House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Jan 2002 (pt 17)

Criminal Justice and Police Act

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been initiated under section 46 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. [25105]

Mr. Keith Bradley: The Home Office Court Proceedings Database began separately identifying prosecutions completed for this offence from 1 January of this year. Such information will become available, after the publication of court proceedings statistics for 2002, in the autumn of next year.

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Bachir Aouni

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the money defrauded from Barclays Bank by Bachir Aouni and his associates has been traced; and if he will make a statement. [25178]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The tracing of property suspected to be the proceeds of crime is a matter for the police.

Traffic Offences

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many traffic offences were

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committed by drivers under the age of 16 in each of the last 20 years. [25019]

Mr. Keith Bradley: Data prior to 1990 are not

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available for the age group required. The table gives information on offences most likely to have involved a traffic offence.

Findings of guilt at all courts for traffic offences⁽¹⁰⁾ committed by offenders aged 10–15 years and offence groupEngland and Wales 1990–2000

Number of offences

Offence group Offence type⁽¹⁰⁾ 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Age 10–15

1 Causing death or bodily harm 4 —⁽¹¹⁾ 20 4 8 4 4 7 6 6 3

2 Dangerous driving 208 —⁽¹¹⁾ 226 111 111 150 116 105 130 138 173

3 Driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 65 —⁽¹¹⁾ 41 42 59 89 135 128 114 120 129

4 Careless driving 219 —⁽¹¹⁾ 131 102 117 129 123 109 135 146 202

5 Accident offences 180 —⁽¹¹⁾ 105 121 133 126 111 118 123 144 189

16 Speed limit offences 15 —⁽¹¹⁾ 20 6 2 9 5 10 8 12 12

17 Motorway offences (other than speeding) 0 —⁽¹¹⁾ 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0

18 Neglect of traffic directions 75 —⁽¹¹⁾ 52 55 44 71 86 56 69 80 97

19 Neglect of pedestrian rights 40 —⁽¹¹⁾ 20 18 35 36 30 20 22 29 25

20 Obstruction, waiting and parking offences 5 —⁽¹¹⁾ 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 3

24 Offences peculiar to motor cycles 443 —⁽¹¹⁾ 256 279 398 448 408 410 422 397 452

25 Miscellaneous motoring offences 110 —⁽¹¹⁾ 85 111 111 157 95 92 105 120 89

Total traffic offences 1,364 —⁽¹¹⁾ 958 853 1,020 1,221 1,115 1,058 1,138 1,194 1,374

As a percentage of total offences committed by persons all ages 0.25 —⁽¹¹⁾ 0.18 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.27 0.27 0.27 0.29 0.36

		Number of offences
Offence group	Offence type⁽¹⁰⁾	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Age 10–15
1	Causing death or bodily harm	4	—⁽¹¹⁾	20	4	8	4	4	7	6	6	3
2	Dangerous driving	208	—⁽¹¹⁾	226	111	111	150	116	105	130	138	173
3	Driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs	65	—⁽¹¹⁾	41	42	59	89	135	128	114	120	129
4	Careless driving	219	—⁽¹¹⁾	131	102	117	129	123	109	135	146	202
5	Accident offences	180	—⁽¹¹⁾	105	121	133	126	111	118	123	144	189
16	Speed limit offences	15	—⁽¹¹⁾	20	6	2	9	5	10	8	12	12
17	Motorway offences (other than speeding)	0	—⁽¹¹⁾	1	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	0
18	Neglect of traffic directions	75	—⁽¹¹⁾	52	55	44	71	86	56	69	80	97
19	Neglect of pedestrian rights	40	—⁽¹¹⁾	20	18	35	36	30	20	22	29	25
20	Obstruction, waiting and parking offences	5	—⁽¹¹⁾	1	3	2	2	2	2	3	2	3
24	Offences peculiar to motor cycles	443	—⁽¹¹⁾	256	279	398	448	408	410	422	397	452
25	Miscellaneous motoring offences	110	—⁽¹¹⁾	85	111	111	157	95	92	105	120	89

	Total traffic offences	1,364	—⁽¹¹⁾	958	853	1,020	1,221	1,115	1,058	1,138	1,194	1,374
	As a percentage of total offences committed by persons all ages	0.25	—⁽¹¹⁾	0.18	0.20	0.25	0.30	0.27	0.27	0.27	0.29	0.36

⁽¹⁰⁾ The list of offence types group those offences most likely to have involved a traffic offence. They exclude offences committed by pedal cyclists.

⁽¹¹⁾ Not available.

Note:

Data taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database.

Taxis

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents there were in which taxi drivers and minicab drivers were successfully prosecuted for (a) causing death by dangerous driving and (b) driving without due care and attention in each of the last 10 years. [25119]

Mr. Keith Bradley: Information held centrally on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database does not identify the occupation of a defendant. For some offences the occupation can be inferred from the offence description but this is not the case for causing death by dangerous driving or driving without due care and attention.

Child Trafficking

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent of the slave trade in children in the United Kingdom. [25199]

Mr. Keith Bradley: There are currently no reliable data about trafficking in people either nationally or internationally. The clandestine nature of the offence means that it is difficult to measure the extent to which the United Kingdom receives children trafficked for sexual and labour exploitation. However, there is no evidence to indicate that there is large-scale trafficking of children to the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom is one of the strongest supporters of the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Convention on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour. In recognition of the seriousness of the offence of trafficking children on an international scale, we are working across Government, and with a variety of organisations, to encourage ratification and implementation of the convention world-wide.

Air Weapons

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average age of individuals convicted of offences involving air weapons in the last year; [25140]

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Mr. Keith Bradley: The available information for England and Wales is in terms of convictions for offences involving air weapons as defined under the Fireams Acts, as opposed to all offences where air weapons were used. The table, derived from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, gives the number of persons convicted in 2000 and their average ages for those offences identified by the database.

Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Persons convicted of offences⁽¹²⁾ under the Firearms Acts connected with air weapons—England and Wales 2000

England⁽¹³⁾ Wales

Offence Persons convicted Average age Persons convicted Average age

Possessing air weapon or imitation air weapon at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act 2 15 1 13

Possessing air weapon or imitation air weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, or resist arrest etc. 4 16 — —

Possession of an air weapon or imitation air weapon with intent to cause fear of violence 20 17 — —

Possession of air weapons by persons previously convicted of crime 30 27 6 27

Supplying air weapons to person denied them under section 21 — — — —

Carrying loaded air gun in public place etc. 160 21 10 24

Trespassing with air weapon in a building 3 15 — —

Trespassing with air weapon on land 17 22 1 38

Person under 17 acquiring air weapon 3 16 — —

Person under 14 having with him an air weapon or ammunition therefor 15 12 1 12

Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a public place 47 15 5 15

Person under 14 making improper use of air weapon when under supervision 1 11 — —

Person supervising person under 14, permitting improper use of air weapon 1 25 1 39

Selling or letting on hire an air weapon to person under 17 — — — —

Supplying air weapon to person under 14 2 28 — —

Supplying air weapon to person drunk or insane — — — —

Failure to hand over air weapon or ammunition on demand by constable — — — —

Total 305 20 25 23

	England⁽¹³⁾	Wales
Offence	Persons convicted	Average age	Persons convicted	Average age
Possessing air weapon or imitation air weapon at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act	2	15	1	13
Possessing air weapon or imitation air weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, or resist arrest etc.	4	16	—	—
Possession of an air weapon or imitation air weapon with intent to cause fear of violence	20	17	—	—
Possession of air weapons by persons previously convicted of crime	30	27	6	27
Supplying air weapons to person denied them under section 21	—	—	—	—
Carrying loaded air gun in public place etc.	160	21	10	24
Trespassing with air weapon in a building	3	15	—	—
Trespassing with air weapon on land	17	22	1	38
Person under 17 acquiring air weapon	3	16	—	—
Person under 14 having with him an air weapon or ammunition therefor	15	12	1	12
Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a public place	47	15	5	15
Person under 14 making improper use of air weapon when under supervision	1	11	—	—
Person supervising person under 14, permitting improper use of air weapon	1	25	1	39
Selling or letting on hire an air weapon to person under 17	—	—	—	—
Supplying air weapon to person under 14	2	28	—	—
Supplying air weapon to person drunk or insane	—	—	—	—
Failure to hand over air weapon or ammunition on demand by constable	—	—	—	—

Total	305	20	25	23

⁽¹²⁾ Data are given on a principal offence basis.

⁽¹³⁾ Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against at magistrates court for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust at a detailed level and have been excluded from this table.

Source:

Home Office Crime and Criminal Justice Unit

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Unlicensed Vehicles

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions were secured for the non-payment of road fund licence in the last year in (a) Wales, (b) England, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Scotland. [25134]

Mr. Keith Bradley: Information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database shows that in 2000 there were 21,580 convictions in Wales for offences under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994, s29—failure to pay appropriate duty—and 278,641 convictions within England.

Information relating to Northern Ireland and Scotland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Scotland.

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