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Indefinite Leave to Remain

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the length of time taken to respond to a request for an upgrade of exceptional level to remain to indefinite leave. [17912]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 27 November 2001]: The requested information is neither centrally recorded nor readily available so could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Entry Clearance (Children)

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances (a) British nationals and (b) those with indefinite leave to remain would find their children under the age of 18 years refused entry clearance when they can demonstrate that they can support these children and offer adequate accommodation. [18036]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 27 November 2001]: Entry clearance is not required where, by virtue of his or her British citizenship, the child has the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

In other cases, paragraph 297 of the Immigration Rules sets out the requirements that need to be met in order for a child under 18 years of age to be granted an entry clearance to join a parent or parents in this country. In addition to the maintenance and accommodation requirement, in general terms, it is necessary for the parents to be present and settled in the United Kingdom and for the child to be unmarried and still dependent on his parents. It is not possible to give an exhaustive list of every possible circumstance where a child might be refused an entry clearance to join a parent or parents.

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Access to Official Information

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Fourth report of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, Session 2001–02 on Access to Official Information: Declarations made under the Ministerial Code of Conduct, HC 353. [15988]

Mr. Blunkett: The Government position remains as set out in the fourth report of the parliamentary ombudsman on access to official information. The Government have nothing further to add.

Asset Recovery Strategy

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the Government's Asset Recovery Strategy. [19515]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I am publishing the strategy today. Copies have been placed in the Vote Office and the Library and sent to the members of the Standing Committee currently considering the Proceeds of Crime Bill.

The Asset Recovery Strategy is the first United Kingdom-wide initiative of its kind, in which the law enforcement, prosecution and relevant Government bodies have joined together to commit themselves to making financial investigation and asset recovery a higher priority.

The strategy's aims are:

To make greater use of the investigation of criminal assets in the fight against crime;


To recover money that has been made from crime or which is intended for use in crime;


To prevent criminals and their associates from laundering the proceeds of criminal conduct, and to detect and penalise such laundering where it occurs; and


To use the proceeds recovered for the benefit of the community.

The strategy sets out our objectives for meeting the challenging financial investigation target of recovering £60 million in confiscation and forfeiture receipts during the 2004–05 financial year. Hitting this target would achieve the Government's commitment of doubling amounts recovered from drug traffickers and other major criminals by 2004.

It is not acceptable that people should enjoy the proceeds of criminal activity and live a life of luxury when it is built on the misery of victims or activities which damage or exploit society.

The strategy I am publishing today sets out how we propose to push forward recovering criminal assets with partners both inside and outside Government. Alongside the Proceeds of Crime Bill the strategy will help take the profit out of crime and dismantle and disrupt criminal enterprises.

The strategy will be updated with further targets when the Bill is implemented and the new Assets Recovery Agency is established.

Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to issue a modified

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code of practice for authorised officers in relation to his proposal to widen the scope of the cash seizure powers in the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill. [19516]

Mr. Blunkett: Clause 1 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill enables me to make whatever modifications I think are necessary or expedient to any code of practice in operation under schedule 14 to the Terrorism Act 2000. Such modifications can be made in an order under clause 123 of the Bill bringing the cash seizure provisions in schedule 1 to the Bill into force.

I have today made available in the Library a draft code of practice for authorised officers showing where I believe modifications are required. These modifications are still subject to final consultation with the police and others.

WALES

Social Exclusion (South Wales Valleys)

Mr. Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the levels and effects of social exclusion in the south Wales valleys. [15998]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The Government are committed to building a fairer and more inclusive society in which everyone can benefit from rising prosperity. We are working in partnership with the National Assembly to combat social exclusion throughout Wales.

Notable among Assembly initiatives is the Communities First Programme which makes a significant contribution to promoting social inclusion and regeneration in deprived areas.

In his pre-Budget report yesterday my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced several measures aimed at increasing fairness for people and their communities. These included tackling child poverty, providing security in old age, rewarding saving and creating a fair and efficient tax system.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to amend the Welsh departmental expenditure limit for 2001–02. [19621]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The Wales departmental expenditure limit will be increased by £44,845,000 from £8,490,071,000 to £8,534,916,000. The increase is a result of:

(i) the take up of end-year flexibility entitlement of £30,560,000

(ii) net transfers from other Government Departments of £7,563,000

(iii) additional provision of:

£5,300,000 for the transfer of the Forestry Commission in Wales to the Assembly;

£1,058,000 for areas affected by foot and mouth;

£450,000 for the Addington fund; and

£474,000 for drug prevention and education

(iv) a reduction of £560,000 in respect of a Council Tax Benefit penalty.

The increase includes the following transfers

(i) £609,000 to the Food Standards Agency for the Maclean report

(ii) £5,425,000 from the Forestry Commission

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(iii) £40,000 from the Department for Education and Skills for NTO Cymru

(iv) £1,032,000 from the Department for Education and Skills for Student Access/Hardship Bursaries

(v) £1,225,000 from the Home Office for the Partnership Development Fund

(vi) £450,000 from the Department for Transport, Local Authorities and the Regions for the Planning Inspectorate.

The increase in DEL will be offset by transfers from other Departments, from the Reserve or take up of end-year flexibility and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Public Bodies

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will list those public bodies to which her Department appoints members and which are not listed in "Public Bodies 2000"; [17576]

(2) if she will list those public bodies which are the responsibility of her Department and which are not listed in "Public Bodies 2000". [17577]

Mr. Caborn: "Public Bodies 2000" sets out information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), certain public corporations (including nationalised industries) and NHS bodies. There are four types of NDPB: executive NDPBs; advisory NDPBs; tribunal NDPBs; and boards of visitors to penal establishments. The next edition will be published around the end of the year. Information about task forces, annual reports and ad hoc advisory groups is set out in an annual report, published by the Cabinet Office. Copies of "Public Bodies 2000" are in the Library of the House and this publication may be accessed via the Cabinet Office's website http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/caboff/ pp00/pb00.htm. Copies of the annual report on taskforces and similar bodies have also been placed in the Library of the House and the annual report is being made available on the Cabinet Office's website.

The public bodies to which I make appointments and for which I have responsibility, but which are not listed in "Public Bodies 2000" or the annual report on taskforces and similar bodies, are:

Alcohol, Education Research Council ¹


Gaming Board for Great Britain ¹


Horserace Betting Levy Board ¹


Horserace Betting Levy Appeals Tribunal for England and Wales ¹


Horserace Totalisator Board ¹


Film Council ²


Quality Efficiency and Standards Team ²


Spoliation Advisory Panel ²


Royal Parks Advisory Committee.

In addition, there are bodies which are independent of my Department but for which I have a role in appointing, or approving the appointment of, board members. These are:

Architectural Heritage Fund


Royal Opera House


South Bank Board Ltd.

28 Nov 2001 : Column: 964W

¹ Public bodies transferred from the Home Office to DCMS following the machinery of Government changes on 7 June. These bodies appeared under the Home Office section of "Public Bodies 2000" and will do so again in the 2001 edition.
² Public bodies which will appear for the first time in the 2001 edition of "Public Bodies"."

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