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30 Jun 2003 : Column 11W—continued
Euro Roadshow
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the events he plans to attend as part of the Government's euro roadshow. [121401]
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Mr. Blunkett: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend (John Healey) gave the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on 20 June 2003, Official Report, columns 458–59W.
Faith Communities
Mr. Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what way his Department is taking forward the Government's commitment to review the way in which Government departments interface with the faith communities. [123216]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have a manifesto commitment to "look at Government's interface with the faith communities". This was prompted by the success of the Lambeth Group at the time of the millennium celebrations. My Department is now able to act on this commitment.
My predecessor, my noble Friend Lord Filkin, recently convened a high-level Steering Group to take the work forward. I will now chair the Group. Its terms of reference are to consider the most effective means of achieving greater involvement of the faith communities in policy-making and delivery across Whitehall; to identify the specific policy areas where this input would be most valuable; to oversee the agenda of the Working Group, and comment on and monitor its work; and to agree a report and recommendations by the end of December 2003.
The Group includes a number of Ministers from Departments with a particular interest, as well as prominent representatives of the faith communities and others with an interest. A membership list is attached for the information of the House. The small Working Group referred to in the terms of reference is carrying out the technical mapping and other work associated with the Review, and will report to the Steering Group.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is aware of our plans and attaches considerable importance to this Review. It will lay the foundations for the effective long-term involvement of the faith communities' perspectives and needs in policy development across Government, building on excellent work that is already being done, for instance in ensuring that Prison chaplaincy provision meets the needs of inmates from many faith communities. It also complements the work my Department is doing to deepen engagement with individual communities through ministerial visits and meetings.
Review of Government's interface with the faith communities.
- Fiona Mactaggart MP, Home Office, Minister for Race Equality, Community Policy and Civic Renewal (Chair);
Yvette Cooper MP, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Chair, Inner Cities Religious Council;
Jacqui Smith MP, Department of Trade and Industry; responsible for Single Equality Body;
HM Treasury Minister;
Estelle Morris MP, Department for Culture, Media and Sport;
Lord Filkin, Department for Constitutional Affairs;
Stephen Twigg MP, Department for Education and Skills;
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William Chapman, Appointments Secretary, No. 10 Downing Street;
Councillor Laura Willoughby, Chair, Local Government Association Equalities Executive;
Rosalind Preston QBE, Co-Chair, Inter Faith Network for the UK;
Right Reverend Tim Stevens, Anglican Bishop of Leicester;
Reverend Joel Edwards, General Director, Evangelical Alliance;
Baroness Kathleen Richardson, Moderator, Churches Commission on Inter Faith Relations;
Sarah Lindsell, Director, Caritas Social Action;
Iqbal Sacranie OBE, Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain;
Bimal Krishna das, Secretary, National Council of Hindu Temples;
Indarjit Singh OBE, Director, Network of Sikh Organisations (UK);
Prof. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi, United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth;
Hon. Barney Leith, Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the UK; and
John Battle, Member of Parliament.
Incitement of Racial Hatred
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sanctions are available to prevent people from (a) receiving, (b) downloading and (c) storing materials (i) on the internet and (ii) from satellite TV which are likely to incite racial hatred; and if he will make a statement. [120938]
Fiona Mactaggart: Section 23 of the Public Order Act 1986 makes it an offence for a person to possess a recording of visual images or sounds which are threatening, abusive or insulting, with a view to their being distributed, shown, played, broadcast or included in a cable programme service, if they are intended or likely to stir up racial hatred. This law applies to material broadcast via satellite television or on the internet which comes within UK jurisdiction. The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 increased the maximum penalty for incitement to racial hatred from two to seven years' imprisonment.
The investigation of possible breaches of these laws is an operational matter for the police and then the Crown Prosecution Service to pursue.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action can be taken against companies which make available material likely to incite race-hatred on satellite TV in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [120939]
Fiona Mactaggart: Under Section 22 of the Public Order Act 1986 any person making or participating in a broadcast or cable service programme involving threatening, abusive or insulting visual images is guilty of an offence if it is intended, or likely, to stir up racial hatred. Section 23 of the Act makes it an offence for a person to possess a recording of visual images or sounds which are threatening, abusive or insulting with a view to its being distributed, shown, played, broadcast or
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included in a cable programme service, if it is intended or likely to stir up racial hatred. The offences now carry a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment.
Additionally, under Section 43 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 it is an offence for a person to send, by means of a public telecommunication system, a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.
There may be jurisdictional problems in dealing with the broadcasting of racist satellite programmes from overseas into the UK. It is of course for the police and prosecuting authorities to decide whether to pursue proceedings, and for the courts to decide, in all the circumstances, whether an offence has been committed.
Parliamentary Questions
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on writing to hon. Members to inform them of errors in replies to parliamentary questions. [121172]
Mr. Blunkett: Hon. Members are informed of errors in replies to parliamentary questions by the Questions Manager. If the error is of no great substance and is recorded prior to the publication of the bound copy of Hansard, then the hon. Members, along with Hansard, are written to informing them of the change.
However, if the deadline for these errors has passed or it is a substantial change, then Table Office are informed. Table Office would then agree a pursuant answer. Hon. Members would then receive an answer from the Minister in the same manner as if it were an ordinary parliamentary question and the new answer would appear in Hansard.
Payroll Contracts
Mr. Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total value is of the contract between the Home Office and Logica CMG to provide payroll bureau services for Home Office pay and Pensions Service; how much has been paid by the Home Office to CMG and Logica CMG to date under the payroll bureau services contract; how much has been paid by the Home Office to consultants for work undertaken for the Home Office Pay and Pensions Services in each year since April 2000; and how much has been paid by the Home Office to Employment Agencies for work undertaken within the Home Office Pay and Pensions Service in each year since April 2000. [120540]
Mr. Blunkett [holding answer 20 June 2003]: The total value of the contract between the Home Office and Logica CMG to provide payroll services to the Home Office Pay and Pensions Service is £13.94 million. This represents a significant reduction per annum on what was paid to the previous payroll provider. A total of £8.2 million has been paid to date.
The Home Office has paid the following amounts for consultants to undertake work in the Home Office Pay and Pensions Service.
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| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 | 0 |
| 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 | 0.33 |
| 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 | 0.35 |
| 1 April 2003 to date | 0.1 |
The Home Office has paid the following amounts to employment agencies:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 | 0 |
| 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 | 5,473.70 |
| 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 | 169,371 |
| April 2003 to date | 7,904 |
Prison Service
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each of the last five years, the average number of prisoners held in each of the Category D prisons for which the Prison Service has responsibility. [121366]
Paul Goggins [holding answer 25 June 2003]: The average number of prisoners in the years 1998 to 2002 held in open prisons is given in the following table.
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male open prisons | |||||
| Ford | 434 | 365 | 378 | 374 | 495 |
| Hewell Grange | 193 | 177 | 173 | 163 | 184 |
| Hollesley Bay | 382 | 314 | 294 | 323 | 409 |
| Kirkham | 646 | 462 | 481 | 462 | 497 |
| Leyhill | 376 | 374 | 367 | 356 | 419 |
| Morton Hall | 200 | 186 | 120 | — | — |
| North Sea Camp | 193 | 185 | 195 | 189 | 250 |
| Frescoed | 95 | 88 | 95 | 103 | 106 |
| Spring Hill | 242 | 242 | 242 | 243 | 245 |
| Standford Hill | 340 | 301 | 310 | 334 | 382 |
| Sudbury | 495 | 492 | 499 | 496 | 505 |
| Wealstun | 290 | 283 | 282 | 277 | 272 |
| Female open prisons | |||||
| Askham Grange | 125 | 120 | 117 | 120 | 128 |
| Drake Hall East | 267 | 218 | 166 | 202 | 265 |
| Sutton Park | 91 | 88 | 76 | 92 | 89 |
| YOI open prisons | |||||
| Hatfield/Moorland Open | 153 | 119 | 131 | 165 | 173 |
| Thorn Cross | 217 | 231 | 224 | 212 | 219 |
Note:
Population figures are based on the main role of the prison
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