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Deportation
Ms Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy regarding the deportation of families where there are children who have spent a long time in the United Kingdom. [73568]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: For a number of years, it has been the practice of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate not to pursue enforcement action against people who have children under 18 living with them who have spent 10 years or more in this country, save in very exceptional circumstances.
We have concluded that 10 years is too long a period. Children who have been in this country for several years will be reasonably settled here and may, therefore, find it
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difficult to adjust to life abroad. In future, the enforced removal or deportation will not normally be appropriate where there are minor dependent children in the family who have been living in the United Kingdom continuously for 7 or more years. In most cases, the ties established by children over this period will outweigh other considerations and it is right and fair that the family should be allowed to stay here. However, each case will continue to be considered on its individual merits.
Mrs. Laing:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what extra resources will be allocated to Essex Police in order that they can fulfil their duties, after reorganisation, in the areas of Essex presently covered by the Metropolitan Police. [72803]
Mr. Boateng:
Police funding allocations are determined by a needs-based formula. The formula to be applied in 2000-2001 will take into account the changes to the boundaries of the Essex Police. The allocation of resources thereafter within the force area is a matter for the Chief Constable.
The Government have recognised that the Essex Police Authority will incur transitional costs in the year preceding the boundary changes. In order to achieve a smooth implementation of the changes we have, in addition to Essex Police Authority's normal funding for 1999-2000, allocated an extra £2 million to the Police Authority for special transitional costs associated with boundary changes.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the way Mr. Justice Macpherson conducted the Lawrence Inquiry. [72675]
Mr. Straw:
During the proceedings of the Inquiry I received representations from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and from the parents of the five suspects in the case expressing concerns about some aspects of the Inquiry.
The conduct of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry was a matter for the Chairman, Sir William Macpherson and I believe that he conducted the Inquiry with complete fairness.
I have placed on the record my deep gratitude to Sir William Macpherson and his Inquiry team in my statement to the House today.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to measure the efficiency of police forces in order to determine if they have reached his target of a two per cent. efficiency gain. [R] [72719]
Mr. Boateng:
Monitoring and review of police efficiency plans from April 1999 will be undertaken jointly by the Home Office, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and the Audit Commission. Forces will be expected to demonstrate that they have achieved the two per cent. efficiency gains demanded, and that the resources released have been reinvested to improve
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delivery of national and local frontline policing priorities. At the end of 1999-2000, efficiency plans will be audited and certified against actual outturn. Ministers will receive regular reports on forces' progress towards achieving the two per cent. target.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Kurdish population in north London; how many came to Britain as asylum seekers; how many are still waiting to have their asylum status determined; and how many are estimated to be involved in serious crime. [72717]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
I regret that information on the number and immigration status of persons of Kurdish origin currently resident in north London is not available.
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that information about victims and offenders in the Metropolitan Police District is not aggregated under the definition of "the Kurdish Community".
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the level of crime in London emanating from the Kurdish community. [72712]
Kate Hoey:
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that information about victims and offenders in the Metropolitan Police District is not aggregated under the definition of "the Kurdish Community".
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) initiatives taken and (b) advice received from the Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator over the last 12 months. [72699]
Mr. George Howarth:
The United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator and his Deputy report to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Drug Misuse, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office. The role of the Co-ordinator is to provide day-to-day leadership and focus on implementing and developing the Government's drugs strategy, published in April 1998, for which £217 million of new money has been provided for the next three years. The Co-ordinator will produce his first annual report and a national plan in the spring.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what systems he has in place to ensure that policies being developed by his Department are subject to a crime impact (a) assessment and (b) audit and are not likely to lead to enhanced criminal opportunities. [72669]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Development of Government policy takes place with close co-operation between the Departments concerned. This can be through formal arrangements, such as those established between the Home Office, Lord Chancellor's Department and the Law Officers' Department, or via Ministerial or Official Groups or Working Parties. Less formally, they can be
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through close consultation with experts in the relevant areas and with those affected by the proposed measures, normally against a background of regular in-house or specially commissioned research. The Home Office works closely with the Cabinet Office or other Government Departments on the crime implications of policy developments.
Our determination is that the implications for crime and disorder of any new measures are properly taken into account. This commitment is reflected in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Section 17(1) requires local and police authorities to exercise their functions with due regard to the likely effect on preventing crime and disorder.
Greater emphasis is now being given to building up our knowledge of policies that work in tackling crime. The Crime Reduction Programme, supported by £250 million from the Comprehensive Spending Review, is based on systematic evidence of what is effective in reducing crime and tackling its causes, not just dealing with its effects. All the parts of the Crime Reduction Programme will be independently evaluated to assess their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in reducing crime and improving the operation of the criminal justice system. Those parts which are successful will form the basis of future mainstream programmes and those which are not will be dropped.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when research by his Department on the sparsity factor for policing was initiated. [72732]
Mr. Boateng:
External research to examine whether there are any additional costs associated with the policing of sparsely populated rural areas was commissioned in March 1998. The results will be available shortly.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 4 February 1999, Official Report, column 764, how many active drug dogs are on active service at (i) Princeton Prison, Dartmoor, and (ii) Channings Wood Prison, Denbury; and if he will introduce a passive drug dog in Pritchton Prison, Dartmoor. [71880]
Mr. George Howarth:
There are four active drug dogs at Dartmoor prison, and two active drug dogs at Channings Wood prison. Funds have been approved to provide Dartmoor prison with one passive drug dog and one handler.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses were affected by the change in the gas levy announced in the 1997 budget; and what is the average reduction in the levy per business. [70671]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: The Chancellor announced in his July 1997 Budget that
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the Government proposed to cut the gas levy to zero, with full effect from April 1998. As he announced in the March 1998 Budget, the Government decided to implement this by abolishing the levy with effect from 1 April 1998, with a backdated reduction from four pence per therm to three pence per therm applying to 1997-98. Levy was paid by nine producers or purchasers of gas during 1997-98 and each of them has benefited from repayment of one quarter of the levy paid by them in respect of that year.
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