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HOME DEPARTMENT
Jury Trial
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 March 2000, Official Report, column 820W, on jury trial, for what reasons he has assumed that eight per cent. of formerly electing defendants would be committed for sentence to the Crown Court under the provisions of the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No. 2) Bill. [115060]
Mr. Charles Clarke [holding answer 17 March 2000]: Home Office Research suggests that the magistrates would be able to sentence in cases where the Crown Court currently imposes a custodial sentence of up to 15 months--since sentences are two and a half times longer for defendants who elect Crown Court trial than for equivalent cases sentenced in the magistrates courts. In 1996, 76 per cent. of defendants in either-way cases dealt with at the Crown Court fell into this category. However, only one third of these defendants would have elected jury trial, and since defendants who elect are four times less likely to receive such a sentence compared with directed defendants, this means that magistrates would be able to sentence 92 per cent. of such defendants. The remainder, eight per cent., would be committed for sentence.
Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill
Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who will be returned to prison after breaching the (a) monitoring and (b) drug testing requirements of their release on licence under the provisions of Part III of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill; and if he will make a statement. [115821]
Mr. Boateng
[holding answer 22 March 2000]: The use of the new licence conditions provided for under Part III of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill will be subject to piloting before any consideration is given to wider implementation.
3 Apr 2000 : Column: 366W
For full national implementation, the estimated additional number of people who would be returned to prison every year is as follows:
between 200 and 600 people returned following breach of the electronic monitoring requirements of their licence, or following breach of other licence conditions identified through electronic monitoring; and
between 500 and 2,700 people returned for breach of the drug testing requirements of their licence, or as a result of drug use identified through testing.
The actual figures will depend on the extent to which the new licence conditions are used, and the breach rate.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on housing asylum seekers on ships; and if he will make a statement. [116305]
Mrs. Roche:
All offers of accommodation for asylum seekers under the national asylum support scheme are assessed with regard to the suitability of the accommodation offered, including its quality and whether it is in a location where the support needs of the asylum seekers are capable of being met. We would also assess its cost and whether any necessary planning permission has been issued. The National Asylum Support Service has also undertaken to consult with local authorities before any contract for accommodation is signed.
Any offer of accommodation that includes facilities to accommodate people on floating accommodation will be considered in the same way and in accordance with the same criteria as any other offer of accommodation.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from each country which is a candidate for EU membership applied for refugee status in the United Kingdom in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to date; how many were accepted in each case; and what criteria each successful applicant and their family fulfilled. [116307]
Mrs. Roche:
All asylum applications are considered against the criteria specified in the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. In order to qualify for asylum, a person must be outside his/her country of nationality and have a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. The spouse and minor children who accompany an asylum applicant to the United Kingdom will normally be recognised as refugees if the principal applicant's application is successful.
3 Apr 2000 : Column: 365W
(36) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with
(37) = 1 or 2
(38) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions
(39) Not available
(40) = 1 or 2
3 Apr 2000 : Column: 367W
(41) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with
(42) = 1 or 2
(43) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions
(44) January to May only
(45) Not available
(46) = 1 or 2.
3 Apr 2000 : Column: 367W
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