§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will examine with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and HM Treasury, the impact on combating(a) organised crime, (b) incidental theft, (c) bootlegging and (d) illegal immigration of having (i) a dedicated ports police force for the whole of the United Kingdom's ports and (ii) the reintroduction of the British Transport Police at the UK's ports; and if he will make a statement. [153922]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is the lead Department for port police forces. I understand there are no plans at present to establish a dedicated ports police force for the whole of the United Kingdom or to bring ports policing under the control of the British Transport Police. The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr. Hill), announced a review of the current arrangements for ports police in an answer given on 8 March 2001,Official Report, column 276W. The review will identify which ports in England and Wales still utilise their own police forces, what powers they have and what functions they perform. It also aims to compare how the port police forces compare with Home Office forces in terms of accountability, report on the current situation and make recommendations for future options for the port police forces. The Home Office will be consulted in the course of this review.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent assessment he has made of(a) the contribution made by Port of Liverpool police to combating (i) organised crime, (ii) incidental theft, (iii) bootlegging and (iv) illegal immigration and 501W (b) the extent that these forces have been able to (1) collaborate with and (2) complement the work of (A) the Customs and Excise, (B) the Immigration Service and (C) the Special Branch; and if he will make a statement; [153925]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of (a) the contribution made by Tees and Hartlepool police to combating (i) organised crime, (ii) incidental theft, (iii) bootlegging and (iv) illegal immigration and (b) the extent that these forces have been able to (1) collaborate with and (2) complement the work of (A) the Customs and Excise, (B) the Immigration Service and (C) the Special Branch; and if he will make a statement; [153926]
(3) what recent assessment he has made of (a) the contribution made by Port of Tilbury police to combating (i) organised crime, (ii) incidental theft, (iii) bootlegging and (iv) illegal immigration and (b) the extent that these forces have been able to (1) collaborate with and (2) and complement the work of (A) the Customs and Excise, (B) the Immigration Service and (C) the Special Branch; and if he will make a statement; [153927]
(4) what recent assessment he has made of (a) the contribution made by Port of Bristol Police to combating (i) organised crime, (ii) incidental theft, (iii) bootlegging and (iv) illegal immigration and (b) the extent that these forces have been able to (1) collaborate with and (2) and complement the work of (A) the Customs and Excise, (B) the Immigration Service and (C) the Special Branch; and if he will make a statement; [153928]
(5) what recent assessment he has made of (a) the contribution made by Port of Devon police to combating (i) organised crime, (ii) incidental theft, (iii) bootlegging and (iv) illegal immigration and (b) the extent that these forces have been able to (1) collaborate with and (2) and complement the work of (A) the Customs and Excise, (B) the Immigration Service and (C) the Special Branch; and if he will make a statement; [153929]
(6) what recent assessment he has made of (a) the contribution made by Port of Felixstowe police to combating (i) organised crime, (ii) incidental theft, (iii) bootlegging and (iv) illegal immigration and (b) the extent that these forces have been able to (1) collaborate with and (2) and complement the work of (A) the Customs and Excise, (B) the Immigration Service and (C) the Special Branch; and if he will make a statement. [153930]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeNone. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is the lead Department for port police forces. The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr. Hill), announced a review of the current arrangements for ports police in an answer given on 8 March 2001,Official Report, column 276W. The review will identify which ports in England and Wales still utilise their own police forces, what powers they have and what functions they perform. It also aims to compare how the port police forces compare with Home Office forces in terms of accountability, report on the current situation and make recommendations for future options for the port police forces.