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Sentencing
Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prison sentences of 28 days or less were imposed by courts in England and Wales in (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000; [34850R]
- (2) how many prison sentences of local custody were imposed by magistrates courts in England and Wales in (a) 1979, (b) 1989 and (c) 1999. [34849R]
Beverley Hughes: The Home Office Court Proceedings database show that 7,586 persons were sentenced to custody for 28 days or less in 1998 in England and Wales. Figures for 1999 and 2000 were 8,553 and 8,525 respectively.
The expression "prison sentences of local custody" is not recognised.
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Death Sentence (Reburial Applications)
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications by relatives of people, upon whom judgment of death was executed, for reburial outside the prison in which they were last confined have been refused since 1979. [34523]
Beverley Hughes: It has been the practice since 1965 for successive Home Secretaries to consider such applications sympathetically; none appears to have been refused over the period in question.
Asylum Accommodation Centres
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if (a) education, (b) health care and (c) legal services will be provided on site at asylum seeker accommodation centres; and who will be responsible for the costs of providing such services. [34582]
Angela Eagle: Health care and education facilities will be provided on site in the trial accommodation centres and will be funded by the Home Office.
Legal advice will be available to asylum seekers housed in accommodation centres and may be provided on site, depending on the particular circumstances at each centre. Arrangements at each centre will be decided and funded by the Legal Services Commission.
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to consult local authorities on the proposed siting of asylum seeker accommodation centres; [34579]
- (2) what plans he has to involve residents in the vicinity of proposed asylum seeker accommodation centres in consultation about such plans. [34580]
Angela Eagle: Home Office officials are in the process of meeting with planning officials from the local authorities where the potential sites are sited.
They will, in the near future and in agreement with each planning authority, embark on a consultation exercise with all relevant parties including local authorities, providers of local services and members of the local community.
Immigration Service (Lincolnshire)
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Immigration Service staff are employed in (a) north Lincolnshire and (b) north-east Lincolnshire; and what proportion of those employees speak (i) Arabic, (ii) Hindi, (iii) Urdu, (iv) Farsi/Dari and (v) Pashtu. [34585]
Angela Eagle: As at 1 February 2002 there were 12 Immigration Service staff based in north and north-east Lincolnshire.
The details of the languages spoken by immigration staff of all grades is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost. We recognise this shortfall and are in the process of addressing it by creating a database of training received and qualifications held by Immigration Service staff. However, interpreting and
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translation services for those in the care of the Immigration Service are largely provided by external translators, who are called upon to travel if required.
As my hon. Friend is aware, we have identified a potential site for an asylum seeker accommodation centre in her constituency. We intend that staff for accommodation centres will be provided by the contractor running the site.
Migrants
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a quota for all categories of migrant. [34151]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 7 February 2002]: Our immigration system is not generally based on applying quotas but on requiring conditions set out in the Immigration Rules and associated concessions, to be met for permission to enter or remain in the United Kingdom to be given. Two exceptions are our bilateral youth exchange scheme with Japan and the longstanding Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme (SAWS) for which there is an annual quota. We plan to introduce new quota-based routes of entry to the United Kingdom. As we said in our White Paper, "Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain", published on 7 February:
- "We will build on the principles of [SAWS] to meet the demand for short-term casual labour in other sectors of the United Kingdom economy. As with the SAWS, we envisage quotas will be a key feature of any similar schemes that would be carefully targeted at specific sectors and closely managed. Entry would be for a short period of up to six months and applicants would not have the right to bring dependants with them".
Illegal Immigrants and Overstayers
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to remove illegal immigrants and overstayers over the last 12 months. [34147]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 7 February 2002]: We have taken a range of measures to apprehend and remove illegal entrants and overstayers. These include a substantial increase in the number of immigration officers engaged on removals work, an expansion of the detention estate, creation of additional immigration arrest teams, the development of a network of reporting centres and the use of chartered flights.
In line with the police service, the immigration service is embracing the National Intelligence Model as a disciplined tool for using intelligence to drive effective strategy in the delivery of our business objectives, including the removal of overstayers and illegal immigrants. Intelligence lies at the heart of business planning. It provides an accurate picture of the business, the nature and extent of the problems, trends and where the main threats lie.
The most recent published figures show that in the calendar year 2000 there were 8,370 persons removed from the United Kingdom after enforcement action had been initiated. This includes those persons who departed
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voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them, or who left under an Assisted Voluntary Return Programme.
Additionally, 38,275 persons were refused leave to enter at port and subsequently removed in 2000.
Life Sentences
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the offences for which (a) men and (b) women are serving life sentences in England and Wales; and how many are serving such sentences for each offence. [34592]
Beverley Hughes: The number of men and women serving life sentences in England and Wales at 31 December 2001 and the offences for which they were sentenced are shown in the table.
| Offence | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Murder | 3,399 | 125 |
| Other homicide and attempted homicide | 122 | 7 |
| Manslaughter | 159 | 6 |
| Rape | 468 | 0 |
| Wounding | 265 | 6 |
| Arson | 94 | 16 |
| Buggery and indecent behaviour between males | 36 | 0 |
| Other sexual offences | 12 | 0 |
| Gross indecency with children | 2 | 0 |
| Kidnapping | 22 | 0 |
| Robbery | 124 | 0 |
| Other offences of violence against the person | 68 | 0 |
| Drug offences | 4 | 0 |
| Burglary | 12 | 0 |
| Affray | 2 | 0 |
| Other thefts | 2 | 0 |
| Threatening/disorderly behaviour | 1 | 0 |
| Cruelty to children | 1 | 0 |
| Other criminal offences | 25 | 0 |
| Offence not recorded | 5 | 0 |
| Total number of inmates | 4,823 | 160 |
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women are serving (a) mandatory and (b) discretionary life sentences in England and Wales for non-homicide offences. [34594]
Beverley Hughes: There were (a) 125 women serving mandatory life sentences and (b) 35 women serving discretionary life sentences on 31 December 2001.
Under section 2 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 offenders convicted of a second serious sexual or violent offence must be sentenced to life imprisonment. These sentences are known as automatic life sentences. There is currently no centrally held data to differentiate between automatic and discretionary life sentence inmates. Mandatory life sentences are passed for murder only.
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men are serving (a) mandatory and (b) discretionary life sentences in England and Wales for non-homicide. [34595]
Beverley Hughes: There were (a) 3,399 men serving mandatory life sentences and (b) 1,424 men serving discretionary life sentences on 31 December 2001.
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Under section 2 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 offenders convicted of a second serious sexual or violent offence must be sentenced to life imprisonment. These sentences are known as automatic life sentences. There is currently no centrally held data to differentiate between automatic and discretionary life sentence inmates. Mandatory life sentences are passed for murder only.
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