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Family Visitor Appeals
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will respond to the Citizens Advice Bureaux service's response to the inter-departmental review team's discussion paper on family visitor appeals; and if he will make a statement. [26938]
Angela Eagle: The discussion paper on family visitor appeals forms part of the review of those appeals announced by the then Home Secretary in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North (Mr. Gardiner) on 11 January 2001, Official Report, columns 610–11W. As part of the consultation process I met representatives from the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux to discuss their response to the paper. Their response and the other responses to the paper will be fed into the final report of the review team, together with the results of the independent research project commissioned by the team. We will consider all responses to the discussion paper in the context of the review as a whole and will publish a response.
Immigration
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to decide on the application of 29 September by Mr. Abdul Majid of Westcliff-on-Sea, Home Office reference M 612263, seeking leave to remain in the United Kingdom. [24285]
Angela Eagle: Mr. Majid and his family already have leave to remain in the United Kingdom. A further application is currently being considered and they will be informed of the outcome shortly.
Travellers
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prevent occupation of public parks, sports grounds and open spaces by travellers, and for their immediate eviction. [25917]
Mr. Denham: Legislation is already in place, under section 70 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which allows a council, on application from police and with the consent of the Secretary of State for the
16 Jan 2002 : Column 364W
Home Department, to impose a banning order preventing trespassory assemblies on land to which the public have no, or limited access.
Under section 61 and section 77 of the same Act police and local authorities have discretionary powers to evict travellers from land when the appropriate statutory requirements are met.
The effectiveness of legislation is kept under regular review.
Anti-terrorism Arrests
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. [25824]
Mr. Blunkett [holding answer 9 January 2002]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Rammell) on 19 December 2001, Official Report, columns 483–84W.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the names of those detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; and if he will make a statement; [25789]
- (2) if he will list the names of those he has detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; and if he will make a statement. [25209]
Mr. Blunkett: I refer my hon Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Rammell) on 19 December 2001, Official Report, columns 483–84W.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further action he proposes to take in respect of Abu Hamza al-Masri and the two other men arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989. [25208]
Mr. Blunkett [holding answer 9 January 2002]: The individuals in question were released without charge from detention under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 in March 1999.
The police are constantly investigating matters of alleged terrorism, and will continue to do so.
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under the provisions of Part IV of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; how many have subsequently been released; when he expects SIAC to complete its review of those detained; and if he will list the names of those in custody. [26119]
Mr. Blunkett: Eight people have so far been detained under these provisions. None have been released, but one of those detained has left the United Kingdom voluntarily. The conduct of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) proceedings is a matter for the commission itself. As I made clear on 19 December, I shall not disclose the names of those detained unless they or their authorised representatives first do so.
Hertfordshire Constabulary
Mr. Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the recruitment of police officers to the Hertfordshire Constabulary. [25304]
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Mr. Denham: Under the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) recruitment initiative, Hertfordshire Constabulary has been allocated a total of 107 additional officers, over and above the force's previous recruitment plans for the three years to March 2003.
The force was unable to recruit any of its CFF allocation of 40 officers in 2000–01, but was allowed to carry-over the allocation into 2001–02. This carry-over brought the force's total allocation from the CFF for 2001–02 up to 70 officers. The force has asked to defer just five of its allocation for this year into 2002–03.
Hertfordshire officers appointed since 1 September 1994 and not in receipt of housing allowance benefit from an allowance made to officers serving in a number of forces in the south-east. This allowance is £2,000 per annum and has been payable since 1 April 2001.
All police forces, including Hertfordshire, benefit from the national recruitment advertising campaign. The campaign was launched in August 2000 and the latest phase began on 1 January 2002.
Phone Tapping
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether hon. Members and peers have their office and home telephone conversations (a) recorded and (b) listened to on the instruction of the Home Office. [25006]
Mr. Blunkett: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 366W.
Dual Criminality
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define the test of dual criminality. [26604]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The issue of dual criminality arises mainly in the context of extradition. Under the Extradition Act 1989, dual criminality will ordinarily be established where the fugitive's alleged conduct discloses an equivalent offence under United Kingdom law which would be punishable in both countries with a prison sentence of 12 months or more. For cases arising under schedule 1 to this Act where the request is made under a bilateral treaty, the conduct must also be found on a list of offences set out in the treaty. In the case of the backing of warrants scheme which governs our extradition relations with the Republic of Ireland, the conduct must be punishable in both countries with a prison sentence of six months or more.
If the appropriate test for dual criminality is not satisfied, the extradition fugitive must be discharged under existing legislation.
There is also a test for dual criminality in respect of a limited number of requests for mutual legal assistance. This is where an incoming request involves the exercise of search and seizure powers or the special investigation powers of the Serious Fraud Squad in cases of serious or complex fraud. Again, if the crime alleged on the request is not a crime in the United Kingdom, there is no dual criminality, and the request cannot proceed.
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Medical Pensions
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been awarded medical pensions, and what these figures are as a percentage of their local force broken down by (a) each year since 1997 and (b) force, giving the average age of those receiving such a pension in each force for each year. [25441]
Mr. Denham: The figures on numbers of medical pensions are given in the tables. Ages of retiring officers are not centrally available.
| Average police strength | Police medical retirements | Medical retirements (Percentage of force) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 125,950 | 1,811 | 1.4 |
| Avon and Somerset | 2,976 | 66 | 2.2 |
| Bedfordshire | 1,086 | 23 | 2.1 |
| Cambridgeshire | 1,297 | 12 | 0.9 |
| Cheshire | 2,078 | 21 | 1.0 |
| City of London | 869 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Cleveland | 1,494 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Cumbria | 1,166 | 20 | 1.7 |
| Derbyshire | 1,772 | 51 | 2.9 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 2,929 | 22 | 0.8 |
| Dorset | 1,287 | 10 | 0.8 |
| Durham | 1,486 | 17 | 1.1 |
| Dyfed-Powys | 1,007 | 11 | 1.1 |
| Essex | 2,959 | 29 | 1.0 |
| Gloucestershire | 1,123 | 9 | 0.8 |
| Greater Manchester | 6,930 | 199 | 2.9 |
| Gwent | 1,245 | 15 | 1.2 |
| Hampshire | 3,471 | 30 | 0.9 |
| Hertfordshire | 1,750 | 17 | 1.0 |
| Humberside | 2,056 | 27 | 1.3 |
| Kent | 3,285 | 18 | 0.5 |
| Lancashire | 3,344 | 27 | 0.8 |
| Leicestershire | 2,020 | 25 | 1.2 |
| Lincolnshire | 1,194 | 28 | 2.3 |
| Merseyside | 4,322 | 80 | 1.9 |
| Metropolitan police | 27,028 | 406 | 1.5 |
| Norfolk | 1,451 | 15 | 1.0 |
| Northamptonshire | 1,182 | 18 | 1.5 |
| Northumbria | 3,437 | 95 | 2.8 |
| North Wales | 1,396 | 11 | 0.8 |
| North Yorkshire | 1,375 | 22 | 1.6 |
| Nottinghamshire | 2,341 | 40 | 1.7 |
| South Wales | 2,884 | 69 | 2.4 |
| South Yorkshire | 3,194 | 29 | 0.9 |
| Staffordshire | 2,258 | 66 | 2.9 |
| Suffolk | 1,189 | 20 | 1.7 |
| Surrey | 1,642 | 10 | 0.6 |
| Sussex | 3,063 | 23 | 0.8 |
| Thames Valley | 3,820 | 40 | 1.0 |
| Warwickshire | 933 | 18 | 1.9 |
| West Mercia | 2,036 | 27 | 1.3 |
| West Midlands | 7,194 | 81 | 1.1 |
| West Yorkshire | 5,215 | 41 | 0.8 |
| Wiltshire | 1,167 | 9 | 0.8 |
16 Jan 2002 : Column 367W
16 Jan 2002 : Column 368W
| Average police strength | Police medical retirements | Medical retirements (Percentage of force) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 123,476 | 1,209 | 1% |
| Avon and Somerset | 2,994 | 42 | 1% |
| Bedfordshire | 1,034 | 18 | 2% |
| Cambridgeshire | 1,296 | 11 | 1% |
| Cheshire | 2,011 | 22 | 1% |
| City of London | 703 | 9 | 1% |
| Cleveland | 1,424 | 9 | 1% |
| Cumbria | 1,048 | 24 | 2% |
| Derbyshire | 1,823 | 12 | 1% |
| Devon and Cornwall | 2,934 | 15 | 1% |
| Dorset | 1,354 | 12 | 1% |
| Durham | 1,595 | 8 | 1% |
| Dyfed-Powys | 1,057 | 14 | 1% |
| Essex | 2,894 | 34 | 1% |
| Gloucestershire | 1,170 | 7 | 1% |
| Greater Manchester | 6,910 | 110 | 2% |
| Gwent | 1,274 | 16 | 1% |
| Hampshire | 3,435 | 17 | 0% |
| Hertfordshire | 1,922 | 13 | 1% |
| Humberside | 1,911 | 20 | 1% |
| Kent | 3,318 | 29 | 1% |
| Lancashire | 3,255 | 30 | 1% |
| Leicestershire | 2,033 | 28 | 1% |
| Lincolnshire | 1,202 | 4 | 0% |
| Merseyside | 4,081 | 47 | 1% |
| Metropolitan police | 24,935 | 225 | 1% |
| Norfolk | 1,419 | 10 | 1% |
| Northamptonshire | 1,159 | 8 | 1% |
| Northumbria | 3,857 | 28 | 1% |
| North Wales | 1,444 | 31 | 2% |
| North Yorkshire | 1,312 | 37 | 3% |
| Nottinghamshire | 2,276 | 16 | 1% |
| South Wales | 3,108 | 76 | 2% |
| South Yorkshire | 3,175 | 30 | 1% |
| Staffordshire | 2,120 | 9 | 0% |
| Suffolk | 1,133 | 14 | 1% |
| Surrey | 2,066 | 18 | 1% |
| Sussex | 2,855 | 16 | 1% |
| Thames Valley | 3,706 | 20 | 1% |
| Warwickshire | 925 | 15 | 2% |
| West Mercia | 1,951 | 28 | 1% |
| West Midlands | 7,420 | 29 | 0% |
| West Yorkshire | 4,815 | 44 | 1% |
| Wiltshire | 1,120 | 5 | 0% |
16 Jan 2002 : Column 369W
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