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Probation Hostels
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for market testing of probation hostels; and if he will make a statement. [59555]
Mr. George Howarth: I am grateful to the North East London Probation Service for agreeing to test whether an independent sector partner could run the Westbourne House approved hostel to at least the same standard as under the present arrangements at lower cost, although this will stop short of offering a contract for the hostel's operation to open tender. No decision on next steps, either at Westbourne House or more generally, will be taken until the outcome has been considered.
Animal Experiments
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive and report on the review of the Animals Procedures Committee into the workings of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement. [59782]
Mr. George Howarth: I understand that the Animal Procedures Committee met on 11 November to complete a further report on its review of the operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and I hope to receive that report shortly. I expect it to be laid before Parliament within the next month as an appendix to the Committee's annual report.
Departmental Registers
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the registers held by his Department which are open for inspection by (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public. [59742]
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Mr. Straw:
The following registers are available for inspection by hon. Members and members of the public:
Register of Forensic Pathologists
Official Roll of the Baronetage
Electoral Registers (Representation of the People Act 1983) 1
Registers of Burials (and records of disinternments) (Local Authorities' Cemeteries Order 1977) 1
Registers of Grants (Local Authorities' Cemeteries Orders 1977) 1
Data Protection Register 2
Coroners' Registers of Deaths Reported (Coroners' Rules 1984) 1 3
Registers of Cremations (Cremation Regulations 1930) 1 3 .
1 The Home Office has limited responsibility, by virtue of our supervision of the relevant local services and/or the governing legislation.
2 Held by the Data Protection Registrar--a Home Office Non-Departmental Public Body
3 Access is subject to the approval of the authority holding the register.
Speed Fines
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to allow local authorities to keep fines received from prosecutions as a result of speed cameras. [59672]
Mr. Boateng: The Government have no current plans to allow local authorities, the police or the courts to retain fines from prosecutions for speeding offences detected by camera, but we are reviewing the funding arrangements for the cameras to see what more can be done.
Road Traffic Accidents
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if road traffic accidents and motoring offences will be included in the Crime and Disorder Audit. [59677]
Mr. Boateng: The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 lays a duty on the local authority and police in every area, in partnership with a wide range of other bodies, to carry out a full audit of the levels and patterns of crime and disorder in that area and then, based upon the findings of the audit and consultation with the community about them, to formulate and implement a strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder. The Act does not specify what categories of crime and disorder must be included in the audit and strategy; this is a matter for decision locally.
Child Care
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what childcare provision is made available by his Department for the use of staff; what is the cost to parents of this childcare; how many parents used the facilities in the financial years (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98; and what proportion of total staff used these facilities in the financial years (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 1997-98. [59725]
Mr. Straw:
Provision is made for spending up to £380,000 on subsidised childcare in the current financial year for Home Office staff (including the Agencies) at various locations. This makes available approximately 160 nursery places for children under 5 and approximately 170 holiday playscheme places for children aged between 5 to 12 years. Subsidised childcare is only
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provided where there is a value for money justification which meets both staff and organisation needs. Childcare provision is, however, only one of a range of family friendly policies that the Department supports to help staff balance work and family life. Other measures include: part-time working; jobshare; flexi-time; homeworking; career breaks; maternity benefits; and paternity leave.
The cost to parents varies according to geographic location and the age of the child. In 1996-97, 241 parents used nursery facilities and 122 used the playscheme. The average cost to parents using nursery places was £63.50 per week per child; and the average cost of playschemes was £7 per day. In 1997-98, 216 parents used nurseries at an average cost of £66 per week per child. 127 parents used the holiday playscheme at an average cost of £7.25 per day.
The proportion of total staff (excluding the Prison Service) who used these facilities was 2.6 per cent. in 1996-97 and 1997-98.
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of Operation Bye Bye conducted in Doncaster and Sheffield. [59821]
Mr. Boateng:
Operation Bye Bye was an intelligence led operation by South Yorkshire Police against individuals involved in burglary and drug dealing. Some 90 people have been arrested and further arrests are likely. I congratulate the South Yorkshire Police on their success.
Mr. Gerald Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 June 1998, Official Report, column 357, when he expects the Criminal Cases Review Commission to conclude its consideration of the case of Mark Day, convicted of murder on 26 March 1993. [59673]
Mr. Boateng:
I understand that the Commission has made progress with the detailed review of Mr. Day's case, but remains unable to say when it will complete its consideration.
Dr. Iddon:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will consult the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs as a matter of urgency over transferring cannabis and cannabis resin from Schedule 1 to the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1998 to Schedule 2; [59845]
(3) if he will transfer cannabis and cannabis resin from Schedule 1 to the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1998 to Schedule 2 to allow doctors to prescribe an appropriate preparation of cannabis on a named-patient basis, and to allow doctors and pharmacists to supply the drug prescribed. [59844]
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Mr. George Howarth:
We are currently considering the report of the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee which made these recommendations and will provide a full reply in due course, which will deal with the question of consultation with the World Health Organisation. The Government do not, however, agree that cannabis should be re-scheduled to allow its prescription by doctors unless or until the quality, safety and efficacy of a medicinal form have been scientifically established and a marketing authorisation issued by the Medicines Control Agency.
Subject to the clear views the Government have already expressed on the Report's recommendation to re-schedule cannabis, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs will have an opportunity to hold a preliminary discussion on the report at its next meeting on 19 November.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of persons convicted of possession of cannabis over the past 12 months where use of the drug for therapeutic purposes was offered as a mitigating factor. [59914]
Mr. George Howarth:
Factors pleaded in mitigation for any offence are not collected centrally by the Home Office court proceedings database.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public statements have been made by Ministers on the recommendations of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology's report on the medicinal use of cannabis since publication of the report. [59915]
Mr. George Howarth:
I said at the time of publication of the report that the Government welcomed the Committee's rejection of general legalisation of cannabis and its call for more research into the possible medical benefits; but could not agree that cannabis should be rescheduled to allow its prescription by doctors unless or until the quality, safety and efficacy of a medicinal form had been scientifically established and a marketing authorisation issued by the Medicines Control Agency. We will provide a full reply to the report in due course.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government intend to consult the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the recommendations in the report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology on cannabis. [59916]
Mr. George Howarth:
We are currently considering our response to the recommendations of the report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology on cannabis and what advice to take before doing so. Subject to the clear views the Government have already expressed on the Report's recommendation to re-schedule cannabis, the Advisory Council will have an opportunity to hold a preliminary discussion on the report at its next scheduled meeting on 19 November.
(2) if he will raise the rescheduling of cannabinoids, other than dronabinol and nabizone, from Schedule 1 to the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 1998 to Schedule 2 with the WHO; [59842]
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