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Crime (Staffordshire)
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the crime clear-up rate and annual percentage change for 1995, 1996 and 1997 in (a) Staffordshire and (b) the West Midlands; [59549]
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Mr. Boateng:
The information requested is given in the tables.
(2) if he will list the (a) number of and (b) annual percentage change in recorded offences in 1995, 1996 and 1997 in (i) Staffordshire and (ii) the West Midlands. [59548]
| Staffordshire | West Midlands | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Offences | Percentage change on previous year | Offences | Percentage change on previous year |
| 1995 | 91,495 | -2.4 | 318,087 | +0.7 |
| 1996 | 92,155 | +0.7 | 317,892 | -0.1 |
| 1997 | 89,957 | -2.4 | 278,975 | -12.2 |
Note:
Includes all criminal damage
| Year | Offences cleared up(16) | Percentage cleared up(16) | Annual percentage change in number of clear-ups |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | |||
| 1995 | 29,179 | 32 | +2.4 |
| 1996 | 31,178 | 34 | +6.9 |
| 1997 | 31,185 | 35 | +0.0 |
| West Midlands | |||
| 1995 | 75,279 | 24 | -2.9 |
| 1996 | 72,038 | 23 | -4.3 |
| 1997 | 63,132 | 24 | -12.4 |
(16) Excluding criminal damage £20 and under
Police (Staffordshire)
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for Staffordshire Police Force the (a) number of serving officers (b) number of patrol officers (c) average police pay and (d) cost of the service in real terms for 1995, 1996 and 1997. [59550]
Mr. Boateng: The information provided is for the financial years 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98.
| 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of officers as at 31 March | 2,209 | 2,211 | 2,292 |
| Number of patrol officers | 1,299 | 1,244 | 1,446 |
| Average police pay (£)(17) | 25,985 | 27,001 | 25,000 |
| Police expenditure in real terms (£ million)(18) | (19)98.661 | (19)104.628 | (19)108.973 |
(17) Source: Staffordshire Police
(18) Police expenditure figures are at 1995-96 prices
(19) Police expenditure figures for 1995-96 and 1997-98 are actual expenditure; those for 1997-98 are estimates. Based on CIPFA Police Statistics.
Computer Crime
Ms Beverley Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the proposal by the National Criminal Intelligence Unit for the establishment of a national intelligence-led unit for tackling computer crime is to be proceeded with. [59645]
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Mr. Boateng:
The Association of Chief Police Officers, together with the National Criminal Intelligence Service, is continuing to investigate the feasibility of establishing a national computer crime unit.
Mr. Pollard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received representations about the grant of entry clearance to a number of Kosovo Albanian children to enable them to come to the United Kingdom for medical treatment, accompanied by their close relatives; and if he will make a statement. [60230]
Mr. Straw:
I have received representations from Ms Sally Becker of Operation Angel about a total of 91 applications referred to the Home Office by the British Embassy in Tirana, a third of which are in respect of children needing medical treatment. The applications fell to be considered under the Immigration Rules relating to persons seeking to enter the United Kingdom as visitors for private medical treatment or simply as visitors. Under these Rules, I have to be satisfied, among other requirements, that there is satisfactory evidence about the medical condition and its treatment, that the person will be able to maintain and accommodate himself and any dependants without recourse to public funds and that the person intends to leave the United Kingdom at the end of the period of the treatment or visit. In the absence of satisfactory evidence from Operation Angel or any other source, I was not satisfied that these requirements were met in any of the applications.
I considered whether there were grounds for treating the applications on a discretionary basis outside the Immigration Rules, but concluded that it would not be appropriate to do so. In reaching this decision, I took account of the fact that Ms Becker had not taken Government advice and guidance on how to bring such an evacuation within the recognised official procedures; she had not demonstrated the option of local treatment through the international agencies; and had not made a proper case on medical grounds. I was also aware that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development has in place a humanitarian strategy for former Yugoslavia (including Kosovo) and Albania, and will be sending a mission there this week.
Furthermore, in the absence of adequate guarantees of funding from Operation Angel, I had to take account of the likely cost to the taxpayer in the almost certain event of recourse to public funds, which, for a group of this size, would be of the order of £400,000 a year. I accordingly decided to refuse the applications. Ms Becker was notified of this decision by the British Embassy in Tirana on Friday 13 November.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what national guidelines there are for the training of police dog handlers and dogs; what plans he has to change them; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the trial of Essex police dog trainers. [59623]
Mr. Boateng:
All general-purpose police dogs and handlers receive training in-force along the lines set out in the Home Office Police Dog Training and Care Manual
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which emphasises that training should be based on 'Praise and Reward'. The manual, which was revised in 1996, explains the need for self control on the part of the handler and stipulates that
Any question of disciplinary action against the police officers concerned will be a matter for the Chief Constable of Essex.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government's advertisement on domestic violence will first be shown; on which television channels it will be shown; what the cost of the advertising campaign will be; and if he will place a video of the advertising campaign in the Library. [59667]
Mr. Boateng:
We are currently developing a domestic violence awareness/publicity campaign for England and Wales. The detailed content and costings of the campaign as it unfolds over the coming months have yet to be settled.
The launch of a domestic violence advertising campaign in Scotland was announced last week. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the first television advertisement will be broadcast there on 26 December. Channels featuring the advertisement will be Scottish Television, Grampian and Borders. The production, broadcasting and other media costs will amount to about £600,000 during the first year of the campaign. A video of the advertisement will be placed in the Library.
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the likelihood of breakdown of (i) cohabiting unions and (ii) marriages. [59062]
Revision of the Manual is now the responsibility of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Sub-Committee on Police Dogs. The Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary, who chairs the Sub-committee, is in contact with Essex Police in order to establish whether any lessons can be learned from the case recently heard at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court. The ACPO Sub-committee is also in close touch with the RSPCA, the National Canine Defence League and other similar organisations.
'a handler should never resort to physical punishment in training the dog'.
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