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Residence Permits
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the average length of time is of applications for (a) residence documents and (b) endorsements given to third country national spouses of EU nationals exercising Treaty rights who have been granted indefinite leave to remain; [137823]
- (2) how many applications for residence permits or leave to remain as the spouse of an EEA national exercising Treaty rights were refused on the basis that he believed the marriage to be one of convenience in 1999; [137274]
(3) what the average time was for consideration of (a) applications for residence documents and (b) evidence made by third country national family members of EU nationals exercising Treaty rights in the United Kingdom in 1999; [137284]
(4) how many applications for (a) residence documents and (b) endorsements by third country national spouses of Community nationals exercising Treaty rights were refused on the basis that he considered the marriage to be one of convenience during 1999; [137279]
(5) what was the average time for consideration of applications for residence permits for EU nationals exercising Treaty rights in the United Kingdom in 1999. [137285]
Mrs. Roche: This information is no longer recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The way in which the Immigration and Nationality Directorate handles European Economic Area (EEA) applications is currently being reviewed. Once the review has taken place we should be in a position to provide more detailed statistical information relating to EEA applications.
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Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for residence permits were made by EU nationals exercising Treaty rights in the United Kingdom in 1999; [137276]
- (2) how many applications for residence documents by EU nationals exercising Treaty rights in the United Kingdom were granted in 1999; [137288]
(3) how many applications for residence permits for EU nationals exercising Treaty rights were issued for a period of less than five years, during 1999; [137280]
(4) how many residence documents and evidence of residence were granted to third country national family members of EU national exercising Treaty rights in the United Kingdom during 1999; [137286]
(5) how many applications for residence documents by third national family members of EU nationals exercising Treaty rights were made in 1999. [137287]
Mrs. Roche: Available statistics do not record separately European Economic Area (EEA) decisions made on applications for residence permits and residence documents and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. During 1999, 7,322 EEA decisions were made, although this figure will include some decisions on applications that were made in late 1998. This figure does not include numbers of persons who have been admitted to the United Kingdom in line with EEA family permits or numbers of those whose applications were made during the end of 1999, but not resolved until early this year.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EU nationals he estimates exercised Treaty rights in the UK during the period 1 January to 31 December 1999. [137282]
Mrs. Roche: Because of the principles of freedom of movement there is no obligation for an European Economic Area national to hold a residence permit. It is therefore not possible to provide this information.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters were sent to Community nationals in the United Kingdom in 1999 advising them that they were no longer considered to be exercising Treaty rights and should therefore leave the United Kingdom. [137281]
Mrs. Roche: This information is not specifically recorded.
Service Providers
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statutory measures the Government have adopted in the UK to give third country national employees of service providers based in another member state the right to provide services in the UK. [137291]
Mrs. Roche: No statutory measures have been adopted. Effect is given to implementing this judgment through instructions that third country national employees of service providers established in another member state are not required to obtain work permits for employees being sent to provide services in the United Kingdom.
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HIV/AIDS
Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is as regards applications for exceptional leave to remain in respect of persons who are (a) HIV positive and (b) have AIDS and who if returned to their home country would not be able to receive appropriate medical treatment. [137374]
Mrs. Roche: The United Kingdom is a signatory to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) now given effect in domestic law by the Human Rights Act 1998. In accordance with our obligations under Article 3 of the ECHR, exceptional leave to remain may be granted where credible medical evidence exists that return to the country of origin, due to a lack of medical facilities in the country concerned, would substantially reduce an applicant's life expectancy and subject them to acute physical and mental suffering, in circumstances where the United Kingdom can be regarded as having assumed responsibility for their care. Each case is considered on its own merits.
Drug Abuse Projects
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those projects his Department supports which highlight the dangers of drug abuse to children and young people. [137338]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office does not fund such projects which, at local level, are the responsibility of Drug Action Teams. The Drugs Prevention Advisory Service of the Home Office, however, does support local initiatives and the work of Drug Action Teams.
The Prison Service drug strategy, which includes counselling and information leaflets as well as detoxification, drug testing and treatment, applies equally to young offenders and adults.
At a national level, the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator Unit (UKADCU) has responsibility for the 10-year strategy of joint action to tackle the problem of drug misuse. One of the aims of the strategy is to ensure that young people have access to all the information and support they need in order to resist drug misuse and thus to achieve their full potential in society. The Department of Health, which is the lead department in the area, is contributing to this objective through a wide range of projects and initiatives that are listed in the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator's Annual Report 1999/2000, copies of which are available in the Library.
The Young Justice Board, which is a non-departmental public body, currently funds 32 projects for young people with a drugs and alcohol focus.
Special Police Constables
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special police constables were recruited to the Kingston Metropolitan Police Division in each year from 1992 to 1999. [137595]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Information is not collected centrally in the form requested.
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I am advised by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) that, the number of police special constables recruited to the Kingston division is as follows:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 2 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 0 |
Their latest figures show that three special constables have so far been recruited this year (2000).
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police special constables were on active duty in the Kingston Metropolitan police division in each year from 1992 to 2000. [137596]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I am advised by the Metropolitan police Service (MPS) that they define special constables on active duty as being those officers who perform more than 96 hours per annum. Using this definition, the number of police special constables on active duty in the Kingston Metropolitan division in each of the year 1995 to 2000 is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 18 |
| 1996 | 26 |
| 1997 | 31 |
| 1998 | 11 |
| 1999 | 10 |
| 2000 | 12 |
The data are based upon the present divisional boundaries of Kingston, which are now co-terminus with those of the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames. It therefore excludes those officers who served within those parts of the Kingston Metropolitan police district which were transferred to Surrey police during 2000. The data on these individuals are not currently available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Similarly, the equivalent data are not available for the years 1992 to 1994 and, again, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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