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Passport Agency
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost is to public funds of the establishment of the UK Passport Agency's press office; how many press officers are to be employed; what salaries they are to be paid; and if he will make a statement. [126527]
Mrs. Roche: The United Kingdom Passport Agency is establishing a press office. There will be one press officer, working to the Agency's Head of Communications, whose job will also encompass market research, writing information leaflets and liaison with the travel trade. The salary will be in the region of £22,000.
Asylum and Immigration Act 1996
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought to date under section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. [126528]
Compulsory Voting
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the introduction of compulsory voting at (a) local and (b) national elections. [126539]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government have no plan to introduce compulsory voting at either local or national elections.
Detention Centres
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his planned timetable is for establishing and bringing into operation the detention centres at (a) Thurleigh, (b) Harmondsworth and (c) Aldington. [126594]
Mrs. Roche: We are in the process of selecting private sector suppliers to design, build and operate all three centres. The competition is being run under European
19 Jun 2000 : Column: 102W
Community Procurement Rules. Our timetable is to take delivery of the buildings and to start up operations within approximately 12 months.
Taskforces
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what task forces have been set up by his Department; when each was set up; if he will list their members and the remuneration received in each case; and if he will make a statement. [126526]
Mr. Straw: The Home Office has set up the following task forces, which include or included non-public servants, since May 1997:
- Task Force on Youth Justice (established June 1997, reported July 1998);
- Human Rights Task Force (established January 1999); and
- National Crime Reduction Task Force (established March 2000).
| Name | Job title | Organisation or area |
|---|---|---|
| Norman Warner | Senior Policy Adviser | Home Office (Chairman) |
| William Atkinson | Headmaster | Phoenix High School, Hammersmith and Fulham |
| Jonathon Black | Clerk to the Justices | Hampshire |
| Cathryn Bowker | Youth Court Prosecutor | Brighton |
| Tony Butler | Chief Constable | Gloucestershire Constabulary |
| Paul Cavadino | -- | NACRO and Penal Affairs Consortium |
| Anne Fuller | Lay Magistrate | Outer London |
| Cedric Fullwood | Chief Probation Officer | Greater Manchester |
| Ian Johnston | Assistant Commissioner | Metropolitan police |
| David Norgrove | -- | Marks & Spencer plc |
| Denise Platt | -- | Local Government Association |
| Teresa Reynolds | -- | Victim Support |
| Joan Webster | Chief Superintendent | Gwent Constabulary |
| Geoffrey Wicks | Stipendiary Magistrate | Inner London |
| Andrew Williamson | Director Social Services | Devon |
Note:
Plus officials from the Home Office, Department of Health and Lord Chancellor's Department
Note:
Plus officials from the Cabinet Office, Home Office and Lord Chancellor's Department.
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| Name | Job title | Organisation or area |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Clarke (chair) | Minister of State | Home Office |
| David Phillips (vice-chair) | Chief Constable | Kent Constabulary |
| David Henshaw (vice-chair) | Chief Executive | City of Liverpool |
| Michael Barber | Head of Standards & Effectiveness Unit | DfEE |
| Ron Kerr | Director of Operations | NHS Executive |
| Keith Povey | -- | HMIC |
| Richard Childs | Chief Constable | Lincolnshire Police |
| Det. Ch. Supt. Lee Weavers | Head of Crime | Essex Constabulary |
| Chief Supt. Ron Hope | Divisional Commander | Islington |
| Steve Mycio | Deputy Chief Executive | Manchester City Council |
| Jo Williams | Director of Social Services | Cheshire County Council |
| Ruth Henig | -- | Association of Police Authorities |
| David Walton | Chief Probation Officer | Staffordshire |
| Neil Wragg | Chief Executive | Youth at Risk |
| Wendy Thomson | Director of Inspections | Audit Commission |
Note:
Plus officials from the Home Office
Television Licences
Mrs. Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were sent to prison having defaulted on a fine imposed for using a television without a licence in each of the last five years. [126460]
Mr. Boateng: The information requested is given in the table. This information is also published in "Prison statistics England and Wales" a copy of which is in the Library.
Receptions of female fine defaulters into prisons in England and Wales for using a television without a licence.
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 235 |
| 1996 | 89 |
| 1997 | 61 |
| 1998 | 41 |
| 1999 | 24 |
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Cycle Parking (London)
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the value of the bans on cycle parking in central London for security purposes; and how many cycles have been used in terrorist offences since 1970; [126408]
(2) if he will discuss the ban on chaining cycles to railings outside public buildings in London with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis with a view to removing it. [126407]
Mr. Straw: Discussions have taken place with the Metropolitan Police and we are satisfied that the wide range of protective security measures taken by the police to improve security of the streets in light of current terrorist threats, have been devised and maintained solely to counter such threats. As the threat diminishes, so too will the need for restrictive security measures.
Bicycles have been used as a terrorist weapon in the United Kingdom on four occasions since 1970:
- 29 August 1985: Belfast
- 30 March 1990: Newry
- 13 August 1994: Bognor Regis
- 13 August 1994: Brighton
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the total cost to the public departments of dealing with asylum seekers in 2000-01; and what was the total cost in 1999-2000. [126088]
Mrs. Roche: The Home Office and the Department of Health made payments totalling £590 million for supporting asylum seeking adults, families and children in 1999-2000. The costs of asylum support depend on a wide variety of factors and estimates for 2000-01 remain under review. The Home Office has a provisional allocation of £300 million for the support of adults and families in 2000-01.
Dr. Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if asylum seekers from Zimbabwe are liable to be fast-tracked through the asylum determination process. [125126]
Mrs. Roche: All asylum cases are considered on their individual merits in accordance with the United Kingdom's international obligations. While it is sometimes necessary, in managing the Immigration system as a whole, to prioritise cases or groups of cases on the basis of nationality where there is a compelling reason for doing so, the number of Zimbabwean asylum applications remains low and they are currently not afforded any special priority as a result of their nationality.
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