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Kosovo and Chechnya (Civilian Casualties)
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the level of civilian casualties in (a) Kosovo and (b) Chechnya. [110332]
Mr. Vaz: We estimate that around 10,000 Kosovo Albanians, many of them civilians, were killed by Yugoslav and Serb forces, between June 1998 and June 1999. This estimate is based on a variety of sources, including debriefing of refugees, eyewitness accounts, reports from NGOs, as well as information derived from more sensitive sources.
We are concerned over the civilian casualties in Chechnya. We have repeatedly made representations to the Russian government about the disproportionate use of force, most recently on 11 January. We have stressed to the Russians that the human cost of their military offensive in Chechnya is unacceptable and that they must pursue a political settlement. We are working with both the OSCE and Council of Europe to urge Russia to begin such a process at the earliest opportunity.
Iran
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received about the UK's relations with Iran. [108565]
Mr. Hain:
We regularly receive representations about UK/Iran relations. Recently we have received representations from a number of sources including the Bahai community of the UK, the Jewish community of the UK, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Iran, a number of British companies and a number of NGO's with an interest in Iran.
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Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the Library copies of the written representations he has received on the Disqualifications Bill; [109061]
Mr. Straw
[holding answer 8 February 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 10 February 2000 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to a question from the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes), Official Report, column 240W.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) number and (b) country of origin of asylum seekers who arrived in the United Kingdom in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999. [109761]
Mrs. Roche:
The requested information is given in the table.
(2) if he will list the persons and organisations he consulted before the Disqualifications Bill was published, giving the dates and times of oral consultations. [109060]
(8) Figures rounded to nearest 5
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Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that asylum seekers are not kept on a voucher system beyond the six-month target for processing claims. [109569]
Mrs. Roche: No. In the White Paper, "Fairer, Faster and Firmer", the Government set a target of delivering, by April 2001, most initial asylum decisions within two months and most appeals in a further four months. In respect of families with children, this target was brought forward to April 2000. For those people who remain on the support arrangements for more than six months through no fault of their own, additional payments of £50 per person will be made every six months to assist with the cost of any replacement items they may need.
Police Expenditure
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of police expenditure was represented by (a) pay, (b) pensions and (c) staff personnel costs in the last year for which figures are available. [109833]
Mr. Charles Clarke: According to information on police expenditure published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's Police Statistics for 1998-99, police officer pay and allowances represented 54.5 per cent. of gross expenditure; support services' and other staff salaries 14.9 per cent.; pensions represented 12.1 per cent., and other staff related costs 1.0 per cent.
Police National Radio System
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has put in place to fund the planned police national radio system. [109830]
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Mr. Charles Clarke:
Over the next three years the police service will receive an additional £1.24 billion in central Government funding, which is a significant increase for the police at a time when the Government need to maintain firm control over public expenditure. It is a matter for each Police Authority to set its budget and for the Chief Constable to determine how to use the resources that are available. The Government have also relaxed the rules on the use of capital receipts from the sales of assets. Police Authorities now have the freedom to use all proceeds from the sales for capital investment.
Approximately 80 per cent. of the service charges for the Public Safety Radio Communications Project (PSRCP) is attributable to the cost of the core service which, in England and Wales, is to be funded centrally by means of deduction from the total police grant provision. These charges will be reduced by the £50 million subsidy I have obtained from the Capital Modernisation Fund.
The cost of services additional to the core, the so-called 'menu services', which all forces may purchase according to their own requirements accounts for the remaining 20 per cent. Separately from the PSRCP Service charge, forces will need to purchase radio terminals, control room equipment and integration service.
Police expenditure in the period 2001-02 to 2003-04 will be subject to the outcome of the 2000 Spending Review.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers on its advice to police forces not to prosecute motorists exceeding the 30 mph speed limit until their speed reaches 35 mph; and if he will make a statement. [109548]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The enforcement of speed limits is an operational matter for chief officers of police. The Association of Chief Police Officers informed the Home Office of the guidelines on its speed enforcement policy before they were published but there were no detailed discussions about the appropriate thresholds for enforcement action. The thresholds provide guidance to police forces. The decision in any particular case will be taken by the police in the light of the individual circumstances of the offence.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further representations he has received regarding the working group on the status of transsexual people since 19 July 1999; what further meetings he and his officials have had with groups representing transsexual people; and what plans he has made for such meetings in the future. [109393]
Mr. Straw
[holding answer 14 February 2000]: Since 19 July 1999, the Interdepartmental Working Group on Transsexual People has received representations from nine organisations and 83 members of the public. A number of hon. Members have also written to me about the work of the Group. In addition, the Working Group had a useful meeting last month with representatives of five organisations representing the transsexual community (the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, the Gender Trust,
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Gender Identity Research and Education Society, Liberty and Press for Change). Consideration will be given to further meetings as appropriate.
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