24 Apr 2001 : Column: 193W
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 24 April 2001
HOME DEPARTMENT
Female Prisoners (Shackling)
Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on shackling female prisoners. [155153]
Mr. Boateng: I have written to the hon. Member.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits abroad were made by him and his Ministers on departmental business in the (a) three years ending 30 April 1997 and (b) 12 months ending 30 April 1997. [157617]
Mr. Straw: Departmental records contain the following information:
- (a) between 1 May 1994 and 30 April 1997 Home Office Ministers made 66 overseas visits on departmental business, 44 of which were within the European Union.
- (b) between 1 May 1996 and 30 April 1997 Home Office Ministers made 23 overseas visits on departmental business, 13 of which were within the European Union.
Citizens Advice Bureaux
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which citizens advice bureaux have been invited to join one of the National Asylum Support Service's regional stakeholder groups; and on which dates the invitations were sent to the bureaux concerned. [157974]
Mrs. Roche: Regional Consortia, grant funded by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), have been established to help deliver support at the local level. It is part of their remit to have strategies and procedures in place to co-ordinate services at both regional and local levels. They manage regional stakeholder groups and accordingly are responsible for membership. The groups should include the full spectrum of organisations and agencies involved and may include the Citizens Advice Bureau.
Family Visit Appeals
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the net income from fees for family visit appeals has been since 2 October 2000; and what proportion of this net income relates to appeals which are currently outstanding. [157973]
Mrs. Roche: We calculate that the net income from fees for family visitor appeals in the period 2 October to 11 April 2001 is about £60,000. Of this, 40 per cent. relates to appeals which are currently outstanding and which may result in further refunds.
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Fee Fraud Letters
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many advanced fee fraud letters he estimates have come to the UK from (a) overseas and (b) Nigeria in each of the last five years; and what powers he has, in the case of operations known to the police, to intercept such letters before they reach their intended recipients. [158356]
Mr. Straw [holding answer 23 April 2001]: Figures for the number of advance fee fraud letters which arrive in the United Kingdom are not held centrally.
Under section 5 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, the Secretary of State may authorise the interception of postal items where this is necessary in the interests of national security; for the purpose of preventing or detecting serious crime; or of safeguarding the economic well-being of the United Kingdom.
Bajram Zeqiri
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) of 16 March 2001, Official Report, column 768W, if the Government intend to petition the House of Lords for leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal's judgment in the case of Bajram Zeqiri. [158744]
Mrs. Roche: The Government's petition for permission to appeal against the Court of Appeal judgment in the case of Bajram Zeqiri was lodged with the House of Lords on 12 April 2001.
Police Operations (Cleveland)
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Cleveland on the amount of time he has spent on (a) Operation Lancet, (b) Operation Dallas and (c) Operation Eagle since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [158131]
Mr. Charles Clarke [holding answer 23 April 2001]: No, it would not be appropriate to do so.
Lord Birt
Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports Lord Birt has submitted to him in his capacity as an adviser on crime; and if he will make a statement. [158236]
Mr. Straw: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Taunton (Jackie Ballard) on 27 March 2001, Official Report, column 594W.
Electoral Register
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in producing draft regulations to ensure that registered political parties, elected representatives and candidates receive copies of updates of the electoral register. [158794]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have decided to bring forward self-contained regulations for this purpose and a draft was laid yesterday.
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ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Biffa Waste Disposal Site
14. Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the use of the Biffa waste disposal site in Abbey Village, Chorley for animals slaughtered under the welfare slaughter scheme. [157194]
Mr. Meacher: The Environment Agency has identified licensed landfill sites which are suitable for the disposal of carcases from the Livestock Welfare Disposal Scheme. I understand that uninfected sheep and pig carcases from the scheme are being disposed of at this site under a contract agreed between the site operators and the Intervention Board Executive Agency.
Rail Projects
15. Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which rail projects listed in the Strategic Rail Authority's plans have a start date; and if he will make a statement. [157195]
Mr. Hill: The Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Agenda identified a range of potential investment projects for the development of the rail network. The stage of development of these projects varies depending on their origins; but some are already under way. The authority is reviewing the future rail investment programme and expects to provide more information in its strategic plan about costs and timings of projects to be taken forward. The strategic plan is expected to be published in the autumn.
Rural Coach Travel
16. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role of coach operators in meeting transport needs in rural areas. [157196]
Mr. Meacher: We fully appreciate that coach operators have a significant role to play in helping to meet the transport needs of those living in or wishing to visit rural areas.
Kyoto Protocol
17. Mr. David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the need for further discussions on the Kyoto protocol following President Bush's decision to withdraw from it. [157197]
18. Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with his US counterparts regarding the Kyoto protocol. [157198]
24. Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on discussions between his Department and the US Administration concerning the Kyoto climate change agreement. [157205]
34. Dr. Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the future of the Kyoto protocol. [157215]
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35. Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's policies for future climate change negotiations. [157216]
Mr. Meacher: The Kyoto protocol is an important step in setting the framework for dealing with climate change. We will continue to work for an agreement at the next round of talks in July which will enable us and others to ratify Kyoto, with the aim of bringing it into force by 2002. We are also keen to continue a constructive dialogue with the US as it is important that they remain engaged in global efforts to tackle climate change.
Mobile Telephone Masts
19. Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to implement the recommendations of the Stewart report on mobile phone masts. [157200]
Mr. Raynsford: On 16 March 2001 I announced a series of important changes to the planning system on the siting of mobile phone masts that significantly strengthen public consultation requirements.
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