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Asylum Accommodation Centres
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the legal status will be of public inquiries that his Department will arrange to examine the proposed asylum accommodation centres; and who will conduct those inquiries. [54034]
Angela Eagle: If a local authority were to object to a notification, the procedure for considering that objection would be a matter for My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Mr. Byers).
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has decided which sites should be taken forward to public inquiry as possible sites for asylum accommodation centres. [57114]
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Angela Eagle [holding answer 16 May 2002]: I announced on 14 May 2002 the sites at which we will be submitting planning notifications, including one in the hon. Member's constituency. Once such a notification is submitted, it is a matter for the local planning authority. If a local authority were to object to such a notification, the procedure for considering that objection would be a matter for My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Mr. Byers).
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the sites that were considered as possible locations for asylum accommodation centres in preparing the short-list of sites, along with the reasons for the rejection of each site. [57333]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 13 May 2002]: As yet there has been no formal evaluation of the education provision for children at Harmondsworth. The provision has only needed to be in operation since towards the end of last year. The performance of the centre's operator, UKDS, is monitored closely by on-site Home Office officials. I am confident that the dedicated team of UKDS education staff at Harmondsworth provides an excellent and very professional service, which takes account of the academic and emotional needs of the children who stay at the centre.
Asylum and Immigration
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with EU partners on ensuring that the asylum and immigration process ensures equivalent standards of reception and accommodation throughout the European Union. [55577]
Angela Eagle: The European Commission presented a proposal for a Council Directive laying down minimum standards in the reception of applicants for asylum in member states in May of last year. The Directive imposes equivalent standards for accommodation, access to health care, employment and education. Following detailed negotiations a general approach agreement was achieved at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 24–25 April 2002. Political agreement is expected by June 2002. European Union member states are to adopt this and other minimum standards measures on Asylum Procedures, Refugee Qualification and a mechanism for establishing which member state is responsible for an asylum claim by 2004.
National Asylum Support Service
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what performance indicators were set for the National Asylum Support Service in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02; and how NASS performed against such performance indicators in each year. [54102]
Angela Eagle: In 2000–01 the published performance indicator for the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) was to "process asylum support claims within agreed time scales (from date of receipt)—70 per cent. within two days and 100 per cent. within seven days". In 2001–02 the published performance indicator was to "reduce by 20 per cent. the average time taken to decide applications for support from destitute asylum seekers".
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In 2000–01, 15 per cent. of applications were decided in two days and 30 per cent. in seven days. Figures for actual performance in 2001–02 are not yet available.
The performance of NASS in 2000–01 was unacceptable. In 2001 NASS reviewed and refined its procedures with the intention of speeding up response times and improving the quality of decision making.
Yalcin Kaya
John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to take a decision on the application for naturalisation as a British citizen of Yalcin Kaya (Home Office ref: K1020805). [56523]
Angela Eagle: A decision in Yalcin Kaya's case will be taken as soon as possible. Inquiries have to be made in all applications for British citizenship, to ensure that the statutory requirements specified in the British Nationality Act 1981 are met. The length of time taken to complete these inquiries can vary considerably and they are still under way in Mr. Kaya's case.
Sick Leave
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days of sick leave were taken in his Department last year; how many related to employees suffering (a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to his Department. [56480]
Angela Eagle: Information on sickness absence can be found in the annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" published by the Cabinet Office. The most recently published figures are for the calendar year 2000 and show that the average number of lost working days per person in the Home Office was 11.2 days.
Information on sickness absence and compensation payments for stress and other mental health problems is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Prisoner Numbers
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women under the age of 20 years were serving a prison sentence in England and Wales as of 1 May. [55198]
Beverley Hughes: Provisional information shows that on 31 March 2002 (the latest available data) there were 5,355 males and 294 females under the age of 20 who had been sentenced to detention in a young offenders institution or were serving a detention and training order in a prison service establishment in England and Wales.
Child Passports
Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy to cancel the passport of a child in circumstances where one parent of an estranged couple refuses to transfer it to the parent with sole custody of that child; and if he will make a statement. [55700]
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Angela Eagle: The resolution of such issues is a matter for the family courts. The United Kingdom Passport Service advises parents in such circumstances to seek legal advice with a view to obtaining a court order to transfer the passport.
Sentencing (Manslaughter)
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the range of sentence lengths is and what was the average sentence for (a) women and (b) male prisoners convicted of manslaughter. [55279]
Beverley Hughes: The information requested, relating to persons sentenced for manslaughter in England and Wales in 2000, is contained in the table.
Statistics for 2001 will be published in the autumn.
| Length of sentence | Males(19) | Females(19) | Total(19) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four months or under | 1 | — | 1 |
| Over four months up to six months | — | — | — |
| Over six months less than a year | 1 | — | 1 |
| Total under one year | 2 | — | 2 |
| One year | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Over one year up to 18 months | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Over 18 months up to two years | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| Over two years up to three years | 26 | 7 | 33 |
| Over three years less than four years | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Total one year and under four years | 47 | 12 | 59 |
| Four years | 28 | 5 | 33 |
| Over four years up to five years | 30 | 1 | 31 |
| Over five years up to seven years | 48 | 1 | 49 |
| Over seven years up to 10 years | 21 | 2 | 23 |
| Over 10 years | 4 | — | 4 |
| Life | 16 | 1 | 17 |
| Total four years or over | 147 | 10 | 157 |
| Grand total | 196 | 22 | 218 |
| Average sentence length in months | 61.9 | 46.3 | 60.2 |
(19) Number of persons sentenced
"Secure Borders, Safe Haven"
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent he has conformed to Criterion 6 of Cabinet Office guidelines on written consultations in relation to his consultation on the White Paper, "Secure Borders, Safe Haven"; and if he will make a statement. [55401]
Angela Eagle: Responses from organisations to the White Paper 'Secure Borders, Safe Haven' have been placed in the Library. We are acknowledging all responses and welcome the many constructive and detailed comments received. The Government are setting out clearly their decisions on those areas which require legislative change through the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill which is currently before Parliament. Comments on issues which do not require legislative change are being considered as part of policy development in those areas.
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