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Visa Applications
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the (a) target time and (b) average actual time between applications for renewal of visas and decisions for nationals of (i) Bahrain and (ii) China currently in the United Kingdom. [65755]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: 2,280 applications for further leave to remain by nationals of Bahrain and of China were decided in the public enquiry offices on the day of application in 1998; and 1,260 postal applications were decided within 16-17 weeks in respect of both nationalities. We aim to decide all applications in the shortest possible time.
State of Emergency Regulations
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which department of Government have responsibility for keeping the UK State of Emergency regulations under review; when the last review was made; if he will undertake his own departmental review of the regulations; and if this matter has been included in the general review of international obligations announced on 3 July 1997. [65999]
Mr. George Howarth: The Home Office has overall responsibility for any emergency regulations that might be made under the powers contained in the Emergency Powers Act 1920. However, as the Act covers a wide range of subjects, a number of other Departments might also be involved if regulations were needed.
A review of the potential requirements was carried out in 1995. A fresh review involving departments generally, which includes considering Millennium related issues, is in progress. Until a situation requiring the use of emergency powers arose, any link with international obligations would be hypothetical.
Diarmuid O'Neill
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date findings of the police investigation into the shooting on 23 September 1996 of Diarmuid O'Neill were received by (a) the Police Complaints Authority, (b) the Crown Prosecution Service and (c) Her Majesty's Coroner; and what decisions have been made by each of these bodies concerning criminal or disciplinary action. [66085]
19 Jan 1999 : Column: 409
Mr. Boateng:
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the police investigation report was sent to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) on 2 November, and to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Her Majesty's Coroner on 20 November.
As at 18 January, no decisions had been taken in relation to criminal action by the CPS, or to disciplinary action by the PCA, with the Metropolitan Police. Her Majesty's Coroner has no role in relation to such action.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each other European Union country, how many asylum seekers have been accepted in each of the last two years. [66112]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
The most recent available information, for 1995 and 1996, is given in the table. This was taken from the report of the Secretariat of the Inter-Governmental Consultation on Asylum, Refugee and Migration Policies in Europe, North America and Australia, entitled "Report on Asylum Procedures--September 1997". No figures were published for Austria, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg or Portugal.
| Country | 1995 | 1996 |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 604 | 313 |
| Denmark | 4,810 | 1,214 |
| Finland | 4 | 11 |
| France | 4,742 | 4,344 |
| Germany | 23,468 | 24,000 |
| Italy | 287 | 157 |
| Netherlands | 7,980 | 8,806 |
| Spain | 464 | n/a |
| Sweden | 8,460 | 130 |
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been allowed into the United Kingdom in the last two years; and from which countries they came. [66115]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information is given in the table.
(3) Figures rounded to nearest 5
19 Jan 1999 : Column: 410
London Fire Brigade
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that the London Fire Brigade can meet any additional fire risk associated with the Millennium Dome. [66090]
Mr. George Howarth: The statutory responsibility for ensuring efficient fire services rests with the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority.
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each derogation from Article 8 of the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC which he plans to provide to the Commission, pursuant to Article 8(6) of that Directive; and if he will make a statement. [65981]
19 Jan 1999 : Column: 411
Mr. George Howarth:
I am not yet in a position to provide a full list. The derogations will include processing covered by paragraphs 7 and 9 of Schedule 3 of the Data Protection Act 1998, and by any order made under paragraph 10 of that Schedule. Such an order is likely to include the processing of information about criminal offences and criminal convictions for the purpose of preventing or detecting criminal offences; the processing by political parties of information about political opinions in connection with canvassing; and certain processing by the police or other investigating organisations. I am considering further suggestions made in the responses to last August's consultation exercise on subordinate legislation under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the uses made of the Electoral Register for non-electoral purposes and (b) those bodies which have indicated to his review of the use of the Electoral Register for non-electoral purposes that they access the Register; and if he will make a statement. [65967]
Mr. George Howarth:
The Home Office Working Party is continuing to examine the case for a change in the way in which the electoral register is made available for non-electoral purposes. The main uses so far identified include credit referencing, direct marketing, and the prevention of fraud and money laundering. There is also some use made by charities for fundraising, and by genealogists for research purposes.
Most of the organisations which have responded do not purchase copies of the register directly: those indicating that they use data at least partially based on the register, but excluding local authorities and other Government Departments, were:
19 Jan 1999 : Column: 412
Abbey National
Advertising Association
Age Concern
Alliance and Leicester
American Express
Association of British Insurers
Bank of Ireland
Bank of Scotland
Blue Cross
Britannia Building Society
British Bankers' Association
British Retail Consortium
Brooks and Bentley Ltd.
CACI Ltd.
Cadogan Estates Ltd.
CBI
Celebration File
Charity Commission
Communicator
Computing Group Ltd.
Consumer Credit Trade Association
Council of Mortgage Lenders
Credit Card Research Group
Credit Services Association
Direct Marketing Association
Direct Select
Equifax
EuroDirect
Evand Hunt Scott Ltd.
Experian
Finance and Leasing Association
Foxtons Ltd.
GB Information Management
George Walker and Co.
Grattans PLC
HFC Bank
Hopewiser Ltd.
Imperial Cancer Research Fund
Institute of Credit Management
Institute of Sales Promotion
Integral Marketing Ltd.
IPA
JICPOPS
Lewis Group Ltd.
Library Association
List Experts Ltd.
Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society
Lowe Direct Ltd.
Mailbird Organisation
Mail Order Traders' Association
Market Research Society
MBNA International Bank
National Consumer Credit Federation
National Geographic Society
Newspaper Society
NSPCC
Oxfam
Periodical Publishers Association
Post Office
QVC the Shopping Channel
Reader's Digest
Registry Trust Ltd.
Response Marketing Ltd.
Rothmans (UK) Ltd.
Sainsbury's Bank
Sears Financial Services Ltd.
Small Business Bureau
TBDA Ltd.
Telegraph Group Ltd.
Valldata Services Ltd.
Waddies Print Group
WWAV Rapp Collins.
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