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14 Jul 2003 : Column 52W—continued
SCOTLAND
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the target is for efficiency savings in 2003–04 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit. [114118]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department does not set separate energy efficiency targets, but seeks to operate within the Government's environment and climate change commitments.
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement, in relation to his Department and each Agency and non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible, on (a) the amount of energy consumed, (b) spending on (i) energy and (ii) energy efficiency measures, (c) the amount saved through energy efficiency measures and (d) energy policy in each of the last five years. [108868]
Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
Information in the form requested is not available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Scotland Office does not set separate energy efficiency targets, but it seeks to operate within the Government's environment and climate change commitments.
Hepatitis C (Compensation)
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Scottish Health Minister to discuss compensation for hepatitis C sufferers in Scotland. [125646]
Mrs. McGuire: My right hon. Friend and I have frequent discussions with Scottish Executive Ministers on a wide range of issues.
Pay Audits
Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if he will publish the results of such an audit. [117431]
Mrs. McGuire: The Scottish Executive completed an equal pay review, that included staff of the Scotland Office, at the end of April 2003. The initial review considered gender. Race and disability will be considered at a later stage, programmed for completion by the end of April 2004.
A summary of the main findings of the review and what measures will be taken to ensure the pay system is free from bias will be issued to staff shortly.
Sickness Absence
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years. [115859]
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Sponsorship
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of his Department's projects have received sponsorship in the last financial year; who the sponsor was in each case; what the nature of each project was; what time-period was covered by each project; what the total cost of each project was; how much money was involved in each sponsorship deal; and if he will make a statement. [112394]
Supreme Court
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to meet (a) Scottish Law Lords, (b) the judiciary in Scotland, (c) the Law Society of Scotland and (d) the Faculty of Advocates to discuss the proposals for a Supreme Court. [122718]
Mr. Darling: The Government will fully consult these bodies and other interests in Scotland on their proposals for a Supreme Court. My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs has already had helpful and constructive meetings with the Lord Advocate to discuss the interests of the Scottish Executive and with the two Scottish Law Lords.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Drug Testing and Treatment Orders
13. Mr. Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve joint working between the police, the criminal justice system and the NHS on the implementation of Drug Testing and Treatment Orders. [125066]
Caroline Flint: The successful delivery of the Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO) involves the Probation Service, treatment providers, the courts and the police, working effectively in partnership together.
In April 2002, over 97 per cent. of all Drug Advisory Teams (DATs) had a joint commissioning group in place, ensuring that best practice is followed in developing and providing appropriate treatment.
An increase of nearly 10 per cent. on the previous year. Last year 6,140 DTTOs were made, exceeding the Government's target of 6,000 Orders demonstrating that current partnership arrangements are working.
Metropolitan Police
14. Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the pay and conditions of the Metropolitan police. [125067]
Ms Blears: We have received representations from hon. Members, members of the public and others about the pay and conditions of the Metropolitan police. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary meets regularly with the Commissioner and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, at which a range of issues are discussed, including pay and conditions.
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Asylum Seekers
15. Mrs. Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the two-year probationary period to qualify for indefinite leave to remain will come into force. [125068]
Beverley Hughes: The two-year probationary period on marriage was introduced as one of a number of changes made to the Immigration Rules on 1 April 2003.
The changes were part of a package of measures to tackle the growing menace of fraudulent or abusive marriages to circumvent immigration control. Other changes were:
- introducing a 'no switching' into marriage provision after entry to the United Kingdom for those coming for a short period of six months or less;
removing the probationary period where a marriage or relationship has existed for more than four years and the couple have been living abroad;
preventing someone from acting as a sponsor in a marriage or fiancé application until they are 18 years of age; and
preventing fiancé(e)s under the age of 16 from applying for leave to enter; and removing the 'legally unable to marry requirement' for those seeking to enter or remain as an unmarried partner.
Beverley Hughes: I am afraid that the information is not held centrally and could be obtained only by examination of individual case files. The employment concession for asylum seekers was abolished on 23 July 2002. Prior to its abolition asylum seekers could seek permission to work if their application for asylum remained outstanding for longer than six months without a decision being made on it.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been refused support by the National Asylum Support Service under sections 55 or 57 of the Nationality Asylum and Immigration Act 2002 (a) in total and (b) in each month since January. [124915]
Beverley Hughes: The information is not available in the form requested.
Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 came into force on 8 January 2003, restricting the availability of National Asylum Support Service (NASS) support to those asylum seekers who make an asylum application as
Of the total (4,365) cases referred to NASS for a Section 55 decision in the first quarter of 2003:
- 2,850 were refused NASS support on the grounds that their claims were not made as soon as reasonably practicable.
325 were granted MASS support on the grounds that they were made as soon as reasonably practical.
685 were exempted from consideration under Section 55 on the grounds of being a family application.
505 were exempted from consideration under Section 55 to avoid a breach of ECHR rights.
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Information on Section 57 cases is not available.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of asylum seekers living below poverty levels. [125054]
Beverley Hughes: We are committed to meeting our international obligations with regard to asylum seekers. This includes providing support to eligible asylum seekers and their dependants who would otherwise be destitute. Levels of support are approved by Parliament.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what conditions an asylum seeker might continue to receive benefits after his or her case has been refused; which benefits are available; and how many such cases arose in each of the last five years. [125340]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 11 July 2003]: For single asylum seekers and childless couples the legislation allows for support to be provided to asylum seekers until a final decision is made on their claim and, in the case of unsuccessful applicants, for 21 days after the receipt of the final decision on the claim. In the case of families including children under the age of 18, support is provided unless and until the family fails to comply with removal directions or until the youngest child reaches 18.
In the majority of cases there is nothing to prevent the failed asylum seeker from leaving the country once their asylum claim has been finally determined. Letters sent at this stage to failed asylum seekers provide details of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), who will assist the person to make a voluntary return, and also the Immigration Service who will arrange for them to return to their home country.
Failed asylum seekers may be provided with accommodation under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (the 1999 Act). As a matter of policy accommodation is only provided to those unable to leave immediately through no fault of their own e.g. because they are suffering from a temporary physical incapacity or need a travel document to enable them to go. Accommodation provided is full board and will usually be outside London. The legislation does not allow for payment of cash support.
Section 4 of the 1999 Act came into force on 11 November 1999. There are no published statistics on the number of failed asylum seekers who have been provided with accommodation under section 4. This information could only be obtained by examination of individual case records.
22. John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support he is giving to asylum seekers in Glasgow. [125076]
Beverley Hughes: The support available to asylum seekers is consistent across the United Kingdom. Eligible asylum seekers and their dependants may be provided with support if they would otherwise be destitute. The provision of support may be subject to
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conditions. Generally speaking, support is provided until a final decision is made on the claim, but can be terminated early if the asylum seeker fails to comply with the conditions on which support is offered.
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