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Coroners Courts
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department is supporting into the work and efficiency of coroners courts. [130010]
Mr. Boateng: We are currently funding research at the University of Reading into the way in which information is provided to the bereaved by Coroners. The results of this work are expected to become available in the second half of 2001.
Kosovan Refugees
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if his Department will reimburse local authorities for costs incurred after 25 June in respect of Kosovans evacuated to the United Kingdom under humanitarian and medical evacuation programmes; [130111]
- (2) what is his policy on the provision of accommodation and support to Kosovans who came to the United Kingdom under humanitarian or medical evacuation programmes and who remained here after 25 June. [130110]
Mrs. Roche: Kosovan Albanians who were evacuated to the United Kingdom on the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme between 25 April and 25 June 1999 or who were later evacuated on the medical evacuation programme were granted a maximum of 12 months leave to enter. They were eligible to claim social security benefits or to take employment during this period. They will continue to qualify for support (including accommodation) if they made an application for further exceptional leave before their original leave expired until 28 days after the decision to refuse their application. They are also eligible to work until an appeal has been dealt with. If they are granted further leave to remain they will be eligible for support during that extended period of leave.
The special grants we propose to pay to certain local authorities in England, towards expenditure incurred in 2000-01, are specified in Special Grant Report (No. 68) which was laid before the House on 6 July.
Under the terms of the Report, Kosovans evacuated under the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme ceased to be eligible for support when their initial period of exceptional leave to enter the UK expired (25 June 2000 at the latest). However, local authorities will be able to claim for costs associated with the closure of certain vacated reception and return centres up to 25 July.
Expenditure on support for evacuees who arrived on authorised medical evacuation flights will continue until their initial period of exceptional leave to enter ends: up to 31 March 2001 (in some cases).
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each local authority which claimed grants from his Department for supporting asylum seekers between 6 December 1999 and 31 March 2000, giving in each case (a) the actual expenditure by the local authority and (b) the grant-eligible expenditure of the local authority. [130112]
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Mrs. Roche: The information is as follows:
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Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the National Asylum Support Service to assume responsibility for all in-country asylum applicants. [130118]
Mrs. Roche: I propose to extend the new support arrangements for asylum seekers in England and Wales as set out in Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 according to the following timetable:
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| Date | |
|---|---|
| Monday 24 July | London in-country cases |
| Monday 31 July | North East, Yorkshire and Humberside and Wales in-country cases |
| Monday 14 August | In-country cases in North West, East Midlands, Eastern, South West and South Central |
| Tuesday 29 August | In-country cases in West Midlands and Sussex |
| Monday 25 September | All disbenefited cases in England and Wales |
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The arrangements which take effect between 24 July and 29 August will apply to all new asylum seekers in England and Wales who claim asylum on, or after, the relevant dates set out in the table (in-country applications in Scotland and Northern Ireland are already covered by the new arrangements). All asylum seekers who are currently being supported by local authority social services departments under the interim arrangements in Schedule 9 to the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will continue to be so supported.
"Disbenefited cases" are those asylum seekers who, prior to 3 April 2000, were in receipt of social security benefits, but who on or after 25 September 2000 receive a first negative decision, who are thus no longer eligible for social security benefits, who go on to appeal and who continue to be eligible for support.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have (a) been offered, (b) accepted and (c) refused an offer of accommodation by him under the support arrangements introduced on and after 1 April. [130108]
Mrs. Roche: The National Asylum Support Service began on 3 April 2000. The available information is that as at 3 July 2000 there had been 5,100 claims for support from asylum seekers. Not all claims for support will involve a request for accommodation. Of these claims, 2,190 were offered accommodation.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the state of contract negotiations between the National Asylum Support Service and each of the regional consortiums. [130113]
Mrs. Roche: As of 10 July, contracts have been exchanged with Scotland and the North-East. Negotiations with other consortia are ongoing and we hope that a number of areas will be signing up over the coming months. I am not prepared to give information about the current state of any of these negotiations, since to do so could harm the outcome of these negotiations.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how may children of school age are (a) asylum seekers and (b) dependants of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom; how many of those children have been dispersed outside London and the South-East; and if he will make a statement. [130109]
Mrs. Roche: In 1999, the United Kingdom received 3,349 applications for asylum from unaccompanied minors (aged under 18).
Information on the age of asylum seeker dependants in the United Kingdom is not currently available.
Information on dispersal of asylum seekers by age is not held centrally.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will delay the placement of additional asylum seekers in Plymouth until proper facilities and support services are in place which are fully funded by his Department. [130120]
Mrs. Roche: London and the South-East have had to manage a disproportionate number of asylum seekers and there is a recognised need to disperse asylum seekers to suitable areas throughout the United Kingdom. National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has acquired some
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accommodation in Plymouth through the private sector who are contracted to provide various services, apart from accommodation. There is a "one stop shop" located in Plymouth. We are satisfied that adequate facilities and support infrastructure are available for asylum seekers in Plymouth and that there is no need to delay further placements.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the negotiations to place asylum seekers in Plymouth and the extent to which he consulted the South West Consortium of local authorities. [130119]
Mrs. Roche: We have made clear our intention to disperse asylum seekers throughout the United Kingdom. The placing of asylum seekers in Plymouth is part of that dispersal programme. As of 10 July, ten asylum seekers have been dispersed to Plymouth by the National Asylum Support Service. There is an established consultation process between NASS and the regional consortiums regarding dispersal and siting of cluster areas. NASS last wrote to the South West Consortium confirming that Plymouth remained a cluster area on 8 June. The consortium is also fully aware of the contractors within the area.
The Director of NASS has written to the Chief Executive of South Gloucestershire explaining the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of property in Plymouth and expressing regret that we were unable to consult in advance.
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made to put dispersed asylum seekers in contact with immigration and advisory services which offer free advice. [129473]
Mrs. Roche: The Legal Services Commission provides funding, through contracts with quality-assured suppliers of legal services, for the provision of free legal advice and representation to those who are eligible. In addition, the voluntary sector is establishing "one stop shops" in each of the cluster areas where asylum seekers can obtain advice.
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will supply immigration and advisory services that provide free advice with the names and addresses of dispersed asylum seekers. [129472]
Mrs. Roche: No. The routine disclosure of personal details of asylum seekers supported by the National Asylum Support Service to third parties would not be compatible with data protection legislation or our duty to confidentiality to asylum seekers.
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