967 Sec 5(2). |Causing wasteful employment of the police etc. |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Communications Act 2003 S.127 |Improper use of public electronic communications network |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Total |359 |368 |322|348|321|319|304|307| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1988 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These are included in the totals.2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.3 A PND may be issued to an offender as an alternative to a caution or prosecution only where the value of the item stolen is less than £200.4 Includes offences of vandalism and graffiti but is not exclusive to those offences.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.| | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |2006 |2007 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Statute |Offence description |Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4|Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Theft Act 1968 Sec 1. |Stealing from shops and stalls (shoplifting)3 |29 |21 |23|20|22|23|23|30| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Various |Other criminal damage |2 |7 |4|11|8|1|2|3| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Explosives Act 1875, Sec 80 |Throwing, casting or firing any fireworks in or into any highway, street, etc public place |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|1| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Public Order Act 1986 Sec 5. |Harassment, alarm or distress. |6 |12 |10|12|12|22|11|11| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S.12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S12. |Contravene a community support officers' requirement not to consume liquor. Penalty offence under S.l Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001—alcohol consumption in designated public places. |11 |4 |1|—|3|1|1|4| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Justice Act 1967 Sec.91. |Any person who in any public place is guilty, while drunk, of disorderly behaviour. |8 |16 |7|19|20|11|23|17| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec 3) para 4(1). Licensing Act 1964 Sec169(1) |Holder of occasional permission or his agent knowingly selling to, knowingly allow consumption by or allowing any person to sell, intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Selling etc intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises.|5 |15 |1|—|—|—|—|—| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Fire Services Act 1947 Sec 31. |False alarms of fire. |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Environmental Protection Act 1990 Sec.87. |Depositing litter. |1 |1 |5|1|1|—|—|—| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |British Transport Commission act 1949 S.55,56. Railway Offences: Offences against Private Acts' relating to Railways (other than 169,1-6). |Trespass, throwing stones. |— |— |—|—|1|—|2|—| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Law Act 1967 Sec 5(2). |Causing wasteful employment of the police etc. |— |— |—|—|1|—|—|—| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Communications Act 2003 S.127 |Improper use of public electronic communications network |— |— |—|—|1|—|—|—| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Total |62 |76 |51|63|69|58|62|66| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1988 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These are included in the totals.2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.3 Includes offences of vandalism and graffiti but is not exclusive to those offences.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.| | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |2006 |2007 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Offence description |Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4|Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter4| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wasting police time |— |1 |5|1|5|1|2|4| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Misuse of public telecommunications system |1 |1 |2|—|—|—|—|2| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Giving false alarm to fire and rescue authority |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Causing Harassment, alarm or distress |169 |174 |154|137|102|122|104|148| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Throwing fireworks |— |— |—|1|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Drunk and disorderly |56 |65 |87|82|74|57|69|62| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Selling alcohol to under 18 |9 |4 |—|—|2|4|3|4| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Purchasing alcohol for under 18 |— |1 |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Purchasing alcohol for under 18 for consumption on premises |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Delivery of alcohol to person under 18 or allowing such delivery |— |— |—|1|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Criminal Damage (under £500)2 |55 |67 |51|41|44|44|32|22| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Theft (retail under £200) |91 |105 |143|110|98|97|111|83| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Breach of fireworks curfew |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Possession of category 4 firework |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Possession by a person under 18 of adult firework |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Sale of alcohol to drunken person |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Supply of alcohol to person under 18 |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Trespass on a railway |— |1 |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Throwing stones at a train / railway |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Drunk in a highway |6 |4 |3|1|2|—|—|1| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Consumption of alcohol in public place |1 |1 |3|7|7|7|4|6| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Depositing and leaving litter |1 |1 |—|2|8|2|2|1| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Consumption of alcohol my under 18 on licensed premises |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Allowing consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 on relevant premises |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Buying or Attempting to buy alcohol for person under 18 |— |— |—|—|—|—|—|—| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total |389 |425 |448|383|342|334|327|333| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.2 Includes offences of vandalism and graffiti but is not exclusive to those offences.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |April 2006 to March 2007 |April 2007 to March 2008 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Local authority |Number of fixed penalties issued|Number of cases being prosecuted|Number of fixed penalties issued|Number of cases being| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Bedford DC |17 |3 |71|—| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Mid Bedfordshire DC |9 |— |n/a|n/a| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South Bedfordshire BC |4 |— |n/a|n/a| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |n/a - no data as of yet (5 November 2009)Source:Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)| | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Children: Protection Caroline Flint To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many care applications have been issued in (a) Doncaster, (b) Yorkshire and (c) England in (i) the last quarter for which figures are available and (ii) the equivalent quarter in the previous year. Bridget Prentice The number of applications for care orders in Doncaster, Yorkshire and England in the second quarter (April to June) of 2008 and the second quarter of 2009, the latest quarter for which statistics are currently available, are shown in the following table. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |April to June 2008|April to June 2009| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Doncaster |14 |52 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire |216 |443 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |England |2,006 |4,140 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Notes:1. The data are taken from Her Majesty’s Courts Service’s (HMCS’s) FamilyMan database and from monthly electronic returns sent in by those Family Proceedings Courts not using FamilyMan.2. The figures reflect the number of applications counted by child. This means that where an application was made in respect of two children the application will be counted twice.3. The figures exclude a small proportion of applications made to the High Court.4. The figures for Yorkshire include applications made in the two HMCS areas of North and West Yorkshire and Humber and South Yorkshire.| | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Statistics on public law applications in the family courts of England and Wales are published on a quarterly basis by the Ministry of Justice in the statistical bulletin “Court Statistics Quarterly” and annually in the command paper “Judicial and Court Statistics”. Statistics for Q3 (July-September) of 2009 are due to be published in the next edition of Court Statistics Quarterly on 15 December, and will be available from the Ministry of Justice website at http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/courtstatisticsquarterly.htm Community Orders Chris Huhne To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) breach rate of community sentences and (b) imprisonment rate of those who breached community sentences was in the latest period for which figures are available. Maria Eagle A full set of data to enable this question to be answered in terms of rates is not centrally available. However, centrally held and published data shows that for those Community Orders which terminated in 2008, 30 per cent. terminated either for failure to comply with the order or for conviction of a further offence. Further published data show that there were 4,429 receptions into prison establishments in England and Wales in 2008 as a result of community sentence breaches. This information can be found in tables 5.1 and 6.12 respectively of Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2008, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library and which can also be found at the following website: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm 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. Crime Chris Grayling To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were (a) convicted of and (b) cautioned in relation to a criminal offence in each year since 1989. Claire Ward Information showing the number of persons found guilty at all courts and cautioned in England and Wales from 1989 to 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following table. Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010. Number of persons found guilty1 at all courts and cautioned2, 3, 4 for all offences, England and Wales, 1989 to 2007Found guiltyCautioned19891,512,106238,03119901,493,936269,11219911,485,725278,76519921,501,403321,29419931,411,205311,29919941,395,299308,43019951,343,227291,24219961,425,643286,19319971,374,515282,08719981,457,566287,88419991,398,271266,12620001,413,559238,97820011,339,729229,85820021,412,201225,35520031,481,221241,80320041,537,988255,75820051,475,252298,94520061,413,773349,97420071,407,965362,889 1 The found guilty statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.2 From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals.3 The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence.4 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Crimes Against Humanity: Prosecutions Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received on the prosecution of (a) genocide and (b) war crimes in UK courts. Claire Ward We have received representations recently from a number of sources, including from non-governmental organisations, parliamentarians and members of the public, about genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. We have introduced new measures in the Coroners and Justice Bill to strengthen the law on these categories of crimes. Firstly, the provisions amend the International Criminal Court Act 2001 so as to cover the offences of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity to 1 January 1991 as far as the legal principles applicable to retrospection allow. Secondly, we are providing more certainty to the term “UK resident” in the 2001 Act by adding a list of specific categories of people who are to be treated as UK residents to the extent this would not otherwise be the case. These include those in custody and those in the UK applying for asylum (including failed asylum seekers). We have also included a non-exclusive list of factors that a court must have regard to in determining whether a person is a UK resident, including the purpose of being in the UK and family and other connections. Debt Management Schemes Alun Michael To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the self regulation of debt management schemes in protecting those who are in financial difficulties; (2) what assessment he has made of the likely effect of statutory regulation on debt management schemes as proposed in Option 3 of his Department’s consultation published on 18 September 2009. Bridget Prentice The current economic downturn is causing real hardship for many hardworking consumers and the Government are determined to do all they can to help those in financial difficulties, while balancing this against creditors’ rights to recover their debts wherever possible, both now and in the future. The consultation paper “Debt Management Schemes—delivering effective and balanced solutions for debtors and creditors” was published on 18 September 2009 and looks at the current operation of the debt management market. It seeks views on whether any changes are needed in this area and, if so, what those changes should be. It sets out three broad options: continue with the measures currently under way to raise awareness about current schemes and enforce existing rules with operators (Option 1); improve current schemes without regulation, possibly through the introduction of a protocol (Option 2); or implement the Lord Chancellor’s powers to approve debt management schemes contained in Chapter 4 of Part 5 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (Option 3). An initial impact assessment was published alongside the consultation paper which considered the potential effectiveness of all of the options contained in the consultation paper. The consultation paper and initial impact assessment can be accessed via the Ministry of Justice website at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/debt-management-schemes.htm Defamation: Internet Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps his Department has taken to seek to reduce the incidence of publication of defamatory material on the internet. Bridget Prentice The Ministry of Justice is concerned to ensure that the law on defamation operates fairly and effectively in relation to publications on the internet. We therefore published a consultation paper “Defamation and the Internet: the multiple publication rule” on 16 September 2009. This consultation seeks views on the effect of the multiple publication rule (which provides that each publication of defamatory material can form the basis of a new cause of action) in relation to online archives and will close on 16 December 2009. Departmental Data Protection Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department’s information assurance procedures have been subject to an independent audit. Mr. Wills The Ministry of Justice has subjected its information assurance procedures to an independent audit as mandated by the Cabinet Secretary’s report into data handling processes across government and the Security Policy Framework. The Ministry of Justice has used the Information Assurance Maturity Model, supported by CESG (the national technical authority for information assurance), to benchmark progress. Departmental Energy Grant Shapps To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) energy rating and (b) energy band of each building occupied by his Department and its agencies was in each of the last five years. Mr. Wills Display Energy Certificates (DEC) were introduced in 2008. OGC publish central government departments’ Display Energy Certificate (DEC) operational ratings on a building-by-building level twice a year. The most recent data for the Ministry of Justice, published on 31 July 2009, which includes DEC ratings up to and including 28 February 2009 and can be viewed at: http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/Pan_Govt_DEC_Feb09.xls Data to October 2008 can be seen at: http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/Pan_Govt_DEC_Oct08.xls Data relating to the month ending 30 September 2009 will be published on 18 December 2009. Departmental Ethnic Minority Staff Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to increase numbers of applications from people from ethnic minorities for posts in his Department. Mr. Straw The Ministry is taking steps to increase the number of job applicants from ethnic minorities with the aim of realising a work force profile that is representative of the communities it serves. The activities associated with these steps are aimed at promoting the Ministry to, and attracting applications from, ethnic minority (BME) candidates. These include: (a) Advertising all jobs through Jobcentre Plus and the Ministry's web site, (b) Adverting vacancies in ethnic minority magazines and papers, (c) Working in local employment partnerships in areas with a high proportion of people from ethnic minorities, (d) Attending job fairs to promote the Ministry, (e) Offering work experience opportunities and job shadowing opportunities throughout the Ministry, (f) For senior civil servant campaigns, using head hunters which have a good track record of attracting a diverse range of applicants, (g) Interaction with key community groups to inform and involve them in Criminal Justice System. These activities have resulted in an increased level of applicants from BME backgrounds. The Ministry has a policy of actively seeking ways of improving its attractiveness to job applicants from ethnic minority communities. Analysis of applications received for Ministry (excluding NOMS) recruitment campaigns in the last two months showed that, of the applicants that voluntarily disclosed their ethnic background, 56 per cent. of applications for jobs in London were from ethnic minorities, 38 per cent. for jobs in Birmingham and 20 per cent. for jobs in Leeds. Departmental Freedom of Information Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff in his Department were employed on the management of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department in each year since 2005; and how much his Department spent on the management of such requests in each such year. Mr. Wills All freedom of information requests made to my Department are administered by the Data Access and Compliance Unit. Of the 27 staff in the Unit, 19 deal with the management of requests. The remainder are responsible for handling requests under the Data Protection Act 1998, or have managerial or administrative responsibilities. The Data Access and Compliance Unit was formed in October 2008, and brought together the freedom of information and data protection compliance functions of the former Department of Constitutional Affairs and the National Offender Management Service. Consequently, staffing figures for preceding years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information as to my Department’s expenditure on the management of freedom of information requests could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, an assessment of the cost of freedom of information within Government can be found in Frontier Economics’ 2006 “Independent Review of the Freedom of Information Act”, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. Departmental Official Cars Mr. Heald To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department was in the last 12 months. Mr. Straw No special advisers are provided with an allocated Government car and driver. As with all civil servants, special advisers may use an official car or taxi in properly defined circumstances. Details of such use are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Generally to work they walk, use public transport or scrounge a lift with me. Departmental Postal Services David T.C. Davies To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of postal services for his Department and its agencies were provided by (a) Royal Mail and (b) other postal service providers (i) in 2007, (ii) in 2008, (iii) between 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2009 and (iv) after 1 July 2009. Mr. Wills The Ministry of Justice currently has no formal contracts for mail services. However, it has a number of local agreements with both Royal Mail and DX Ltd. We recognise that the absence of established contracts is not satisfactory and are in the process of completing a further competition against the Buying Solutions Postal Framework. It is expected that we will have a formal contract in place by January 2010. Both Royal Mail and DX Ltd. provide postal and courier services to the Ministry of Justice and due to the structure of financial operating systems used it is not possible to separate expenditure for postal services. Once formal contracts are established the Ministry of Justice will be able to begin compiling data on the provision of postal services. Departmental Procurement Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there has been any nugatory cost to his Department and its agencies on procurement under tender because the tender process was cancelled prior to the award of the contract in the last 12 months. Mr. Wills No tenders were cancelled during the tender process and prior to the award of any contracts, so no costs were incurred by the Ministry of Justice. Departmental Rail Travel Mr. Burstow To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department and its predecessor spent on first class rail travel for officials in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Straw Officials who undertake any business- related rail travel do so in line the Ministry's travel and subsistence policies. Officials only undertake first class rail travel where there is a clear business justification to do so. It is Ministry policy to use standard class rail travel for business. The Ministry's financial accounting systems do not differentiate between the types of rail travel. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the full details of first class rail expenditure for the whole of the period 2006 to 2009. To do so would entail a disproportionate cost. Some information about expenditure is available from the Ministry's contracted supplier for rail travel covering the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), HM Courts Service and the Tribunal Service. For 2007-08 the expenditure was recorded as £4,121,537 and in 2008-09 it was £5,069,497. The 2008-09 expenditure was higher because staff in the Criminal Justice Group together with some staff in the NOMS previously worked in the Home Office and only began using the Ministry's travel supplier from November 2008. The Ministry has this year negotiated with its unions changes to eligibility for first class rail travel. The effect of this will be to restrict further the use of first class rail travel to an exceptional basis. Departmental Statistics Chris Ruane To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of the statistical datasets collected by his Department are published. Claire Ward The Ministry of Justice publishes a range of statistics in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics and overseen by the UK Statistical Authority. The vast majority of the Ministry of Justice’s statistics are published using administrative data from the IT systems used operationally within the Ministry and its Agencies. On 30 October 2009, the Head of Profession published the Ministry of Justice’s Statement of Administrative Sources, a requirement of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. This can be found at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-policy-procedures.htm This shows the main sources of administrative data currently used to produce statistics by the Ministry of Justice. We will expand the Statement during December 2009 to show all administrative sources which are or could be used to produce Official Statistics. All surveys run under the Code of Practice are published. Departmental Travel Norman Baker To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many miles (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department and its predecessor travelled by (i) car, (ii) rail and (iii) air on Government business in each year since 1997. Mr. Straw The requested information is not held in the administrative or finance systems of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) or its predecessor bodies. To obtain this information, the MOJ would need to collate the information manually for every part of the Ministry, at disproportionate cost. Election Day: Weekend Voting Consultation Mrs. Laing To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his response to the Election Day: Weekend Voting consultation. Mr. Wills The Government’s response to the Election Day: Weekend Voting consultation will be published shortly in the context of the Government’s wider thinking on promoting engagement in the electoral process. The responses to the consultation reveal that there is a wide range of views on whether weekend voting would have a positive impact on turnout. Forced Marriage: Prosecutions Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken to increase the number of forced marriage cases which are prosecuted. Bridget Prentice The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 was implemented in November 2008 providing greater protection for those at risk, preventing forced marriage and enabling courts to make Forced Marriage Protection Orders (FMPOs). These are civil provisions. We continue to work with agencies including the police and local authorities to ensure they are aware of the Act’s provisions. Since implementation of the Act on 25 November 2008 up to 31 October 2009 a total of 79 FMPOs have been made. Garth Prison Mr. Hoyle To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what his most recent assessment is of progress in the implementation of the recommendations of the recent report on HM Prison Garth; (2) when he expects the National Offender Management Service to publish its response to the report on HM Prison Garth. Maria Eagle Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons published a report of her announced inspection of HMP Garth, carried out in March and April 2009, on 26 August. The National Offender Management Service will provide a detailed response, in the form of an action plan, to address each of the 122 recommendations and this will be submitted to Ministers and the chief inspector shortly. Progress has already been made in implementing a number of the recommendations. Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Mr. Dai Davies To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in what (a) print and (b) on-line publications recruitment advertisements for ordinary members of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority have been placed; for what reasons those publications were chosen; and how much has been spent on the placing of such advertisements. Mr. Straw As set out in the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, the appointment of members to IPSA is a matter for Mr. Speaker. Mr. Dai Davies To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether (a) travel, (b) subsistence and (c) overnight accommodation expenses may be claimed by Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) members; and whether IPSA will be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Mr. Straw The Parliamentary Standards Act states that IPSA is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. IPSA is an independent body and the appointment of members of IPSA is a matter for the Speaker. Until a suitable mechanism is set up for answering parliamentary questions on IPSA, the hon. Member may wish to contact IPSA directly. Injunctions Mr. Dismore To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will direct HM Courts Service to record the number of injunctive orders granted by the courts which provide that the existence of the injunction may not be disclosed; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Straw I will assess whether the number of such injunctions should be recorded as part of my consideration of the outcome of senior officials’ discussions with press representatives and the judiciary, to which I referred in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Paul Farrelly) on 28 October, Official Report, column 422W. I will make a statement in due course. Lands Tribunal Mr. Bellingham To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) fee income and (b) full cost was of Lands Tribunal services relating to (i) rating appeals, (ii) land compensation references, (iii) restrictive covenants, (iv) appeals from leasehold valuation tribunals, (v) appeals from residential property tribunals, (vi) appeals against determinations of the value of land by HM Revenue and Customs, (vii) rights of light cases, (viii) references by consent, (ix) blight notices and objections and (x) compulsory purchases of property whose owner is unknown, absent or untraceable. Bridget Prentice The fee income generated by the Lands Tribunal for the financial years 2008-09 and 2007-08 was: ----------------------- | |Income (£000)| ----------------------- |2008-09|325 | ----------------------- |2007-08|375 | ----------------------- The full cost associated with the provision of Lands Tribunal services for the financial years 2008-09 and 2007-08 was: --------- |£000 | --------- | |Tribunal service costs|MoJ corporate overhead|Total costs| --------- |2008-09|1,652|71|1,723| --------- |2007-08|1,640|90|1,730| --------- The Ministry of Justice does not hold information about the income generated from, and the cost of, specific jurisdictions dealt with by the Lands Tribunal. The costs are calculated as a whole. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost by checking individual records of these jurisdictions against the Ministry of Justice accounting system. Location Mr. Todd To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to respond to the Reunite report entitled Relocation which was funded by his Department and published in July 2009. Bridget Prentice The Ministry of Justice has not issued a formal response to Reunite on their research project on ‘relocation’. My officials have discussed next steps with Reunite. We are very grateful for the work Reunite has done to highlight the complexity of the issues in this area. Magistrates Courts Mr. Crabb To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many jobs have been (a) lost and (b) created at magistrates courts as a result of restructuring in 2009-10. Bridget Prentice Magistrates courts are part of Her Majesty’s Courts Service (HMCS). The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in HMCS at 31 March 2009 was 19,100. This had reduced to 18,657 at end September 2009. During the year staff numbers will also fluctuate as individuals either leave, or are recruited, and it is not possible to say definitively how much of this overall reduction is directly a result of restructuring. Magistrates Courts: Closures Mr. Grieve To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2009, Official Report, column 1373W, on magistrates courts: closures, how many magistrates’ courts opened in each type of area in each year since 1997. Mr. Straw The following tables provide details of the magistrates courts opened (broken down into each type of area) since 1997. This substantial investment in replacing courthouses that have passed their working life demonstrates the Ministry of Justice’s commitment to the courts and the communities that they serve. At the heart of this investment are the needs of court users. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |Rural 75|Rural 50|Significant rural|Other urban|Large urban|Major urban|Total number of courts opened| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1997|0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |3 |4 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1998|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1999|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2000|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2001|0 |3 |1 |2 |2 |0 |8 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2002|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2003|31 |0 |0 |2 |0 |0 |3 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2004|0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |1 |2 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2005|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2006|0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2007|0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |2 |3 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2008|0 |0 |1 |1 |0 |0 |2 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |Rural 802|Rural 50|Significant rural|Other urban|Large urban|Major urban|Total number of courts opened| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2009 |31 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1 The rural constituency classification (introduced by the Rural Evidence Research Centre on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2006) has been used to define whether court closures took place in rural/urban areas. The classification divides constituencies into the following six categories:Major Urban: districts with either 100,000 people or 50 per cent. of their population in urban areas with a population of more than 750,000.Large Urban: districts with either 50,000 people or 50 per cent. of their population in one of 17 urban areas with a population between 250,000 and 750,000.Other Urban: districts with fewer than 37,000 people or less than 26 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns.Significant Rural: districts with more than 37,000 people or more than 26 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns.Rural-50: districts with at least 50 per cent. but less than 80 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns.Rural 75: Over 75 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements (including 207 large market towns).2 The rural constituency classification (introduced by the Rural Evidence Research Centre on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) changed in April 2009 and one rural classification has changed from rural 75 to rural 80. Rural-80: districts with at least 80 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns.3 For Wales a Rural Authority is defined as any having a population density of below the Wales average of 140 persons per sq km.| | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Magistrates Courts: Haverfordwest Mr. Crabb To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court have received notification in the last three months that their positions may be relocated. Bridget Prentice Magistrates courts enforcement staff located at Haverfordwest have been notified in recent months that the enforcement administration work is to be moved substantially to Port Talbot, where most such work within Wales is to be centralised in order to obtain economies of scale and a reduction of costs. Staff affected are being fully consulted, and at this stage they are being offered redeployment within the business or early departure on voluntary terms. Other administrative functions relating to magistrates courts and also of the county courts will continue to be undertaken at the Haverfordwest Law Courts. Money for Ministers Mr. Grieve To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidance entitled Money for Ministers—An Introduction to Finance in the Ministry of Justice for Ministers. Mr. Straw The internal guidance document Money for Ministers—An Introduction to Finance in the Ministry of Justice for Ministers is currently scheduled for updating by the Ministry of Justice Corporate Finance team and will be placed in the Library upon completion, during December 2009. National Offender Management Service: Disciplinary Proceedings Alan Duncan To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2009, Official Report, column 2266W, on prisons: manpower, what the offences were for which the prison service staff were (a) dismissed and (b) otherwise disciplined. Maria Eagle The information requested is held centrally, but the level of detail required could be obtained only by conducting a manual check of over 1,600 disciplinary cases across both reporting systems at a disproportionate cost. National Offender Management Service: Standards Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what efficiencies he expects the National Offender Management Service to achieve in the next three years. Maria Eagle The National Offender Management Service is planning to deliver £205 million of efficiencies in 2010-11. Planning for the next spending review period, that is 2011-12 to 2013-14, has not yet commenced. National Probation Service for England and Wales: Finance Mr. Sheerman To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely level of expenditure on the National Probation Service in the next five years. Maria Eagle The budget for the National Probation Service for the 2010-11 financial year is £870 million. Planning for the next spending review period, that is 2011-12 to 2013-14, will be considered as part of the next comprehensive review. Mr. Sheerman To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the year-on-year change in expenditure on the Probation Service has been in each of the last 15 years. Maria Eagle Change in expenditure by local probation areas is detailed in the following table: ------------------------------------------------------- |Financial year |Expenditure|Year-on-year change| ------------------------------------------------------- |2008-09 (provisional)|897 |52 | ------------------------------------------------------- |2007-08 |845 |38 | ------------------------------------------------------- |2006-07 |807 |37 | ------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 |770 |83 | ------------------------------------------------------- |2004-05 |687 |13 | ------------------------------------------------------- |2003-04 |674 |69 | ------------------------------------------------------- |2002-03 |605 |29 | ------------------------------------------------------- |2001-02 |576 |71 | ------------------------------------------------------- |2000-01 |505 |34 | ------------------------------------------------------- |1999-2000 |471 |25 | ------------------------------------------------------- |1998-99 |446 |2 | ------------------------------------------------------- |1997-98 |444 |-4 | ------------------------------------------------------- |1996-97 |448 |34 | ------------------------------------------------------- |1995-96 |414 |-3 | ------------------------------------------------------- |1994-95 |417 |49 | ------------------------------------------------------- |1993-94 |368 |— | ------------------------------------------------------- The figures for 2001-02 to 2007-08 are the net operating costs recorded in the annual consolidated accounts of local probation boards. The figure for 2008-09 is provisional as the boards’ consolidated accounts have not yet been signed off, and is taken from the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) 2008-09 accounts, including probation trusts. Before 2001-02, local probation committees were financed partly by local government and the figures are based on the expenditure implied by the main grant cash limit plus an allowance for probation hostels; these figures include some estimates. Following standard accounting practice, local boards’ and trusts’ pension contributions are not fully reflected in the figures. Expenditure on probation met centrally by the former National Probation Directorate and the National Offender Management Service is not included in local areas’ expenditure. Comparisons over time are difficult because of machinery of government changes and accounting methodology changes. After adjusting as much as possible for these factors and discounting for inflation, the real terms increase in expenditure on probation between 1996-97 and 2007-08 is about 70 per cent. National Probation Service for England and Wales: Manpower Mr. Sheerman To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff were employed in the Probation Service in each of the last 15 years. Maria Eagle The following table shows the number of staff employed in the National Probation Service in each of the last 15 years. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Total probation staff1,2,3|Year on year growth (percentage)|Cumulative growth (percentage)| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1993 |15,329 |— |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1994 |15,531 |1.3 |— | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1995 |14,824 |(4.6) |(3.3) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1996 |14,388 |(2.9) |(6.1) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1997 |13,968 |(2.9) |(8.9) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1998 |13,806 |(1.2) |(9.9) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1999 |14,671 |6.3 |(4.3) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2000 |15,240 |3.9 |(0.6) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2001 |15,789 |3.6 |3.0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2002 |16,668 |5.6 |8.7 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003 |19,206 |15.2 |25.3 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004 |19,565 |1.9 |27.6 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005 |20,584 |5.2 |34.3 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006 |21,372 |3.8 |39.4 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007 |20,893 |(2.2) |36.3 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008 |20,857 |(0.2) |36.1 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Figures for 1993-2007 are as at 31 December and are taken from the Home Office RDS Probation Statistics [1993-2003) and the Quarterly Workforce Information Reports produced by NOMS (2003-07).2 Figures for 2008 are as at 30 September.3 Figures for 2008 have been collected from Probation Areas/Trust via the HR Data Warehouse and are correct at publication. Areas/trusts have the ability to resubmit historical data which may result in occasional variation in subsequent reports.Notes:1. Total probation staff figures shown as full time equivalents.2. Staff in post figures for 2009 are currently unavailable.| | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Probation has received significant increases in resources since this Government came to power in 1997. Our record shows that we take the probation service and its place in the Criminal Justice System very seriously. Total probation staffing (expressed as full time equivalents) was up from 13,968 in 1997 to 20,859 by September 2008 a 49.3 per cent. increase over the period. Mr. Sheerman To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with representatives of probation officers on staffing levels in the probation service. Maria Eagle I regularly meet officials from both NAPO and Unison and discuss a variety of issues of mutual concern and interest including staffing levels. I have also met with UNITE. Most recently on 29 October 2009, I met the NAPO chair and a delegation of trainee probation officers specifically to discuss staffing levels. Offenders: Databases Mrs. Maria Miller To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information on the dependent children of prisoners is held on the C-NOMIS database. Maria Eagle The C-NOMIS database, now known as Prison-NOMIS, holds information on the number of children of prisoners; it is not a mandatory entry, so information is incomplete. Offensive Weapons: Sentencing Chris Grayling To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have received the maximum sentence of four years custody for possession of a knife. Claire Ward Since 12 February 2007 the maximum custodial sentence for knife or offensive weapon possession offences has been four years. Therefore the answer gives data from March 2007 to June 2009 (the most recent published data from the Knife Crime Sentencing Quarterly brief). Further information is available at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/knife-crime-sentencing.htm According to data recorded by the police on the Police National Computer, during the period March 2007 to June 2009, six offences (committed by six offenders) of possession of a knife or offensive weapon received a four year custodial sentence in England and Wales. Maximum penalties are set at a level to provide for the most serious conceivable case of a particular offence and therefore are rarely imposed. More custodial sentences are being given for knife and offensive weapon possession and those that are sent to jail are serving longer sentences. The proportion of immediate custodial sentences given for possessing a knife or offensive weapon increased from 17 per cent. to 19 per cent. of all sentences between the second quarter of 2008 compared with the same period in 2009. The average sentence length in the second quarter 2009 was 194 days which is a 42 per cent. increase from the same quarter in 2008. These figures have been drawn from the police’s administrative IT system which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police. Prison Accommodation Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps his Department has taken to improve prison conditions. Maria Eagle The National Offender Management Service has a statutory duty to hold all prisoners in decent conditions. We plan to increase the capacity of the prison estate to 96,000 places by 2014 through an extensive capacity programme. Since April 2007, 5,370 places have been delivered under the core capacity programme. The new buildings produced by the capacity programme are providing modern, fit for purpose, accommodation. On 27 April 2009, Official Report, column 569, my right hon. friend, the Justice Secretary (Jack Straw) announced that, instead of building three 2,500 place prisons, we plan to build five 1,500 place prisons. The 7,500 places provided by these new prisons will allow for the closure of up to 5,000 of the most worn out, inefficient places. Initially we will build two new 1,500 place prisons and close 500 places. These measures support our aim, not only to provide additional capacity, but to modernise the estate and improve the quality of accommodation and other facilities. For existing accommodation, we have a rolling programme of refurbishment and a reprioritised maintenance programme that allows the critical maintenance of the estate to be undertaken and general improvement to buildings and conditions, as funding permits. We take into consideration the recommendations made in Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, Independent Monitoring Board, Measuring the Quality of Prison Life and Audit reports and take action where appropriate. Prison Governors Alun Michael To ask the Secretary of State for Justice at which prisons there has been (a) a change of governor and (b) the introduction of an acting governor for one month or more in each of the last five years; when each such change occurred; and what the names were of the governors involved in each change. Maria Eagle During the past five years all public sector prisons have had at least one change of governor in charge. It is the policy of the National Offender Management Service to move governors to different types of establishment to enhance their experience and for reasons of self development. When governing governors transfer, the gap between permanent postings will be kept to a minimum but given the significance of the role, an interim governor will always be appointed to cover such a gap. While NOMS holds information on the length of tenure of current in charge governors, it does not hold information on any interim arrangements centrally and could obtain this only at a disproportionate cost. Prison: Offences Mr. Grieve To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison staff have been suspended following allegations of the possession of (a) illegal drugs and (b) illicit mobile telephones or SIM cards in the last three years. Mr. Straw The disciplinary process in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), including authority for suspending staff from duty, is devolved to a local level. Public sector Prison Service establishments have only been required to notify headquarters of their intention to suspend a member of staff from duty since October 2007. According to the records held centrally, on 28 October 2009 a total of 48 members of staff were suspended from duty while some aspect of their conduct was under investigation. While the reasons for suspension are recorded centrally, this would be under a broad heading and not to the level of detail required to answer your specific question. In order to provide a detailed response to the hon. and learned Member’s question, NOMS would need to contact all public sector Prison Service establishments, ask them to provide details of all staff suspensions for the last three years and update the central records accordingly. To retrieve these data would incur disproportionate cost. Prisoner Escapes Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have escaped while being transferred between prisons in each month of the last five years. Maria Eagle There have been two escapes on an inter prison transfer in the past five years. These occurred in October 2005 and March 2006. Escapes have been falling for over a decade with the current low levels having been sustained for some years now. This is despite considerable increases in population over the same period. Rigorous investigations following any escape are designed to highlight any failings and ensure they are not repeated. Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have (a) escaped from custody and (b) been returned to custody having escaped in the each month of the last five years. Maria Eagle Escapes from prison have been falling for over a decade and last year saw the lowest level of prison escapes since centralised recording of these incidents began. The data in the following table show the number of prisoners who have escaped from prisons in England and Wales between 1 April 2004 and 5 November 2009 and those who have been returned to custody. There have been 24 escapes in this period and 22 of these prisoners have been returned to custody. --------------------------------------------------------- | |Escapes from custody|Returned to custody| --------------------------------------------------------- |January 2004 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |February 2004 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |March 2004 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |April 2004 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |May 2004 |1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |June 2004 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |July 2004 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |August 2004 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |September 2004|2 |2 | --------------------------------------------------------- |October 2004 |1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |November 2004 |1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |December 2004 |3 |3 | --------------------------------------------------------- |2004 total |8 |8 | --------------------------------------------------------- | | | | --------------------------------------------------------- |January 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |February 2005 |2 |2 | --------------------------------------------------------- |March 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |April 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |May 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |June 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |July 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |August 2005 |1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |September 2005|0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |October 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |November 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |December 2005 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |2005 total |3 |3 | --------------------------------------------------------- | | | | --------------------------------------------------------- |January 2006 |2 |2 | --------------------------------------------------------- |February 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |March 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |April 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |May 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |June 2006 |1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |July 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |August 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |September 2006|1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |October 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |November 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |December 2006 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |2006 total |4 |4 | --------------------------------------------------------- | | | | --------------------------------------------------------- |January 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |February 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |March 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |April 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |May 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |June 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |July 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |August 2007 |1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |September 2007|2 |2 | --------------------------------------------------------- |October 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |November 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |December 2007 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |2007 total |3 |3 | --------------------------------------------------------- | | | | --------------------------------------------------------- |January 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |February 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |March 2008 |1 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |April 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |May 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |June 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |July 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |August 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |September 2008|0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |October 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |November 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |December 2008 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |2008 total |1 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- | | | | --------------------------------------------------------- |January 2009 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |February 2009 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |March 2009 |1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |April 2009 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |May 2009 |1 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |June 2009 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |July 2009 |1 |1 | --------------------------------------------------------- |August 2009 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |September 2009|0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |October 2009 |0 |0 | --------------------------------------------------------- |2009 total |3 |2 | --------------------------------------------------------- Data include key performance indicator escapes only and exclude incidents where prisoners are immediately recaptured (ie within 15 minutes of escaping). Prisoners Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his most recent estimate is of the size of the prison population; and what estimate he has made of the number of prison places in each of the next five years. Mr. Straw The prison population on 6 November was 84,522. The latest prison population projections were published on 28 August and are available on the Ministry of Justice website. The high, medium and low projected figures of the prison population for each of the next five years are shown in the following table (end of June figures): ------------------------------------------------------------ | |High |Medium|Low | ------------------------------------------------------------ |2010 |85,700|84,900|83,900| ------------------------------------------------------------ |2011 |88,600|86,900|84,900| ------------------------------------------------------------ |2012 |90,200|87,700|84,900| ------------------------------------------------------------ |2013 |91,100|87,600|84,000| ------------------------------------------------------------ |2014 |92,400|88,000|83,500| ------------------------------------------------------------ |2015 |93,900|88,700|83,300| ------------------------------------------------------------ |Note:Data rounded to the nearest 100.| | | | ------------------------------------------------------------ The Ministry of Justice aims to increase capacity to 96,000 prison places net by 2014. We aim to deliver an additional 1,725 places in 2009. 3,000 places are currently planned for delivery in 2010. In addition we plan a further 1,605 place prison to be operational in 2012. The precise numbers and delivery timings will depend on construction schedules and prioritisation within the prison estate. Prisoners Release Mr. Garnier To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have been released in error as a result of (a) mistaken identity and (b) other errors in each of the last 12 years. [Official Report, 11 January 2010, Vol. 503, c. 3-4MC.] Maria Eagle Prison establishments are required to report known releases in error to the Intelligence and Operations Unit in National Offender Management Service Headquarters. However, the Incident Reporting System does not hold records of these events in a format which can be interrogated electronically to obtain the specific information requested. Information on releases in error prior to 2005 could be obtained only by examining all miscellaneous incident reports manually at disproportionate cost. The available information is shown in the following table. ------------------------------------------------------------- | |Number of releases in error reported| ------------------------------------------------------------- |2005 |32 | ------------------------------------------------------------- |2006 |36 | ------------------------------------------------------------- |2007 |36 | ------------------------------------------------------------- |2008 |58 | ------------------------------------------------------------- |2009 (to 30 September)|30 | ------------------------------------------------------------- These incidents include three cases of mistaken identity; one in 2006 and two in 2008. In two cases the prisoner was returned to custody the same day and in the third he was returned within two weeks. It should be noted that these figures have been obtained by a manual examination of paper records covering a variety of incident types and clearly only includes those errors that have been discovered. The figures are therefore subject to a margin of possible error. The National Offender Management Service Agency is alert to the increase in 2008 and has taken action to tighten process and focus management attention on this area. Specifically: All Release in Error incidents must now be reported immediately by telephone as a serious incident. Formal investigations are required in all cases and the learning from investigations has been acted upon. Prison Governors and Regional Custody Managers have been required to review sentence calculation and discharge procedures and ensure additional managerial attention is given to this area. Additional guidance has been given to prisons regarding fixed term recall arrangements. More attention has been given to reporting this type of incident and it is possible that some of the apparent increase has been due to more consistent reporting. Nevertheless, the number of releases in error remains very small as a percentage of total discharges (less than 0.05 per cent. in 2007, the last year for which discharge figures are currently available) and must be viewed in the context of increased prisoner movement to accommodate the rising population. Prisoners' Transfers Mr. Dodds To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have been transferred from prisons in England or Wales to Northern Ireland to serve out remaining sentences in each year since 2005. Mr. Straw The number of prisoners transferred from prisons in England and Wales to Northern Ireland since 2005 are as follows: ----------------------------- | |Number| ----------------------------- |2005 |16 | ----------------------------- |2006 |9 | ----------------------------- |2007 |13 | ----------------------------- |2008 |5 | ----------------------------- |2009 (to 31 October)|11 | ----------------------------- Mr. Gregory Campbell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners were transferred between prisons in Northern Ireland and (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008. Mr. Straw The transfer of prisoners between jurisdictions within the United Kingdom is governed by the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997. For the purposes of the Act England and Wales are the same jurisdiction and therefore transfers to and from Northern Ireland and Wales are not recorded separately. Transfers between Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for the Scottish Executive. The number of transfers are as follows: In 2007 one prisoner transferred from Northern Ireland to England and Wales and 13 prisoners transferred from England and Wales to Northern Ireland; In 2008 five prisoners transferred from Northern Ireland to England and Wales and five prisoners transferred from England and Wales to Northern Ireland. 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. Mr. Dodds To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers from England and Wales have been (a) transferred permanently to and (b) seconded to prisons in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001. Maria Eagle Records of the Northern Ireland Prison Service show that there have been two transfers between England and Wales and Northern Ireland since 2001. There is no record of any prison officers currently being on secondment to Northern Ireland. Information on secondments that have now concluded is not available without incurring disproportionate cost. Prisoners' Transfers: Isle of Wight Mr. Grieve To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of using (a) boats, (b) commercial flights and (c) private flights to transfer prisoners to prisons on the Isle of Wight in each of the last five years. Mr. Straw Prisoners are transferred to and from the Isle of Wight by scheduled car ferry sailings only. The data are not available for this request as the cost of transferring prisoners to the Isle of Wight is included in the general prisoner escort contracts and is not invoiced separately. The contracting out of this work has achieved efficiency savings estimated at £20 million in the first year. Prisoners: Drugs Mr. Burrowes To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 2063W, on treatment programmes, what the disaggregated figures for (a) detoxification and (b) maintenance are for (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09. Maria Eagle The following table provides figures1 for prisoners recorded as entering detoxification or maintenance. 1 These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. ------------------------------------ | |Detoxification|Maintenance| ------------------------------------ |2007-08|46,291 |12,518 | ------------------------------------ |2008-09|45,135 |19,632 | ------------------------------------ Prisoners: Sentencing Tim Farron To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners sentenced to a jail term of six months served (a) six months, (b) three months or less and (c) six weeks or less of that sentence in the last 12 months. Maria Eagle Automatic release at the half way point of sentence was introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 1991. Prisoners who are sentenced to six months therefore normally serve three months in prison. Adult prisoners sentenced to less than 12 months are not subject to supervision by the probation service on release from custody. However, they are ‘at risk’ of return to custody by the courts, to serve the unexpired portion of the sentence, if they commit an imprisonable offence before the expiry date of the original sentence. Young offenders (those under the age of 22 released from a term of detention in a YOI) are subject to a minimum of three months supervision. Juvenile prisoners sentenced to a Detention and Training Order are supervised as part of the conditions of these sentences. The actual amount of time served in prison, following sentence, will depend on a number of factors, including time spent as a remand prisoner or credit for time spent on tagged bail if directed by the court, any added days and release on either Home Detention Curfew or End of Custody Licence. For those prisoners discharged in 2008 having been sentenced to six months, the amount of time served is shown in the following table. --------------------------------------------------------------- |Time served |Prisoners| --------------------------------------------------------------- |Six weeks or less |60 | --------------------------------------------------------------- |Over six weeks and up and including to three months|5,000 | --------------------------------------------------------------- |Over three months and less than six months |590 | --------------------------------------------------------------- |Six months |20 | --------------------------------------------------------------- |Total |5,700 | --------------------------------------------------------------- Numbers below 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers over 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 100. 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. Prisons: Discipline Paul Holmes To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many prisoners have been involved in incidents of disorder of each type in each year since 1997; (2) how many prisoners at each prison were found in possession of a sharp instrument in each year since 1997. Maria Eagle The following table gives the number of punishments given to prisoners in all prison establishments in England and Wales for offences committed in prison involving the reported categories of offence within the prison. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |1997 |1998 |1999 |2000 |2001 |2002 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total |108,234|111,464|104,384|105,247|108,367|106,150| --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Violence |13,997 |15,294 |15,228 |15,972 |16,905 |17,499 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Escape/abscond |1,232 |962 |786 |754 |634 |565 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Disobedience/disrespect |41,476 |44,146 |40,102 |41,800 |44,444 |45,410 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wilful damage |5,797 |6,564 |6,632 |6,862 |7,553 |7,226 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Unauthorised transactions|35,876 |34,909 |31,074 |29,414 |27,807 |23,407 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Other offences |9,856 |9,589 |10,562 |10,445 |11,024 |12,043 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |2003 |2004 |2005 |2006 |2007 |2008 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total |106,230|108,389|110,651|105,958|109,117|111,833| --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Violence |17,127 |17,040 |18,134 |17,929 |17,667 |18,788 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Escape/abscond |560 |432 |271 |166 |119 |105 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Disobedience/disrespect |45,086 |46,178 |47,112 |43,735 |45,064 |44,436 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wilful damage |7,230 |7,270 |7,521 |7,701 |7,536 |8,054 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Unauthorised transactions|24,400 |26,722 |27,377 |26,682 |28,858 |30,427 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Other offences |11,827 |10,747 |10,236 |9,745 |9,873 |10,023 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- These figures have been taken from table 8.5 of the annual volumes of Prison Statistics in England and Wales for the years 1997 to 2002 and tables 9.5 and 8.5 of Offender Management Caseload Statistics for the years between 2003 and 2008. Copies of these can be found in the House of Commons Library and from 2001 onwards at the following website: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm Further breakdowns by category of offence can be found within the tables quoted. However, the statistics do not identify possession of a sharp instrument and this information could not be obtained without involving disproportionate cost. 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. Prisons: Drugs Chris Huhne To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of the recommendations of the Blakey Review into disrupting the supply of illegal drugs into prisons have been implemented fully; when he expects all recommendations to be fully implemented; and if he will make a statement. Maria Eagle Good progress has been made in implementing David Blakey's recommendations. The following recommendations have been fully implemented: instructing every prison to nominate a senior manager responsible for delivering the local drug strategy at the prison (recommendation one); publishing an updated good practice guide to assist prisons in tackling drug supply routes and a new guide on tackling mobile phones (recommendation two); providing all prisons with a body orifice security scanner (BOSS chair) and hand held metal detectors, to detect internally concealed metallic items such as mobile phones (recommendation five); strengthening the relationship with the Home Office Scientific Development Branch (recommendation eight); and in the Good Practice Guide, placing more emphasis on working with others (recommendation nine). In addition, work is in train: to evaluate and roll-out static mobile phone blockers, subject to funding (recommendation four)—first phase in place, next phase to be completed by March 2010; to determine whether search dogs are used effectively (recommendation six)—internal review completed, recommendations to be considered; to encourage use of the Offender Management Act (recommendation seven)—ongoing, with key actions concluded by December 2009; and to strengthen prison intelligence gathering (recommendation 10)—very much a continuous programme of work but with key elements in place by March 2010. On recommendation three, rather than implement peer reviews as originally agreed, the Government have now decided to incorporate supply reduction and mandatory drug testing fully into the prisons audit process. This will provide a more robust framework to encourage good practice and will be in place by December 2009. Greg Mulholland To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many instances of drug abuse were reported in each prison in England in the most recent period for which figures are available. Maria Eagle Mandatory drug testing (MDT) provides the best available measure of drug misuse in prisons. The following table provides the number of positive MDT tests, administered on both a random and targeted basis, at each prison during 2008-09. These data have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing returns, the detail is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. The data are not subject to audit. The number of positive tests does not equate to the number of prisoners who tested positive. It is possible that individual prisoners may test positive on more than one occasion. -------------------------------------------------------- |Prison |Number of samples testing positive| -------------------------------------------------------- |Acklington |208 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Albany |21 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Altcourse |432 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Ashfield |40 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Ashwell |49 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Askham Grange |13 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Aylesbury |79 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Bedford |70 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Belmarsh |71 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Birmingham |214 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Blantyre House |3 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Blundeston |37 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Brinsford |38 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Bristol |114 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Brixton |265 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Bronzefield |22 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Buckley Hall |136 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Bullingdon |172 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Bullwood Hall |1 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Camp Hill |61 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Canterbury |15 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Castington |77 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Channings Wood |81 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Chelmsford |183 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Coldingley |87 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Cookham Wood |1 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Dartmoor |121 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Deerbolt |18 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Doncaster |250 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Dorchester |34 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Dovegate |176 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Downview |85 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Drake Hall |29 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Durham |187 | -------------------------------------------------------- |East Sutton Park |12 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Eastwood Park |70 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Edmonds Hill |34 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Elmley |283 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Erlestoke |96 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Everthorpe |201 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Exeter |49 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Featherstone |151 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Feltham |135 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Ford |140 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Forest Bank |587 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Foston Hall |17 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Frankland |65 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Full Sutton |59 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Garth |112 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Gartree |22 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Glen Parva |39 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Gloucester |77 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Grendon |7 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Guys Marsh |121 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Haverigg |246 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Hewell |193 | -------------------------------------------------------- |High Down |153 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Highpoint |105 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Hindley |38 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Hollesley Bay |75 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Holloway |61 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Holme House |340 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Hull |101 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Huntercombe |10 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Kennet |64 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Kingston |15 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Kirkham |163 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Kirklevington |71 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Lancaster |67 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Lancaster Farms |14 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Latchmere House |10 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Leeds |141 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Leicester |43 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Lewes |242 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Leyhill |88 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Lincoln |131 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Lindholme |180 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Littlehey |24 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Liverpool |308 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Long Lartin |65 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Low Newton |44 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Lowdham Grange |173 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Maidstone |119 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Manchester |238 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Moorland |63 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Moorland Open |27 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Morton Hall |7 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Mount |213 | -------------------------------------------------------- |New Hall |64 | -------------------------------------------------------- |North Sea Camp |85 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Northallerton |14 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Norwich |46 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Nottingham |150 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Onley |42 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Parkhurst |31 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Pentonville |267 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Peterborough Female|91 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Peterborough Male |214 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Portland |9 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Preston |128 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Ranby |239 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Reading |20 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Risley |171 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Rochester |50 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Rye Hill |56 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Send |23 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Shepton Mallet |5 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Shrewsbury |116 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Spring Hill |48 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Stafford |163 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Standford Hill |70 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Stocken |51 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Stoke Heath |29 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Styal |150 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Sudbury |196 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Swaleside |127 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Swinfen Hall |27 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Thorn Cross |37 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Verne |22 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wakefield |21 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wandsworth |226 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Warren Hill |1 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wayland |66 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wealstun |135 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wellingborough |78 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Werrington |2 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wetherby |11 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wharton |9 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Whitemoor |54 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Winchester |83 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wolds |109 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Woodhill |267 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wormwood Scrubs |172 | -------------------------------------------------------- |Wymott |178 | -------------------------------------------------------- John McDonnell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects the Patel Report on prison drug treatment to be published. Maria Eagle Professor Lord Kamlesh Patel was appointed to chair the Prison Drug Treatment Strategy Review Group (PDTSRG) in April 2008. The group first met in February 2009 and a two-year programme of work was agreed in April 2009. A report with recommendations will be produced by the end of March 2011. A decision has yet to be taken on publication of the final report. Prisons: Inspections Dr. Murrison To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 October 2009, Official Report, columns 53-4WS, on temporary transfer of prisoners prior to inspection, whether the cases have been referred to the police for investigation under Prison Service Order 1300; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Straw The disciplinary investigation found no evidence of any criminal offence which would have warranted referral to the police for investigation. Had it done so, the police would have been asked for advice, and possible action. Dr. Murrison To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 20 October 2009, Official Report, columns 53-54WS, on temporary transfer of prisoners prior to inspection, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the investigation into allegations of transferring vulnerable prisoners when the investigation is concluded; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Straw It is not Ministry of Justice policy for the contents of disciplinary investigations to be made public. It would therefore not be appropriate to place in the Library a report into disciplinary issues affecting individuals, even when the investigation and resulting disciplinary proceedings are complete. Dr. Murrison To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 October 2009, Official Report, columns 53-54WS, on temporary transfer of prisoners prior to inspection, (1) to whom the investigation into the allegations will report; who will decide on any disciplinary action to be taken if warranted; and if he will make a statement; (2) for what reasons he did not decide to hold an independent inquiry into the allegations; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Straw The disciplinary investigation reported to the Director of Offender Management for London. The disciplinary process is currently overseen by the Chief Operating Officer of the National Offender Management Service. Once the Chief Inspector of Prisons made the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) aware of allegations of temporary transfers, an internal investigation, conducted by a senior Governor from another NOMS geographical area, was commissioned. As the investigation was into matters for which operational experience was essential this was an appropriate course of action. Dr. Murrison To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 October 2009, Official Report, columns 53-54WS, on temporary transfer of prisoners prior to inspection, whether any Prison Service staff have been (a) suspended and (b) placed on detached or alternative duties whilst the disciplinary investigation is carried out; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Straw No members of staff have been suspended. One member of staff was placed on alternative duties, but has now resumed his substantive post. Prisons: Manpower Philip Davies To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made as to the number of (a) former prison workers and (b) former prisoners who retained passes or keys to prison premises on leaving their employment or imprisonment in the last three years. Maria Eagle The issue of security keys in prisons is subject to careful monitoring with reconciliation and checks undertaken regularly. Stringent procedures are in place to ensure security keys are returned by all staff each time they leave prison establishments. Any failure to return security keys or taking them outside of the prison is considered a serious breach of security. This risk will be assessed and could result in a full or partial re-lock of the prison where it is felt that the key suite has been seriously compromised. Measures for the reconciliation of security passes are described in Prison Service Order 1205. Staff are required to hand in their security passes to the identified pass co-ordinator on leaving the employment of the National Offender Management Service. The pass is then destroyed as security waste and the original pass application annotated accordingly. Data on the number of staff who failed to return their passes on leaving employment are not held centrally. Prisoners are not issued with security keys or passes to prison premises. They may have access to courtesy locks on cells, but such keys do not form part of the security suite keys. Prisons: Wales Mr. David Jones To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what tests were carried out on the soil of the former Dynamex site at Caernarfon to assess its suitability as a location for a prison; (2) pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009, Official Report, column 349W, on Friction Dynamex: asbestos, what his latest estimate is of the likely cost of asbestos remediation on the former Dynamex site in Caernarfon. Maria Eagle In May 2009 NOMS' consulting engineers, as part of the due diligence process, produced an environmental report on the former Dynamex site in Caernarfon in order to assess potential liabilities and constraints associated with ground contamination. The exercise included a review of existing reports which were based on previous tests on the soil. This evidence formed the basis of the assessment rather than carrying out further soil tests. The site contains a number of contaminants, including asbestos. The due diligence report estimated the total cost of demolition and remediation so as to make the site suitable for prison development to be around £10 million. Of this sum, a substantial element is related to asbestos-related remediation. Probation Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what services probation staff are to be required to deliver in order to meet efficiency requirements. Maria Eagle In line with Government policy across the public sector, probation boards and trusts are expected to meet efficiency requirements in order to maximise the value for money that they provide. These are focused on reducing back office functions and management overheads and maintaining the priority given to resourcing front-line delivery. Boards and trusts are being supported by a national programme of specifying probation work and of benchmarking performance and cost to set clear standards for delivery and remove unjustified variation in costs. This programme, together with the intelligent use of probation work load data, enables local areas to manage the demands placed on individual staff more effectively. The Specification, Benchmarking and Costing Programme in NOMS has already identified a number of operational efficiencies. One such example is the change in balance between standard and fast delivery reports provided to courts. This process has supported areas in prioritising the delivery of front-line services while maintaining the excellent standard of work probation staff do to protect the public and reduce reoffending. Probation Officers Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (1) qualified probation officers there were in (a) West Mercia and (b) England in each year since 1997; what the equivalent figures are expected to be in the next five years (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of the total staff numbers in the Probation Service and National Offender Management Service; and if he will make a statement; (2) staff who were not qualified probation officers were employed by the Probation Service and National Offender Management Service in (a) the West Mercia probation area and (b) England in each year since 1997; how many such staff are planned to be employed in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement; (3) members of staff at management grades there were in the Probation Service and National Offender Management Service (a) nationally and (b) in the West Mercia area in each year since 1997 (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of the total number of staff; what the projected equivalent figures are for the next five years; and if he will make a statement. Maria Eagle The information requested is currently being collated and I hope to be in a position to write to the hon. Member by the end of November. Responsibility for resourcing levels ultimately lies with each probation board or trust as they are the employers of probation staff. It is for them to take the action necessary at a local level to ensure they can deliver the required service within available resources. The Probation Service’s budget for 2010-11 has just been announced and once this money has been allocated to directors of offender management they will agree with each probation board and trust how that money is to be used. Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many (a) managerial staff, (b) qualified probation officers and (c) other staff there have been in the Probation Service in each of the last 10 years; (2) what the ratio of qualified probation officers to offenders was in each probation area in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; (3) what the ratio of qualified probation officers to non-qualified probation staff was (a) nationally and (b) in the West Mercia area in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; (4) how many (a) offenders under Probation Service supervision and (b) qualified probation officers there were (i) in England and Wales and (ii) in West Mercia (A) in each of the last 10 years and (B) in the latest period for which figures are available. Maria Eagle The information requested is currently being collated and I hope to be in a position to write to the hon. Member by the end of November. Probation: Finance Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the proposed budget for West Mercia Probation Service is for 2010-11. Maria Eagle The total budget for the National Probation Service for 2010-11 financial year is £870 million and the 2010-11 budget for West Mercia will be announced before the end of the year. Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the planned budget of the Probation Service is for each of the next three years; (2) what his proposed budget for each region of the Probation Service is in each year to 2014-15. Maria Eagle No budgets are set outside of the current comprehensive spending review period. The 2010-11 budget for probation was announced on 29 October by the Secretary of State for Justice as £870 million. This shows an increase on indicative budgets issued for planning purposes of £26 million. Probation: Manpower Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) managers, (b) qualified probation officers and (c) unqualified probation officers there are in the West Mercia Probation Service. Maria Eagle The current position for managers, qualified probation offices and unqualified probation offices in West Mercia are as follows: 153—Probation officers. 111—Unqualified probation officers, including probation service officers, community punishment officers and trainee probation officers. 68—Managers of all grades. The Probation Service’s budget for 2010-11 has just been announced and we expect this money to be used to support front-line services. The additional funding will be targeted to increase confidence in the community penalties and divert low-risk offenders from short-term custody. Directors of offender management will be required to negotiate specific service improvements with individual boards/trusts which will be incorporated in SLAs/contracts for 2010-11 to ensure that this additional funding is targeted on front line delivery. Detailed work will be undertaken by directors of offender management with areas/trusts to agree additional service delivery requirements and finalise individual allocations. The overriding priority for the Probation Service is public protection which will not be put at risk. Probation areas are looking to make any required savings through back office and management rationalisation and improvements in efficiency and processes, protecting front-line delivery. Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many qualified probation officers there are in the Probation Service. Maria Eagle On 30 September 2008 there were 7,884 full time equivalent (FTE) professionally qualified Probation Officers1 up to middle manager level2 in the Probation Service. In addition, there were also 944 FTE Trainee Probation Officers going through the qualification process at that time. A significant proportion of staff above middle manager level3 also hold a professional qualification having progressed through the service to senior manager level. However, collating and compiling this information would incur disproportionate costs as it would require all 42 Probation Areas/Trusts to be contacted individually to ask for this information. 1 Includes Senior Probation Officers, Senior Practitioners, Probation Officers and Practice Development Assessors. 2 Middle Managers are those who manage front-line operational staff. 3 Chief Officer, Deputy Chief Officer, Assistant Chief Officer and Area/District Manager. Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent staff the Probation Service employed in each of the last five financial years; and what estimate he has made of the number of staff to be employed in each of the next three years. Maria Eagle The following table shows the total number of staff in post in the probation service for 2004 to 2008. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |NPS | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004 |19,237| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005 |19,755| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006 |21,103| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007 |21,246| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008 |20,850| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Figures as at 31 March for each year.2 The figures on staff in post for 2004 to 2007 have been taken from the relevant quarterly Workforce Information Reports. The figure for 2008 has been taken from the HR Data Warehouse.Note:Staff in post figures shown as full-time equivalents.| | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff in post figures for 2009 are currently unavailable. Over the five-year period, the overall staff in post in the Probation Service has increased by 8.4 per cent., with the number of qualified probation officers increasing by 4.4 per cent. Responsibility for resourcing levels ultimately lies with each probation board or trust as they are the employers of probation staff. It is for them to take the action necessary at a local level to ensure they can deliver the required service within available resources. The budget for 2010-11 has just been announced and once this money has been allocated directors of offender management will agree with each area how that money is to be used. As no final decisions have been taken on budgets for subsequent years, it is not possible to provide information for 2011-12 and 2012-13. Probation: National Offender Management Service Bill Wiggin To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what targets he has set for the (a) Probation Service and (b) National Offender Management Service for efficiency savings in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) each of the subsequent five years; and if he will make a statement. Maria Eagle The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) efficiency savings for the financial year 2009-10 are £171 million (near cash) and this includes efficiency savings for probation of £20 million (near cash). The indicative efficiency savings for financial year 2010-11 for NOMS are £205 million (near cash) and this includes efficiency savings for probation of £24 million (near cash). Targets for 2011-12 to 2013-14 will be considered as part of the next comprehensive review. The NOMS planned savings form part of the £1 billion savings plan for the Ministry of Justice agreed in the comprehensive spending review 2007 settlement, which covered three years ending March 2011. NOMS and the MOJ remain absolutely committed to delivering the best services possible to our service users and the public. Ministers are determined to ensure savings are prudent, and wherever possible, release resources to the “frontline” operational delivery units. Public Sector: Information Mr. Maude To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria apply to public bodies in determining whether a document (a) has been identified as being available for re-use and (b) is available for re-use under the Re-use of Public Sector Information provisions. Mr. Wills Public sector bodies need to ascertain whether the documents fall within the scope of the Regulations on the Re-use of Public Sector Information (SI 2005/1515) taking into account whether: the document was supplied within the public sector organisation’s public task; the document falls within the scope of the Regulations; the intellectual property rights rest with the public sector organisation; and whether it has already been identified as being available for re-use. Mr. Maude To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which Minister has responsibility for the (a) release and (b) re-use of public sector data. Mr. Wills The policy responsibility for public sector information and its re-use originally rested with the Minister for the Cabinet Office. The Ministry of Justice assumed responsibility for this policy in October 2006. I am responsible for this policy. Re-offenders Mr. Grieve To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders supervised under level 1 multi-agency public protection arrangements have reoffended in each of the last five years. Mr. Straw Data on the multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) are published in local Area MAPPA Annual Reports. The MAPPA Annual Reports have included in each of the last five years the number of offenders managed at levels 2 and 3 who have been charged with serious further offences—but not all offences. Areas have not so far been asked to report on charges of re-offending against MAPPA level 1 offenders, so the data requested are currently unavailable. The purpose of the MAPPA Annual Report is to show what multi-agency intervention and resources bring to local public protection arrangements. The focus of the data, therefore, has been upon the offenders managed at level 2 and 3 rather than at level 1, where offenders are managed through ordinary agency management. However, in order to provide data on the whole offender population eligible for multi-agency management and resources, since April 2009 all areas have been required to record instances of offenders managed at level 1 of MAPPA who are charged with serious further offences (as well as those managed at levels 2 and 3), with a view to inclusion in next year’s annual reports. Reparation by Offenders Caroline Flint To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment has been made of the merits of applying community sentencing to people aged under 17 years. Maria Eagle Community sentences have played an integral part in the 23.6 per cent. fall in the frequency of juvenile reoffending rates between 2000 and 2007, from 151.4 offences per 100 offenders committed within one year, to 115.7 offences. We recognise that there is a lack of evidence of ‘what works’ with young people, which is why we have commissioned the Juvenile Cohort Study. This is designed to track some 10,000 young offenders from 30 different Youth Offending Teams over a period of approximately two years, between 2008 and 2010, to explore the experiences of different types of young offenders within the criminal justice system. The Juvenile Cohort Study will assess the impact of interventions and combination of interventions that are associated with a reduction in reoffending in different types of young offenders subject to the criminal justice system. Supreme Court: Costs Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to the public purse was of opening the Supreme Court. Mr. Straw The Supreme Court was delivered on time and within budget. Closure of the final accounts is under way and the full costs for the court will be announced in a written ministerial statement in due course. Current estimated set-up costs (as announced in June 2007) are £58.9 million (made up of £36.7 million renovation costs which will be paid for by an annual lease charge of £2.1 million over 30 years and £22.2 million for repairs to external stonework, professional adviser fees, programme team costs, furniture, IT services and library costs). In addition, the security provision at Middlesex Guildhall has been reassessed in line with other high-profile buildings in central London. While this increased overall construction costs, these remain within budget. Supreme Court: Internet Andrew Rosindell To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many visitors the Supreme Court website has received in the last two months. Mr. Straw Since its launch just over two months ago on 21 August 2009, the website of the Supreme Court has had 88,140 visits. 72,382 of those visits have been by distinct parties. Tax Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal Dr. Cable To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) corporate tax and (b) other tax cases were heard by the Tax Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal and its predecessor in each financial year since 1995-96. Bridget Prentice Neither the Ministry of Justice nor Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs holds information on the Tax Chamber and its predecessors prior to 2004-05. The number of appeals disposed of at a hearing by the VAT and Duties Tribunal and the Special Commissioners of Income Tax from 2004-05 were: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Financial year |Disposed at hearing|Disposed—other|Disposed at hearing|Disposed—other| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004-05 |728 |2,246 |120 |108 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 |675 |1,970 |109 |126 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006-07 |763 |3,151 |126 |223 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007-08 |754 |1,678 |108 |155 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008-09 |1,105 |2,270 |125 |153 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Source:TS Tax Business Plan| | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As part of the implementation of the First-tier Tribunal (Tax), data was collated and agreed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the Tribunals Service for the year 2006-07. During that year, 9,545 cases were heard before the General Commissioners and five cases were held before the Section 706 Tribunals. No other data are available for years prior to April 2009. Since April 2009, the Tax Chamber has not differentiated between direct and indirect tax. It has heard 779 appeals. The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the specific type of appeal, e.g. corporation tax. This information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost by checking individual records of all appeals. Television: Licensing Greg Mulholland To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in Leeds, North West constituency were prosecuted for not having a television licence in each of the last three years. Claire Ward Information showing the number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for television licence evasion in the West Yorkshire police force area from 2005 to 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following table. Information is not available at constituency level; therefore police force area level data have been provided in lieu. Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Force—West Yorkshire |Number| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005 |5,333 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006 |5,293 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007 |5,928 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.Source:Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.| | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Women's Prisons: Per Capita Costs Mr. Martyn Jones To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much on average it cost to maintain a place in a women's prison in each of the last three years. Maria Eagle The local establishments' average direct cost per place in women's prisons for the last three years is shown in the following table. ----------------------------------- | |Direct cost per place (£)| ----------------------------------- |2006-07|36,009 | ----------------------------------- |2007-08|39,189 | ----------------------------------- |2008-09|37,701 | ----------------------------------- In 2007-08 Cookham Wood was re-rolled from female to male which partly explains the higher cost in 2007-08 relative to the other two years. The direct cost per place for 2008-09 is shown net of income from the Department of Health and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, whereas for earlier years it is gross. This partly explains the reduction in cost in 2008-09. Traditionally HMPS annual accounts have published the cost per place using only costs met by establishments. For 2007-08 and 2008-09 a more comprehensive cost has been calculated which includes prison related costs met centrally by HMPS and NOMS, and these are shown in the following table. ------------------------------------------ | |Total overall cost per place (£)| ------------------------------------------ |2007-08|53,333 | ------------------------------------------ |2008/09|51,707 | ------------------------------------------ Year-on-year comparisons can be difficult to make, for example because of changes in accounting treatment or of prison categories. The costs relate to establishments whose predominant category of prisoner is female. Income from the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in respect of services recharged to the YJB is excluded. The overall average costs comprise the public sector establishments' direct resource expenditure, increased by an apportionment of costs borne centrally by HMPS and the NOMS; and the resource expenditure of contracted-out prisons also increased by certain costs borne centrally. This involves some estimation. The figures do not include prisoners held in police and court cells under Operation Safeguard, nor expenditure met by other Departments (e.g. for health and education). The prisoner escort service is included. Young Offenders Mr. Rob Wilson To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what further steps he is taking to involve the Prince’s Trust in working with young offenders in custody. Maria Eagle The Prince’s Trust undertakes work with young socially excluded people. They are currently actively engaged with 17 prisons either providing or supporting a range of activities including: mentoring peer mentoring accredited qualifications in community skills, social and personal development business start up volunteering opportunities supporting transition between custody and community access to employment “Working with the third sector to reduce re-offending Securing effective partnerships 2008-11”, provides a framework for securing a continuation of engagement with such organisations and provides endorsement to the kinds of activities in which they are engaged. Young Offenders: Finance Mr. Sanders To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding the Government has provided to youth offending teams in each of the last five financial years. Maria Eagle Youth offending teams receive funding from a number of sources. The following table, taken from the forthcoming Youth Justice Board annual work load publication 2008-09, shows financial contributions made to youth offending teams (YOTs) via the YJB and other Government sources (including police, probation, social services and via local authorities) in the financial year 2008-09: --------------------------------------------------- | | |£ | --------------------------------------------------- |2008-09|YJB |138,557,446| --------------------------------------------------- | |Additional Government funding|222,813,499| --------------------------------------------------- | |Total |361,370,945| --------------------------------------------------- The following tables, taken from the respective YJB annual work load publications, show financial contributions made to youth offending teams (YOTs) via the YJB and other Government sources by financial year: --------------------------------------------------- | | |£ | --------------------------------------------------- |2007-08|YJB |126,762,030| --------------------------------------------------- | |Additional Government funding|213,282,081| --------------------------------------------------- | |Total |340,044,111| --------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- | | |£ | --------------------------------------------------- |2006-07|YJB |118,481,711| --------------------------------------------------- | |Additional Government funding|203,088,565| --------------------------------------------------- | |Total |321,570,276| --------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- | | |£ | --------------------------------------------------- |2005-06|YJB |98,333,746 | --------------------------------------------------- | |Additional Government funding|195,210,650| --------------------------------------------------- | |Total |293,544,396| --------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- | | |£ | --------------------------------------------------- |2004-05|YJB |85,498,841 | --------------------------------------------------- | |Additional Government funding|182,322,955| --------------------------------------------------- | |Total |267,821,796| --------------------------------------------------- Further details on the financial contributions can be found within the work load data publications available on the YJB Website www.yjb.gov.uk Children, Schools and Families Badman Review Mr. Drew To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when the report of the Badman review of secondary education in Gloucestershire was made available to Gloucestershire local education authority. Ms Diana R. Johnson Graham Badman's review of National Challenge progress in Gloucestershire was made available to Gloucestershire local authority on 2 October 2009. The Secretary of State on 12 October wrote to the local authority at Gloucestershire LA to confirm receipt of the report and formally request their response. CAFCASS: Finance Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many temporary and agency workers the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service has employed since April 2008; and at what cost. Dawn Primarolo CAFCASS devolve responsibility for procuring temporary and agency staff to the budget holders in each of their 21 service areas. Although spend on temporary and agency staff is collated by CAFCASS centrally, the number of temporary and agency workers is not. The latest available set of full-year figures is from 2008/09 when £10.062 million was spent on self-employed contractors and agency practitioners and £3.930 million on temporary staff who had administrative roles. Children: Antisocial Behaviour Orders Mr. Hands To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what sanctions are planned to apply to parents whose children breach an anti-social behaviour order. Mr. Alan Campbell I have been asked to reply. The Home Office is the lead Department for policy on anti-social behaviour orders. It is planned to introduce legislation to create mandatory parenting orders for parents of 10 to 15-year-olds who breach their anti-social behaviour orders as soon as parliamentary time allows. Children: International Cooperation Mr. Oaten To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what initiatives his Department and its predecessors have promoted in support of Resolution 47, on International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010), adopted by the 55th session of the UN General Assembly in 2001; (2) what steps he plans to take to implement in schools the provisions of Resolution 47, on International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010), adopted by the 55th session of the UN General Assembly in 2001, with particular reference to the promotion of education to foster a culture of peace and non-violence. Ms Diana R. Johnson [holding answer 5 November 2009]: No actions have been taken specifically in response to this resolution but the Department has nevertheless implemented policies which are consistent with its content. The key themes of promoting a culture of mutual understanding, tolerance, active citizenship, human rights and the promotion of a culture of peace are integral to the work the Department and schools are doing within the curriculum as a whole and particularly on citizenship, community cohesion and sustainable development. Children: Poverty Mr. Hepburn To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many and what percentage of children have been living in households with below 60 per cent. of (a) contemporary and (b) 1998-99 median income in (i) the Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 2005-06; (2) how many children have been defined as living in relative poverty in (a) the North East and (b) the UK in each year since 2007. Helen Goodman I have been asked to reply. Poverty statistics, published in the “Households Below Average Income” series only allow a breakdown of the overall number of people in relative poverty at Government Office Region level or for Inner or Outer London. Therefore, information for the Jarrow constituency or South Tyneside is not available. The available information is in the following tables. -------------------------------------- |Period |Number (millions)|Percentage| -------------------------------------- |2005/06|2.8 |22 | -------------------------------------- |2006/07|2.9 |22 | -------------------------------------- |2007/08|2.9 |23 | -------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------ |Period |Number (millions)|Percentage| ------------------------------------------------ |2005/06 - 2007/08|0.1 |28 | ------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------- |Period |Number (millions)|Percentage| -------------------------------------- |2005/06|1.6 |13 | -------------------------------------- |2006/07|1.7 |13 | -------------------------------------- |2007/08|1.7 |13 | -------------------------------------- Number and percentage of children in the North East living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of 1998/99 median income, 2005/06 - 2007/08, Before housing costsPeriodNumber (millions)Percentage2005/06 - 2007/080.114 Notes:1. These statistics are based on households below average income, sourced from the Family Resources survey. The Family Resources survey is available in the Library.2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response.3. The reference period for households below average income figures are single financial years. For the North East, three years of data have had to be combined due to small sample size.4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication ‘Households Below Average Income’ (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living.5. For the households below average income series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) equalisation factors.6. Numbers of children in low income have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.7. Proportions of children in low income have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.8. The 1998/99 median income threshold has been held constant in real terms before applying this to the 2007/08 households below average income data. Children's Commissioner for England Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what official engagements the Children’s Commissioner for England has undertaken since January 2008. Dawn Primarolo This is a matter for 11 Million (formerly the Office of the Children’s Commissioner). Paul Evans, Director of Corporate Services at 11 Million, has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will also be placed in the Libraries. Letter from Paul Evans, dated 30 October 2009: In response to the Parliamentary Question No: 297300, for Commons Written reply on Monday 02/11/2009: “to ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what official engagements the Children’s Commissioner for England has undertaken since January 2008”. I can advise the following: Sir Al Aynsley-Green undertook 293 visits and speaking engagements between 1 January 2008-30 October 2009 Sir Al Aynsley-Green undertook 254 meetings with external stakeholders between 1 January 2008-30 October 2009. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further information. Children's Commissioner for England: Publications Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what (a) reports and (b) research (i) the Children's Commissioner for England and (ii) 11 Million have published in the last five years. Dawn Primarolo These are matters for 11 Million (formerly the Office of the Children's Commissioner). Paul Evans, Director of Corporate Services at 11 Million, has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will also be placed in the House Libraries. Class Sizes: Peterborough Mr. Stewart Jackson To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average class size for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Peterborough was on the latest date for which figures are available. Ms Diana R. Johnson The requested information on average class sizes is published as part of the “Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics: January 2009” Statistical First Release (table 14a for primary schools and 14c for secondary schools) at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000843/index.shtml Departmental Annual Reports Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to Table 8.4 of his Department's Annual Report 2009, pages 175-76, which programmes and allocations have been aggregated under the category (a) Safeguarding and (b) Special Educational Needs/Disabilities. Ms Diana R. Johnson Detail on the constituent parts of safeguarding and special educational needs/disabilities expenditure, aggregated in DCSF’s Departmental Annual Report 2009, are provided as follows for the year 2010-11. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |(£000) | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |(a) Safeguarding1 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Teenage Pregnancy/Substance Misuse |10,185 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Safeguarding Children & Supporting Families Grant |1,130 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Safeguarding—total |11,315 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |(b) Special Educational Needs (SEN)/Disabilities | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |SEN & NMSS, including Safeguarding Advisers, Medical & Legal costs and Family Support (Contact) |251,980| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Children in Care and SEN NMSS—capital |5,700 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Special Educational Needs/Disabilities—total |257,680| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Please note that additional expenditure on these programmes occurs outside the departmental body as part of local authority spending.Notes:1. SEN = Special educational needs2. NMSS = Non-maintained special schools3. Safeguarding Advisers: Previously known as allegation management advisers (AMA).| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Education: Young Offender Institutions Mr. Rob Wilson To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what resources per head were allocated to (a) the Young Offender Institution estate and (b) Reading Young Offender Institution for the education of prisoners in each of the last five years. Mr. Coaker The following table shows the calculated ‘spend on education per bed place’ in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for each academic year, for which statistics are available. This includes learning delivered through the Offenders’ Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) to young people aged 15-17 in Prison Service Young Offender Institutions in England. The figures do not include spend on learning delivered outside the scope of LSC funded provision which is not collected centrally; neither does it include funding for young adults aged 18-20 in YOIs, as this information is not easily disaggregated (it would require information to be requested and compiled by each LSC region). The average spend per place has been calculated using the figures for the number of ‘beds’ commissioned in the Prison Service juvenile YOI secure estate as at the end of March in each of the relevant years. ---------------------------------------------- |Academic year|Calculated spend per bed place| ---------------------------------------------- |2006/07 |6,826 | ---------------------------------------------- |2007/08 |7,556 | ---------------------------------------------- |2008/09 |7,628 | ---------------------------------------------- Prior to 2006/07 OLASS had not been rolled out nationally and therefore figures are not available. The following table provides the total funding by the LSC for Reading Young Offender Institution, housing 18 to 20-year-olds, for the academic years for which figures are available. Education for those aged 18 and over in young adult custody is not compulsory and therefore allocations are not calculated on a ‘per head’ basis. These figures do not include spend on learning outside the scope of LSC funded provision. Those figures are not collected centrally. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Academic year |Total allocation| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2006/07 |568,771 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2007/08 |580,146 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2008/09 |1629,443 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1 Includes £49,250 for the purchase of learning equipment.| | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Faith Schools: Finance Paul Holmes To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what grants his Department has made to independent faith schools in the last 12 months. Ms Diana R. Johnson [holding answer 5 November 2009]: There are more than 900 independent faith schools registered with the Department for Children, Schools and Families. A school can seek faith designation at any time, so an answer to this question could be provided only by examining the date at which individual schools sought designation, and the payments made after that time. Therefore this question could be answered only at disproportionate cost. GCSE Andrew Stunell To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils (a) eligible and (b) ineligible for free school meals did not sit GCSE examinations in five or more subjects in (i) 2008, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2006 and (iv) 2005. Ms Diana R. Johnson The information requested is given in the following table: Pupils at the end of key stage 4 who did not sit GCSE or equivalent examinations in five or more subjectsFSM pupilsNon-FSM pupilsNumberPercentageNumberPercentage200510,95013.823,8294.8200610,91114.025,4564.9200710,56913.826,2035.020088,70411.721,7164.2 Note:These figures have been derived from the National Pupil Database and cover pupils at the end of key stage 4 in maintained schools only. Michael Gove To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils in receipt of free school meals achieved five GCSEs, including a science, mathematics, English and history in (a) 1997, (b) 2003, (c) 2008 and (d) 2009. Ms Diana R. Johnson [holding answer 10 November 2009]: This answer can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Schools: Cadets Michael Gove To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) comprehensive, (b) maintained and (c) independent schools had an operational combined cadet force in (i) 2005, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008 and (iv) 2009. Mr. Kevan Jones I have been asked to reply. The number of state and independent schools that had an operational combined cadet force in the years requested is shown in the table: ---------------------------------------- | |State schools|Independent schools| ---------------------------------------- |2005|53 |197 | ---------------------------------------- |2007|60 |200 | ---------------------------------------- |2008|60 |201 | ---------------------------------------- |2009|59 |201 | ---------------------------------------- These figures do not include membership in the community cadet forces. When these are taken in to consideration over 100,000 of the total of around 130,000 cadets, are children at state schools. Michael Gove To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) comprehensive school and (b) maintained school pupils were members of their school's Combined Cadet Force in (i) 2005, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008 and (iv) 2009. Mr. Kevan Jones I have been asked to reply. Information is only available for state schools as a category. The number of state school pupils who were members of their school Combined Cadet Force, as at 1 April in the years requested, is as follows: ------------------- | |Year|Pupils| ------------------- |(i) |2005|6,304 | ------------------- |(ii) |2007|6,449 | ------------------- |(iii)|2008|7,011 | ------------------- |(iv) |2009|7,579 | ------------------- In addition, there are 25 known partnerships where independent schools with Combined Cadet Forces provide cadet places to neighbouring state schools; for these partnerships it is not possible to identify the numbers of state school cadets. Schools: Curriculum Mr. Lancaster To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will include lessons on body confidence in the national curriculum at key stages 2 and 3. Ms Diana R. Johnson Personal, social, health and emotional (PSHE) education already includes the provision of information about how to lead healthy lifestyles, as well as body image and health issues and offers an opportunity for children and young people to develop confidence on these issues. At key stage 2, the current non-statutory content includes learning about healthy lifestyles and how the body changes with the approach of puberty; key stage 3 covers learning about physical and emotional changes that take place at this time and the factors that contribute to an individual’s personal wellbeing. The programmes of study are written at a high level and set out only the broad topics that should be covered in PSHE. This therefore allows flexibility for schools on how they present learning in areas such as body confidence. Guidance is to be produced in early 2010 to support schools teaching PSHE education, and individuals and organisations with a particular interest in body confidence will be consulted on how best this can be covered in the guidance. Schools: Standards Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which (a) primary maintained, (b) secondary maintained and (c) special schools were classified by Ofsted as having (i) outstanding and (ii) inadequate leadership at their most recent inspection. Mr. Coaker [holding answer 9 November 2009]: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries. Special Educational Needs Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009, Official Report, columns 1730-1W, on special educational needs, how many pupils in each category were classified as gifted and talented. Ms Diana R. Johnson The available information is shown in the table. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |Academies | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | |Number of pupils who had a statement of special educational needs and who were gifted and talented|Number of pupils who had unstatemented special educational needs and who were gifted and talented| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |Number of schools|Year group 10|Year group 11|Year group 10|Year group 11| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2007 |46 |10|3—|60|40| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2008 |83 |10|10|220|190| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |2009 |133 |20|10|380|360| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |1 Excludes dually registered pupils.2 Information on gifted and talented status is available from 2007.3 Denotes figures of less than five.Note:Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.Source:School Census| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many letters his Department has written to head teachers on special educational needs in the last 12 months; and if he will place a copy of each such letter in the Library. Ms Diana R. Johnson The Department has sent two letters to schools specifically about special educational needs (SEN) over the past year: The Exchequer Secretary wrote to schools on 22 January 2009 about improving outcomes for children with SEN and tackling bullying; and the Department wrote to schools in a letter dated 27 January 2009 about children with SEN from service families. These letters have been placed in the House Libraries. In addition, SEN and disability featured in the Secretary of State's annual ‘back to school’ letter to head teachers in September 2008. This letter emphasised the priority he attaches to narrowing the attainment gap in outcomes for disadvantaged children, including those with SEN. Special Educational Needs: Pupil Exclusions Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2009, Official Report, column 2117W, on special educational needs: pupil exclusions, how much of each category of expenditure detailed in the answer was incurred (a) in each local authority area and (b) in respect of each type of special educational need. Mr. Coaker It is assumed that the question asked relates to categories of exclusion and not categories of expenditure. On this basis the breakdown by local authority area for the earliest and latest years available—2003/04 and 2007/08—has been placed in the Libraries. Data for other years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The breakdown by type of special educational need can be found in the reply given on 24 March, Official Report, column 366W. Written Questions: Government Responses Tim Loughton To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to answer question (a) 256860, (b) 258648 and (c) 260486 on special educational needs, tabled on 26 February, 20 February and 10 February 2009 respectively. Ms Diana R. Johnson The PQs have been replied to today. I apologise for the lateness of these PQs. The reason for the delay was due to an administrative error. Energy and Climate Change Carbon Emissions Julia Goldsworthy To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the level of carbon dioxide emissions per head is for each Government office region in each of the last five years. Joan Ruddock [holding answer 5 November 2009]: Data for per capita emissions of carbon dioxide for each Government office region from 2005 to 2007 inclusive are set out in the following table. DECC does not hold ONS accredited data on regional per capita emissions before 2005, and 2008 data is not yet available. --------------------------------------------------- |Region |Per capita CO2 emissions (t)| --------------------------------------------------- |North East | | --------------------------------------------------- |2005 |13.1 | --------------------------------------------------- |2006 |12.8 | --------------------------------------------------- |2007 |12.6 | --------------------------------------------------- | | | --------------------------------------------------- |North West | | --------------------------------------------------- |2005 |8.