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20 May 2003 : Column 750W—continued
Post Office Card Accounts
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what limit there is on the amount of money that can be held in a Post Office card account; whether there is a requirement to withdraw funds from a Post Office card account; whether interest is payable on balances in Post Office card accounts, and in what circumstances; and if he will make a statement. [114043]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 19 May 2003]: There is no limit on the amount of money that can be held in a Post Office card account, the minimum balance is £0 (zero pounds and zero pence). There is no requirement on customers to withdraw funds from their account nor do the accounts attract interest.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what limit or other restriction there is on the amount of money which may be withdrawn from a Post Office card account by an agent of the account holder; and if he will make a statement. [114045]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 19 May 2003]: A Third Party, who has been formally authorised to have access to the Account Holder's Post Office card account will be able to withdraw all, or part of the Account Holder's Post Office card account monies.
The minimum withdrawal amount is 1p (one penny). The maximum withdrawal amount is limited to the monies available in the account. However, there is a daily limit on withdrawals of £600.00 (six hundred pounds). Withdrawals greater than £600 may be subject to up to three working days notice.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) of 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 607W, on post office card accounts, if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which an alternative method of payment to replace the exception scheme will be put in place (a) nationally and (b) in individual cases; and whether (i) his Department and (ii) individual customers may require the alternative method to be used; [114189]
- (2) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) of 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 606W, on Post Office card accounts, what the nature is of the alternative method of payment referred to; what assessment he has made of when it will be required; and if he will make a statement. [113596]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 19 May 2003]: We have always recognised that there will be a small group of people who we cannot pay directly into an account. An alternative method will be developed to pay this group. The alternative arrangements do not need to be available for some time, as customers for whom the new arrangements are not suitable will, for the present, be able to keep their order book. Order books are being phased out and will no longer be available after 2005.
We are currently developing an alternative payment method to pay customers who are unable to open or manage an account.
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Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) of 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 607W, on Post Office card accounts, what procedure will be adopted for an individual customer to require that his benefit is paid by an alternative method of payment other than direct payment; and if he will make a statement. [114190]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 19 May 2003]: The Government's information campaign, to support the move to Direct Payment, provides customers with factual information on the banking options available to them, including information on the Post Office card account. We will write directly to all customers affected by the change to provide them with the information they need to decide which option is best for them. The information is presented in a way that enables customers to decide which option is best for their individual circumstances.
There is no question of people not being able to get their money. Those customers who feel that the account options available do not meet their particular needs should contact the Customer Conversion Centre on the freephone number provided to discuss their needs and circumstances.
Where customers genuinely are unable to manage an account they will be advised that, in the short term, they can retain their order book. However, order books are being phased out and will no longer be available after 2005.
We are currently developing an alternative payment method to pay the small number of customers who are unable to open or manage an account.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many jailed asylum seekers from Somalia have been deported in each of the past six months. [113893]
Beverley Hughes: Information on the nationality of people who have been deported or are removed is not available and can only be obtained by examining individual case files at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) asylum seekers and (b) children of asylum seekers are detained in the UK. [113895]
Beverley Hughes: The latest available information on the number of asylum seekers in detention is for 28 December 2002. At that date 795 people held in detention solely under Immigration Act powers were recorded as having sought asylum at some stage.
Although statistics on the detention of asylum seekers include minors they have not hither too been separately identified. Work is being undertaken to extend the range of data routinely collected on the detention of asylum seekers.
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Dungavel, Harmondsworth, Oakington and Tinsley House are the only Immigration Service Removal Centres that have accommodation for families with children.
A one-off exercise was carried out on 2 April 2003 to assess the number of children under the age of 18 detained with their families in these centres, the results of which are contained in the table.
| Immigration Service RemovalCentre | Children under 18 years of age in detention at 2 April 2003 |
|---|---|
| Dungavel | 21 |
| Harmondsworth | 18 |
| Oakington | 14 |
| Tinsley | 3 |
| Total | 56 |
Minors are detained only in two limited circumstances: first, as part of a family group whose detention is considered appropriate; second, when unaccompanied, while alternative care arrangements are made and normally just overnight.
More detailed information on those in detention at March 29 2003 is due to be published in May on the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1.html.
BB Guns
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what controls there are on the (a) purchase and (b) use of BB guns by children; and what controls he plans to introduce on the (i) sale and (ii) use of BB guns by children. [113435]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: BB, or more accurately airsoft, guns are low powered, non-lethal air weapons and as such their sale is not controlled under the provisions of the Firearms Act 1968.
To the extent they are an imitation firearm they are subject to the provisions of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994. This makes it an offence to threaten other people with an imitation firearm in such a way as to cause them to believe that unlawful violence might be used against them.
We are aware that some young people have taken to carrying replica firearms, including airsoft weapons, to impress their friends and intimidate others. Because of this we are introducing, in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, a new offence of having an imitation firearm in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
C-Far Project
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department has provided to the C-Far project in Highampton, Devon. [112149]
Paul Goggins: The National Probation Service and the Prison Service have agreed to make £150,000 available to C-FAR for this financial year (subject to confirmation of health and safety standards). This is in addition to the £20,000 previously set aside to assist with the cost of the independent evaluation of the 'Life
20 May 2003 : Column 753W
Change' programme operated by C-FAR. Of this, a payment of £10,000 has already been made by the Prison Service in 2002. The remaining £10,000 from the National Probation Service was subject to progress with the independent evaluation and will be paid shortly. C-FAR also received a payment of £150,000 from the Criminal Justice System Reserve in 2001–02 as a contribution to the continuing costs of the programme.
Cash Seizure Powers
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much cash has been seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 since the new cash seizure powers took effect; and how much was seized under previous legislation in each of the preceding five years. [114020]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The value of cash seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 since the new cash seizure powers took effect on 30 December 2002 is £19.6 million (as at 11 May 2003). The value of cash seized under previous legislation for the preceding five years has not been recorded centrally. However, the value of cash forfeitures for the entire period 1 April 1998 to 31 March 2003 was £14.95 million.
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