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24 May 2000 : Column: 489W

Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 24 May 2000

HOME DEPARTMENT

Computer Viruses

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what precise time his Department became aware of the computer virus known as the Love Bug. [122588]

Mr. Straw: Staff supporting the Home Office's main computer networks were first made aware of this computer virus between 09:00 and 09:30 on 4 May 2000.

24 May 2000 : Column: 490W

Joe Wilkins

Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has brought extradition proceedings against Joe Wilkins. [123047]

Mr. Charles Clarke: It is a long-standing policy in matters of this kind not to comment on whether an extradition request for a particular individual has been made.

Special Constables

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, the number of special constables in each police force in England and Wales. [122029]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 12 May 2000]: The figures for the number of special constables in post in each police force area in England and Wales since 1989 were:

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Force	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Avon and Somerset	503	536	568	712	770	651	688	759	621	547
Bedfordshire	137	122	167	199	192	189	189	182	186	154
Cambridgeshire	169	173	198	182	245	279	275	303	320	310
Cheshire	219	244	299	274	387	321	274	475	459	407
City of London	60	56	68	85	89	83	77	86	76	64
Cleveland	139	143	177	195	232	212	195	160	164	126
Cumbria	210	193	246	230	248	241	201	189	198	204
Derbyshire	251	275	347	335	423	434	413	428	380	317
Devon and Cornwall	862	913	984	946	1,067	1,142	1,102	1,148	1,024	918
Dorset	218	214	254	563	239	221	254	289	315	305
Durham	149	152	165	203	258	200	187	184	144	159
Dyfed-Powys	189	210	315	260	271	302	314	283	254	237
Essex	445	482	642	759	751	674	608	634	638	544
Gloucestershire	209	206	224	274	315	320	330	297	276	233
Greater Manchester	473	517	530	570	617	768	746	685	598	523
Gwent	95	76	80	101	109	126	136	157	119	113
Hampshire	362	369	529	587	611	598	564	611	698	760
Hertfordshire	203	206	202	247	294	320	315	297	306	238
Humberside	249	273	316	422	446	427	391	340	324	269
Kent	500	501	484	554	587	569	555	589	592	526
Lancashire	432	377	474	539	565	608	531	483	489	449
Leicestershire	327	357	371	379	392	356	360	415	406	316
Lincolnshire	365	356	397	416	383	322	299	271	260	216
Merseyside	296	295	340	367	389	384	333	401	419	458
Metropolitan Police	1,353	1,365	1,435	1,489	1,615	1,550	1,850	1,714	1,282	1,138
Norfolk	269	268	312	346	366	345	319	402	337	336
Northamptonshire	240	218	271	302	330	303	289	316	288	230
Northumbria	538	534	571	512	517	506	471	533	400	342
North Wales	175	199	256	295	298	288	332	341	358	400
North Yorkshire	334	383	387	388	497	381	360	362	358	276
Nottinghamshire	486	470	556	593	551	552	537	620	558	461
South Wales	261	257	352	432	541	477	461	361	366	338
South Yorkshire	316	317	371	412	473	452	381	308	281	246
Staffordshire	566	592	702	733	770	725	702	685	595	468
Suffolk	329	354	373	386	414	409	407	379	397	420
Surrey	174	215	214	251	232	238	260	297	235	224
Sussex	530	495	571	548	512	527	511	472	442	393
Thames Valley	568	532	564	606	623	679	744	656	609	569
Warwickshire	347	361	384	350	350	352	340	381	345	261
West Mercia	542	509	526	611	629	582	613	582	512	515
West Midlands	673	743	843	955	918	818	897	945	889	731
West Yorkshire	568	562	735	613	708	777	709	690	589	559
Wiltshire	269	261	273	322	349	318	233	154	149	189
Total	15,589	15,881	18,073	19,243	20,573	20,026	19,753	19,864	18,256	16,484

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The figures for the years 1989-1993 were recorded at 31 December of each year. Since 1995, the figures were recorded at 31 March.

The figures for the years 1989-1995 have been supplied by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. Those for 1996-99 have been supplied by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.

Higher recruitment standards have been applied by police forces in the last few years to reflect the fact that special constables are being trained and deployed on a wider variety of duties than heretofore. Therefore, while there are currently fewer special constables than in previous years, they are now better qualified, trained and equipped, and offer a better service to both the police and the public.

Kosovan Refugees

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for (a) an extension of stay and (b) asylum, have been received from Kosovan refugees in the United Kingdom in each of the last 12 months; and what proportion of each have been granted. [122732]

Mrs. Roche [holding answer 18 May 2000]: The information currently available relates to the 4,346 Kosovans who were evacuated to the United Kingdom under the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme. Since March 2000, 190 principal applicants have sought an extension of exceptional leave to enter, 45 have applied for asylum and 70 have applied for both exceptional leave and asylum. These applications are currently under consideration.

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make decisions on applications for (a) extensions of leave to remain and (b) asylum, made by Kosovans who went to Scotland on the Humanitarian Evacuation programme and whose exceptional leave to remain expired on 9 May; and if he will make a statement. [123330]

Mrs. Roche: We have set in place special arrangements to identify and deal as quickly as possible with applications from Kosovans who came to the United Kingdom under the Humanitarian Evacuation programme, but we do not identify cases on the basis of where applicants have been living in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial and other assistance is to be given to those Kosovan families returning to Kosovo from Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [123332]

Mrs. Roche: The current voluntary return programme from the United Kingdom began on 26 July 1999 and will end on 25 June 2000. The Programme is open both to Kosovans who arrived under the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Humanitarian Evacuation Programme and those who arrived independently. It is open to Kosovans in all parts of the United Kingdom.

For humanitarian and economic reasons, it was decided to give a relocation grant of 720 Deutchmark (DM) per person (approximately £250), payable on arrival in Kosovo, to all those who chose to go back under the return programme. That grant was increased to 1,300 DM

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per person (approximately £400) with effect from the flight on 5 May. Arrangements have also been made to transport larger possessions overland to Kosovo. This will enable Kosovans to take back, for example, household goods and building materials, which they have bought or been given, and which they cannot take on an aeroplane.

In order to benefit from the grant and the overland transport of goods, Kosovans must register for return by 10 June and leave the United Kingdom on one of the organised voluntary return flights by 25 June.

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether, during the period prior to an appeal being assessed Kosovans residing in East Lothian and Renfrewshire will be allowed to remain in their current local authority rented accommodation; and if he will make a statement; [123331]

(2) what financial assistance will be made available to Kosovans who wish to appeal against a refusal of extension to exceptional leave to remain; and if he will make a statement. [123329]

Mrs. Roche: We have no plans to set up any special arrangements for support of such cases. Depending on the circumstances of each case, those who appeal against a refusal of further leave will be eligible for support and accommodation in accordance with existing arrangements.

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