2 Jun 1997 : Column: 1

Written Answers to Questions

Monday 2 June 1997

HOME DEPARTMENT

Mr. Singh, Leicester

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he assessed the representations made by the hon. Member for Leicester, East concerning the case of Mr. Singh of Leicester; and what was the cost to public funds of the case. [1481]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I reviewed the representations made by the hon. Member for Leicester, East in this case on 15 May and wrote to him that day, conveying my decision. Mr. Singh was removed to India on 20 May.

It is not the practice to calculate the costs to public funds of individual cases of illegal entry and such estimates could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Prisoners

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners there are currently in each prison in the United Kingdom, indicating in each case the maximum number of inmates the prison are designed to hold. [1464]

Ms Joyce Quin: The table lists all the prisons in England and Wales, their operational capacities and population figures for 22 May 1997.

Table 1: Operational capacity(1) and population figures(2)

PrisonOperational capacityPopulation
Acklington662649
Albany436427
Aldington145145
Ashwell454454
Askham Grange132127
Aylesbury328314
Bedford376364
Belmarsh901874
Birmingham1,0431,034
Blakenhurst750737
Blantyre House120120
Blundeston408401
Brinsford509517
Bristol587576
Brixton645625
Brockhill159154
Buckley Hall350348
Bullingdon704697
Bullwood Hall126127
Camp Hill531513
Canterbury300305
Cardiff716718
Castington300301
Channings Wood615603
Chelmsford497461
Colchester3829
Coldingley296295
Cookham Wood150149
Dartmoor606592
Deerbolt466436
Doncaster1,0111,018
Dorchester238239
Dover316310
Downview333330
Drake Hall285274
Durham917921
East Sutton Park10094
Eastwood Park138128
Elmley715712
Erlestoke310307
Everthorpe465461
Exeter473472
Featherstone599596
Feltham922912
Ford486467
Frankland447448
Full Sutton386391
Garth533528
Gartree364364
Glen Parva882872
Gloucester290282
Grendon235213
Guys Marsh315313
Haslar158110
Hatfield180170
Haverigg555551
Hewell Grange202193
High Down714708
Highpoint703698
Hindley551543
Hollesley Bay470402
Holloway532523
Holme House871827
Hull530524
Huntercombe266259
Kingston129111
Kirkham702695
Kirklevington180161
Lancaster218209
Lancaster Farms536515
Latchmere House187174
Leeds906913
Leicester348358
Lewes496491
Leyhill422416
Lincoln650638
Lindholme696691
Littlehey648640
Liverpool1,4521,453
Long Lartin379390
Low Newton299302
Maidstone570564
Manchester1,1241,051
Moorland665666
Morton Hall192189
Mount628620
New Hall226237
North Sea Camp213206
Northallerton298296
Norwich744719
Nottingham384263
Onley520515
Parkhurst313324
Pentonville929904
Portland536528
Prescoed12893
Preston640625
Ranby538533
Reading245234
Risley868834
Rochester435388
Send231171
Shepton Mallett220216
Shrewsbury323323
Spring Hill210204
Stafford627624
Standford Hill384382
Stocken462460
Stoke Heath322314
Styal262259
Sudbury511498
Swaleside542541
Swansea350344
Swinfen Hall202203
Thorn Cross316255
Usk187181
Verne577572
Wakefield613601
Wandsworth876870
Wayland652647
Wealstun591575
Wellingborough322321
Werrington121122
Wetherby120120
Whatton226224
Whitemoor530509
Winchester612620
Wolde400396
Woodhill685671
Wormwood Scrubs1,3621,293
Wymott805798

(1) The prison population includes inmates on authorised absence.

(2) Operational capacity is defined as the total number of prisoners which an establishment can hold without serious risk to good order, security and the proper running of the planned regime.


2 Jun 1997 : Column: 3

Naturalisation Applications

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the language test for naturalisation applications. [1480]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have no plans to review the statutory requirement that applicants for naturalisation under section 6(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981 should have sufficient knowledge of the English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic language. There is no language requirement for those applying as the spouse of a British citizen.

In 1996, only 27 applicants out of the 17,670 applications determined were refused citizenship because of their failure to meet this requirement.

There remains a residual discretion for the Secretary of State to waive the need to fulfil the requirement if he considers that because of the applicant's age or physical or mental condition, it would be unreasonable to expect it to be fulfilled.

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken to process naturalisation applications. [1479]

2 Jun 1997 : Column: 4

Mr. O'Brien: Sixteen months, as at 30 April 1997.

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications by persons of independent means have been dealt with by the Immigration and Nationality Department so far in 1997.[1816]

Mr. O'Brien: The information requested is given in the table:

Persons of independent means(3) January to April 1997

Number of persons(4)
Given leave to enter the country30
After-entry applications for an extension of stay dealt with(5)90

(3) The requirement restricting persons of independent means to those who are at least 60 years old was introduced on 1 October 1994, but extant cases were not affected.

(4) Figures are provisional.

(5) Including persons of independent means seeking an extension of stay in another category or seeking settlement, and other persons seeking an extension of stay as a retired person of independent means.


Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current waiting time for consideration of applications for each of the divisions of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [796]

Mr. O'Brien: The available information on waiting times is given in the table.

Average waiting time from receipt of application to decision for applications decided in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate at the end of April 1997:

Months
After entry and Appeals Directorate(6)4
Asylum Directorate(7)
Pre-1993 Act applications50
Post-1993 Act applications13
European Directorate(6)
Residence permits
35 per cent. within1
62 per cent. within2
90 per cent. within6
Residence documents
19 per cent. within1
35 per cent. within2
66 per cent. within6
Nationality Directorate
Naturalisations16
Independent registrations(8)7

(6) Data relate to the first quarter of 1997.

(7) Data relate to the 6 months October 1996-March 1997.

(8) Registration not dependent upon a parent's application for naturalisation.


Electoral Practices

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to improve publicity on the (a) availability and procedure for postal and proxy votes and (b) the procedure for voter registration. [1495]

2 Jun 1997 : Column: 5

Mr. George Howarth: Absent voting facilities were publicised at the general election through a television campaign and advertisements, including an application form, in national daily, national Sunday and ethnic minority newspapers. We are reviewing the effectiveness of this publicity and are considering how best to publicise this autumn's canvass for electoral registration.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish a standing electoral commission to monitor and keep under review electoral law, procedure and practice. [1496]

Mr. Howarth: We have no present plans to do so.

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State of the Home Department what steps he will take to reform the procedure of electoral registration; and what steps he will take to reduce the amount of time which elapses between the last day for registration for a given election, and the election. [1494]

Mr. Howarth: We have no plans at present to make changes to the system of electoral registration, or to extend the time before an election during which additions can be made to the register beyond the current deadline of the closing date for candidates' nominations for the election concerned. But we will keep these matters under review.


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