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Mr. Kenneth Baker : I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of energy audits carried out in his Department in the past five years and for each audit a statement of its main conclusions.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Twenty-two energy audits were carried out in the Home Office in the last five financial years. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Home Secretary on 5 June 1990 at columns 421- 23, which gave details of 16 of these audits. The main conclusions of the other six audits were as follows :
HMP Onley
Improved controls to heating distribution mains system. Change all GLS and tungsten halogen area lighting to compact fluorescent lamps.
Change perimeter lighting from 500W tungsten halogen lamps to high pressure sodium lamps.
Upgrade gymnasium lighting.
Replace Manor House heating system.
Ashford Police Training College
Replace tungsten lamps with compact fluorescent lamps.
Improve boilerhouse and heating pipework insulation.
Install Building Energy Management system.
Install new heating control.
Insulated Pool cover.
Heat recovery to swimming pool.
Automatic shut off taps to hand basins.
Ryton Police Training College
Replace tungsten bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps.
Replace overhead heating distribution mains.
Install lighting control system.
New heating controls.
Install Building Energy Management System.
Modify/upgrade boilers.
Birmingham Forensic Science Laboratory
Automatic lighting controls.
Install thermostatic radiator valves.
Recalibrate heating controls.
Install solar screening to some glazed areas.
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Cwmbran Police Training CollegeReplace tungsten bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps.
Install lighting control system.
Improve heating pipework insulation.
Change external floodlighting lamps.
Heat recovery swimming pool hall.
Chantmarle Police Training College
Replace tungsten bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps.
Boilerhouse control and insulation improvements.
Road insulation.
Naturalisation
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people over the age of 60 years have applied for naturalisation for each of the past 10 years ; how many have been accepted ; and how many of those refused were refused because they did not pass the language test.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information is available only from2 October 1986 of those applicants who were aged 60 or over at the time their applications were granted.
Year |Granted ------------------------ <1>1986 |17 1987 |93 1988 |71 1989 |104 1990 |98 <2>1991 |110 <1> 2 October to 31 December. <2> 1 January to 29 May.
It is not possible to say how many applicants aged 60 or over were refused in a given year, nor whether their refusal was because they had an insufficient knowledge of the English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic language.
Television Licence Fee
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has of how much would have to be added to the price of each television set to replace the television licence fee, assuming the average life of a set to be five or 10 years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On current estimated sales volumes, an additional charge of about £355 per TV set would be needed to raise a sum equivalent to current net licence fee revenue.
Passports
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many officials were involved and what procedures were followed in issuing EC passport number 003147077 by the Liverpool passport office ; on what date an application was submitted by Phelim McManamon ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what action has been taken by his Department since Sunday 26 May concerning the immigration and nationality department and the Passport Agency ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) when Mr. Phelim McManamon was issued with a current British passport ; whether the original application with photographs is retained ; what checks were carried out on the file and photographs prior to issuing an EC passport in the name of Phelim McManamon ; and if he will make a statement ;
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(4) on what date and from which office Mr. Vindokumar Patel of the east midlands immigration service was issued with a British passport ; and what sort of passport was issued.Mr. Peter Lloyd : The matter referred to has been placed in the hands of the Metropolitan police.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average delay in issuing (a) British citizenship and (b) an EC passport ; and what is the appropriate fee in each case.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The average waiting times for those certificates issued in April were 36 months for certificates of naturalisation and 24 months for certificates of registration. From 1 March 1991, the fee for single and joint applicants for naturalisation on the grounds of residence has been £170, for applicants for naturalisation on the grounds of marriage to a British citizen £135, and for applicants for registration £85.
The average processing time for non-urgent straight-forward properly completed passport applications was about 10 working days as at 26 May 1991. The fee for a standard United Kingdom passport is £15.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in the immigration and nationality department and the Passport Agency have access to Home Office and police computerised records ; how many complaints he has received in the last year of unauthorised access to computer records ; what action has been taken to combat such unauthorised access ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Officials of the immigration and nationality department have access to various internal departmental computer systems used in their day-to-day work activities, but have no direct access to other Home Office systems or in the normal way to police computerised records. However, members of the immigration service involved in law enforcement may have access to police computerised records of convictions where this is relevant to inquiries into breaches or suspected breaches of the immigration laws.
Passport Agency staff at computerised offices, currently Liverpool, Glasgow, London and part of Peterborough, involved in the issue of United Kingdom passports have access to the United Kingdom Passport Agency computer. No agency staff have direct access to other Home Office computer systems and none have access to police computer records.
No unauthorised access to either the IND or United Kingdom Passport Agency computers has been reported.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) who prints British and EC passports available in the United Kingdom ; who provides security at printing and during distribution and delivery of such passports ; what checks and inspections are made at stores ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what complaints he has received about genuine British and EC passports being stolen from stores ; how many such stores there are in the United Kingdom ; who provides security at each store ; what improvement in security is being introduced ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : United Kingdom passports are printed, stored and distributed to passport offices under
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conditions of high security by arrangement with HMSO. Details of internal security procedures must remain confidential. The recent allegations about theft of passports are being investigated by the police.Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to ensure that genuine British and EC passports and visas are not obtained from his Department for illegal sale ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : United Kingdom blue and burgundy red (in the EC format) passports are issued only to people who have a legitimate claim to one. Checks and safeguards are built into the issuing system and procedures kept under regular review.
Visas are issued only at posts abroad, except that visa endorsements in the form of a stamp are made, in respect of dependent territory applicants, by the United Kingdom Passport Agency Office in London.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the normal application procedure and normal application requirements for (a) a British passport holder and (b) a non-United Kingdom national to apply within the United Kingdom for an EC passport ; whether he proposes to change any part of these procedures ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Satisfactory evidence of nationality and identity are required to support any application for a United Kingdom standard passport. There are no plans at present to change the procedures although the procedures are kept under regular review.
A non-United Kingdom national, unless he or she is a dual national, holding also British nationality, cannot qualify for the issue of either a standard blue or EC common format United Kingdom passport.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when police are requested to carry out inquiries into the operation of the Passport Agency ; which police forces are involved ; how many officials have, to date, been interviewed ; when he expects police inquiries to be completed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Metropolitan police, who are the only police force involved, began their inquiries on 28 May. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the first officials were interviewed on 31 May, and that inquiries are expected to take about three months.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in the last year in the immigration and nationality department and the Passport Agency have been (a) dismissed, (b) suspended on full pay, (c) suspended without pay, (d) retired early and (e) are on extended sick leave ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : In the past year, eight officials of the Passport Agency and the Immigration and Nationality Department have been dismissed, eight officials were suspended (four of whom were eventually dismissed and are included in the foregoing figures). Of those suspended four were on full pay, two on part pay and two without pay. There were no compulsory early retirements. Statistics for sick leave are not readily available in the form requested.
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Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contacts the east midlands immigration service has had over the past five years with the immigration and nationality department and the Passport Agency ; whether the company is on the list of those able to submit applications for new passports and for passports to be renewed on a priority basis ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Statistics of contacts with individuals, individual agencies, organisations or representatives are not recorded by the Immigration and Nationality Department. The information could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Such information is not available either in the United Kingdom Passport Agency, although I can confirm that the organisation to which the hon. Gentleman refers is not listed as an authorised agent by the agency.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information those applying for (a) British passports and (b) EC passports are normally required to supply ; whether applicants are normally required to be interviewed by police officers ; in what circumstances such application requirements may be varied ; and who is authorised to approve such application variations.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Applicants for standard blue British passports and for British passports in the European Community common format are required to prove entitlement by production of documentary evidence to satisfy the Passport Office of their national status and of their identity. The requirements may be varied in cases of emergency or other urgent need for travel if authorised by a supervisor. Applicants are not normally interviewed by police officers.
Visas
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the abolition of re-entry visas and visa exemption certificates by the United Kingdom ; and what consultation he undertook with interested parties before taking this action.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We have received a small number of
representations. They have included both favourable and critical comment. It is not our normal practice to consult about immigration rules changes.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to minimise inconvenience to travellers, officials and airlines arising from the abolition of re-entry visas and visa exemption certificates by the United Kingdom ; and what particular action he has taken to assist those visitors to the United Kingdom wishing to go on religious pilgrimage to Mecca.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are issuing applicants with an explanatory card and are providing guidance to airlines. Most travellers should find the new arrangements more convenient and their greater simplicity should make them easier for immigration staff and airlines to operate.
I recognise that the timing of the changes may cause difficulty for visitors who plan to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. Officials have therefore notified Islamic bodies that
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my right hon. Friend is prepared, exceptionally, to grant an extra one month's leave in order to bring such visitors within the scope of the visa exemption scheme. Applications should be made to the public inquiry office at Lunar house by 28 June and should be accompanied by a return ticket to Saudi Arabia valid for the Hajj period, as well as a ticket for the applicant's subsequent return to country of origin.Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what benefits he expects from abolishing with effect from 16 May re-entry visas and visa exemption certificates ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Because re-entry visas were issued without substantive consideration of applications they did not represent an effective use of resources. A new short-term multiple entry visa and an extended visa exemption scheme have been introduced to assist those who wish to travel abroad and return during a stay in the United Kingdom. Now that the visa exemption scheme applies uniformly to all visa nationalities the "visa exempt" passport endorsement, which was previously available on application, is no longer considered necessary or helpful.
Mohinder Paul Singh Bedi
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the reasons for his decision in November 1990 to undertake inquiries into the activities of Mohinder Paul Singh Bedi ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : This is an operational matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
Mr. Vindokumar Patel
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mr. Vindokumar Patel of the east midlands immigration service has been retained by the immigration and nationality department or the police as an interpreter or in any other capacity in the last five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Mr. Patel has not been employed by the immigration and nationality department. The employment of interpreters by the police is a matter for the chief officer of police concerned.
Dangerous Dogs
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the police concerning legislation required to deal with dangerous dogs ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold [holding answer 23 May 1991] : Police forces and the police associations were consulted last year in connection with the proposals set out in the Government's "Control of Dogs" consultation paper. Three police authorities and 15 police forces responded to the Home Office along with the Police Federation, Police Superintendents' Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers. The views of Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary have also been obtained. I refer the hon. Member to the statement which my right hon. Friend made to the House on Wednesday 22 May at columns 945-46.
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Probationers
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of persons (a) under probation service supervision and (b) in gaol in England and Wales have previously been in local authority care.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 23 May 1991] : These statistics are not available centrally.
Research
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to carry out research into the effects of transfer under the provisions of circular instruction 37/90 and its predecessor circular instruction 10/74.
Mrs. Rumbold [holding answer 23 May 1991] : There are no plans at present to carry out such research.
Prison Sentences (Foreign Nationals)
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals were serving a prison sentence in England and Wales for each of the last five years ; and what percentage was for drug offences.
Mrs. Rumbold [holding answer 23 May 1991] : The readily available information is given in the table.
Population of sentenced prisoners in Prison Service
establishments in
England and Wales on 30 June who were recorded as foreign
nationals and whether sentenced for drugs offences,
1986-1990.
|Drugs |Other |Offence |All
|offences|offences|not |offences
|recorded
----------------------------------------------------------
1986
Number<1> |886 |1,880 |27 |2,793
Percentage |32 |67 |1 |100
1987
Number<1> |1,172 |1,851 |41 |3,064
Percentage |38 |60 |1 |100
1988
Number<1> |1,097 |1,768 |30 |2,895
Percentage |38 |61 |1 |100
1989
Number<1> |1,192 |1,772 |59 |3,023
Percentage |39 |59 |2 |100
1990
Number<2> |1,248 |1,790 |134 |3,172
Percentage |39 |56 |4 |100
<1> Excluding fine defaulters.
<2> Provisional figures.
Football (Policing)
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of 7 February, Official Report, column 235, to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde, when he will take a final decision on the terms of the Home Office circular to police authorities on the subject of police charges for policing at football matches ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 23 May 1991] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon.
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Friend to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 21 May at columns 408-9.
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