§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment the Missing Persons Bureau has made of the benefits of holding data in respect of missing persons before they have been missing for 28 days. [5995]
§ Mr. MacleanDetails may be notified to the bureau before 28 days where the circumstances in which a person is missing are of particular concern to the notifying police force. It would not be practicable for the bureau to be notified of all such cases, as the majority of missing persons are found within a few days.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for providing the national missing persons helpline with funding for the work it carries out at the request of the police service. [6041]
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 14 December 1995]: The Government received an application for funding the 956W helpline when it formed part of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, and has received a number of other representations suggesting public funding should be provided. There are no plans to provide public funding for the organisation. The helpline may apply to the National Lottery Charities Board and to other sources of funding available to voluntary organisations.