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British Overseas Citizenship

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people he estimates hold British overseas citizenship; and what information he holds about their countries of residence. [52407]

Angela Eagle: There is no reliable way of estimating the number of British overseas citizens. However, returns from our consulates and diplomatic missions suggest that there may be about 1.5 million such citizens, with the largest concentrations residing in Malaysia, India and Kenya. Many of these also hold the citizenship of the country in which they are resident.

Suicide and Voluntary Euthanasia

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the research commissioned by him in the last five years on (a) suicide, (b) assisted suicide and (c) voluntary euthanasia. [52314]

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Mr. Keith Bradley: Policy in this area is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health (Ms Blears) on 12 April 2002, Official Report, column 670W.

Domestic Security

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the £50 million provided for domestic security responsibilities since 11 September 2001 has been spent. [52360]

Mr. Blunkett: All the additional money allocated to the Home Office that was announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his statement on the pre-Budget report on 27 November 2001 has been distributed to provide operational and technical support for the police and to enhance our preparedness to deal with the terrorist threat.

Belmarsh Prison

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what religious beliefs have been declared by prisoners held in the special secure unit at HMP Belmarsh; what pastoral care is available for groups of prisoners of each religion; and what arrangements have been made by prison authorities to respect the (a) religious practices and (b) dietary requirements of each religion. [52462]

Beverley Hughes: The facility at Belmarsh is designated as a High Secure Unit (HSU). Currently the religious beliefs of prisoners within the unit who have declared a faith are (a) Church of England, (b) Roman Catholic, (c) Judaism, and (d) Islam.

All prisoners have access to ministers of their chosen faith, either as groups or individuals, at least once a week. Additional access can be requested by prisoners, which is then arranged. Religious services for each faith are held weekly within the HSU. In addition, the HSU can accommodate additional services required during times of religious festivals. Timings for religious services are built into the regime.

Individual religious dietary requirements are offered at each mealtime and prisoners are able to choose from the selection of food on offer. Religious festivals or celebrations, which require a change in the content of meals or the time of their provision, are also catered for. All food is prepared to the respective religious belief.

Prisoners are also supplied with religious items to enable them to practice their belief.

People Trafficking

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to offer victims of people- trafficking a reflection delay in order to make an informed decision regarding the pressing of charges against the traffickers. [52247]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 25 April 2002]: Arrangements already exist which enable the police to ask for someone subject to immigration control to be allowed to enter or remain in the United Kingdom where this

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would assist in the investigation of organised crime. These arrangements would permit a period of reflection, but it is not offered automatically. The Government have yet to decide whether or not to opt in to the proposed European directive on this subject.

Disability Discrimination Act

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what adjustments have been made to his Department's premises following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and what the cost of these adjustments has been as a proportion of the Department's budget. [53026]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 29 April 2002]: The Home Department has taken account of the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 at its premises. Alteration works ranging from local works to suit the requirements of individuals to larger scale changes such as the construction of ramps, chair lifts and the refurbishment of toilets to accommodate wheelchair access have been undertaken where appropriate.

Disability Discrimination Act surveys have been undertaken at a number of sites and remedial work has been undertaken or is planned as appropriate. At other premises, we have ensured that the provisions of the Act are covered as part of larger refurbishment projects, or when acquiring new property.

The nature and cost of alterations to the Department's premises in order to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act are not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Racial Equality

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask the CRE to extend the deadline for parish councils which received the consultative document on the draft code of practice on the duty to promote race equality late; and if he will list, by county, the parish councils which responded to the consultation. [53464]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 30 April 2002]: As I said in my reply of 13 March 2002, the consultation period ended on 28 February 2002 but the deadline was extended until 15 March 2002 for those Parish Councils who notified the Commission for Racial Equality that they had received the consultation pack late. No further extension is possible.

The draft Code of Practice was laid before Parliament on 17 April.

The 87 Parish Councils which responded to the consultation exercise are listed alphabetically below (but a breakdown by county is not available).










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