House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 18 Apr 2006 (pt 78)

Harassment Complaints

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment have been investigated in his Department in each of the last three years; and how many complaints have been upheld. [63552]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The following table provides details about the number of complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment that have been investigated over the last three years together with their outcomes:

Complaints

Home Office (excluding immigration and nationality directorate
2004 Bullying: no cases.

Sexual harassment: one case, not upheld.

2005 Bullying: five cases, these are still under investigation.

Sexual harassment: no cases.

2006 Bullying: no cases.

Sexual harassment: no cases.
Immigration and nationality directorate

2004 Comprehensive information is not available in the requested format and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

2005 Bullying: 26 cases of which four were upheld after investigation.

Sexual harassment: two cases of which one was upheld after investigation.

2006 No cases to date.

Her Majesty's prison service

Comprehensive information is not available in the requested format and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Identity and Passport Services⁽⁹⁹⁾

April 2003 to March 2004 Two complaints were made, neither were upheld

April 2004 to March 2005 14 complaints were made, four were upheld.

April 2005 to March 2006 Seven complaints were made, three were upheld.

⁽⁹⁹⁾ The Identity and Passport Services do not separate complaints and the response is based on total complaints made.

18 Apr 2006 : Column 303W

	Complaints
Home Office (excluding immigration and nationality directorate
2004	Bullying: no cases.
	Sexual harassment: one case, not upheld.

2005	Bullying: five cases, these are still under investigation.
	Sexual harassment: no cases.

2006	Bullying: no cases.
	Sexual harassment: no cases.
Immigration and nationality directorate
2004	Comprehensive information is not available in the requested format and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

2005	Bullying: 26 cases of which four were upheld after investigation.
	Sexual harassment: two cases of which one was upheld after investigation.

2006	No cases to date.

Her Majesty's prison service
	Comprehensive information is not available in the requested format and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Identity and Passport Services⁽⁹⁹⁾
April 2003 to March 2004	Two complaints were made, neither were upheld
April 2004 to March 2005	14 complaints were made, four were upheld.
April 2005 to March 2006	Seven complaints were made, three were upheld.

Hit and Run Incidents

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hit and run incidents have led to an individual being convicted in each of the last eight years, broken down by police force area. [61280]

Hazel Blears: Information on the number of hit and run incidents that have led to court proceedings is not collected centrally. Available information taken from

18 Apr 2006 : Column 304W

the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform and given in the table shows the number of offenders found guilty at all courts for the offence of 'failing to stop after an accident' under the Road Traffic Act 1988 s. 170 (4) from 1996 to 2003 (latest available). The data do not distinguish between those offences which resulted in injury from those which resulted in damage or both. 2004 data will be available at the end of March 2006.
Offenders found guilty at all courts for accident offences⁽¹⁰⁰⁾ by police force area, England and Wales, 1996–2003⁽¹⁰¹⁾

Number of persons

Forces 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Avon & Somerset 244 227 188 185 158 165 86 88

Bedfordshire 30 47 59 68 72 66 64 62

Cambridgeshire 53 78 76 79 71 50 58 69

Cheshire 160 136 158 168 181 150 175 197

Cleveland 54 62 51 48 40 35 46 45

Cumbria 96 100 66 77 84 84 83 98

Derbyshire 113 121 94 112 109 110 109 122

Devon & Cornwall 128 157 109 106 91 118 139 154

Dorset 93 112 97 71 68 80 57 87

Durham 56 43 48 60 37 62 58 56

Essex 205 232 248 222 274 276 295 302

Gloucestershire 93 62 79 64 63 78 72 84

Greater Manchester 421 444 447 469 442 470 465 423

Hampshire 188 188 176 182 177 188 195 200

Hertfordshire 120 126 108 101 127 108 136 144

Humberside 150 141 127 113 107 146 126 150

Kent 132 139 97 68 84 83 103 90

Lancashire 185 154 150 132 125 135 93 135

Leicestershire 122 124 95 104 94 108 79 105

Lincolnshire 59 64 47 59 47 67 67 73

London, City of 8 11 12 21 8 11 5 7

Merseyside 144 174 163 83 120 151 130 210

Metropolitan Police 663 613 584 558 455 418 432 383

Norfolk 147 143 157 128 109 118 127 123

Northamptonshire 91 95 84 69 53 24 12 55

Northumbria 114 117 117 110 148 139 146 141

North Yorkshire 126 137 113 117 85 111 108 101

Nottinghamshire 144 151 165 124 142 130 127 142

South Yorkshire 142 153 153 152 184 197 169 197

Staffordshire 175 148 116 69 37 71 72 103

Suffolk 72 96 79 65 53 88 64 81

Surrey 65 56 65 134 91 104 75 84

Sussex 181 187 153 147 127 96 86 103

Thames Valley 243 167 135 142 114 170 174 144

Warwickshire 78 57 57 64 61 61 48 55

West Mercia 149 160 141 166 131 167 203 205

West Midlands 471 447 462 434 418 385 406 361

West Yorkshire 270 266 292 282 261 282 279 243

Wiltshire 64 67 71 53 59 81 73 66

Dyfed Powys 49 61 46 44 56 46 48 54

Gwent 37 57 72 56 63 53 46 46

North Wales 74 97 109 92 67 76 103 88

South Wales 178 157 172 154 150 136 152 161

Total 6,387 6,374 6,038 5,752 5,443 5,694 5,591 5,837

⁽¹⁰⁰⁾ Aiding, abetting, causing or permitting accident offences under the RTA88 s. 170(4).
⁽¹⁰¹⁾ These data are on the principal offence basis.

18 Apr 2006 : Column 305W

	Number of persons
Forces	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Avon & Somerset	244	227	188	185	158	165	86	88
Bedfordshire	30	47	59	68	72	66	64	62
Cambridgeshire	53	78	76	79	71	50	58	69
Cheshire	160	136	158	168	181	150	175	197
Cleveland	54	62	51	48	40	35	46	45
Cumbria	96	100	66	77	84	84	83	98
Derbyshire	113	121	94	112	109	110	109	122
Devon & Cornwall	128	157	109	106	91	118	139	154
Dorset	93	112	97	71	68	80	57	87
Durham	56	43	48	60	37	62	58	56
Essex	205	232	248	222	274	276	295	302
Gloucestershire	93	62	79	64	63	78	72	84
Greater Manchester	421	444	447	469	442	470	465	423
Hampshire	188	188	176	182	177	188	195	200
Hertfordshire	120	126	108	101	127	108	136	144
Humberside	150	141	127	113	107	146	126	150
Kent	132	139	97	68	84	83	103	90
Lancashire	185	154	150	132	125	135	93	135
Leicestershire	122	124	95	104	94	108	79	105
Lincolnshire	59	64	47	59	47	67	67	73
London, City of	8	11	12	21	8	11	5	7
Merseyside	144	174	163	83	120	151	130	210
Metropolitan Police	663	613	584	558	455	418	432	383
Norfolk	147	143	157	128	109	118	127	123
Northamptonshire	91	95	84	69	53	24	12	55
Northumbria	114	117	117	110	148	139	146	141
North Yorkshire	126	137	113	117	85	111	108	101
Nottinghamshire	144	151	165	124	142	130	127	142
South Yorkshire	142	153	153	152	184	197	169	197
Staffordshire	175	148	116	69	37	71	72	103
Suffolk	72	96	79	65	53	88	64	81
Surrey	65	56	65	134	91	104	75	84
Sussex	181	187	153	147	127	96	86	103
Thames Valley	243	167	135	142	114	170	174	144
Warwickshire	78	57	57	64	61	61	48	55
West Mercia	149	160	141	166	131	167	203	205
West Midlands	471	447	462	434	418	385	406	361
West Yorkshire	270	266	292	282	261	282	279	243
Wiltshire	64	67	71	53	59	81	73	66
Dyfed Powys	49	61	46	44	56	46	48	54
Gwent	37	57	72	56	63	53	46	46
North Wales	74	97	109	92	67	76	103	88
South Wales	178	157	172	154	150	136	152	161
Total	6,387	6,374	6,038	5,752	5,443	5,694	5,591	5,837

Home Curfews

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons his Department extended the home detention curfew scheme in April 2003; what assessment he has made of its effect; and what plans he has for further extension. [59307]

Fiona Mactaggart: On 10 April 2003 the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department announced two changes to the Home Detention Curfew scheme which took effect from 14 July 2003. Firstly, the maximum period a prisoner may spend on HDC was increased from 90 days to 135 days and secondly, in order to maintain public confidence in the scheme, prisoners serving sentences for certain serious offences considered to be of particular concern to the public were to be presumed unsuitable for HDC unless there were exceptional circumstances.

The maximum curfew period was increased in order to build on the scheme's previous success by providing earlier resettlement opportunities for lower risk offenders. Although not its primary purpose, this measure also helped to deal with pressures on the prison population. HDC has helped in providing prisoners with a smoother and more effective re-integration back into the community. The scheme provides suitable, low risk, prisoners with the opportunity to rejoin employment, training and their families at an earlier stage while providing protection to the public. Since its introduction in 1999, 85 per cent. of those released on HDC have completed their curfew period successfully.

4 per cent. have been reported as having re-offended during the curfew period. The scheme is kept under careful review but there are presently no plans to extend the scheme further.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what processes are in place to inform prisoners of reasons why home detention curfews are refused; and if he will make a statement. [62885]

Fiona Mactaggart: Prisoners who are statutorily eligible for release under the home detention curfew scheme but, following an assessment of suitability, are refused release, are informed in writing of the reasons for refusal, their right of appeal, their right to see the disclosable reports and other documentation upon which the decision was based, and their right to make oral or written representations to the Governor dealing with the appeal.

18 Apr 2006 : Column 306W

Prisoners who are presumed unsuitable for HDC due to the nature of their offences are informed in writing as soon as possible after sentence that, unless there are exceptional circumstances, they will not be released on HDC. If such prisoners consider that their case is exceptional they must draw this to the Governor's attention giving full details. Where the Governor considers that the case is not exceptional the prisoner may appeal against the decision.

Further details of the refusal notification procedures are set out in Prison Service Order 6700 (Home Detention Curfew) as amended. Statutorily eligible prisoners who are refused HDC have a right to appeal against the decision under the Prisoners' Request and Complaints Procedures. Further details of these procedures are contained in Prison Service Order 2510. Both PSOs are available on the HM Prison Service website.

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