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Rape Victims

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has in place to provide support to victims of rape; and what funding he provides to support rape victims. [22449]

Mr. Keith Bradley: The Government are fully committed to meeting the needs of all victims of crime, particularly victims of serious crimes such as rape.

The Government grant to victim support, which offers support to victims of all crime, including rape and other sexual crimes, has doubled from £11.7 million in May 1997 to £25 million in April 2001. In 2000–01, victim support offered help to almost 5,000 victims of rape.

A first time grant, of £406,000, has been made available this financial year to the Rape Crisis Federation. The Federation provides training, support and consultancy services to the network of rape crisis groups across the country.

From April 2001, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme has increased the minimum award paid to victims of rape by almost 50 per cent. (from £7,500 to £11,000).

The 1998 Speaking Up for Justice report led to special measures being included in the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 to help rape victims face the ordeal of a court case. These measures included prohibiting the cross-examination of rape victims by the defendant in court, and further restrictions to limit the questions that rape victims can be asked under cross- examination about their previous sexual history.

Schengen Information System

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on United Kingdom participation in the second generation Schengen information system. [14808]

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Angela Eagle: In accordance with Council decision 2000/365/EC on the United Kingdom's partial participation in the Schengen acquis, the United Kingdom will participate in those aspects of the Schengen Information System (SIS) which relate to police and judicial co-operation, excluding Article 96 data on persons for immigration purposes. The United Kingdom is in the process of implementing the present system (SIS 1+) as part of its overall partial implementation of the Schengen acquis in the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom will participate in development of the second generation SIS(SIS II) for the same purposes.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted, at its meeting on 6–7 December, a regulation under the treaty establishing the European Community and a decision under the treaty on European Union on funding of the development of SIS II from the community budget; the United Kingdom has opted in to the adoption of the regulation in accordance with its title IV Protocol. A recital to both decisions makes it clear that the United Kingdom's participation is without prejudice to the arrangements set out in Council decision 2000/365/EC.

While the primary aim of the next generation system (SIS II) is to increase its capacity for the new member state upon enlargement, the Council is also examining the scope for SIS II to have an increased range of functions and for a wider range of authorities to have access to SIS data.

Foreign Nationals

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals are waiting to be extradited from the UK; and what is the longest period such a person has been waiting. [22482]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: 117 persons are currently the subject of extradition proceedings in the United Kingdom. The figure includes those who may be United Kingdom nationals. The oldest case has been outstanding since July 1995.

Correspondence

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Twickenham of 7 August regarding Mrs. Muriel Mason and family (ref. GV 100/52417); and when he will make a decision regarding the matter. [18007]

Angela Eagle: I wrote to the hon. Member on 14 December. I am sorry I did not reply sooner.

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 10 September from the hon. Member for Putney with regard to his constituent Mrs. Marva Corrodus (Ref. C494223). [20350]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 5 December 2001]: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 14 December. I am sorry I did not send an earlier reply.

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters of 11 and 25 October from the hon. Member for Putney with regard to his constituent Ms Megen Muller (Ref. M1002596). [20349]

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Angela Eagle [holding answer 5 December 2001]: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 17 December. I am sorry I did not send an earlier reply.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reply to the letters of 18 September and 17 October from the hon. Member for Manchester, Central regarding his constituent Mrs. S. B. A (reference A377560). [17474]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 23 November 2001]: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 14 December. I am sorry he did not receive an earlier reply.

Dr. Dizaei

Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the officers monitoring Dr Dizaei's telephone conversations on the police telephone network between September 1999 and January 2001 were part of the team investigating him. [21687]

Mr. Denham: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that the staff monitoring Superintendent Dizaei's telephone conversations on the police telephone network were not part of the team investigating him.

Forced Marriages

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what help is available in the Government's action plan to those who do not wish to make public the fact that they are being forced into marriage. [21616]

Angela Eagle: We have introduced a package of care to support victims of forced marriage, which includes help in escaping from the situation for those who want to.

Information can be accessed and obtained in schools via the welfare officer, police stations, GP's surgeries, via the internet and the Community Liaison Unit at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have re-examined and identified ways in which staff in key posts overseas, handle forced marriage cases. Developing links and funding a number of women's refuges to provide support and accommodation to victims abroad. Further links are continuing to be developed with social services and other statutory agencies to ensure victims receive the support they need once they return to the United Kingdom.

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures in the immigration rules protect British Muslims from being sent abroad to marry against their will. [21617]

Angela Eagle: The Immigration Rules are there to regulate the grant to overseas nationals of leave to enter and remain in the United Kingdom. They do not seek to regulate the control of British Nationals, entering or leaving the United Kingdom. However, the Government are tackling the problem of forced marriage in a number of ways.

Included in the recent forced marriage progress report by the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office are some of the steps being taken to provide help, advice and support to victims and potential victims of forced marriage.

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The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have also published a leaflet, "Forced Marriages Abroad". This gives advice and guidance on what to do if someone fears they may be forced into a marriage, while abroad.

War Crimes

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards the establishment of a European Network of Contact Points in Respect of Persons Responsible for Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes; which will be the UK contact point; what nature of information will be forwarded to other EU member states; if material relating to cases occurring prior to UK legislation being passed pertaining to the accused's crime will be passed on to the states where retrospectivity is in force for those offences; and in which instances spontaneous transmission will occur under Article 5. [22883]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Government support the establishment of such a network, which is the subject of a draft European Union (EU) Council decision being considered by member states. An explanatory memorandum was submitted for parliamentary scrutiny on 24 October. The network would exchange information relevant to the investigation and prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The Government want to see the fullest possible exchange of such information, in respect of both formal requests and spontaneous transmission, and without limits on when events took place. Options for the UK contact point include National Criminal Intelligence Service and the UK Central Authority.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the increase in the departmental expenditure limit from 2001–02 to 2002–03 will be accounted for by wage costs. [20675]

Mr. Blunkett: The level of wage costs within departmental budgets this year and in future years will be dependent upon negotiations. Departmental reports published next spring will give full retrospective costs.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the total unallocated funds within his departmental expenditure limit (a) at the start of the financial year and (b) to date; and what was the month seven forecast on outturn underspend against his departmental expenditure limit in (i) real and (ii) percentage terms. [19446]

Mr. Blunkett: The Home Office Departmental Annual Report for 2000–01 [C5106] contains the Departmental Unallocated Provision (DUP) set for the present year in Table 6, page 109. There has been no draw-down of the Department's DUP to date.

Outturn against six month forecast for each request for resources will be published in the winter supplementary estimates summary request for supply as usual.

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