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Closed Circuit Television Challenge
Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bids have been received in the latest CCTV challenge competition; and if he will make a statement. [9861]
Mr. Maclean: The deadline for bids under round 3 of the closed circuit television challenge competition was 20 November. A total of £15 million is available to crime prevention partnerships in 1997-98 to support CCTV schemes and 371 bids have been received; the value of the bids is £26.8 million. The bids are now subject to detailed assessment. We shall be announcing the results of the competition early next year.
"New Labour's Public Expenditure Plans"
Mr. Derek Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs quoted in the document "New Labour's Public Expenditure Plans" were prepared in his Department; what detailed assumptions and interpretations were provided to officials in his Department to enable preparation of each cost; and what was the total cost to public funds of preparing each estimate. [6354]
Mr. Howard: The Home Office, in conjunction with Treasury, prepared factual material relating to costings published in "New Labour's Public Expenditure Plans" numbered 25, 26 and 89. The detailed assumptions and interpretations that were provided to officials are set out in my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary's reply to the hon. Member today. It is not normal working practice to keep a record of the time spent in providing factual information to Ministers and it is not therefore possible to offer a reliable estimate of the costs involved.
Stolen Guns and Vehicles (Deaths and Injuries)
Mr. David Young: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) killed and (b) injured by (i) stolen pistols and (ii) stolen motor vehicles in each of the last five years.[8945]
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 13 December 1996]: Information as to whether firearms used in offences have been stolen has not, in the past, been routinely collected centrally in England and Wales. However, a special exercise has recently been conducted to find out whether the guns used in homicide were licensed or not and, if not, whether they were stolen.
This covered the years 1992 to 1994, and out of a total of 55 homicides involving the use of a handgun where it was known that the weapon was illegally held, one was reported to have been stolen.
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No information is held centrally to show whether motor vehicles involved in killing or injuring people were stolen.
Sir Sydney Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the operation of the law in relation to the prosecution of child abuse cases. [7629]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: The Government commissioned several independent research projects to look into the effectiveness of measures introduced by the Criminal Justice Acts of 1988 and 1991 to improve the handling of cases involving child witnesses. These examined the use of live television links for giving evidence and the use of video-recorded interviews for giving evidence-in-chief, and the speed of prosecutions for cases involving child witnesses. Further research has been commissioned to evaluate the effectiveness of training given to those involved in child abuse investigations and into the admissibility and sufficiency of evidence gathered during those investigations, the results of which will be available at the end of 1997.
The findings from the completed research have shown that the legislation, and other supporting measures introduced by the Government have improved the management of child abuse cases. The Government will continue to make further changes where we consider, in the light of research and other information, they will bring further improvements.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the effects of contracting out services supplied by civilian personnel of police forces, with particular reference to (i) the morale of those currently employed, (ii) the security of information, (iii) unpredictable surges of work due to emergencies, (iv) discipline, (v) collective levels of skills and experience and (vi) the quality of communication with the forces concerned. [8810]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: These are operational matters for chief officers. As police authority for the Metropolitan police, I am aware that there has been a recent review of support services for the force and the Commissioner has advised me of the recommendations made and the decisions reached.
Mr. Alex Carlile:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement concerning recent changes to the employment conditions, terms and contracts of Metropolitan police civil staff support services; what consultation took place on those changes; how many staff are affected; what is the cost of implementing the changes with particular reference to (a) consultancy fees, (b) redundancies and (c) early retirement plans; when the changes will be fully implemented. [8882]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that there has been no recent change to the
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employment contracts of Metropolitan police civil staff. A review has been conducted of headquarters support services covering 5,000 staff. Following a two-month consultation period, proposals for a range of efficiency savings, including contracting-out services covering some 2,000 posts, have been approved by the Metropolitan police policy board. Contracts are expected to be let by mid 1998. Detailed implementation costs are not yet available.
Mr. Alex Carlile:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (i) prosecutions and (ii) convictions there have been, in each of the last three years for which figures are available, for breaches of licensing rules on street and house-to-house charity collections in (a) the Metropolitan police district, (b) the City of London police district, (c) for each other area in the United Kingdom and (d) in total; and if he will make a statement. [8884]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: Information collected centrally does not identify individual offences committed under the Police Factories etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916 and the House to House Collections Act 1939 from other summary offences.
Mr. Carlile:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to require each police station in the Metropolitan police district to be supplied with a regular list of street collection licences in that area; and if he will make a statement. [8886]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that police stations within the Metropolitan police district are routinely informed of all authorised charitable street collections in their area.
Mr. Alex Carlile:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a statistical breakdown of prosecutions and convictions for charity fraud offences in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.[8885]
Mr. Maclean
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: The information is not available centrally.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently detained for immigration purposes; what is the longest period of detention; how many people detained for immigration purposes have, over each of the last three years, obtained bail; what procedures exist under which a person detained for immigration purposes may apply for bail; and if he will make a statement [9176]
Mr. Kirkhope
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: The latest information relates to 31 October 1996 when 1,033 persons were detained solely under Immigration Act powers in Prison Service establishments or Immigration Service detention centres. The longest period of detention at that time was 75 months and related to a
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person since released whose case was awaiting a decision from the European Court of Human Rights. Statistics on detainees who obtained bail are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. With certain limited exceptions, anyone who is detained can apply for bail. An application can be made to a chief immigration officer, a police inspector or an immigration adjudicator.
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