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.
(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]
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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:
| Number of persons(4) | |
|---|---|
| Given leave to enter the country | 30 |
| 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.
| Months | |
|---|---|
| After entry and Appeals Directorate(6) | 4 |
| Asylum Directorate(7) | |
| Pre-1993 Act applications | 50 |
| Post-1993 Act applications | 13 |
| European Directorate(6) | |
| Residence permits | |
| 35 per cent. within | 1 |
| 62 per cent. within | 2 |
| 90 per cent. within | 6 |
| Residence documents | |
| 19 per cent. within | 1 |
| 35 per cent. within | 2 |
| 66 per cent. within | 6 |
| Nationality Directorate | |
| Naturalisations | 16 |
| 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]
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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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