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Surveillance Warrants
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many communications surveillance warrants were issued in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland in each year since 1990. [95863]
Mr. Blunkett: The figures for interception warrants issued since 1990 are published annually in the reports of the Commissioner, initially appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 (IOCA)
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and, since 2 October 2000, under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). Copies of the reports are placed in the Library.
Figures for 2002 are 1,466 (England and Wales) and 139 (Scotland). The Interception Commissioner has given his consent that these figures should be published in advance of his annual report.
Telephone Helplines
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many telephone helplines are sponsored by his Department; and which of these helplines are charged at (a) national rate, (b) premium rate and (c) local rate. [95715]
Beverley Hughes: The information on help lines is as follows:
| Organisation | Enquiry Service | Number | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAIN HO NUMBER | General HO enquiries | 0870 000 1585 | National |
| Text phone | 020 7273 3476 | Local/National(42) | |
| Ind | Immigration Enquiries | 0870 606 7766 | National |
| Mini com | 0800 38 98 289 | Free | |
| Nationality enquiries | 0151 237 5200 | National | |
| Asylum support (NASS) | 0845 602 1739 | National | |
| NASS helpline | 0845 6000914 | National | |
| NASS Voluntary Return helpline | 0845 6000914 | National | |
| Prison Service | Prison Service enquiry Line | 0870000 1397 | National |
| Prison Service Victim Helpline | 0845 758 5112 | Local | |
| Assisted Prison Visits Unit | 0845 300 1423 | Local | |
| Prison Officer Recruitment | 0845 300 0790 | Local | |
| Prisoners' Family Helpline | 0808 808 2003 | Free (43) | |
| UKPS | Passport Advice Line | 0870 521 0410 | National |
| Textphone Service | 0870 240 8090 | National | |
| Application Form Request line | 0901 4700 110 | Premium (44) | |
| Information Faxback Service | 0901 4700 130 | Premium (44) | |
| Request Application Form by Fax | 0901 4700 120 | Premium (44) | |
| CRB | CRB Information Line | 0870 9090811 | National |
| Registration Line | 0870 9090 822 | National | |
| Disclosure Line | 0870 9090 844 | National | |
| Minicom Line | 0870 90 90 344 | National | |
| Welsh line | 0870 90 90 233 | National | |
| FSS | Headquarters | 0121 607 6800 | National |
| HMI Prisons | Headquarters | 0207035 2103 | Local/National(42) |
| HMI Probation | Headquarters | 020 7035 2202 | Local/National(42) |
| 0161 8480566 | National | ||
| HMI Constabulary | Wales & C. England | 01527 882000 | National |
| E. England & London | 01223467115 | National | |
| N. England | 01924332822 | National | |
| S. England | 01483 215328 | National | |
| HMIC Training office | 01483 215 332 | National | |
| Prison & Probation Ombudsman | 020 7035 2876 | Local/National(42) | |
| 0845 0107938 | Local |
(42) cost dependent upon the location of the caller
(43) free—although mobile phone networks may set their own tariffs
(44) calls charged at 0.60 per minute and the cost should not exceed £0.90.
Temporary Visa Holders
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visas for temporary stays in the United Kingdom (a) were issued and (b) have expired since 29 October 2001; and of the latter (i) how many holders are known to have left the country and (ii) how many holders are known not to have left the country (A) because of applications for asylum, (B) for other lawful reasons and (C) for other unlawful reasons. [96407]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 10 February 2003]: The latest available data on entry clearance applications for temporary purposes are 1,424,880 applications granted in 2000.
Decisions made in 2001 have not yet been published due to a change in the data available. Data for 2001 and 2002 will be published later this year.
Information on the number of visas which have expired is not available.
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Information on the number of visa holders who are known to have left the United Kingdom is not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost by examination of case records. Additionally, these individuals may leave the United Kingdom without informing the Immigration Service.
Detailed information on general immigration can be found in the Home Office publication, "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2001", available in the Library and via the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/commandpubs1.html.
Timber
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent advice his Department has issued to procurement staff regarding the procurement of timber from legal and sustainable sources. [95732]
Beverley Hughes : A Timber Procurement Bulletin was sent to all Home Office Procurement Units, agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPB's) in June 2002. It is also available on the Home Office intranet site. The bulletin included the model contract specification clause, promulgated by Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in May 2002, together with background information and contact points for further information.
Visas
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those countries from which citizens do not require a visa to enter the UK, but to which UK citizens do require a visa to gain entry. [95998]
Beverley Hughes: The visa requirements for UK nationals visiting other countries vary depending on the purpose and duration of stay and therefore a list of countries as requested cannot be provided. However, details of the visa and entry requirements for UK nationals visiting other countries can be found under the travel section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: www.fco.gov.uk Details of UK visa requirements can be found on the UK Visas website: www.ukvisas.gov.uk
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Iraq
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many sites have been referred by the Government on the basis of intelligence as having weapons of mass destruction to the UN weapons inspection team in Iraq. [96266]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government regularly share information with the UN weapons inspection teams, including information about sites of concern.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many searches were initiated by UK intelligence of the 100 sites investigated in Iraq by UN weapons inspectors. [96267]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government regularly shares information with the UN weapons inspectors. It is a matter for them to decide upon how to follow up on information passed to them.
Afghanistan
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress his Department has made in meeting its public service agreement target on reducing opium production in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [96291]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK is co-ordinating international support for Afghanistan's drug control efforts and has produced, in consultation with the Afghan government, other donors and international agencies, a strategy for building up Afghan drug law enforcement capacity and providing alternative livelihoods to opium poppy farmers. Experience in Thailand and Pakistan shows that a concerted and co-ordinated effort to eliminate opium poppy cultivation can be successful in the long-term.
At the Afghanistan Reconstruction Conference in January 2002 the UK pledged £200 million of financial assistance over four years.£ 65 million has already been committed to humanitarian and reconstruction programmes. In December 2002 Her Majesty's Customs & Excise delivered the first of a series of counter-narcotics courses for the Afghan police. The Government's Public Service Agreement to contribute to the elimination of Afghan opium cultivation in ten years comes into effect on 1 April 2003. Officials are working on a delivery plan.
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) the US Government, (b) the Turkish Government and (c) the German Government regarding building a secure future for the people of Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [96294]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Afghanistan is frequently on the agenda of meetings at the UN and NATO, in which representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office take part along with colleagues from the US, Turkey and Germany. This is in addition to discussions on Afghanistan at regular bilateral meetings with the countries mentioned. Periodic G8 and EU meetings on Afghanistan provide further opportunities to talk to the US and German governments.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the estimated amount of opium produced in Afghanistan was in each year from 1997 to date. [96471]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Since 1994 the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has published an annual opium poppy survey for Afghanistan. The estimated amounts (in metric tons) of opium produced for the period since 1997 are as follows:
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