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Norwich Prison

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the Norwich Prison Board of Visitors report to the Prison Reform Trust on the subject of overcrowding at Norwich Prison. [3147]

Beverley Hughes: I am not aware of any report from the Board of Visitors at Norwich prison to the Prison Reform Trust. Norwich prison was not named as causing particular concern in the Prison Reform Trust's recent press release on overcrowding. The Board of Visitors at Norwich did however refer to the issue of overcrowding in their annual report to the Secretary of State for the year 2000.

The Certified Normal Accommodation (that is, the uncrowded capacity) of Norwich prison is 561 and the operational (that is, maximum) capacity 794. The operational capacity was increased by 50 places in October 2000, for which the prison received additional funding of £397,000. The average population during 2000 was 631, a reduction from 1999 (681). On average 35 per cent. of the population at Norwich prison share a cell, which is less than the establishment's target of 45 per cent.

Criminal Justice and Police Act

Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when section 71 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 will come into force. [2871]

Mr. Denham: Section 71 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 will come into force by way of a commencement order on 1 October 2001. Prior to implementation we shall issue a Home Office Circular advising law enforcement agencies and others about the new powers of arrest for kerb crawling and hit and run driving contained in section 71.

The circular will also include guidance on section 71 of the Act (making importation of indecent or obscene material a serious arrestable offence) which will come into force at the same time as section 71.

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Asylum Appeals

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum appeals, having been received by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, are awaiting transmission to the Immigration Appellate Authority; and what the equivalent figure was on (a) 1 January 2000 and (b) 1 January 2001. [3305]

Angela Eagle: Provisional data indicate that on 30 May 2001 there were approximately 33,000 appeals lodged with Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) which had not been sent to the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA). The comparable figures on 1 January 2000 and 1 January 2001 were less than 1,000 and approximately 15,000 respectively. Over the same period there was a 296 per cent. increase in decision making, from 33,720 initial decisions in 1999 to 133,695 in 2000–01.

For every appeal lodged, IND has to review the grounds advanced and may as a consequence need to reconsider all the circumstances of the case. Appeals are not forwarded to the IAA until this consideration has been completed and appeal papers have been prepared.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evaluation has been made of the effectiveness and ease of implementation of antisocial behaviour (a) contracts and (b) orders; and what advice he is giving to local councils and the police on the merits and demerits of each. [2355]

Mr. Denham: Pursuant to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Twickenham on 9 July 2001, Official Report, column 412W, the first paragraph of my response should have read as follows:

"As my predecessor confirmed in a written answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 5 February 2001, Official Report, column 424W, we are researching the operation and effectiveness of the antisocial behaviour order. We will also examine the effectiveness of the acceptable behaviour scheme in Islington".

Income Support

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the level of Income Support available to (a) children aged under 16 years and (b) asylum seeking children in the UK aged under 16 years. [3876]

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.

From 3 April 2000 the Home Office is responsible for supporting and accommodating asylum seekers awaiting a determination of their case. Those asylum seekers in receipt of benefits prior to 3 April 2000 continue to be eligible to claim Income Support. Payment for any dependent children is at normal rates. Asylum seekers whose applications are accepted and who are awarded either refugee status or exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom are eligible for social security benefits in the usual way.

The levels of Income Support personal allowances for younger people take account of the fact that the majority of this group live in someone else's household and can reasonably be assumed to have fewer financial

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responsibilities than people who are older and who are more likely to live independently. However, those 16 and 17-year-olds who are forced to claim independently can receive Income Support at higher rates.

There is no provision for payment of Income Support to children aged under 16 in their own right. A dependant's allowance may be payable to people claiming benefit who have a dependent child or children living with them as part of their family.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Freedom of Information

Annette Brooke: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will outline the timetable for the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for (a) Government Departments and (b) local government. [4255]

Mr. Wills: The Freedom of Information Act received Royal Assent on 30 November 2000 and it must be fully implemented by 30 November 2005. However, the Government intend to implement the Act, so far as is practicable, well within the statutory five years. While, as yet, there is no timetable other than that outer date, the Lord Chancellor will have a statutory duty to report to Parliament on the progress made towards implementation, by 30 November.

There is a parallel to be drawn here between the Freedom of Information Act and the Human Rights Act 1998. Time was taken to make sure that the Human Rights Act was implemented properly, in spite of criticism at the time, and the Act's eventual implementation was a resounding success with the time having been put to good use.

The Freedom of Information Act similarly imposes rigorous duties on over 50,000 bodies across the public sector and so even greater care needs to be taken with its implementation. I am confident that the time taken for implementation of the Act will lead to a great success in this Government's aim to create more open government.

1911 Decennial Census

Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many hon. Members have made representations to the Lord Chancellor this year to use his powers to open the 1911 Decennial Census records in 2002; and what the Lord Chancellor's response has been. [2826]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Pursuant to the answer I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 11 July 2001, Official Report, column 577W, letters from three hon. Members were passed by the Lord Chancellor's Department to the Registrar General, who has responsibility for access to the 1911 Census records. The Registrar General has replied to these letters.

Constitutional Arrangements

41. Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what legislative proposals he has to alter the existing constitutional arrangements. [2622]

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Mr. Wills: None. Our plans for the reform of the other place will maintain a bicameral Parliament in which this House will retain its supremacy.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and

Aquaculture Science

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the 2000–01 annual report and accounts for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. [5489]

Mr. Meacher: The 2000–01 annual report and accounts for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science were laid before Parliament yesterday. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the responses to the consultation on the first stage financial, management and policy review report on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee announced in March. [5490]

Mr. Meacher: We have today made the responses to the consultation exercise available on the websites of JNCC and my Department, and I have also placed copies in the House Libraries. We are now considering the responses.

Pesticides Safety Directorate

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the 2000–01 annual report for the Pesticides Safety Directorate. [5387]

Margaret Beckett: The 2000–01 annual report and accounts for the Pesticides Safety Directorate were laid before Parliament yesterday. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

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