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London Fire Service
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 8 July, Official Report, column 34, which hon. Members have made representations to him regarding (a) proposed changes in the level of London's fire service and (b) closure of fire stations. [38159]
Mr. Sackville: A list of the hon. Members referred to in my answer of 8 July, Official Report, column 34, has been placed in the Library.
Departmental Visits (United States)
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates in (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95, (c) 1995-96 and (d) 1996-97 on
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which (i) he, (ii) other Home Office Ministers and (iii) officials visited the United States of America on matters of criminal justice policy; who made each visit; what was the purpose of each visit; with whom meetings were held; what were the outcomes of these meetings on each visit; and what was the cost to public funds of each visit. [37975]
Mr. Howard: During the period in question there have been four ministerial visits to the United States of America on criminal justice matters as follows:
- (a) 1 to 8 January 1994: I undertook a visit covering prisons, police, crime prevention and drug trafficking matters;
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- (b) 24 to 27 April 1995: The former Minister of State, Home Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth) accompanied by a private secretary and the Director General of the Prison Service, undertook a visit to high-security prisons;
(c) 12 to 17 November 1995: I undertook a visit, accompanied by a private secretary and the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, covering prison and terrorism matters;
(d) 12 to 15 December 1995: The Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and the Border (Mr. Maclean), accompanied by a private secretary, undertook a visit covering police and terrorism matters.
The other details requested are either unavailable or could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Refugees
Mr. Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place in (a) 1995 and (b) 1996 to the latest convenient date with (i) European Union partners, (ii) other countries and (iii) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about possible alterations to the UN convention relating to the status of refugees; what has been the outcome of these discussions; and if he will make a statement. [38428]
Mr. Kirkhope: No proposals have been advanced for amendment to the 1951 convention.
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DNA Tests
Mr. Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many DNA tests to prove family relationships for immigration purposes have been carried out under the Home Office-funded scheme during (a) 1995 and (b) the first quarter of 1996, listed by country of origin; what was the average waiting period for the test and for its origin; what was the average waiting period for the test and for its results; and in how many of those tests the family relationships proved to be as claimed by the applicants. [38054]
Mr. Kirkhope: The available information is given in the table.
| Outcomes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country/post where application made | Number of tests carried out | Tests offered but not taken | Number awaiting results at end of period | Number of results received | Related as claimed to both parents | Related as claimed to one parent but not other | Not related as claimed to either parent |
| 1995 | |||||||
| Indian sub-continent | 1,617 | 23 | 535 | 1,772 | 1,509 | 160 | 103 |
| Bangladesh (Dhaka) | 1,125 | 19 | 212 | 1,270 | 1,107 | 88 | 75 |
| Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi) | 404 | -- | 280 | 424 | 332 | 66 | 26 |
| India (Bombay, New Delhi, Calcutta, Madras) | 88 | 4 | 43 | 78 | 70 | 6 | 2 |
| Outside of Indian sub-continent(17) | 202 | (17)-- | n/a | n/a | n/a | 41 | |
| Ethiopia | 62 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 31 | |
| Egypt (Cairo) | 10 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Ghana (Accra) | 16 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | |
| Guyana (Georgetown) | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | -- | |
| Kenya (Nairobi) | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | -- | |
| Nigeria (Lagos) | 29 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 5 | |
| Philippines (Manila) | 23 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | |
| Sierra Leone (Freetown) | 32 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 2 | |
| Sudan (Khartoum) | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Sweden (Stockholm) | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Thailand (Bangkok) | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Turkey (Istanbul) | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Yemen (Sana'a) | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 | |
| Q1 1996 | |||||||
| Indian sub-continent | 320 | 1 | 511 | 326 | 286 | 12 | 25 |
| Bangladesh (Dhaka) | 227 | nil | 171 | 268 | 238 | 10 | 17 |
| Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi) | 63 | nil | 278 | 50 | 43 | 2 | 5 |
| India (Bombay, New Delhi, Calcutta, Madras) | 30 | 1 | 62 | 8 | 5 | nil | 3 |
(17) Refers to the number of tests for which an invoice has been received.
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Immigration Rules
Mr. Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he plans to make to paragraph 2 of the statement of changes in the immigration rules, HC 395 of Session 1994-95; what consultation he is having with interested organisations; and if he will make a statement. [38432]
Mr. Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women have been (i) granted and (ii) refused (A) entry clearance and (B) leave to enter the United Kingdom in (1) 1994, (2) 1995 and (3) 1996 to the latest convenient date
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under the provisions of paragraphs 246 and 247 of the consolidated immigration, rules HC 395 of Session 1994-95. [38430]
Mr. Kirkhope: The information requested is not collected centrally.
British Citizenship
Mr. Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many minor children born to a British overseas citizen parent outside the United Kingdom have (a) been registered and (b) been refused registration as (i) a British citizen and (ii) a British overseas citizen in each year since 1 January 1994. [38075]
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Mr. Kirkhope: The information is not available in the form requested. Minor children may apply for registration as British overseas citizens under section 27 of the British Nationality Act 1981. The numbers of grants made under this section, most of which will have been made to minor children born abroad to a British overseas citizen parent, are as follows:
1994: 2
1995: 1
1996: 1 (to date)
Prisons (Assaults)
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (i) the latest available figures, (ii) the figures for 1992, (iii) those for 1988 and (iv) those for 1987 for (a) the prisoner-on-prisoner assault rates and (b) prisoner-on-staff assault rates, for each category C prison. [38746]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
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