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Feltham Young Offenders Institution

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Commission for Racial Equality's report into Feltham Young Offenders Institution will be published. [101730]

Hilary Benn: Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Feltham was one of three establishments examined by the Commission for Racial Equality during its formal investigation into the Prison Service. I am advised by the Commission that they intend to publish a report on the formal investigation into the Prison Service as soon as practicable.

Prisons

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of facilities for prisoners at Ashfield prison; and if he will make a statement. [101432]

Hilary Benn [holding answer 10 March 2003]: Since the Prison Service issued a rectification notice to the contractor (Premier Prison Service) on 10 January 2003, service delivery improvements and progress on compliance with the contract have been achieved.

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The delivery of purposeful activity against the contractual requirement of 35 hours per week per trainee is on an upward trend, and close to contract compliance. During February 2003, each trainee received on average 34.56 hours of purposeful activity. A standards audit took place in February 2003, and the establishment was rated as 'acceptable' for both standards and security, with health services, public protection, safer establishments, segregation unit and incentives and earned privileges all rated as good.

However, there are still concerns about provision in a number of areas. Including the level of assaults, the incidence of self harm, and the use of force in handling incidents.

Ashfield will continue to be closely monitored, and the Rectification Notice will not be lifted until the establishment is safe, and offering appropriate facilities to the young people held there. The long-term future of Ashfield remains uncertain. Unless these improvements are built on and sustained, the Prison service will consider re-tendering the contract, or bringing Ashfield into the public sector.

Work Permits

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Work Permits UK were consulted by the Northern Ireland Department of Employment and Learning regarding work permit applications in respect of pole dancers; whether Work Permits UK make a distinction between applications for (a) pole dancers and (b) lap dancers; and whether an application for pole dancers should be treated on the basis of an entertainment application. [102432]

Beverley Hughes: Work Permits (UK) was not consulted by the Department of Education and Learning on the issue of permits for pole dancers. Work Permits (UK) does not issue work permits for overseas nationals to work as pole dancers.

All work permit applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the work permit criteria. In order to qualify for a work permit under the business and commercial arrangements the job is expected to require an individual to have either a UK equivalent degree level qualification, a Higher National Diploma (HND) level qualification which is relevant to the post on offer, a HMD level qualification, which is not relevant to the post on offer plus one year of relevant work experience or three years experience of using specialist skills acquired through doing the type of job for which the permit is sought. This should be at National/Scottish Vocational Qualification level 3 or above.

In order to qualify for work permit under the arrangements for entertainers the individual must have performed at the highest level and have established a reputation in their profession or be engaged to perform or do work which only they can do.

An application for a pole dancer or lap dancer would not qualify under either of the above categories, and would be refused on the grounds that the skills criteria had not been met.

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Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether work permits can be issued to individuals who have entered the UK illegally. [102466]

Beverley Hughes: Illegal immigrants cannot apply for work permits, and it is an offence knowingly to employ an illegal entrant to the United Kingdom. Where an employer applies for a work permit for an overseas national who is already in the United Kingdom, Work Permits (UK) will first consider whether the application meets the criteria of the work permit arrangements before considering whether, under the Immigration Rules, the overseas national may be granted leave to remain for the purpose of work permit employment. Under the Immigration Rules, only those who were admitted to the United Kingdom as a work permit holder, as a student or student nurse or as a postgraduate doctor or dentist may be granted an extension of stay for the purpose of work permit employment. Granting such leave in any other circumstance can only be considered on a discretionary basis. Such discretion will not normally be exercised where the overseas national has had an adverse Immigration history.

Young Prisoners

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that social services are fulfilling their responsibilities for looking after children who go into prison. [100283]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 3 March 2003]: I have been asked to reply.

Councils with social services responsibilities have a duty, under the Children Act 1989, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area. This includes children who are in prison service establishments, subject to the requirements of their imprisonment.

The Department of Health is currently working with the Home Office, the Prison Service, the Youth Justice Board and the Association of Directors of Social Services to consider the implications of Justice Munby's judgment in the recent judicial review brought by the Howard League and Recommendation 2.8 of the Joint Chief Inspectors' report "Safeguarding Children". I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Home Department on 5 March 2003, Official Report, columns 1104–05W. This consideration will include the possible need for further guidance.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Public Appointments

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for Women if she will list the initiatives she has organised in each of the last three years to attract more women into public appointments and their cost; and if she will make a statement. [99035]

Ms Hewitt: During 2000–02 we introduced two electronic databases, the first to create a pool of good quality potential applicants, focusing particularly on

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women, members of ethnic minority groups and those with disabilities, and the second to allow more effective monitoring of those currently holding appointments. The total cost of the system, of which the databases form a part, was £600,000.

All DTI Directorates were required to draw up and maintain equal opportunities plans for their public bodies spelling out how they intended to achieve their overall goals. We also evaluated all appointments procedures that produced good results in terms of equal opportunities to identify best practice and disseminated the results to other appointments teams. No additional costs were incurred.

During 2002, along with my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), I led a National Outreach Programme to increase the numbers of women applying for public appointments. The cost was £575,551 (excluding VAT).

On 11 December 2002 we launched a practical informative guide to help more women find out about public appointments, and encourage more women to apply for them. The cost of this was £4 a pack. Approximately 2,600 packs have been distributed.

During 2002 we actively sought women candidates for appointment to the Boards of the Regional Development Agencies. Members of the appointments team took part in the National Outreach Programme and the Regional Offices issued promotional material specifically directed at women candidates. The cost of this was approximately £5,000.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Education (Deprived Areas)

8. Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to improve educational standards in deprived areas of Northern Ireland. [101446]

Jane Kennedy: It is my objective that all children, irrespective of their backgrounds and circumstances, have the best possible opportunity to achieve their full potential and are properly prepared for the transition to adult life. The Department's new Targeting Social Need action plan contains a wide range of actions and targets aimed at tackling low educational achievement, low personal and social skills and poor employability among disadvantaged children and young people.

Decommissioning

10. Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the decommissioning of arms held by the IRA. [101448]

Jane Kennedy: To date the Provisional IRA has been involved in two acts of decommissioning. The arms and material in question have been dealt with in accordance with the decommissioning scheme and regulations.

However, it is regrettable that PIRA, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando have all suspended contact with the IICD. I would urge all

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paramilitary organisations to re-engage with the Commission, as it is imperative that both republican and loyalist organisations complete the transition to exclusively peaceful means, real, total and permanent.

11. Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the extent of verifiable decommissioning of unlawfully held weaponry. [101449]

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Sir Nicholas Winterton).

14. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the state of IRA decommissioning. [101452]

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant).

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the quantities of illegally held (a) weapons and (b) explosives that have been decommissioned under the Good Friday Agreement. [101447]

Jane Kennedy: On 18 December 1998 the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning reported that a quantity of arms belonging to the LVF were decommissioned.

On 23 October 2001 they reported that they had witnessed an event that they regarded as significant in which the Provisional IRA had put a quantity of arms completely beyond use. The material included arms, ammunition and explosives.

On 8 April 2002 the IICD reported the Provisional IRA had put a varied and substantial quantity of ammunition, arms and explosive material beyond use. An inventory of the arms will be provided to the British and Irish Governments when the Commission's task is completed.

The arms and material in question have been dealt with in accordance with the decommissioning scheme and regulations. It is imperative that both republican and loyalist organisations complete the transition to exclusively peaceful means, real, total and permanent.

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