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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 24 January 1997
HOME DEPARTMENT
Re-entry Refusals
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were convicted of a criminal offence, punishable by a prison sentence but not served with a deportation order as part of the sentence, were refused re-admission to Britain after leaving Britain to go on holiday in each of the last three years. [12330]
Mr. Kirkhope: The information requested is not available.
Deportations
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were convicted of a criminal offence, punishable by a prison sentence, as part of their sentence were also ordered to be deported in 1996 and for each of the previous four years; for each year, how many deportations were effected; and what were the (a) nationalities and (b) gender of those deported. [12322]
Mr. Kirkhope: Complete data for 1996 are not yet available. Information for 1992 to 1995 and January to August 1996 was given in the reply to a question from the hon. Member on 31 October 1996, Official Report, columns 211-13.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals applied for asylum in (a) December 1996 and (b) December 1995. [12050]
Mr. Kirkhope: Two thousand two hundred and eighty-five applications for asylum in the United Kingdom were lodged in December 1996. The equivalent figure for the same month in 1995 was 3,540.
Hong Kong Residents
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by occupational category and ethnic background the number of Hong Kong residents who have been granted right of abode in the United Kingdom after 1 July. [12179]
Mr. Kirkhope:
Information is not collected on the ethnic background of those given British citizenship under the British nationality selection scheme. The occupational categories of the 49,842 principal beneficiaries granted citizenship as of 31 December 1996 were as follows:
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| Number | |
|---|---|
| Managers and administrators | 13,956 |
| Business and professionals | 1,067 |
| Business and administration associates | 5,429 |
| Accountants and auditors | 1,733 |
| Accounting associate professionals | 559 |
| Engineers and related professionals | 2,651 |
| Architects, planners and surveyors | 556 |
| Engineering associate professionals | 1,641 |
| Information science professionals | 2,583 |
| News editors and journalists | 219 |
| Doctors of medicine | 712 |
| Physical and life science professionals | 94 |
| Nurses and midwives | 1,740 |
| Other medical professionals | 198 |
| Health associate professionals | 758 |
| Legal professionals | 402 |
| Legal associate professionals | 153 |
| Teaching professionals (post-secondary) | 419 |
| Educational administrators | 298 |
| Other teaching personnel | 3,133 |
| Computing equipment controllers | 172 |
| Life science technicians | 34 |
| Physical science technicians | 38 |
| Social work professionals | 144 |
| Statistical assistants | 56 |
| Translators/interpreters | 56 |
| Correctional Services Department | 1,019 |
| Customs and Excise Department | 501 |
| Fire Services Department | 1,221 |
| Immigration Department | 573 |
| Independent Commission Against Corruption | 105 |
| Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force | 14 |
| Royal Hong Kong Police Force | 3,788 |
| The Garrison (Army) | 224 |
| The Garrison (Navy) | 57 |
| Entrepreneurs | 484 |
| Sensitive service | 3,055 |
British Passport Holders
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, in descending order, the estimated number of full British passport holders currently resident in all overseas British territories, Commonwealth and foreign countries who have been registered voters in the United Kingdom. [12453]
Mr. Sackville: Information on the countries of residence of overseas electors is not collected centrally. The total number of overseas electors on registers which came into force on 16 February 1996 was 17,886.
Dog Breeders
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the current operation of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973; and if he will make a statement; [12402]
- (2) what plans he has to issue guidance to local authorities on unlicensed dog breeders and the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973; and if he will make a statement; [12403]
(3) what action he intends to take against unlicensed dog breeders who breach the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973; and if he will make a statement; [12404]
(4) how many representations he has received regarding the Breeding and Sale of Dogs Bill; and how many of those supported the Bill. [12405]
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Mr. Sackville: The Breeding of Dogs Acts 1973 and 1991 provide local authorities with wide-ranging powers over dog breeding. They can withhold the granting of a licence to keep a breeding establishment on any grounds, and impose any condition in the licence. Local authority officials and/or veterinary surgeons can inspect licensed premises as often as they wish to check upon the standards of health, welfare and accommodation of dogs.
The Acts give local authorities powers, subject to obtaining a warrant, to inspect all premises where there is a reasonable suspicion that unlicensed breeding is taking place. The Home Office issued guidance to local authorities in 1992 concerning these, and other, powers available to them in the 1973 and 1991 Acts.
Current law provides local authorities with sufficient powers to deal with the problem of unscrupulous dog breeders.
A total of 534 letters have been received about the Breeding and Sale of Dogs Bill. Of this number, 527 have supported the Bill.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes in the machinery of government have been made as a result of recommendations made by Lord Justice Scott. [11056]
The Deputy Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 22 January 1997, Official Report, column 600-01.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he plans to take to (a) ensure that all Government Departments are informed of, and implement the change in, the code of practice on access to Government information contained in the revised code issued on 14 January and (b) monitor the effectiveness of implementation from 1 February. [11777]
Mr. Freeman:
Copies of the revised "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information" and its accompanying "Guidance on Interpretation" have been circulated to openness liaison officers in Departments in advance of the changes coming into effect on 1 February. The changes and their effects have been explained to these liaison officers in correspondence and at a meeting. These departmental representatives are charged with ensuring that the revised code and guidance are fully disseminated within their Departments. These working level contacts have been reinforced through discussions of the revised code at meetings of departmental establishment officers and at a recent meeting of permanent secretaries, chaired by the head of the home civil service.
My Department will continue to report annually to Parliament on the experiences of Departments, agencies and public bodies in implementing the code. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, who investigates complaints about departmental
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implementation of the code, also reports annually to Parliament, and has the power to report from time to time on specific issues arising from his work.
Sir Irvine Patnick:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many official (a) Government and (b) ministerial cars are operating on bi-fuel; and if he will make a statement. [12022]
Mr. Freeman:
Responsibility for the cars provided by the Government car service has been delegated under the terms of its framework document to the Security Facilities Executive under its chief Executive, Mr. John King. The agency is therefore responding to the question. No record is kept centrally of cars which other Departments and Government agencies may operate.
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