Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the police have powers to deal with protesters harassing women who are attending pregnancy advice and abortion centres; and if she will issue guidance to police authorities to ensure that they are aware of such powers.
Answered by Mike Penning
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to 5385 on 13 July 2015. There are no plans to issue Home Office guidance on this matter.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what amount her Department and its agencies spent on research and development in each year since 2010-11; and what proportion such spending was of total departmental spending.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish annual outturn figures for R&D expenditure here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rdit1/science--engineering-and-technology-statistics/2012/stb-set-2012.html#tab-Key-Points
The most recent publication, which includes expenditure figures to 2012 (financial year 2012/13) was published on 11 July 2014. The table below shows the latest estimates for Home Office and how they compare as a percentage to total departmental expenditure.
Year | Published estimate of net spend on R & D IN Home Office (current prices) | Percentage of total Home Office expenditure (1) |
2010/11 | £42 million | 0.31% |
2011/12 | £24 million | 0.18% |
2012/13 | £18 million | 0.14% |
(1) Taken as a percentage of the total departmental spending estimate from page 153 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2013/14
The change in the estimate of the R & D spend in Home Office between 2010/11 and 2011/12 is largely explained by some structural changes in scientific teams
as well as a change in the method of estimation between the two years. The figures for 2011/12 also excluded the British Crime Survey responsibility for
which was transferred to the ONS the following year. In addition some significant savings on Home Office research contracts were made in both 2011/12 and 2012/13.
The government has also created new delivery mechanisms for services such as the locally accountable Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), the new Police
ICT Company that provides vital support to the police and PCCs with tools to achieve value for money and operational effectiveness, and the creation of a
competitive market to provide Forensic Science Services to the police. These changes are likely to result in some R & D investment being delivered outside the Home Office.
Overall our science and research programmes are flexible and respond to our policy and operational priorities. This leads to a changing expenditure profile between financial years as research is directed against current and emerging challenges.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of homophobic hate crime there were in (a) Streatham constituency, (b) each London borough and (c) the UK in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
All forms of hate crime are deplorable and it’s important that victims are
protected and have the confidence to come forward. The Government is driving
forward work to tackle hostility and hate crime. We have toughened up
sentencing and are working closely with the police and other agencies to
increase reporting, improve support and prevent these terrible crimes happening
in the first place.
We continue to work with our voluntary sector partners to raise awareness of
hate crime at local and national events, and explore opportunities to promote
the use of the True Vision web tool further, including through targeted social
media advertising with direct messages to specific groups.
The Government’s action plan on hate crime, published in 2012, and progress
report, published in May 2014, outline actions currently being taken by the
Government to tackle hate crime, as well as the many actions which have already
been completed.
The Home Office has collected information on the number of disability and
sexual orientation hate crimes recorded by the police at the police force area
level since 2011/12. Data are therefore available for the Metropolitan police
area and for England and Wales for the three years, 2011/12, 2012/13 and
2013/14. The available information is given in the Table.
| Number of sexual orientation and disability hate crimes recorded by the police in the Metropolitan police area and England and Wales, 2011/12 to 2013/14 | ||||
| Numbers | England and Wales, recorded crime | |||
| 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | ||
| Sexual orientation hate crimes | ||||
| Metropolitan police | 1,234 | 1,132 | 1,213 | |
| England and Wales | 4,362 | 4,261 | 4,622 | |
| Disability hate crimes | ||||
| Metropolitan police | 120 | 108 | 124 | |
| England and Wales | 1,757 | 1,843 | 1,985 | |
| Source: Police recorded crime, Home Office | ||||
Further information on hate crimes, including force level figures, can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crimes-england-and-wales-2013-to-2
014
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of disability hate crime there were in (a) Streatham constituency, (b) each London borough and (c) the UK in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
All forms of hate crime are deplorable and it’s important that victims are
protected and have the confidence to come forward. The Government is driving
forward work to tackle hostility and hate crime. We have toughened up
sentencing and are working closely with the police and other agencies to
increase reporting, improve support and prevent these terrible crimes happening
in the first place.
We continue to work with our voluntary sector partners to raise awareness of
hate crime at local and national events, and explore opportunities to promote
the use of the True Vision web tool further, including through targeted social
media advertising with direct messages to specific groups.
The Government’s action plan on hate crime, published in 2012, and progress
report, published in May 2014, outline actions currently being taken by the
Government to tackle hate crime, as well as the many actions which have already
been completed.
The Home Office has collected information on the number of disability and
sexual orientation hate crimes recorded by the police at the police force area
level since 2011/12. Data are therefore available for the Metropolitan police
area and for England and Wales for the three years, 2011/12, 2012/13 and
2013/14. The available information is given in the Table.
| Number of sexual orientation and disability hate crimes recorded by the police in the Metropolitan police area and England and Wales, 2011/12 to 2013/14 | ||||
| Numbers | England and Wales, recorded crime | |||
| 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | ||
| Sexual orientation hate crimes | ||||
| Metropolitan police | 1,234 | 1,132 | 1,213 | |
| England and Wales | 4,362 | 4,261 | 4,622 | |
| Disability hate crimes | ||||
| Metropolitan police | 120 | 108 | 124 | |
| England and Wales | 1,757 | 1,843 | 1,985 | |
| Source: Police recorded crime, Home Office | ||||
Further information on hate crimes, including force level figures, can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crimes-england-and-wales-2013-to-2
014
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on the implementation of recommendations of the Report of the Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing, published in May 2013.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing was commissioned by
the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in relation to mental health issues in
London. It is therefore the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police Service
(MPS) to implement the recommendations. I am aware that the MPS has undertaken
considerable work both on the Commission’s recommendations and enhancing its
response to those experiencing mental ill health.
Many of the issues raised in the report have wider national applicability and
the Home Office has worked jointly with the Department of Health, police
and local health partners on a wide range of measures to improve the way in
which those experiencing a mental health crisis can be assisted. These include
the introduction of the Crisis Care Concordat in February 2014 now being
implemented in all local areas and which defines the roles and responsibilities
of local partners in respect of those experiencing mental ill health thereby
improving the speed and effectiveness of their responses. They also include
the roll out of Liaison and Diversion schemes in police custody and the courts,
which from April this year will cover 50% of the population of England; street triage
schemes which have reduced by around a quarter the number of police arrests
under section 136 of the mental health act and reduced the frequency of use of
police cells as places of safety for those so detained; and the launch of an
innovative pilot of an alternative place of safety in Sussex to increase local
capacity.
The Home Office and Department of Health recently jointly reviewed the
operation of Mental Health Act powers and the resulting report published in
December 2014 made clear our intention to amend relevant legislation, including
making it unlawful to use police cells as places of safety for those under 18.
In addition, the Home Secretary commissioned a further inspection by Her
Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary of the treatment of
vulnerable people in police custody (which reported on 10 March). In October,
the Home Secretary announced a review of police data on the use of powers under
the Mental Health Act and the use of force to improve our knowledge of, and
the transparency of, police actions in respect of the mentally ill.
The College of Policing is conducting a thorough review of relevant training,
and work is underway to transfer custody health care commissioning from the
police to NHS England from next year.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the level of street prostitution in (a) Streatham constituency, (b) each London borough and (c) the UK; and what steps she is taking to protect women working in street prostitution through (i) facilitating safe exit programmes and (ii) other measures.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The Home Office does not collate information on the levels of prostitution.
Local areas and police forces are in the best position to identify and respond
to issues around prostitution in their area.
We are committed to tackling the harm and exploitation that can be associated
with prostitution, and believe that people who want to leave prostitution
should be given every opportunity to find routes out. The safety of people
involved in prostitution is our overriding concern. This was one of the aspects
considered in our review of effective practice to support partners in tackling
issues around prostitution, and which was published on Gov.uk. In addition, we
are proud to have supported the establishment of the National ‘Ugly Mugs’
Scheme to help protect people involved in prostitution from violent and abusive
individuals. A Home Office funded pilot brought together a number of
locally-run ‘Ugly Mugs’ projects, which encourage sex workers to report
incidents of violence and abuse. Details of perpetrators are then shared with
other people involved in prostitution to help improve safety, and can be passed
on to the police if the victim consents.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people on whom tasers were used by the police in (a) each London borough, (b) each police authority and (c) in the UK were aged (i) under 12, (ii) under 14, (iii) under 16, (iv) under 18, (v) under 21, (vi) under 24, (vii) over 35, (viii) over 40, (ix) over 50, (x) over 55, (xi) over 60, (xii) over 65, (xiii) over 70, (xiv) over 75 and (xv) over 80 in the last five years; and what proportion of those people were (A) from each ethnic group and (B) estimated to have had mental health problems.
Answered by Mike Penning
The cost of identifying the information and providing it in the format
requested would be disproportionate.
The Home Secretary already set out in October 2014 that there is a need to
bring much greater transparency and accountability to how the sensitive tactic
of Taser is used, and has asked Chief Constable David Shaw to conduct an
in-depth review of the publication of Taser data and other use of force. This review will
consider how to publish data on the age, ethnicity and location of Taser usage
for publication.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what requirements her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies place on suppliers in respect of their payment terms to subcontractors as part of their standard terms and conditions.
Answered by Karen Bradley
A 30 day prompt payment clause is included within Home Office standard long-form Terms and Conditions and is applicable to contracts above the EU threshold. The clause, which is extracted from Home Office standard long form Terms and Conditions for the provision of services, is set out below.
1.1 Where the Contractor enters into a sub-contract with a supplier or contractor for the purpose of performing its obligations under the Contract, it shall ensure that a provision is included in such a sub-contract which requires payment to be made of all sums due by the Contractor to the sub-contractor within a specified period not exceeding 30 days from the receipt of a valid invoice.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of undisputed invoices her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies paid within five days in the last period for which figures are available.
Answered by Karen Bradley
We paid 91.5% of invoices within 5 working days in 2013-14.
This information can be found on page 38 of the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2013/14, which was published on 17 June 2014. A reference copy is available in the House Library, and copies can be obtained from the Vote office. It can also be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2013-to-2014.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of suppliers to her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are signatories to the Prompt Payment Code.
Answered by Karen Bradley
A 30 day payment clause is included within Home Office standard long-form Terms and Conditions and is applicable to sub-contractors to Home Office suppliers with contracts above the EU threshold. Please refer to the clause below which is extracted
from Home Office standard long form Terms and Conditions for the provision of services.
1.1 Where the Contractor enters into a sub-contract with a supplier or contractor for the purpose of performing its obligations under the Contract, it shall ensure that a provision is included in such a sub-contract which requires payment to be made of all sums due by the Contractor to the sub-contractor within a specified period not exceeding 30 days from the receipt of a valid invoice.
The Home Office does not monitor whether its suppliers are signatories to the prompt payment code. We do however ask suppliers with a spend above £500,000 if they have a payment policy in place to ensure payment is made within 30 days.
This is monitored via the Corporate Assessment of Environmental, Social and Economic Responsibility (CAESER) assessment tool. CAESER invites suppliers to the Home Office to voluntarily complete the assessment. The tool is used to capture our major contractors corporate social responsibility policies and procedures via an online questionnaire. Home Office contract managers are required to review their supplier(s) report and discuss any areas of risk identified and to work with them to mitigate those risks.
91 suppliers to the Home Office completed the CAESER assessment in 2014. 69 of these suppliers confirmed that they had a policy in place to ensure that suppliers are paid within a maximum of 30 days.