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Regional Policy (Alyn and Deeside)
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the First Secretary concerning regional policy initiatives as they affect Alyn and Deeside; and if he will make a statement. [137011]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I meet regularly with the First Secretary to discuss a range of issues, including the impact of regional policy initiatives on various parts of Wales.
The National Assembly works in collaboration with other partners to encourage the development of indigenous businesses in all parts of Wales, as well as attracting overseas investors. Recently announced projects by BAE Systems; Paramount Foods; Mainetti; and Dailycer will create more than 2,000 new job opportunities in Alyn and Deeside.
Apprenticeships (Alyn and Deeside)
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the First Secretary concerning the level of applications for apprenticeships in small and medium sized enterprises in Alyn and Deeside;and if he will make a statement. [137013]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a range of topics, including the demand for apprenticeships in North Wales. However, I understand that information is not held centrally on the level of applications to small and medium sized enterprises in Alyn and Deeside.
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Flooding
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales concerning financial help for the County of Flintshire following the November flooding; and if he will make a statement on the national flood assistance money for (a) Flintshire and (b) Wales. [140554]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I meet regularly with the First Secretary to discuss a range of matters, including the effects on Wales of the recent bad weather.
I have confirmed that the Welsh budget will be increased by £3 million over the four year period to 2003-04, as a consequence of additional funding made available for flood prevention work in England. It will be for the National Assembly to allocate this sum according to its own priorities.
Edwina Hart, Assembly Secretary for Finance, Local Government and Communities, has already announced that, under the Bellwin arrangements, local authorities will receive 100 per cent. reimbursement of eligible expenditure above a threshold which is set at 0.2 per cent. of each authority's revenue budget.
Children's Commissioner for Wales
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the powers of the Children's Commissioner for Wales. [140450]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I have received a number of representations requesting further powers for the Children's Commissioner for Wales.
Housing Needs
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to ensure that specific Welsh needs are taken into account when legislation is drawn up on the proposals in the Housing Green Paper. [140586]
Mr. Paul Murphy: My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales and I are in touch with Ministers at the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and at the National Assembly for Wales, and my officials are also in contact with their counterparts in those Departments. I have also encouraged direct contact between the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Assembly at both ministerial and official level.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Prison Officers
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to introduce a support system within the Prison Service for staff who have been suspended; and if he will make a statement; [139467]
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- (2) what plans he has to introduce an independent support service to support prison officers experiencing (a) stress and (b) other work-related problems; and if he will make a statement. [139469]
Mr. Boateng: The Prison Service Staff Care and Welfare Service already offers independent support to staff who are suspended within the Prison Service. The nature of this support will vary, dependent upon the wishes and needs of the client and the level of involvement they wish to have with the Welfare Service.
Staff Care and Welfare Service also provides advice for all staff in the Prison Service experiencing stress and other work-related problems.
In addition, the Prison Service is developing an integrated occupational health strategy which will identify the management actions and support services required to promote mental well being.
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been introduced within the Prison Service to tackle the harassment of prison officers by other officers; and if he will make a statement. [139468]
Mr. Boateng: Procedures were introduced in 1996 which allow members of staff throughout the Prison Service to lodge complaints if they perceive that they had been harassed, discriminated against or bullied by a colleague. Investigations are dealt with under standard Prison Service procedures and if the complaint is substantiated, appropriate disciplinary action follows.
The guidance on combating harassment and discrimination is currently being revised. Mandatory training is being introduced for first line managers which will include advice on diversity and ensuring staff are treated fairly. A review is also under way of all diversity training which will include raising awareness and dealing with all forms of inappropriate behaviour.
I have made it clear that racism must be eradicated from the Prison Service; so too must all forms of harassment, discrimination and bullying. The measures described are part of a lengthy programme of work to achieve this.
Immigration
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have lodged appeals against being refused visas as family visitors since 2 October. [139718]
Mrs. Roche: Since 2 October, there have been 33 recorded appeals lodged against a refusal of a visa as a family visitor.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have applied for consideration under the regularisation scheme for overstayers; and how many of these applications have been (a) decided, (b) granted and (c) refused. [139717]
Mrs. Roche: The number of applications received under the regularisation scheme, which closed on 1 October, is over 15,000. Some were received out of time. Approximately 250 applications have been granted. Around 9,250 are awaiting substantive consideration and the remaining 5,800 await an initial assessment of eligibility. I regret that further information could be
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obtained only by examination of individual case records and is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for facilitation of illegal entry have been initiated in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000
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to the latest date for which information is available; and how many resulted in convictions. [139715]
Mrs. Roche: Available information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings database is given in the table:
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| Number of persons | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proceeded against(9) | Convicted(10) | ||||
| Offence(8) description | Act and section | 1999 | 2000 Q1(7) | 1999 | 2000 Q1(7) |
| Knowingly facilitating the entry of an illegal entrant(11) | 25(1) (a)(12) | 233 | 41 | 153 | 43 |
| Knowingly facilitating the entry of an asylum claimant(11) | 25(1) (b)(12) | 20 | 3 | 6 | -- |
| Total | 253 | 44 | 159 | 43 | |
(7) Provisional
(8) Principal immigration offence
(9) Includes proceedings terminated early
(10) Includes persons convicted at the Crown court who may have been proceeded against at magistrates courts in earlier years
(11) Triable either way offences. Cases may be dealt with by either magistrates
(12) As added by section 5 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 courts or committed for trial to the Crown court
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Prison Service Personnel
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the policy of the Prison Service to treat as a disciplinary matter an approach by a member of the Prison Service to his Member of Parliament about employment matters; and if he will make a statement. [139808]
Mr. Boateng [holding answer 23 November 2000]: The Prison Service's policy in this area reflects the policy for all civil servants in that they must not attempt to bring political or other influences to support any personal claims as a civil servant. However, this policy also makes it clear that this does not restrict a member of staff's right to approach their Member of Parliament.
I am quite clear that the restrictions on civil servants do not include restricting their right to approach their MP and am not aware of any case where a member of the Prison Service has been disciplined for doing so. The Prison Service Code of Discipline is currently being revised and we will ensure that this policy is clear to all staff.
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