§ Mr. Hilary BennTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons from Sierra Leone have applied for asylum in the last 12 months; and how many of these applications have been granted. [128738]
§ Mrs. RocheThe available information is given in the table.
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Government do not expect the use of speed cameras to alter after the Human Rights Act 1998 comes into force in England and Wales on 2 October.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many areas the fines from speed cameras are kept by(a) local authorities and (b) police services; and if he will make a statement. [128391]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeIn December 1998, Her Majesty's Treasury announced that, subject to certain criteria, some fine income might be reinvested in law enforcement activity. With Her Majesty's Treasury agreement, pilot schemes involving the use of speed cameras were launched on 1 April this year. The pilots are taking place in eight police force areas: Cleveland. 67W Essex, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, South Wales, Strathclyde and Thames Valley.
Local partnerships have been formed to run each of the pilots. These consist of the police, local authorities and the courts. Fine revenue from fixed penalties is being invested into the purchase of additional speed cameras and/or the increased use of existing cameras all to an agreed programme. Surplus fine income will be returned to Her Majesty's Treasury. The success of the pilots will be judged on their road safety benefits, particularly their ability to reduce deaths and injuries.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost was of a new speed camera in the last 12 months. [128390]
Average level of fines given at all courts by type of offence, England and Wales, 1994–98 £ 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Type of offence Average fine Average fine where fine only penalty Average fine Average fine where fine only penalty Average fine Average fine where fine only penalty Average fine Average fine where fine only penalty Average fine Average fine where fine only penalty Indictable offences Violence against the person 170 187 176 166 173 163 173 164 170 156 Sexual offences 206 201 216 202 308 238 223 209 310 258 Burglary 145 148 140 142 138 138 142 143 150 150 Robbery 101 90 63 60 127 122 76 110 152 98 Theft and handling stolen goods 114 114 114 114 109 107 106 105 99 97 Fraud and forgery 209 233 183 198 266 277 202 195 212 232 Criminal damage 102 105 103 108 109 110 111 111 105 104 Drug offences 102 104 102 102 104 102 103 102 96 94 Other (non-motoring) 229 223 264 256 375 367 415 414 404 402 Motoring (indictable) 165 165 177 176 175 174 177 175 190 189 Total indictable offences 150 153 158 163 188 197 195 209 186 202 Summary non-motoring offences 99 98 103 103 103 103 104 104 105 105 Summary motoring offences 160 161 166 166 161 161 163 164 162 162 Total all offences 137 138 145 145 141 142 147 148 145 146