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3 Jun 2003 : Column 151W—continued
Prisons
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown by ethnic origin of (a) prisoners of British nationality and (b) all prisoners in each prison in England and Wales for each year between 1997 and 2002. [113255]
Paul Goggins: The numbers of (a) prisoners of British nationality and (b) all prisoners in each prison in England and Wales, broken down by ethnic group, for each year between 1997 and 2002 has been placed in the Library.
Public Protection Panels
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the introduction of multi-agency public protection panels; and what relationship these panels have to youth offending trials, and crime division activities. [115433]
Paul Goggins: Consolidated Guidance on the further development of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (the MAPPA) was issued under provision contained in Section 67(6) of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000). In support of this Guidance and the development it is designed to underpin, the National Probation Directorate is delivering a series of workshops with a cross-section of police and probation Areas in England and Wales this summer.
An important part of the development of the MAPPA is strengthening the relationships with other agencies and arrangements, including local Area Child Protection Committees and the Crime and Disorder
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Partnerships. The Criminal Justice Bill will assist this development by imposing a duty to co-operate with the MAPPA on a number of agencies, including social services and youth offending teams. Once the Bill has been enacted further additions to the consolidated Guidance will be issued.
Recidivism
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what incentives are given to private operators of prisons to reduce the rate of recidivism of the inmates they are responsible for. [116257]
Paul Goggins: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave her on 6 May 2003, Official Report, column 607W.
Resettlement System
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish a resettlement system for citizens of Iraq in the United Kingdom in the process of applying for asylum or leave to remain. [116252]
Beverley Hughes: We are consulting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration, refugee sector non-gobernmental organisations and Iraqi communities in the United Kingdom on the type of programmes that will be appropriate for an Iraqi Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. No decisions regarding the exact nature of the resettlement system that might be offered has yet been made.
We are working actively to ensure that Iraqis can be assisted to return voluntarily to their homeland as soon as practicable. Many Iraqis in the United Kingdom have skills, which will be of value to the reconstruction of Iraq. The government is committed to helping clear the way for them to do so.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a resettlement grant system was set up for Afghanistan; and how many Afghan citizens resident in the United Kingdom have benefitted from the grant. [116254]
Beverley Hughes: The Return to Afghanistan Programme, under which resettlement grants are made, commenced 20 August 2002 for six months. This has been extended and the current end date is 19 August 2003. As of 31 March 2003 38 Afghans have benefitted from the grant.
Roma
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the (a) human rights and (b) equal rights of citizens of Roma ethnic minorities living in EU applicant states; and if he will make a statement. [114655]
Beverley Hughes: The Country Information and Policy Unit in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) closely monitors the situation of the Roma minorities in the EU accession states.
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Circumstances for Roma are difficult in a number of countries in central and eastern Europe, partly for reasons of societal prejudice and partly because of discriminatory treatment in various forms and to varying degrees. Governments in the EU accession states have enacted legislation and implemented programmes to improve circumstances for their minority communities and for Roma in particular.
Human Rights and equality issues with respect to Roma vary from country to country. This is reflected in the Country Assessments and Operational Guidance Notes produced by IND to provide guidance to those involved in decision making on asylum applications. These documents are available on the Home Office website.
The EU accession states have all been designated under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 as ones from which in general terms there is no serious risk of persecution. The Government is satisfied that the treatment of Roma will not in general amount to persecution and moreover that the states authorities in general provide sufficient protection.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of citizens from the Roma ethnic minorities in applicant states to the European Union who may seek residence in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [114685]
Beverley Hughes: Research conducted by University College London for the Home Office, which will be published on 5 June, suggests that the numbers of people who will migrate to the UK from the new Member States after enlargement will not be significant.
This research corroborates a number of other independent studies which have looked at the scale of migration flows after enlargement. These have been summarised in reports by the European Commission in 2000 and the former Department for Education and Employment in 1999.
None of this research has been able to predict exact numbers expected from specific countries or ethnic groups to the UK. However, enlargement should improve the quality of life for all citizens in the new Member States as their governments must enforce human rights and minority rights, including protection against racial discrimination, to EU standards before accession and subsequently. EU accession should also improve economic prospects in the new Member States so reducing the incentive for economic migration.
Stranraer and Cairnryan
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions staff
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from Glasgow Immigration Office have attended Stranraer and Cairnryan ports to process asylum applications made there. [115827]
Beverley Hughes: Immigration staff from Glasgow have not attended Stranraer or Cairnryan ports solely to process asylum seekers. At those times since January 2001, when Immigration Officers have been in attendance, they have operated in support of Police controls operated by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, from whom suspected immigration offenders are referred. Any person who claims asylum during such enquiries is initially processed by the Immigration Service within police accommodation at Stranraer Police Station.
- 1 January 2000–31 December 2000 Immigration Officers attended the Port of Stranraer on 56 occasions during this period (two Officers each time).
1 January 2001–31 December 2001 Immigration Officers attended the Port of Stranraer on 131 occasions during this period (two Officers each time).
1 January 2002–31 December 2002 Immigration Officers attended the Port of Stranraer on 215 occasions during this period (two Officers each time).
2003
Immigration Officers have not attended the Port of Stranraer during this period.
Beverley Hughes: As Immigration matters are a reserved issue, there is currently no official channel for discussion of Immigration Service resource allocation with the Scottish Executive. Regular contact between the Immigration Service and Dumfries and Galloway Police is maintained through representation on the Stranraer Ports Forum.
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reallocate resources to create a permanent immigration office in Wigtownshire to cover Stranraer and Cairnryan ports. [115828]
Beverley Hughes: Passenger traffic at Stranraer is within the Common Travel Area between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Therefore, it is not designated as a Port of Entry within the provisions of the Immigration Acts. When available, Immigration Service staff operate at Stranraer in support of Police controls operated by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, from whom suspected immigration offenders are referred. Any person so referred is initially processed by the Immigration Service within police accommodation at Stranraer Police Station. Such persons may then be granted temporary release or transferred to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre. As Stranraer and Cairnryan are within the Common Travel Area there is no lawful requirement for having a permanent on-entry Immigration control at Stranraer or Cairnryan.
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