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  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much in victim surcharge has been imposed by adult courts since October 2012; and how much of that figure has been collected to date.

    Shailesh Vara

    The amount of victim surcharge imposed and collected from October 2012 to September 2013 (latest published period) is set out below:

    Imposition month

    Amount imposed

    Amount collected by end of September 2013

    October 2012

    £1,253,491

    £826,583

    November 2012

    £1,460,874

    £941,311

    December 2012

    £1,263,756

    £788,671

    January 2013

    £1,900,543

    £1,158,226

    February 2013

    £1,869,900

    £1,068,110

    March 2013

    £2,086,393

    £1,139,143

    April 2013

    £2,424,548

    £1,240,960

    May 2013

    £2,543,344

    £1,201,270

    June 2013

    £2,556,998

    £1,096,358

    July 2013

    £2,982,204

    £1,096,130

    August 2013

    £2,707,508

    £776,618

    September 2013

    £2,626,937

    £357,217

    Total

    £25,676,496

    £11,690,597

    The balance of the amount imposed that is remaining at the end of the period will include amounts that are being paid by instalments or were not due for payment by that time. The closer to the point of imposition the greater the proportion will be that remains outstanding as many offenders will be paying by instalments.

    HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) takes the issue of financial penalty enforcement very seriously and is working to ensure that clamping down on defaulters is a continued priority nationwide. HMCTS actively pursues all outstanding impositions until certain they cannot be collected. Total collection reached an all time high at the end of 2012/13 and collection has continued to rise in this financial year.

    HMCTS are actively seeking an external provider for the future delivery of compliance and enforcement services. This will bring the necessary investment and innovation to significantly improve the collection of criminal financial penalties and reduce the cost of the service to the taxpayer.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of the Youth Justice Board’s budget has been spent on research in each year since 2010.

    Jeremy Wright

    The statutory functions of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) include that of identifying and promoting good practice to prevent and reduce youth crime. In undertaking this function, the YJB works closely with local services, research bodies and academic institutions.

    The table below shows the YJB’s central expenditure on research for each full financial year since 2009/10 alongside the proportion of that expenditure against the YJB’s overall expenditure for the year:

    No new central research was commissioned in 2012/13 to enable the completion and publication of ongoing research projects. Figures relating to YJB’s research programme expenditure for 2013/14 will be published in the YJB’s Annual Report and Accounts due for publication in July. This and previous reports can be found at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/corporate-reports/yjb.

    “

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was levied in fines by each magistrates court in Greater Manchester in each of the last five years; what proportion of such fines were written off by each court; and what proportion of such fines were collected.

    Shailesh Vara

    It is not possible to identify the amounts imposed, written off and collected for individual magistrates courts as data on fines imposed is recorded by local accounting divisions. The only way data for individual courts could be obtained is to carry out a manual search of all fine accounts.

    The total amounts imposed, written off and collected in the Greater Manchester accounting division are set out below:

    Year

    Total imposed

    Total administratively cancelled

    Total legally cancelled

    Total collected

    2008/09

    £19,635,012

    £1,902,853

    £2,805,105

    £11,673,192

    2009/10

    £19,267,431

    £1,973,017

    £3,019,911

    £11,802,052

    2010/11

    £22,558,446

    £1,229,895

    £2,847,562

    £12,063,589

    2011/12

    £19,125,753

    £2,216,073

    £3,933,432

    £12,265,100

    2012/13

    £21,654,640

    £2,204,046

    £4,586,675

    £12,952,842

    The amounts above include all elements of financial impositions (excluding confiscation orders): fines, costs, compensation and victim surcharge. The amounts cancelled or collected in a particular year can relate to impositions from that year or any previous year.

    Financial penalties are only administratively cancelled after all attempts to collect the amount outstanding have been made, and in accordance with strict cancellation criteria. These penalties can be written back on to the system if more information is found – for instance, a new address for the offender.

    Legal cancellations can be applied after the case has been reconsidered by a Judge or Magistrate. Typically, legal cancellations are used where a case has been re-opened and the defendant has been found not guilty, following the presentation of additional information. Legal cancellations can be full or partial remittances of financial penalties.

    The table below sets out how much of the value imposed in Greater Manchester in the 2011/12 and 2012/13 financial years was collected or cancelled by the end of the same financial year which it was imposed. This data is only available from April 2011 onwards.

    Year

    Imposed

    Collected

    Cancelled (administrative and legal)

    2011/12

    £19,125,753

    £6,036,385

    £1,832,554

    2012/13

    £21,654,640

    £6,537,941

    £3,111,387

    The amounts above again include all elements of financial impositions. The balance amount imposed that is remaining at the end of the financial year will include amounts that were being paid by instalments or were not due for payment by that time.

    HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) takes the issue of financial penalty enforcement very seriously and is working to ensure that clamping down on defaulters is a continued priority nationwide. HMCTS actively pursues all outstanding impositions until certain they cannot be collected. Total collection reached an all time high at the end of 2012/13 and collection has continued to rise in this financial year. At the end of September 2013 total collection (all imposition types excluding confiscation orders) across HMCTS was higher than the same point in the previous year and the outstanding balance had reduced since the start of the financial year. On average over the last 12 month 69% of accounts have been either closed or are compliant with payment terms by 12 months after imposition.

    HMCTS are actively seeking an external provider for the future delivery of compliance and enforcement services. This will bring the necessary investment and innovation to significantly improve the collection of criminal financial penalties and reduce the cost of the service to the taxpayer.

  • Chris Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chris Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Williamson on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which responsibilities for tackling animal welfare crimes are managed by (a) her Department and (b) non-governmental organisations.

    Norman Baker

    The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is the lead Government department for policy and legislation in relation to animal welfare, including offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The police and local authorities have powers to enforce that Act, but any person or organisation (such as the RSPCA) can initiate criminal proceedings under it.

    In addition to the Government’s funding for individual police forces to tackle all types of crime, including wildlife crime, the Home Office and DEFRA both contribute funding to support the work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the national police unit dedicated to tackling wildlife crime. And where wildlife crimes are sufficiently serious, organised or complex, the National Crime Agency will ensure that partners across the law enforcement community benefit from its coordination, tasking and intelligence arrangements, as well as being able to access its specialist capabilities. Furthermore, the Home Office plays a key role in the Government’s efforts to tackle the illegal wildlife trade, which is a serious transnational criminal industry worth billions of pounds each year. I was therefore pleased that, at the recent London Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference which I attended, world leaders from over forty countries made a commitment to eradicate the trade.

    The Home Office also regulates the use of living animals in scientific procedures in England, Scotland and Wales under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the proportion of calls made to the NSPCC reporting female genital mutilation cases that have been passed on to the police.

    Norman Baker

    [holding answer 18 March 2014]

    The NSPCC’s FGM helpline received 174 contacts between its launch in June 2013 and 28 February 2014. Of this number, 75 have been referred on to the relevant police force. There were 35 contacts from professionals seeking advice on the correct procedures to follow in regard to a child at risk of FGM. The other 64 contacts were more general enquiries relating to FGM.

  • Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr David Hanson on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what commercial tenders have been received for a new system to introduce exit checks and replace the e-borders programme.

    James Brokenshire

    The activities of the e-Borders programme have been absorbed into the Border
    Systems Programme. The estimated cost to close the e-Borders programme and
    define the Border Systems Programme was £340,000. These costs are attributable
    to civil servants already in post and there has been no additional expenditure
    or procurement in order to move the work from e-Borders to Border Systems.

    The procurement approach to replacing the primary border security elements of
    the Border Systems Programme will reflect broader Government ICT and Commercial
    strategy, and there will be no single, large supplier. The Home Office will
    lead development, with services procured from a range of providers, potentially
    including small and medium enterprises; no tenders have been received at this
    time.

    By March 2015 the Border Systems Programme aims to:

    • Complete resilience of all current business critical systems;
    • Develop replacement primary border security systems;
    • Provide the capability to support commitments on exit checks;
    • Establish a programme for the next generation of Radiological and Nuclear
    detection (Cyclamen);
    • Continue the implementation of second generation e-Gates across the estate;
    • Develop and implement new freight targeting capability for Sea Containers;
    • Establish contracts to purchase new detection equipment;
    • Continue to assure live operations of existing systems.

    The breakdown of FTE Civil Servants engaged by the e-Borders and subsequently
    the Border Systems Programme in each year since 2010, is:

    Dec-10 Dec-11 Dec-12 Dec-13
    SCS PB 2 1 1 1 0
    SCS PB 1 2 1 2 2
    G6 7.8 7.8 7.8 9.8
    G7 11.8 9.8 10.8 17.8
    SEO/HMI 33.5 34.7 48.8 49.7
    HEO/CIO 26 25.4 22.5 30.9
    EO/IO 22 19.3 25 20.8
    AO/PS 7 5 5 3

  • Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr David Hanson on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost of merging the e-borders programme into the border system programme.

    James Brokenshire

    The activities of the e-Borders programme have been absorbed into the Border
    Systems Programme. The estimated cost to close the e-Borders programme and
    define the Border Systems Programme was £340,000. These costs are attributable
    to civil servants already in post and there has been no additional expenditure
    or procurement in order to move the work from e-Borders to Border Systems.

    The procurement approach to replacing the primary border security elements of
    the Border Systems Programme will reflect broader Government ICT and Commercial
    strategy, and there will be no single, large supplier. The Home Office will
    lead development, with services procured from a range of providers, potentially
    including small and medium enterprises; no tenders have been received at this
    time.

    By March 2015 the Border Systems Programme aims to:

    • Complete resilience of all current business critical systems;
    • Develop replacement primary border security systems;
    • Provide the capability to support commitments on exit checks;
    • Establish a programme for the next generation of Radiological and Nuclear
    detection (Cyclamen);
    • Continue the implementation of second generation e-Gates across the estate;
    • Develop and implement new freight targeting capability for Sea Containers;
    • Establish contracts to purchase new detection equipment;
    • Continue to assure live operations of existing systems.

    The breakdown of FTE Civil Servants engaged by the e-Borders and subsequently
    the Border Systems Programme in each year since 2010, is:

    Dec-10 Dec-11 Dec-12 Dec-13
    SCS PB 2 1 1 1 0
    SCS PB 1 2 1 2 2
    G6 7.8 7.8 7.8 9.8
    G7 11.8 9.8 10.8 17.8
    SEO/HMI 33.5 34.7 48.8 49.7
    HEO/CIO 26 25.4 22.5 30.9
    EO/IO 22 19.3 25 20.8
    AO/PS 7 5 5 3

  • Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr David Hanson on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent officials in her Department of each grade have worked on the e-borders programme in each year since 2010.

    James Brokenshire

    The activities of the e-Borders programme have been absorbed into the Border
    Systems Programme. The estimated cost to close the e-Borders programme and
    define the Border Systems Programme was £340,000. These costs are attributable
    to civil servants already in post and there has been no additional expenditure
    or procurement in order to move the work from e-Borders to Border Systems.

    The procurement approach to replacing the primary border security elements of
    the Border Systems Programme will reflect broader Government ICT and Commercial
    strategy, and there will be no single, large supplier. The Home Office will
    lead development, with services procured from a range of providers, potentially
    including small and medium enterprises; no tenders have been received at this
    time.

    By March 2015 the Border Systems Programme aims to:

    • Complete resilience of all current business critical systems;
    • Develop replacement primary border security systems;
    • Provide the capability to support commitments on exit checks;
    • Establish a programme for the next generation of Radiological and Nuclear
    detection (Cyclamen);
    • Continue the implementation of second generation e-Gates across the estate;
    • Develop and implement new freight targeting capability for Sea Containers;
    • Establish contracts to purchase new detection equipment;
    • Continue to assure live operations of existing systems.

    The breakdown of FTE Civil Servants engaged by the e-Borders and subsequently
    the Border Systems Programme in each year since 2010, is:

    Dec-10 Dec-11 Dec-12 Dec-13
    SCS PB 2 1 1 1 0
    SCS PB 1 2 1 2 2
    G6 7.8 7.8 7.8 9.8
    G7 11.8 9.8 10.8 17.8
    SEO/HMI 33.5 34.7 48.8 49.7
    HEO/CIO 26 25.4 22.5 30.9
    EO/IO 22 19.3 25 20.8
    AO/PS 7 5 5 3

  • Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr David Hanson on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many exit checks were performed on passengers leaving the UK in each year since 2010.

    James Brokenshire

    The number of outbound passengers checked on Home Office systems for each of
    the last 4 years is as follows:

    2010 – 65 034 675
    2011- 70 627 943
    2012 – 67 960 290
    2013 – 82 311 725

    The figure for 2013 is more than the combined total of exit checks performed
    between 2005 and 2009 inclusive (74 297 809) and more than twice the 2009
    figure (35 283 019).

  • Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr David Hanson on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of report by the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration of the critical system vulnerabilities in Semaphore and Warnings Index; and what steps she took in response to that report.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office has responded to the report on Exporting the border?: An
    inspection of e-Borders. This response can be found at:
    http://icinspector.independent.gov.uk/inspections/inspection-reports/2012-inspec
    tion-reports-2/.