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Motor Projects Research
Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those taking part in the projects described in Motor Projects in England and Wales Research Findings No. 81 were offenders in (a) 1993 and (b) 1999. [79339]
Mr. Boateng: Research Findings No. 81, 'Motor Projects in England and Wales', examined two-year reconvictions for offenders sentenced to Probation run Motor Projects between the end of 1989 and 1993. No information is available centrally on what proportions of those were offenders in 1999. Of those in the sample, 433 (40 per cent.) were sentenced in 1993.
Overall, Research Findings No. 81 showed that nearly 80 per cent. of offenders were reconvicted for an offence within two years.
Mr. McCabe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the projects included in the research base described in Motor Projects in England and Wales Research Findings No. 81 still operate. [79395]
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Mr. Boateng:
Research Findings No. 81, "Motor Projects in England and Wales", examined 42 projects. Current information is available on only 21 of these projects which were jointly managed by probation services in partnership with other bodies. Of these 21, the following are still operating:
We are making inquiries about the other 21 projects and I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposed agreement on the remote approach to satellite network interceptions at the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council of 12 March; which country objected; on what grounds; and what is the Government's policy on this issue. [79490]
Kate Hoey:
The remote access approach would enable member states to maintain an interception capability against serious criminals using satellite telephones on their territory. There would be no need to seek the technical assistance of the member state with the ground station in individual cases.
Italy, which hosts the first satellite ground station in the European Union, took the view at the Council that the member state with the satellite ground station should be given a guarantee that the intercepting member state would protect its constitutional principles and national security when using the remote access approach.
The Government share the view of other member states that there is no substantive role for the member state with the ground station in the remote access approach. The Government have explained their position to the European Scrutiny Committees in their Explanatory Memorandum of 3 March 1999 on Council document 6195-99. A copy is in the Library.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the contents of the papers he intends to present to the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council on (a) mutual recognition of court decisions and judgments and (b) access to justice in civil matters. [79422]
Kate Hoey:
The United Kingdom's discussion paper on the mutual recognition of court decisions and judgments in criminal matters was submitted to the Article K4 Committee of the European Union on 29 March. It follows up the initiative of the United Kingdom Presidency at the Cardiff European Council,
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the conclusions of which called on the Council to identify the scope for greater mutual recognition of decisions of each other's courts. The paper and an Explanatory Memorandum were deposited for scrutiny on 31 March and a copy of each has been placed in the Library.
The aim of the initiative is to develop a regime where each state recognises as valid certain pre and post conviction decisions of another member state's judicial authorities with the minimum of formality. Recognition would be given even though the decision has been taken under different laws and rules. The discussion paper develops this idea by setting out the current obstacles to judicial co-operation, current measures to improve judicial co-operation and suggestions on how mutual recognition could contribute towards the long-term development of judicial co-operation in the European Union.
Mutual recognition of all court decisions is unlikely to be achievable in the near future, but the paper envisages a work programme that identifies short to medium term objectives as well as long term goals, and the preparatory work needed in order to achieve them. The paper proposes that such a programme should include an examination of the following possible proposals: the enforcement of sanctions following criminal convictions; the possibility of dispensing with formal letters of request and dual criminality requirements for mutual legal assistance; the possible abolition of grounds for refusing extradition such as the political offence exception, dual criminality and restrictions of the extradition of member states' own nationals; the possibility of fast track extradition through mutual recognition of arrest warrants and convictions, or a new "Eurowarrant" system; and the possible mutual recognition of orders or warrants concerning assets or evidence.
The key underlying concept behind the paper is the principle that member states of the European Union should be able to have full confidence in each other's legal systems. Progress towards mutual recognition may therefore depend on agreeing common minimum standards and safeguards, for example on the treatment of suspects in custody and procedures for ensuring that the standards and safeguards are actually applied.
The issue of access to justice in civil matters falls within the ministerial responsibility of the Lord Chancellor. The paper is still in preparation, but it is intended that it will invite the member states to consider ways of making it easier for people from one European Union country to bring litigation in another, making use of the other member state's legal system. Notwithstanding the Brussels Convention, the costs of such litigation often make it uneconomic to pursue small and medium sized claims and there is clear evidence that the perceived difficulty in obtaining redress if things go wrong is a major deterrent to buying goods abroad. It is, therefore, a significant obstacle to the proper functioning of the internal market.
This initiative follows up a conference on resolving small claims across borders, hosted by the Lord Chancellor's Department during the United Kingdom Presidency of the European Union last year, and other initiatives already adopted by the Community including the Action Plan on Consumers' Access to Justice.
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Mr. Stunell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Latvian citizens entered the UK in each of the last five years; how many were refused entry to the United Kingdom; and if he will list the reasons for refusal. [79688]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Latvians were not separately identified in immigration statistics prior to 1998, when 21,800 passengers were admitted and 340 were refused leave to enter and removed from the United Kingdom. 280 of the latter were not considered to be genuinely seeking entry as visitors, nearly 20 had unsatisfactory arrangements or non-genuine intentions for entry as students and over 40 were refused for various other reasons.
Mr. Wilshire:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list, including names and dates, of all meetings that (a) he, (b) his officials, (c) his advisers and (d) his PPS have held during (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999 with people who work for political lobbying firms or for businesses that are members of the Public Relations Consultants Association. [79647]
Mr. Straw:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 9 March 1999, Official Report, column 168. The requirements of the Ministerial Code also apply to Parliamentary Private Secretaries when attending any meetings in an official or semi-official capacity.
Mr. Khabra:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what will be the legal status of the proposed CitizenCard; on what basis the cost of the scheme was agreed; and what plans he has to restrict future increases in the cost of obtaining a CitizenCard; [79636]
Mr. George Howarth:
CitizenCard is an industry sponsored proof of age scheme which was launched on 15 February. The Government have welcomed it but its operation is a matter for the promoters.
West Yorkshire: "BUMPY" Project
West Sussex: "Car Offenders Project" (now "Responsible Drivers")
Shropshire: "Drive" Project
Inner London: "Ilderton Motor Project"
Somerset: "Mendip Motor Project" (now "Somerset Motor Project")
Greater Manchester: "STOP" Project
Oxfordshire: "TRAX" Motor Project
Buckinghamshire: "Wheel-right"
Nottingham: "Wheelbase".
(2) if the police will accept the proposed CitizenCard as a legal document; and what arrangements will be made to enable retailers to check the validity of the document. [79637]
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