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British Citizenship Applications (Fees)
Mr. Singh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision he intends to make in respect of fees for applications for British citizenship made under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997. [1297]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The British Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 1997 are being laid before Parliament today. They amend the British Nationality (Fees) Regulations 1996 so as to prescribe a fee of £250 for an application for registration as a British citizen under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997, and apply to the 1997 Act the fee of £20 for supplying a certified copy of a certificate etc.
Wrongful Convictions
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for financial compensation are outstanding involving individuals who were found by the Court of Appeal to have been wrongfully convicted and on what date the individuals concerned had their convictions quashed. [182]
Mr. Michael [holding answer 21 May 1997]: There are currently 156 outstanding cases at various stages in the process of consideration.
There are currently 59 applications for compensation outstanding where a decision has still to be taken on whether the applicants qualify for compensation. There are also 27 finalised claims yet to be submitted by successful applicants and 18 claims that are either with, or in the process of being prepared for, the independent assessor. In addition, there are 52 further claims being processed arising from a number of cases in Greater Manchester where drink-driving convictions were quashed following possible contamination of blood samples.
No central record is maintained of the dates on which the convictions were quashed in those involving wrongful conviction.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in
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introducing a system of three-monthly reviews of the health of individual prisoners in special secure units; how many prisoners were examined in each month since the system was introduced; and how many individual prisoners have been detained in an SSU without examination for periods exceeding three months. [185]
Ms Joyce Quin
[holding answer 21 May 1997]: The health care received by prisoners in special secure units (SSUs) is comparable to that elsewhere in the Prison Service. In addition, the Operating Standards for SSUs state that the health of each SSU prisoner will be reviewed every three months. Details of the format and content of these reviews were agreed in April and a system for reviewing the health of SSU prisoners has now begun.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many hours per day Danny McNamee, currently detained in the special secure unit at HMP Full Sutton, is confined to his cell; and what is the size of his cell. [149]
Ms Joyce Quin
[holding answer 19 May 1997]: Danny McNamee is out of his cell for 4 hours 15 minutes a day between Monday to Friday, 8 hours 15 minutes on Saturday and 7 hours 45 minutes on Sunday. These hours relate to time allotted for general association, meals and exercise. Mr. McNamee refuses to take part in organised gymnasium activity or to work and he elects to take education in his cell. If he were to take part in these activities he would spend an additional 4 hours a day out of his cell between Monday to Friday.
The average size of a cell within the special secure unit at Full Sutton prison is approximately 3.5 metres by 2 metres.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the decision of the Prison Service to refuse permission for Danny McNamee, currently detained in the special secure unit at HMP Full Sutton, to be examined by an outside consultant for a suspected hernia. [162]
Ms Quin
[holding answer 19 May 1997]: The medical staff responsible for the clinical care of Danny McNamee at Full Sutton prison have examined him on a number of occasions. They are satisfied that he does not have a hernia or any other condition which warrants the intervention of an outside consultant. Mr. McNamee will continue to receive regular medical examinations in line with Prison Service policy.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison transfers to (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Irish Republic have taken place in each month since October 1994; how many requests for transfer (i) have been rejected and (ii) remain outstanding; and if he will list the prisoners involved in each case. [150]
Ms Joyce Quin
[holding answer 19 May 1997]: Arrangements for the exact date of transfer of prisoners are an operational matter for the prison concerned. However, the number of applications from prisoners
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seeking transfer to Northern Ireland approved in each month since October 1994 are given in the following table.
| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -- | -- | 1 | |
| February | -- | -- | -- | |
| March | -- | 4 | -- | |
| April | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| May | -- | 4 | 2 | |
| June | 3 | 3 | ||
| July | 6 | 2 | ||
| August | 1 | 2 | ||
| September | -- | -- | ||
| October | -- | 2 | 2 | |
| November | -- | -- | 3 | |
| December | -- | 3 | 1 |
Since October 1994, 31 requests for transfer to Northern Ireland have been refused.
Twelve requests remain under consideration.
Prisoners repatriated to the Republic of Ireland in each of the following months are given below:
| Year | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| May | 1996 | 2 |
| November | 1996 | 3 |
| December | 1996 | 2 |
| February | 1997 | 1 |
| March | 1997 | 1 |
| May | 1997 | 1 |
Three repatriation applications have been refused.
Eighty applications remain under consideration either in England and Wales or in the Republic of Ireland.
It is not normal practice to disclose the personal details of individual prisoners.
Mr. Bayley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Army plans to close its civilian manning and records office at Imphal barracks, York; how many square feet of office space this closure will release; and what are his plans for its future use. [600]
Dr. Reid:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Army Personnel Centre. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from David Burden to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 22 May 1997:
I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the closure of the Manning and Records Offices and Regimental Pay Offices at Imphal Barracks, York in so far as it applies to the Army Personnel Centre as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of that Agency. Although the latter elements of your Question are outwith my area of responsibility, I have been asked to provide a consolidated response.
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Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review bilateral defence agreements with the United Arab Emirates. [267]
Dr. Reid:
The strategic defence and security review will consider all aspects of defence. The review will take full account of our commitment to international peace and security, and our interest in continued cooperation and consultation with our friends, including the United Arab Emirates.
I should explain that the functions of the Royal Artillery Manning and Records Office, the Footguards and Infantry Manning and Records Office, and the associated Army Regimental Pay Offices, currently located within Imphal Barracks, York, will transfer to the Army Personnel Centre (APC) in Glasgow on 16 June 1997.
These offices currently occupy approximately 44514 ft 2 (4137m 2 ) of Building 107, Imphal Barracks, York. As the Manning and Records, and Regimental Pay Offices are lodger units on the site, when this part of the building is vacated due to the transfer of the functions to the APC, HQ Land Command as the Top Level Budget Holder responsible for maintaining and managing the barracks, will be the prime executive authority who will endorse any decision on the future occupants of the office space made available. HQ Land Command act as the focal point for the submission of any departmental restructuring and relocation initiatives, entering into formal correspondence and consultation with interested parties through the normal chains of command.
Although any plans for the future use of the accommodation are outwith my area of responsibility, I am informed that a site reshuffle of local branches is intended and that the office space will be reallocated to other MOD users, including Headquarters 15 (North East) Brigade, and elements of Headquarters 2 Division which, by January 1998, will together occupy the majority of the vacated accommodation. I understand that no firm decision has yet been taken regarding the remainder of the vacated office space.
I hope this is helpful.
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