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3 Jul 2003 : Column 391W—continued
Identity Cards
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate has been made of the costs of the introduction of identity cards to (a) the Government and (b) the individual holder of the card. [122360]
Beverley Hughes: The consultation paper on entitlement cards and identity fraud provided a section on indicative cost assumptions. During the consultation period we have benefited from observations and comments received which have been helpful in contributing to further assessments of costs and the overall response to the consultation exercise.
There are a number of different ways in which a scheme could be devised. Further, more detailed, work is needed on contractual delivery arrangements as well as the level of benefits for different services and the charges needed to cover the costs.
The precise type of scheme would ultimately be a matter for Parliament to decide.
Immigration
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau in Croydon; how many applications where the applicant clearly falls under the immigration rules have been delayed beyond the expected minimum over the last year; and if he will make a statement. [121844]
Beverley Hughes: The performance of the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau (INEB) has improved significantly in recent months. It is now answering between 24,000 and 25,000 calls a week compared to 17,000 a week at the beginning of this year. Callers now regularly get through to the Bureau in one or two attempts and average time in a queue has reduced from six minutes to two minutes. In a recent customer survey over 85 per cent. of those questioned described their experience of INEB as satisfactory or better.
We normally aim to screen all postal applications within three weeks and decide at least 70 per cent. at that point. Because of the high number of applications in the latter part of 2002, it was taking up to 10 weeks on average at the end of last year and the earlier part of this one to take decisions on these cases. As a result of measures to improve this situation, the processing time for straightforward applications has reduced to four weeks on average and continued progress is being made towards our three-week target. At present where further
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inquiries are required, most cases are being decided within six months but because of the very high intake a small minority have taken up to 12 months to decide.
Memorials
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 1 June 2003, Official Report, column 1053W, on memorials, if he will take advice from the National Association of Funeral Directors on the matters being considered by the working group on guidance to local authorities on memorial safety. [123444]
Paul Goggins: The National Association of Funeral Directors has recently accepted membership of the Burial and Cemeteries Advisory Group. As a member, the Association is welcome to comment on any of the work being undertaken by the Advisory Group, including that of the memorial safety sub-group.
Mr. Rezart Elmarzi
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in support of the wish of Mr. Rezart Elmarzi, a constituent, to remain in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [122138]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 30 June 2003]: I wrote to the hon. Member on 1 July 2003.
Prison Incidents
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serious incidents there have been in prisons in England and Wales in each of the last 12 months involving (a) riots, (b) peaceful protests, including sit-down protests, (c) assaults and (d) other disturbances. [118791]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is detailed in the table. The Prison Service's incident reporting system records the number of acts of concerted indiscipline rather than "riots". Similarly, acts of passive concerted indiscipline are recorded rather than the number of protests or sit down protests. In the course of the 12 months from June 2002 to May 2003, the number of assaults recorded was 11,462. The figures in the table are of those assaults which resulted in an injury to either staff or prisoners. The Prison Service does not have a category for "disturbances".
| Number of acts of concerted indiscipline | Number of acts of passive indiscipline | Number of assaults | |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2002 | 5 | 2 | 47 |
| July 2002 | 6 | 9 | 59 |
| August 2002 | 10 | 16 | 61 |
| September 2002 | 1 | 6 | 67 |
| October 2002 | 10 | 11 | 58 |
| November 2002 | 3 | 3 | 56 |
| December 2002 | 6 | 5 | 44 |
| January 2003 | 6 | 5 | 50 |
| February 2003 | 5 | 5 | 44 |
| March 2003 | 6 | 4 | 66 |
| April 2003 | 2 | 9 | 60 |
| May 2003 | 2 | 10 | 90 |
| Total | 62 | 85 | 702 |
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Prisoner Transfers
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales were transferred under (a) the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners and (b) the Commonwealth Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted Offenders in each year since 1997; [121952]
(2) if he will set out the process by which a prisoner can apply for transfer under (a) the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners and (b) the Commonwealth Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted Offenders; [121953]
(3) if he will list the countries with which the UK has bilateral prisoner transfer agreements. [121954]
Paul Goggins: The following table records how many prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales who were transferred under (a) the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners and (b) on the Commonwealth Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted Offenders in each year since 1997.
| Council of Europe Convention | Commonwealth Scheme | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 17 | — |
| 1998 | 42 | — |
| 1999 | 22 | — |
| 2000 | 35 | — |
| 2001 | 39 | — |
| 2002 | 50 | — |
The process by which a prisoner can apply for transfer under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and the Commonwealth Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted Offenders is the same. An application for transfer can only be made by either the sentencing state or the receiving state. The prisoner can initiate the process by a written indication to either state of his/her wish to transfer. In the case of a prisoner in England and Wales, this is made by completing a request/complaint form, which is freely available within prisons.
Both the sentencing state and the receiving state will consider the request. If both states approve the transfer then the prisoner will be asked to give his formal consent. Once all three parties have given their consent, arrangements will be made for the transfer of the prisoner.
The United Kingdom has bilateral prisoner transfer agreements with the following countries:
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- Cuba
Guyana
Suriname
Peru
Sri Lanka
Dominican Republic
Antigua and Barbuda
Retired Police Officers
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the position of retired police officers who have their pension reduced to pay for an increased widows pension, where their wives pre-deceased them before or after retirement; and if he will make a statement. [115067]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: In the period since 8 June 2001, hon. and right hon. Members have tabled one Early Day Motion, asked six questions and written 14 letters to Ministers on the general issue of widows' pensions. Five of these 14 letters were specifically concerned with officers whose pension has been reduced to pay for an increased widows' pension.
We have sympathy for those who elected to have their pension reduced to pay for an increased widow's pension but whose wives pre-deceased them. However, such an election was an alternative option to paying increased pensions contributions while still serving. It would run counter to the principle of a contributory occupational pension scheme, in which benefits are guaranteed only in specified circumstances, to return contributions in any case where those circumstances did not apply.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
GM Crops
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which UK-based companies are involved in the development of genetically modified crops. [121749]
Mr. Morley: The Department does not have details of every UK-based company involved in the development of genetically modified crops. However, the following companies are members of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council, the industry body for companies involved in the development of agricultural biotechnology in the UK, including GM crops: Bayer CropScience, BASF, Dow Agrosciences, Dupont, Monsanto UK, and Syngenta.
Further details of those companies granted consent to release GM crops for trial or research purposes under Part B of EC Directive 2001/18 are available on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/exper.htm
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