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Drugs Misuse (Wales)

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales to initiate policies to combat drugs misuse in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [1878]

Mr. Denham: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has an overarching role in monitoring progress against the United Kingdom drugs strategy, taking account of the distinctive substance misuse strategies in the other countries of the United Kingdom. However, it is the National Assembly for Wales which is responsible for setting and the strategic direction of the strategy in Wales and monitoring its progress.

The Assembly's Community Regeneration and Social Inclusion Unit maintains regular contact with officials of the United Kingdom Anti Drugs Co-ordination Unit and relevant Whitehall officials in other jurisdictions in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Shiblu Rahman

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the police's role was in the provision of emergency treatment for Mr. Shiblu Rahman on 1 April in Bow; if his murder is being regarded as a racial incident; what representations his family have made to the Metropolitan police and how they have responded; and if he will make a statement. [2719]

Mr. Denham: I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the police's role in providing emergency treatment to Mr. Shiblu Rahman on 1 April in Bow was immediately to administer first aid on arrival at the scene, until a paramedic arrived.

The murder of Mr. Rahman has always been treated as a racist incident. Mr. Rahman's family have made representations to senior officers from Tower Hamlets borough, to the Serious Crime Group and to Commander Smith who is the Association of Chief Police Officers officer with geographical responsibility for East London. The family have expressed concerns as to the initial actions taken by the emergency services and these are being considered by senior officers within the Metropolitan police service.

Four people have been arrested and charged with the murder of Mr. Rahman, while a fifth person has been charged with aiding the principals.

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Wandsworth Prison

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide extra financial resources for HMP Wandsworth for improvements. [2530]

Beverley Hughes: In the current financial year, Wandsworth has received an additional £511,565 from the Spending Review 2000 (SR 2000) settlement for a range of measures against drugs, and other additional budget allocations for specific purposes. However, as part of the SR2000 settlement, the Prison Service has to make cashable efficiency savings of 1 per cent per year in its baselines, and Wandsworth's baseline has been reduced to contribute to this. The net effect of these changes is to increase Wandsworth's funding by £362,538 in 2001–02 compared to 2000–01. In addition, the establishment has been selected as a pilot site for national health service-funded mental health in-reach work to an estimated value of £252,000.

In the light of these changes Wandsworth is expected to contribute to efficiency savings while at the same time using the additional resources allocated to deliver more effective and targeted services. There is no prospect of further changes in Wandsworths' financial allocation in this financial year.

Electronic Tagging

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been electronically tagged in England and Wales. [2524]

Beverley Hughes: 47,462 people were electronically tagged in England and Wales between the start of the current electronic monitoring contracts on 28 January 1999 and 30 June 2001. At midnight on 30 June 2001, a total of 3,162 people were still being monitored.

Mentally Ill Prisoners

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will divert resources from the provision of further prison establishments towards the care of mentally ill prisoners in secure specialist premises outside normal prisons. [2532]

Beverley Hughes: In England, the provision of secure, specialist premises outside prisons for the treatment of mental illness is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. The National Health Service (NHS) plan, which he published in July 2000, contains a commitment to develop new NHS in-reach services for prisoners with serious mental illnesses. These services are being piloted in 12 sites in England, including Wandsworth prison, during 2000–01 before being implemented more widely. Alongside this development, the National Assembly for Wales is funding similar in-reach services in the four Prison Service establishments in Wales.

Commonwealth Visitors

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Jamaican, (b) Barbadian, (c) Guyanese, (d) Canadian and (e) Australian nationals were admitted as visitors during each month in (i) 2000 and

11 Jul 2001 : Column: 535W

(ii) 2001 to the latest available date; and how many of these, from each country, were admitted with leave for less than six months. [2520]

Angela Eagle: The available information is given in the table.

Visitors are only admitted to the United Kingdom for a maximum period of six months. The table shows visitors and business visitors for the requested nationalities up to April 2001, the latest available month.

Passengers admitted to the United Kingdom, by selected nationality and category, January 2000 to April 2001(3)
Number of journeys(4)

JamaicaBarbadosGuyanaCanadaAustralia
Visitors
2000
January1,3401406015,10022,900
February1,6302105019,00014,500
March1,93035012032,60020,200
April1,87046016042,80035,800
May2,50043016060,50048,700
June2,99089018060,00048,600
July5,1601,42061069,40058,100
August3,4401,05043071,60051,100
September2,38074020052,50057,600
October1,88044015040,70041,000
November1,99041017025,10023,300
December2,98059023025,70033,600
Total30,1007,1302,530515,000455,000
2001(3)
January1,7002008016,30023,300
February1,92020010023,70013,500
March2,34029024020,10019,200
April2,26031025036,30032,900
Business visitors
2000
January5020106,6103,470
February9040106,9603,990
March17070(5)7,2104,560
April7030206,5604,180
May10060207,9705,660
June13080207,5505,540
July15050707,0204,830
August10020104,8403,640
September11080208,0704,880
October9060308,7105,590
November120120408,5205,040
December7010104,3402,640
Total1,25064028083,90054,400
2001(3)
January10040406,7703,950
February14060108,0804,280
March14060307,5805,170
April10060207,7204,610
Total visitors
2000
January1,3901707021,30026,400
February1,7202606025,90018,500
March2,10042013039,90024,800
April1,94049018049,30040,000
May2,60048019068,50054,400
June3,12096021067,50054,100
July5,3201,46068076,50062,900
August3,5401,07044076,40054,700
September2,50081023060,60062,500
October1,97050018049,40046,900
November2,11053020033,60028,300
December3,05061024030,10036,300
Total31,4007,7702,800599,000510,000
2001(3)
January1,80024011023,10027,200
February2,06026010031,80017,800
March2,48035027037,60024,300
April2,36037027044,00037,500

(3) 2001 data are provisional

(4) Totals may not sum due to rounding. This is because all calculations are based on unrounded figures to ensure accuracy

(5) Five or fewer

Note:

Data rounded to three significant digits or to the nearest 10 if less than 1,000


11 Jul 2001 : Column: 536W

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for extensions of stay were received in each month in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 to the latest available date by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate from (i) Jamaican, (b) Barbadian, (iii) Guyanese, (iv) Canadian and (v) Australian nationals admitted for less than six months as visitors; and how many were (A) granted and (B) refused. [2519]

Angela Eagle: The available information is given in the table and relates to people who enter the United Kingdom as visitors and subsequently apply for an extension of stay in another category.

The information relates to decisions on applications for an extension of leave to remain. The latest available data are for the period January to September 2000.

Grants and refusals of extensions of leave to remain(6) in the United Kingdom to persons having entered the country as a visitor(7), by selected nationality, January to September 2000(8)

Number of decisions(9)
JamaicaBarbadosGuyanaCanadaAustralia
Grants of extension
January56010102040
February48010103040
March58010103060
April38010102050
May47010102060
June63010104060
July50010103060
August460**2070
September400*102060
Total January–September4,4607070240500
Refusals of extension
January50****
February60**10
March60*10*
April80**10
May100*1010
June180*10**
July230***
August160***
September130***10
Total January–September1,060*204050
Total Decisions
January60010103050
February55010104050
March64010104060
April46010103060
May57010103060
June82010104060
July74010103070
August610*102070
September53010102060
Total January–September5,5208090270550

(6) Excludes dependants of principal applicants, the outcome of appeals, and withdrawn applications

(7) Includes students admitted for less than six months

(8) Provisional

(9) Totals may not add up due to rounding. This is because all calculations are based on unrounded numbers to ensure accuracy

Note:

Data rounded to the nearest 10 with * = 5 or fewer


11 Jul 2001 : Column: 537W


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