To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions he has made, in forecasting economic growth, about the impact of immigration on (a) the growth of the labour force and (b) the rate of growth of productivity per head of the existing labour force. [26728]

Net inward migration makes a positive contribution to growth of the UK labour force and the trend rate of output growth. Details of the Treasury's methodology for projecting trend growth and its productivity and labour input components are set out in the publication Trend Growth: Recent Developments and Prospects" (2002). The projection for net inward migration is based on projections by the Government Actuary's Department. The Treasury's latest published economic forecast and underlying assumptions for trend growth and its components were set out in Budget 2005, and will be updated in the forthcoming pre-Budget report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has commissioned on the relative costs of energy sources and tackling climate change. [26733]

This Government attach great importance to tackling climate change, as demonstrated by their decision to make climate change a priority for the UK presidencies of the G8 and EU. To build up our knowledge base of the challenges we face the Chancellor has asked Sir Nick Stern to lead a major review of the economics of climate change. This review will allow us to understand more comprehensively the nature of the economic challenges we face and how they can be met, in the UK and globally.

The review will report to the Prime Minister and Chancellor by autumn 2006.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the capital allowances are for the development of biofuel production. [26734]

Budget 2005 announced that the Government considered that offering enhanced capital allowances for the cleanest biofuels processing plants would be a useful additional measure of support to the UK biofuels industry, subject to Commission approval. We are currently undertaking further detailed work on this issue and will update the position as part of the pre-Budget report. Where combined heat and power is used as part of biofuels plant, that equipment is already eligible for a 100 per cent. ECA.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution he is making towards meeting the 2015 targets for reducing world poverty. [26735]

UK aid will reach nearly £6.5 billion a year by 2007–08, and the Chancellor has announced that we will reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent. overseas development aid as proportion of gross national income in 2013.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised by stamp duty in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2004–05. [26738]

The amount of revenue raised in 1996–97 by stamp duty on residential land and property transactions was £675 million.

The amount of revenue raised in 2004–05 by stamp duty land tax on residential land and property transactions was £5.5 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised from stamp duty, on (a) residential and (b) commerical property in (i) each Government office region, (ii) Wales, (iii)Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996–97. [26938]

Latest estimates of the amount of stamp duty raised on residential land and property transactions are available at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/table15_2_ october04.pdf

Latest estimates for stamp duty raised on commercial transactions are given in the table.

£ million

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the performance of the European single currency. [26739]

To be fully equipped for the global economy, Europe must become more open and outward looking, more flexible and competitive, and more committed to reform to compete worldwide and move to full employment. Membership of the European single currency places an additional premium on flexibility in capital, product and labour markets since the ability to vary national interest rates and the nominal exchange rate between euro area countries no longer exists.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the cancellation of debt for the world's poorest countries. [26740]

At the annual meetings in September we secured agreement from the IMF and World Bank for multilateral debt relief for up to 38 of the world's most indebted countries of a full 100 per cent. Britain goes further than this and we will unilaterally service our share of the debts of other poor countries where the resources freed up will be used for poverty reduction.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the impact on tax revenues and the economy of illegal working by (a)British and EU citizens, (b) asylum seekers and (c)illegal immigrants. [26741]

It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the impact on tax revenues and the economy of illegal working by British and EU citizens, asylum seekers or illegal immigrants.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the administration of the tax credits system. [26742]

In my statement to the House of 26 May I set out a series of important measures for improving the administration of tax credits. I updated the House on progress in a statement to the Treasury Sub-Committee on 26 October.

Over 6 million families—nine out of 10 families in this country—are benefiting from tax credits. For the majority of families the system is working well. And it has helped lift more than half a million children out of poverty since 1998–99.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Hackney, South and Shoreditch received tax credits in 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [26746]

In 2003–04 there were on average 4,600 families in the Hackney, South and Shoreditch constituency who benefited from child and working tax credits. Figures for 2004–05 will be available after family incomes and circumstances have been finalised.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claimants have made incorrect claims for (a) working tax credits and (b) child tax credits in 2005. [22962]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the constituent of the right hon. Member for Birkenhead, Mrs. Williams of Slatey Road, Wirral, will receive the tax credits owed to her since July. [25131]

HM Revenue and Customs is statutorily debarred from disclosing information relating to the tax affairs of individuals. The Tax Credit Office will however, be writing to the right hon. Gentleman very shortly about his constituent's claim for tax credits.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) what estimate he has made of the expenditure on child tax credit for parents of 16 to 19-year-olds in full-time education for (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08; [25380]

(2) what the estimated expenditure is on child benefit for 16 to 19-year-olds in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08. [25384]

The information requested is not available.

The latest figures on the number of children by age forwhom child benefit is received are published in Child Benefit. Quarterly Statistics. May 2005". The publication can be found on the HMRC website under the link given below:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/quarterlv.htm

The latest figures available on the number of children by age for whom child tax credit is received are published in Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. April 2005". The publication can be found on the HMRC website under the link below:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/c-wtc-stats-april05.pdf

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of an extension of the minimum wage to 16 and 17-year-olds. [26743]

In its 2004 report, the Low Pay Commission proposed the introduction of a National Minimum Wage for 16 and 17-year-olds, at an hourly rate of £3.00 per hour. The Government accepted the Commission's recommendation and the Youth Rate was introduced in October 2004.

The Government agree with the Commission that the Youth Rate puts a stop to clear exploitation while neither encouraging young people out of education nor harming the supply of training places.

The Low Pay Commission are currently considering a range of matters in connection with the minimum wage, including the impact of the new rate for 16 and 17-year-olds workers, and we expect to receive their report in spring 2006.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses were found to be employing workers for less than the minimum wage in (a) Houghton and Washington East and (b) Sunderland city council area in each year since the minimum wage was introduced; and how many were (i)fined and (ii) forced to cease trading. [25514]

The information requested is not available.

National minimum wage statistical data are not held by reference to constituency or council areas.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects a resolution satisfactory to city academies to be reached following the discussions between his Department and colleagues at the Department for Education and Skills. [26744]

Discussions with the Department for Educations and Skills are on-going, including about the impact of the VAT rules on academies. The Government are also in discussion with academies about this issue.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce an independent monitoring system for the Golden Rule. [26745]

Progress against the golden rule is measured by the average annual surplus on the current budget as a percentage of GDP since the cycle began. The independent Office for National Statistics produces the public finance and national accounts statistics on which this measurement is based. These statistics are subject to the same safeguards and quality control procedures that apply to all statistics produced within the National Statistics framework.

In addition, the Comptroller and Auditor General has been asked to audit the end date of the previous economic cycle and give us his view as to whether the judgment is reasonable and cautious.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequerhow many child trust fund vouchers had been issued up to 30 September in West Lancashire; how many of these have been cashed; and if he will make a statement. [27747]

The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost. UK-wide information on the number of child trust fund vouchers issued and the number of accounts opened are published quarterly on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_trust_funds/child-trust-funds.htm. The second set of quarterly figures was published on 31 August 2005.

Data showing activity to 20 November will be published on the 30 November 2005.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the take-up rate of tax-free child care vouchers. [26105]

Estimates of the cost of the new tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) exemption for employer supported child care were included in page6 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report" and Financial Statement and Budget Report 2004"¹ . Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs are monitoring the levels of take-up but the information is not yet available.

¹ This page can be accessed at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/7A8/DF/bud04_cha_190.pdf

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the use of the word spouse in official documents; if he will encourage the use of the term spouse/partner; and if he will make a statement. [24778]

For tax purposes, official documents and forms will continue to use the term spouse" where it already occurs. Following the start of the civil partnership scheme on the 5 December 2005 documents and forms will in due course include the term civil partner" to recognise this new relationship.

From 5 December, in line with the changes to tax credits legislation made by the Civil Partnership Act and consequential regulations, child and working tax credits forms and documents will refer to an extended definition of the term 'couple', including same-sex couples.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the dates of meetings that have taken place between his officials and representatives of (a) banks and (b) building societies to discuss dormant accounts in the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [27609]

HM Treasury meet regularly with representatives of banks and building societies to discuss this and other issues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in discussions between his officials and representatives of (a) banks and (b) building societies on dormant accounts; and if he will make a statement. [27654]

As stated in the Budget 2005, HM Treasury is engaged in constructive discussions with the industry to take work on unclaimed assets forward. A report on progress will be made in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suicides were recorded in the farming industry in each of the last five years. [26269]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 10 November 2005

As National Statistician, I have been asked to answer your question asking how many suicides were recorded in the farming industry in each of the last five years. (26269)

The most recently available information is for deaths in 2004. Figures for deaths in farm workers or farm owners from suicide or injury or poisoning of undetermined intent are shown in the table for each year from 2000 to 2004.

Number of deaths from intentional self-harm and injury or poisoning of undetermined intent in farm workers or farm owners, England and Wales, 2000–04^(1)(2)(3)(4)

⁽¹⁾The cause of death for intentional self-harm was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (1CD-9) codes E950 to E959 for 2000, and for the years 2001 to 2004, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (1CD-10) codes X60-X84.

⁽²⁾The cause of death for injury or poisoning of undetermined intent was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (1CD-9) codes E980 to E989 excluding E988.8 for 2000, and, for the years 2001 to 2004, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (1CD-10) codes Y10-Y34 excluding Y33.9 where the coroner's verdict was pending.

⁽³⁾The occupation coded at death registration is the last gainful occupation of the deceased, as supplied by the informant who registers the death and is recorded for all persons aged 16 to 74. ONS Standard Occupation Classification 1990 (SOC90) was usedto code data for 2000, and ONS Standard Occupational Classification 2000 (SOC2K) was used to code data from 2001 to 2004.

⁽⁴⁾Data are for occurrences of death in each calendar year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) if he will extend the deadline for principal photography and acquisition to be completed for filmsclaiming tax relief under section 48 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1997; [26691]

(2) what arrangements have been made for the transition period to the new tax credit system for films claiming under section 42 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1997. [26692]

The Government have recently carried out a consultation on the replacement of the current tax relief for UK film production. We will consider the representations that have been made and make an announcement in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors are responsible for the delay in settling the increase in the 2005–06 pay of Land Registry staff in Birkenhead; and whether the increase in pay will reflect the delay in the annual pay review. [27246]

For staff below the senior civil service, Departments and agencies have authority to determine pay and conditions, appropriate to their business needs and taking account of wider Government policies on public sector pay. Proposals for pay remits must be submitted, then negotiated with HM Treasury and, in most cases, are subject to ministerial approval. The length of time to agree is determined, In part, by the complexity of the proposals put forward.

Having submitted their pay remit this year and following discussions with the Treasury and the Cabinet Office, the Land Registry entered into negotiations with the relevant trade union bodies on the final pay award to reach a settlement, publishing details of this year's offer to staff on November 8. The level of award will be back-dated by the Land Registry to the annual settlement date.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the possible impact of the National Insurance Contributions Bill on orchestras and ensembles. [24846]

The National Insurance Contributions Bill was introduced to ensure that employers and employees who have participated in tax avoidance pay their fair share of National Insurance Contributions on rewards of employment. It has no specific impact on orchestras and ensembles.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Government have made of the causes of increases in (a) stamp duty revenues and (b) inheritance tax revenues since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [26943]

Tax revenues will automatically rise each year as the economy grows, asset prices increase, more people are in work and people are earning more. This is a sign of economic success and increased national prosperity with employment increasing by over 2.2 million since 1997.

The Government publish their analysis of the economic factors that influence tax revenues twice yearly: at the pre-Budget report and the Budget.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the intended date is for introduction of VAT on outsourced insurance services; and whether it will apply to services outsourced to (a) Crown dependencies and overseas territories, (b) countries of the European Union and (c) other countries. [26202]

HM Revenue and Customs issued a consultation document on the proposed changes to the VAT exemption for insurance-related services in July. The consultation exercise formally closed on 30 September 2005. The responses are currently being considered very carefully ahead of any decision.

Whether UK VAT is chargeable on services outsourced from outside the UK depends on the exact nature of the service supplied. This will determine where they are deemed to be supplied. General administration services are deemed to be supplied where the supplier belongs and would be outside the scope of UK VAT when supplied from outside the UK.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria are used to decide whether to impose windfall taxation. [27151]

The Government believe that a modern and fair tax system should encourage work and saving, keep pace with business practices and the global economy and provide the foundation for building world-class public services. The Government keep all taxes under review and any changes to taxation are considered as part of the normal Budget process.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many air weapon offences were committed in the Humberside police area in each of the last five years. [24737]

The information requested is given in the following table.

Offences involving air weapons recorded by Humberside police, 1999–2000 to 2003–04

⁽⁵⁾Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by some police forces implementing the principles of the NationalCrime Recording Standard in advance of national implementation.

⁽⁶⁾The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced on 1 April 2002. Figures before and after this date are not directly comparable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill on the pastime of airsofting; and what representations he has received on this issue. [25350]

We have received representations fromboth participants and organisers, including the Association of British Airsoft, about the effects of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill and are considering whether it would be appropriate and possible for the sport of airsoft to be exempted from the provisions of the Bill without undermining its main purpose. Under the provisions of the Bill as currently drafted, participants will still be able to use their existing guns and will be able to buy any airsoft which is not so realistic as to make it indistinguishable from a real firearm.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those issued with antisocial behaviour orders in (a) England and Wales and (b) Tendling district have breached the terms of their order in the most recent period for which figures are available. [25450]

Data on convictions for breach of an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) are currently available from one June 2000 to 31 December 2003. Of the 1,892 ASBOs issued during this period within England and Wales, as reported to the Home office, 42 per cent. of persons (793) breached their ASBO on one or more occasions.

ASBO breach data are available at Criminal Justice System area level only.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Somalian nationals have claimed asylum at Heathrow arriving on flights from (a) Nairobi and (b) Addis Ababa in the last five years. [25121]

In the last five years, 58 Somalian Nationals, arriving on flights from Nairobi, have claimed asylum at Heathrow and 44 Somalian Nationals, on arrival from flights from Addis Ababa, have claimed asylum at Heathrow over the corresponding period.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of new substantive asylum applications received between 1 January and 30 June 2005 had initial decisions reached and served within two months. [26662]

Information on the timeliness of initial decisions is published quarterly and annually, data for Q2 2005 will be published in the Asylum Statistics: 3rd Quarter 2005 publication available on 22 November 2005 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any future use of biometrics for both passports and identity cards will be entirely managed and delivered within the public sector. [25657]

It is currently envisaged that the services required to support the delivery of biometrics for the use in both passports and identity cards, will be managed within the public sector and delivered using both public and private sector resources. This approach ensures that the best possible use can be made of external capability, while retaining critical decision making and strategically important functions within the public sector. Any developments in the future will support this principle and will ensure that the public sector retains control of all key decision making in regard to the use of biometrics and all decisions about enrolments using biometrics.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on community policing in Romford; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of ward policing in London. [26442]

The Government are committed to every area in England and Wales benefiting from dedicated, visible, accessible and responsive neighbourhood policing teams by 2008. Within London, the roll-out of safer neighbourhoods teams are a decision for the commissioner of the Metropolitan police. There are currently eight teams in the London borough of Havering, and the commissioner plans that all areas of London will benefit by April 2007.

The Home Office has commissioned an evaluation of the impact of the National Reassurance Policing programme which includes four wards in the Metropolitan Police Service, in Bexley, Enfield, Kensington and Chelsea and Merton. This study will assess the impact of police activity on public feelings of safety and security, community engagement and confidence in the police, and will be published in the early part of 2006. The MPS are conducting their own internal assessment of the Safer Neighbourhoods programme for operational purposes, which includes a public attitudes survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many breaches of anti-social behaviour orders have (a) resulted in and (b) not resulted in court action in (i) Romford and (ii) Havering since they were introduced. [26441]

The Home Office court proceedings database holds breach proceedings only where there has been a conviction. These data are available at Criminal Justice System area level only.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his target is for the recovery of criminal assets in 2005. [26649]

As set out in the Home Office Strategic Plan 2004–08 (Cm 6287) the target for 2004–05 was £60 million, with more in future years. In 2005–06 we aim to exceed last year's performance where £84.4 million of criminal proceeds was recovered.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of cases have been considered for more than two years before a decision has been reached under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2001. [21262]

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority advises that in 2003–04 (the first year in which any case could satisfy this criterion) the percentage was 2.5 per cent. In 2004–05 it was 4.5 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what protocols the Government have in place to ensure that cross-border co-operation between police forces is effective; and if he will make a statement. [24516]

There are currently protocols for forces to collaborate to deal with cross border crime. The Closing the Gap report identified that some of these arrangements were not as effective as they could or should be. These issues are currently being progressed as part of the Review of the Structure of Police Forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on items of art in 2004–05. [23468]

In 2004–05, as part of the interior art strategy for the new Home Office at 2 Marsham Street, £17,260 was spent on art. The exterior art strategy for 2 Marsham Street was paid for by the developer Annes Gate Property plc. Art provided to Ministers' offices are loaned by the Government Art Collection at no cost to my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms certificate applications were processed by each police force in England and Wales in each of the last three years for which records are available. [24732]

The information requested is given in the following table.

Firearm certificate applications in England and Wales by police force area, 2001 to 2003–04 -- Number

Notes:

1.Data collected by calendar year until 2002, financial year thereafter.

2.Includes granted and refused applications for new, renewal and variation certificates.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the rate of knife crime was in each police authority area in each year since 1997. [25041]

The information requested is not collected centrally. Crimes involving the use of a knife cannot be separately identified in the recorded crime statistics.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department

(1) what criteria are used in assessing whether military police should participate in policing civilian areas and events; [23652]

(2) how long he expects Cheshire police to be collaborating with military personnel in Operation Yellow Card; [23653]

(3) what guidelines are in place for establishing chain of command when military police and civil police forces work together; [23654]

(4) what assessment he has made of how the civil police force might be supplemented by the military police force; and if he will make a statement. [23655]

I am advised by Cheshire police that operation yellow card does not involve military personnel. Operational policing is the responsibility of the chief police officer in the area concerned. Military assistance can be sought in exceptional circumstances in accordance with arrangements that include the need to seek approval of the relevant Ministers in the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence. In such circumstances, military personnel provide support to and work under the control of the chief police officer. This remains the case even in circumstances where military personnel are deployed in support of the police.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been found to be carrying knives in public without a good reason or lawful authority in (a) England and Wales and (b) the Teignbridge constituency since the coming into force of the Knives Act 1997; and how many of these received a prison sentence. [25892]

The information available is shown in the following table.

Defendants sentenced and given custody for carrying a weapon or blade, 1997–2004⁽⁷⁾

⁽⁷⁾The above offences are not covered within the Knifes Act 1997 which came into force, partly in September 1997 and fully in March 1999. The offences are covered under previous Acts. The offences of possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse is covered under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 S.1. The offence of having an article with a blade or point in a public place is covered by the Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139.

⁽⁸⁾The Teignbridge Court was amalgamated into the South Devon magistrates court in 2000–01. The figures are shown for each court separately.

Source:

RDS NOMS 3/11/2005

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken to deal with persistent offenders. [24286]

The Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) strategy was launched by the Prime Minister in March 2004 to target not only existing prolific offenders but also those young people who are on the cusp of a prolific offending lifestyle. The strategy has three strands: prevent and deter—to stop young people becoming prolific offenders; catch and convict—tackling those who are already prolific offenders; and rehabilitate and resettle—working to increase the number of offenders who stop offending by offering a range of supportive interventions.

Over 10,000 existing prolific offenders have been identified by schemes across England and Wales. In addition, approximately 4,000 young people have been identified as suitable for support as part of the prevent and deter strand. A report of the early findings of the evaluation of the PPO strategy was published in October 2005. It provides encouraging but early indicative data on the impact on the offending rates of PPOs, as well as information about the characteristics of the targeted PPO population and how schemes are intervening with them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in (a) the South Tyneside area command and (b) Northumbria in each year since 1997. [24289]

The available information is provided in the following table.

Number of police officers (full-time equivalent) (1997–2005)

⁽⁹⁾Data are unavailable prior to 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide additional resources over the next four years to the Thames Valley police for the enforcement of the recent ban on hunting with dogs. [26110]

The enforcement of the ban on hunting with dogs is a normal policing function and forces are expected to absorb the costs of this activity within their plans and budgeted resources. These are operational matters for the local chief constable.

We have invested heavily in policing in England and Wales over the past five years. Expenditure supported by Government grant or spent centrally on policing increased by 39 per cent. or over £3 billion between 2000–01 and 2005–06. Thames Valley is receiving its fair share of the available resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are to expand the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time police officers working in (i) Romford, (ii) Havering, (iii) Essex and (iv)Greater London over the next 12 months. [26443]

This information is not available centrally. The number of police officers deployed in particular areas of Essex and London are operational decisions which are the responsibility of the chief constable and the commissioner.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were charged for speeding in each police force in each of the last 10 years. [26447]

Information on the number of police personnel charged by type of offence is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many graduates in the police force's fast-tracking system met his Department's target of becoming a chief inspector in seven years in each of the last five years. [26563]

There is no target for fast tracking police officers with a university degree to the rank of chief inspector within seven years. The Police High Potential Development Scheme, which is currently placed 20 in the 2005–06 Times Top 100 Graduate Employers listing, provides development opportunities tailored to individual needs for those who successfully pass the selection process to combine real work experience, practical training and academic study in order to move through the ranks to senior leadership positions in the police service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police cells are in use in Essex, broken down by location. [18085]

This is an operational matter for the chief constable of Essex police but I understand that the numbers of cells in use in Essex are as set out in thefollowing table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the projected funding per head of the population was for each police authority in England and Wales in 2004–05. [24934]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer Igave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 514W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in Leeds, North West in each year since 1997, broken down by ethnicity; and what percentage of the total in each year was accounted for by each ethnic group. [23998]

This information is not collected centrally. Data are available for West Yorkshire police and is provided in the following table.

Police officer strength for West Yorkshire (1997–2005) -- Ethnicity breakdown Full-time equivalent^(10)(11)

⁽¹⁰⁾Ethnicity breakdown is only available from 2003 onwards.

⁽¹¹⁾FTE includes those on career breaks and maternity/paternity leave.

Police officer strength for West Yorkshire (1997–2005) -- Ethnicity Breakdown Percentage⁽¹²⁾

⁽¹²⁾Ethnicity breakdown is only available from 2003 onwards

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many official complaints have been lodged against police officers in each London borough in each of the last 10 years. [27121]

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is responsible for the management of the police complaints system. I will ensure that the chairman receives a copy of the question and replies to the hon. Member directly. Copies of the letter containing the IPCC's response will be placed in the Libraries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department provides on the minimum number of officers necessary to staff a police station at night. [24475]

This is a matter for local determination according to operational need. The Home Office does not issue guidance on it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal investigators there were in the Bedfordshire police force in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [24378]

The available information is for 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 and is given in the table.Information for previous years is not currently available.

Police officers in CID function (full-time equivalent) in Bedfordshire (1997–2005)

⁽¹³⁾This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to reduce the loss of experienced criminal investigators from Bedfordshire to other forces, as identified by the Police Performance Assessment 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [24379]

We understand that the numbers of detectives transferring from Bedfordshire has declined and is not considered a problem. Like all forces, Bedfordshire have a range of pay and other incentives to retain officers in particular posts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the 1,206 colleges visited by his Department's student task force were judged to be (a) genuine colleges and (b) not genuine colleges. [26668]

Between April 2004 and December 2004, 1,218 educational institutions were visited and 314 (25 per cent.) were found not to be genuine. All applications from students to study at institutions found not to be genuine were refused.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 180W, on terrorist attacks in London, how long it took to reach each underground train affected by the incidents. [24245]

After consultation with the Metropolitan Police Service, the British Transport Police, the London Fire Brigade Service and the London Ambulance Service I can inform the hon. Member that the information he has requested is not readily available.

Following normal practice, the London Ambulance Service did not record the times that their paramedics and technicians reached the trains, only the stations which were the locations given in the 999 calls. This also applies to the Metropolitan Police Service, the British Transport Police and the London Fire Brigade.

It is considered that to collate the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost as it would require information from each of the individual responders from the emergency services.

I can inform the hon. Member that the London Underground have provided information that in respect of the Aldgate and Edgware Road incidents, London Underground staff reached the trains within 3–5 minutes of the blasts occurring.

In respect of the Kings Cross incident, London Underground staff reached the train within 3–7 minutes of the blasts occurring. Again, exact arrival times are not recorded.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action he will take in response to the publication of the Belfast Protocol by the British Toilet Association on 11 October; and if he will make a statement. [26623]

I met with the British Toilet Association on 11 October to discuss good practice in public toilet provision. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will work with the BTA to produce further guidance, including examples of best practice. This will be undertaken as part of our How To Deliver Cleaner, Safer, Greener Communities" good practice programme.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information he collects on (a) the number of buildings, (b) the number of staff working from each building and (c) the management of the buildings in (i)his Department and (ii) its executive agencies. [24412]

Information collected by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is as follows:

(a) Number of buildings

(i) The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has four headquarters buildings in London which are in the process of being rationalised. There is additional minor office space at Hempstead House, Kernel Hempstead, Ashdown House, Hastings and 1 High Street, Glossop.

The Fire and Rescue Service Directorate also occupies premises at Marchington, Moreton-in-Marsh, Little Rissington and Garston.

A team to oversee Thames Gateway is based in Gateway House, Exchange Tower and similarly a small team is based within the Planning Inspectorate Offices at Temple Quay House, Bristol.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister also owns Burlington House in London, Sheffield House in Stevenage, West Point in Manchester and a building at Little Rissington.

(ii) In relation to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Executive Agencies, the Fire Services College occupies buildings at Moreton in Marsh and the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre is located in Westminster. The Planning Inspectorate occupies Temple Quay House, Bristol.

(b) Number of staff working from each building

(i) Figures are based on staff with an entry on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister personnel database, but exclude staff on temporary leave of absence from the office, eg maternity leave, staff working in the Regional Coordination Unit and staff working in the Executive agencies which are recorded as follows. Figures for staff are likely to differ from those published elsewhere as they have been produced on a different basis. All figures are shown as actual number of staff.

Figures as at 30 October 2005 are as follows:

Figures are not available for Little Rissington, Burlington House, Sheffield House, Stevenage or West Point, Manchester as these buildings are not occupied by ODPM staff.

(ii) Figures for staff in buildings occupied by the Executive agencies are only available as full-time equivalents and this will almost certainly be an underestimate of the number of individuals employed. Figures include agency staff and contractors and may differ from figures published elsewhere using different definitions.

Figures as at 30 June 2005 are as follows:

(c) Management of the buildings

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister centrally collects information relating to the Sustainable Development in Government targets for each and publicly reports on this. This can be viewed at http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/delivery/integrating/estate/estate.htm. No other information is retained centrally.

This answer does not include buildings occupied by Government offices, which carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding was allocated by his Department to Hemel Hempstead constituency for (a) capital projects and (b) revenue funding in the last eight years. [25742]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) does not hold separate expenditure information on the Hemel Hempstead constituency.

The following table sets out payments made to Dacorum borough council since the ODPM was established following the Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. For earlier years (from 1999–2000), the table shows the amount paid by ODPM's predecessor Departments from programmes which are now administered by the Office.

All figures (£ million)

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding was allocated by his Department to Milton Keynes for (a) capital projects and (b) revenue funding in each of the last five years. [23503]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was established following the Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. The following table sets out payments made to Milton Keynes since 2002–03. For earlier years, the table shows the amount paid by ODPM's predecessor Departments from programmes which are now administered by ODPM.

Funding -- £ million

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 448W, on departmental working groups, which (a) staff member and (b) Minister within his Department approves the creation of new departmental working groups. [24718]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 October 2005, Official Report, columns 608–09W. A variety of cross-divisional groupings exist within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. There is no formal definition of these as departmental working groups and no centrally held record of the creation of them. There is no designated staff member with the role of centrally approving the creation of new departmental working groups.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what requests for exemptions to the Fire Precautions (Sub-Surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989 have been made under regulation 12 of the regulations since 1989. [26555]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not keep such records centrally, nor do we require fire and rescue authorities to supply any to us.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage change in central government funding to Hyndburn borough council has been in each of the last five years. [25623]

The percentage change in central government funding to Hyndburn council in each of the last five years for which data are available is shown in the table as follows.

Notes:

1.Central government funding is defined here as the sum of Specific grants inside Aggregate External Finance (AEF) and Formula grant (Revenue Support Grant, Redistributed business rates and Police Grant). Specific grants inside AEF are those revenue grants paid for councils' core services (such as waste collection), excluding funding for local authorities' housing management.

2.Comparisons across years may not be valid due to changing local authority responsibilities.

3.The information provided excludes capital funding and funding for local authorities' housing management responsibilities.

4.The information excludes those grant programmes, such as European funding, where authorities are simply one of the recipients of funding paid towards an area.

Source:

ODPM Revenue Outturn (RO) returns—RS data