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Port Checks
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average unit cost is of an immigration port check in 2000-01; and what the average cost was of an immigration port check in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 expressed in (a) cash and (b) real terms. [139357]
Mrs. Roche: The information requested for 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01 is set out in the table. Comparative figures are not available for 1997-98.
| Real terms 1998-99 | Cash terms | |
|---|---|---|
| 1998-99 | ||
| Comparative baseline | 5.68 | 5.68 |
| 1999-2000 | ||
| Target | 5.43 | 5.55 |
| Outturn | 5.17 | 5.30 |
| 2000-01 | ||
| Target | 5.17 | 5.41 |
| Outturn(32) | 4.35 | 4.55 |
(32) April to September
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in 2000-01 to date non-European Economic Area passengers have had to wait more than 30 minutes for immigration port checks. [139359]
Mrs. Roche: As at 31 October 2000, there have been 1,742 occasions since 1 April 2000, where non-European Economic Area passengers have had to wait more than 30 minutes for immigration port checks.
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Deportation
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what number and percentage of non-asylum refusals have culminated in removal during 2000-01 to date. [139361]
Mrs. Roche: As at 31 October 2000, 17,387 non-asylum refusals have culminated in removal since 1 April 2000. This is 89 per cent. of the total number of non-asylum refusals.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people evacuated from Kosovo to the United Kingdom under the United Nations Humanitarian Evacuation Programme and medical evacuation programmes (a) remain in the United Kingdom, (b) have applied to extend their stay on medical or humanitarian grounds, (c) have been granted permission to extend their stay, (d) have applied for political asylum or exceptional leave to remain and (e) have an address which is known to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [139384]
Mrs. Roche: The information is not available in the precise format requested. Of the 4,346 people evacuated to the United Kingdom under the United Nations Humanitarian Evacuation Programme, 2,439 have made permanent voluntary returns to Kosovo. Of the remaining 1,907, 182 principal applicants have submitted applications for further leave within the Immigration Rules. Short extensions were granted on a temporary basis to 89. A total of 514 principal applicants have submitted applications for political asylum and exceptional leave to remain of whom two principal applicants and five dependants have been granted asylum.
A number of applicants have made voluntary departures following refusal of their applications and others have returned to Kosovo while their applications remained outstanding.
The vast majority of those who came on the United Nations Humanitarian Evacuation Programme are accounted for, either having made applications to remain here or having left voluntarily. Those who sought to remain are in contact with the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken to grant British citizenship was in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01 to date. [139382]
Mrs. Roche: On 1 April 1999, the average waiting time was 20.6 months. This had reduced to 19.9 months by 31 March 2000.
As at 31 October 2000, the average waiting time is now 14.1 months.
Senator Pinochet (Legal Fees)
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost to public funds was of the legal fees concerning Senator Pinochet. [138871]
Mr. Straw: The total cost to public funds of the legal fees concerning Senator Pinochet was £2,204,595.60. The breakdown is as follows:
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Costs incurred by the Home Office:
Treasury Solicitor's fees £63,150 1
Disbursements (mainly Counsels' fees) £284,315 1
Costs of the Kingdom of Belgium and Amnesty International £150,725
1 Of these two amounts £28,500 was recovered from Senator Pinochet under costs orders made against Senator Pinochet by the High Court.
Costs incurred by the Crown Prosecution Service:
Counsels' fees £425,077
Costs incurred by the Lord Chancellor's Department:
The Law Lords ordered that Senator Pinochet's costs should be met from central funds for the first two hearings before the House of Lords in the unusual circumstances of the case. The costs paid from central funds were as follows:
for the first hearing in the House of Lords £270,935.89; and
for the application to set aside the judgment following the first hearing in the House of Lords £151,361.30.
All these costs were ordered to be paid under Section 16 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, and they fall to be paid out of the Lord Chancellor's Department's portion of central funds. The total is £1,209,775.05.
Senator Pinochet received no legal aid funding in any of the proceedings against him.
- Treasury Solicitor's Fees:
- Amicus Curiae (costs and disbursements including Counsel's fees) £71,029
- Other costs and disbursements £29,024.76
All these figures include Value Added Tax where appropriate.
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The figures are for legal fees only. They do not include other costs--for example, the medical examination of 5 January 2000 and staff costs. I will inform the House of these costs once they have been finalised.
Speeding
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many speeding convictions for HGV drivers there were in each of the last 10 years. [139306]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The information collected centrally does not distinguish the type of vehicle involved in speeding offences.
Curfew Orders (Tagging)
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take in respect of electronically monitored curfew orders for 10 to 15-year-olds following the pilots in Greater Manchester and Norfolk. [139446]
Mr. Straw: I am pleased to announce that, following successful trials, electronically monitored curfew orders for 10 to 15-year-olds will be available to the courts from 1 February 2001.
The curfew orders will be a means of keeping young offenders at home, off the streets and away from shopping centres and other places where they may get into trouble. By keeping young offenders out of harm's way we believe the curfew order should be able to prevent young offenders from re-offending and help protect the public.
The roll-out of electronically monitored curfews for 10 to 15-year-olds should be seen within the context of the youth justice reforms as a whole. Tackling youth crime and reforming the youth justice system remains a key priority.
The evaluation report of the trials is being published today, and I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.
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