---

Minister for Women and Equality

Ministerial Salaries

22. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether she receives a full ministerial salary. [82789]

Meg Munn: Yes.

Flexible Working

23. Jim Sheridan: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what information the Government make available to women on their right to flexible working hours. [82790]

Meg Munn: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) and the direct.gov website provide guidance for employees (men and women) on the right
6 July 2006 : Column 1319W
to request flexible working. The direct.gov website has three interactive tools which help employees make applications to work flexibly. ACAS provide leaflets and also operate a helpline, answering queries from both employees and employers on employment matters including flexible working.

Homophobia (Schools)

24. Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government plan to take to tackle homophobia in schools. [82791]

Meg Munn: We propose to introduce regulations under the Equality Act 2006 later this year that will make sexual orientation discrimination unlawful in schools. These measures will be backed by guidance for schools on how to tackle such discrimination and will complement existing, and new guidance on tackling homophobic bullying planned for next year.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

25. Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality when the Government expect to announce the name of the Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. [82792]

Meg Munn: We hope to announce the Chair of the new Commission in summer this year, with an announcement of Commissioners and Chief Executive to follow in late autumn.

Prime Minister

Special Envoy

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the countries visited by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean since her appointment as his special envoy; and what the (a) date and (b) purpose was of each visit. [81019]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 June 2006, Official Report, column 1614-15W. Baroness Symons has also visited Algeria twice in her capacity as Special Representative for Memoranda of Understanding towards the endof 2005.

Baroness Symons has now ceased her role as Special Representative for Memoranda of Understanding, and as Representative for the Two Kingdoms Dialogue.

Home Department

Animal Procedures Committee

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the Animal Procedures Committee have (a) a background and (b) expertise in animal welfare; and what the selection criteria are to become a member of the Committee. [82675]

Joan Ryan: The Animal Procedures Committee (APC) is an independent body set up under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to advise the
6 July 2006 : Column 1320W
Home Secretary and the Department of Health, Social Security and Public Safety Northern Ireland Minister on matters concerned with the 1986 Act and their functions under it.

Excluding the chairman, there must be a minimum of 12 members, one must be a lawyer and at least two thirds must be medical practitioners, veterinary surgeons or have qualifications or experience in a biological subject. At least half of the members must not have held a licence to carry out procedures on animals within the last six years and animal welfare interests must be adequately represented. The Act places certain restrictions on the balance of interests and competences to be represented and also limits the maximum term of membership to two consecutive terms of four years.

There are currently 19 members of the Committee (including the chairman). Seven have a background and expertise in animal welfare. However, all members of the committee share a common concern for the welfare of the animals used in scientific procedures, and, under section 20(2) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, in considering any matter must have regard both to the legitimate requirements of science and industry and to the protection of animals against avoidable suffering and unnecessary use.

All appointments are made jointly with the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland (DHSSPSNI). Members are selected on personal merit, and not as nominees, delegates or representatives of any organisations or pressure groups. The posts are unpaid. Nevertheless, every effort is made to ensure that the Nolan principles are applied and to that end we entrust the management of the process to the Appointments Commission. All appointments to the Animal Procedures Committee are announced publicly.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in Humberside Police Authority area in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [82532]

Mr. McNulty: Humberside Police Authority area is coterminous with the Humberside Criminal Justice System (CJS) area. A table giving annual data, up to30 September 2005 (latest available), broken down by CJS area is available on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk.

Bail Hostels

Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2006, Official Report, column 271W, on bail hostels, how many sex offenders were resident atthe bail hostel in Wesleyan Road, Peterborough on31 May 2006; and if he will make a statement. [82006]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 4 July 2006]: The number of sex offenders accommodated in any
6 July 2006 : Column 1321W
approved premises, (formerly bail and probation hostels) will vary at any one time. Statistical information about the type of offences committed by offenders residing at an approved premise at any one time is not collected centrally.

Crime Statistics (Suffolk)

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who reside in
6 July 2006 : Column 1322W
Suffolk were prosecuted under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since it was enacted. [82109]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Information from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, in the Suffolk police force area from 1992 to 2004 is in the following table Figures for 2005 will be available in the autumn of 2006.

Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, in the Suffolk police force area, 1992 to 2004( 1)
Code	Offence description	Statute	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
821	Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place injuring any person	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(1)	—	3	2	1	—	2	3
822	Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(3)	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
11112	Breeding or breeding from a fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(a)	1	1	—	—	—	—	—
11113	Selling, exchanging, offering, advertising or exposing for sale a fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(b)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11114	Giving or offering to give a fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(c)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11115	Allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or a lead	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(d)	—	—	2	—	—	—	—
11116	Abandoning, or allowing to stray, a fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(e)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11117	Possession, without exemption, of a Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa or other designated fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(3)	3	—	2	—	—	—	—
11118	Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place, no injury being caused	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(1)	—	4	1	—	2	1	2
11119	Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place causing reasonable apprehension of injury to a person	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(3)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11120	Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified	Badgers (further protection) Act 1991 Sec.1. Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 4(8). Protection of Badgers Act 1992 Sec.13	—	—	—	1	—	—	—

6 July 2006 : Column 1323W

6 July 2006 : Column 1324W

Code	Offence description	Statute	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
821	Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place injuring any person	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(1)	2	1	5	6	3	—	5
822	Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(3)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11112	Breeding or breeding from a fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(a)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11113	Selling, exchanging, offering, advertising or exposing for sale a fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(b)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11114	Giving or offering to give a fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(c)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11115	Allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or a lead	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(d)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11116	Abandoning, or allowing to stray, a fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(e)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11117	Possession, without exemption, of a Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa or other designated fighting dog	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(3)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11118	Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place, no injury being caused	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(1)	2	3	1	—	2	3	2
11119	Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place causing reasonable apprehension of injury to a person	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(3)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
11120	Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified	Badgers (further protection) Act 1991 Sec.1. Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 4(8). Protection of Badgers Act 1992 Sec.13	—	—	1	—	—	—	—
(1) These data are on the principal offence basis. Source: RDS — Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

---