HC Deb 06 March 2001 vol 364 cc130-1W
Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the IT projects currently undertaken in his Department; and if he will state the(a) expected completion date and (b) cost of each project. [151515]

Mr. Straw

[holding answer 26 February 2001]: I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 30 January 2001, Official Report, column 165W. The reply contained a list, in table format, of the current major Information Technology (IT) projects within my Department and its Agencies (excluding non-departmental public bodies). This has been placed in the Library.

Further information on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) casework programme was given in a parliamentary reply to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Mr. Pickthall) on 6 February 2001, Official Report, column 497W.

The following provides an update on the details contained in the list on the Asylum Support project. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) is developing the Asylum Support IT by taking a step by step approach, building on the minimal "day one" system implemented in time for the start of the National Asylum Support Service on 4 April 2000. One possible area for

Police force 1 May 1994 to 30 April 1995 1 May 1995 to 30 April 1996 1 May 1996 to 30 April 1997 1 May 1997 to 30 April 1998 1 May 1998 to 30 April 1999 1 May 1999 to 30 April 2000 Since 1 May 20001
Essex 1 2 4 41 19 34 31
Hampshire 55 17 28 36 14 33 8
Hertfordshire 15 11 0 0 106 141 34
Kent 35 61 64 44 25 32 13
Surrey 0 0 42 34 30 16 12
Sussex 0 93 151 97 35 56 15
Thames Valley 0 94 127 19 46 33 21
1 As at 16 February 2001

Information relating to the other forces in England and Wales is currently being obtained from them. I shall write to my hon. Friend when the information is available.

Mr. Salter

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review his policy on the sale of police housing. [151121]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The disposal or redevelopment of police dwellings is a matter for Police Authorities. Individual Authorities take various factors into account when developing policies in this area. These include the age and suitability of the buildings forming part of the police estate. And, following its recent launch, the Government's Starter Homes Initiative which aims to help 10,000 key workers including police officers buy their own homes in urban and rural areas where high prices would otherwise prevent them from living in or near the community they serve