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Probation Services (Amalgamation)
20. Mr. David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy in respect of the amalgamation of probation services. [69126]
Mr. George Howarth: "Joining Forces to Protect the Public", published last August, included proposals to align probation areas and police force boundaries. Implementation would reduce the number of probation areas from 54 to 42. We are carefully considering the replies received and expect to announce decisions about the future re-organisation soon.
Crime and Disorder Strategies
21. Mr. Paul Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on plans to establish local crime and disorder strategies. [69127]
Mr. Boateng: The Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which received Royal Assent on 31 July 1998, lays a duty upon the local authority and police in every area to formulate and implement a strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder. The strategies--covering a period of three years--must be produced by 1 April 1999.
Local Partnership Crime Audits
22. Ms Coffey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the completion rate of local partnerships' crime audits. [69128]
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 498
Mr. Boateng:
There is no formal deadline for the completion of audits. The crime and disorder strategies--which follow on from the audits and must be the subject of wide local consultation--have to be completed by 1 April 1999. I am encouraged by the commitment I see on the part of the local crime reduction partnerships to completing the tasks set for them in a timely and effective way.
23. Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his proposals for reforming police pensions. [69129]
Kate Hoey:
Following our consultation document of last year on police pensions, work is in hand on detailed proposals for the pension arrangements for new entrants to the service and for changes to the medical retirement procedures. We plan to publish our proposals in the Spring. They will be published in advance of implementation to allow for full consultation with the interested parties.
24. Ms McCafferty:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reform the system of liquor licensing. [69130]
Mr. George Howarth:
I announced last May a comprehensive review of liquor licensing legislation. We aim to produce proposals by early next year for a simpler and more effective system.
26. Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with magistrates regarding implementation of the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 which relate to young offenders; and if he will make a statement. [69132]
Mr. Boateng:
Consultation with magistrates, including through the Magistrates' Association, is an important element in taking forward implementation of the youth justice provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act. Through the White Paper "No More Excuses" and a range of draft guidance documents, the Government have sought views on the timing and process of implementation. Through the participation of the courts in 15 areas in pilots of new court orders for dealing with young offenders and of measures to reduce delay, magistrates are also playing a key role in helping to identify effective practice under the new provisions ahead of national implementation.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost to (i) the police service, (ii) the Court Service, (iii) the probation service and (iv) other agencies of implementing the provisions in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [70611]
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 499
Mr. Straw:
The Explanatory and Financial Memorandum to the Crime and Disorder Bill published on 17 November 1997 set out the estimated resource implications of the Act. The last composite estimates compiled by my Department were produced on 10 August 1998 and are given in the following table:
| £000 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | |
| Home Office | 9,137 | 27,866 | 52,742 | 73,542 |
| Probation Service | 1,337 | 3,028 | 29,104 | 49,104 |
| Other | 7,800 | 24,838 | 23,638 | 24,438 |
| Prison Service | 2,100 | 5,070 | 5,060 | 5,160 |
| Lord Chancellor's Department | 3,674 | 20,731 | 31,895 | 33,218 |
| Magistrate Courts | -1,251 | -81 | 7,390 | 6,871 |
| Crown Court | 1,338 | 5,074 | 7,578 | 8,082 |
| Legal Aid | 3,587 | 15,739 | 16,928 | 18,266 |
| Crown Prosecution Service | 753 | 2,519 | 3,219 | 2,319 |
| Local Authorities | 1,811 | 3,247 | 15,066 | 15,066 |
| Total | 17,475 | 59,434 | 107,983 | 129,306 |
The costs and savings of the Act can be accurately determined only after the completion of the pilots in respect of the youth justice provisions, drug treatment and testing orders, the Narey measures and the television links to courts.
The Act is intended to deal more effectively with offending behaviour and to reduce crime. This should in time produce savings across the criminal justice system and a wide range of public services.
27. Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the internal disciplinary procedures of the Metropolitan police. [69133]
Kate Hoey:
The disciplinary arrangements for officers of the Metropolitan Police are set out in the Police (Discipline) Regulations 1985, which apply to officers throughout England and Wales. Officers who breach any part of the Disciplinary Code, which appears as Schedule 1 to the Regulations, are likely to face disciplinary proceedings.
Under new arrangements being implemented from 1 April 1999, there will be a Code of Conduct to replace the present Discipline Code.
28. Mr. Randall:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received recently from the Fire Service in London. [69135]
Mr. George Howarth:
In December, the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority wrote to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary about the Authority's financial position and its recent review of fire cover. We have also seen the representations which the Authority made to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions about the provisional local government finance settlement for 1999-2000.
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 500
30. Mrs. Lait:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on co-operation between police and Her Majesty's Customs on tobacco and alcohol smuggling and bootlegging. [69137]
Mr. Boateng:
The primary responsibility for countering smuggling and the evasion of duty rests with Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, but there are well established arrangements to ensure close co-operation between the police service and Her Majesty's Customs to combat these and other criminal activities.
31. Dr. Iddon:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in agreeing operational guidelines with the Association of Chief Constables to deal with unauthorised camping. [69138]
Mr. Boateng:
Discussions have been held with representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) with a view to strengthening current operational guidelines on dealing with unauthorised camping. I understand that revised draft guidelines will be considered by ACPO Council at their meeting of 28 April.
32. Mr. Wyatt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department will issue guidelines to ensure that all police forces pursue incidents of attacks on teachers. [69139]
Mr. Boateng:
In December 1997, the Home Office and the Department for Education and Employment issued a joint guidance document to the police and education services entitled "School Security: Dealing with Troublemakers".
This deals with the safety of pupils and staff and provides guidance on the roles of schools and the police in dealing with assaults.
33. Jane Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to announce his response to the consultation on new year's eve licensing hours. [69140]
Mr. George Howarth:
The closing date for comments on our proposals was last Friday, 12 February. We shall consider them and announce our intentions as soon as we can.
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