House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Sept 2003 (pt 24)

15 Sept 2003 : Column 581W—continued

Official Engagements

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many official engagements he has undertaken as Secretary of State for Scotland since his appointment. [128017]

Mr. Darling: I have undertaken a number of official engagements since my appointment as Secretary of State for Scotland and I will continue to do so.

Over-30-months Scheme

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he was consulted by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs prior to the decision to lift the Over Thirty Month Scheme in 2004. [127845]

Mrs. McGuire: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues.

Quality Meat Scotland

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the transfer to the Scottish Executive of Quality Meat Scotland; and what payments are outstanding to (a) Quality Meat Scotland and (b) the Scottish Executive in respect of the transfer. [127865]

Mrs. McGuire: These are matters for the Scottish Executive.

Sewel Motions

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many requests for Sewel motions have been exchanged between the Scottish Executive and his Department since 1999; how many have been rejected; when they were rejected; for what reasons; and what plans the Government has to review the procedures for dealing with Sewel motions. [128011]

Mrs. McGuire: Responsibility for tabling and the terms of Sewel motions rests with the Scottish Executive under the Memorandum of Understanding. Discussions with the Scottish Executive on Sewel motions are a normal part of the development of the legislative programme. To date, 43 Sewel motions have been agreed to by the Scottish Parliament since devolution.

The Government keep all procedures in relation to the devolution settlement under review.

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HOME DEPARTMENT

Air Weapons

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries involving air weapons there were in each of the last five years; [128342]

(2) how many criminal offences, broken down by category, involving (a) replica guns and (b) air weapons, there were in each of the last five years. [128343]

Caroline Flint: The latest available numbers of recorded crimes by offence category in which imitation weapons and air weapons were used are given in the tables. A weapon is said to be used in an offence if it is fired, used as a blunt instrument or in a threat.

Number of offences in which imitation weapons were used

Violence against the person Robbery Burglary Criminal damage Other offences

1997⁽¹⁵⁾ 268 186 16 3 38

1998–99 354 163 14 2 33

1999–2000 495 228 22 3 65

2000–01 494 227 15 17 34

2001–02 773 277 31 87 33

	Violence against the person	Robbery	Burglary	Criminal damage	Other offences
1997⁽¹⁵⁾	268	186	16	3	38
1998–99	354	163	14	2	33
1999–2000	495	228	22	3	65
2000–01	494	227	15	17	34
2001–02	773	277	31	87	33

⁽¹⁵⁾ Calendar year; other years to end of March

Number of offences in which air weapons were used

Violence against the person Robbery Burglary Criminal damage Other offences

1997⁽¹⁶⁾ 1,449 99 51 5,798 109

1998–99 1,937 83 81 6,362 202

1999–2000 2,438 91 20 7,330 224

2000–01 2,217 116 32 7,674 188

2001–02 2,366 161 22 9,559 232

	Violence against the person	Robbery	Burglary	Criminal damage	Other offences
1997⁽¹⁶⁾	1,449	99	51	5,798	109
1998–99	1,937	83	81	6,362	202
1999–2000	2,438	91	20	7,330	224
2000–01	2,217	116	32	7,674	188
2001–02	2,366	161	22	9,559	232

⁽¹⁶⁾ Calendar year; other years to end of March

There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which would have had the effect of increasing the number of offences counted. Similarly, some police forces adopted the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard in advance of its national implementation on 1 April 2002, and this may also have tended to increase the number of crimes counted, particularly in 2001–02.

The number of deaths and injuries resulting from recorded air weapon offences in the last five years are given in the following table:

Fatal injuries Serious injuries⁽¹⁷⁾ Slight injuries

1997 0 129 1,065

1998–99 0 133 1,381

1999–2000 0 171 1,806

2000–01 1 166 1,654

2001–02 2 166 1,741

	Fatal injuries	Serious injuries⁽¹⁷⁾	Slight injuries
1997	0	129	1,065
1998–99	0	133	1,381
1999–2000	0	171	1,806
2000–01	1	166	1,654
2001–02	2	166	1,741

⁽¹⁷⁾ A serious injury is one which necessitated detention in hospital or involved fractures, concussion, severe general shock, penetration by a projectile or multiple wounds.

Al Mujaharoon

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the action he proposes to take over the planned Magnificent 17 conference organised by Al Mujaharoon. [129328]

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Mr. Blunkett [holding answer 11 September 2003]: Al-Muhajiroun represents neither the British Muslim Community nor its views.

We absolutely reject its offensive statements, as have the vast majority of Muslims living in the UK.

However, we have a long-standing and important tradition of free speech in this country people have a right to air their views, however unpalatable they may be to others. But we also have tough legislative powers to catch those who cross the line from legitimate debate and comment, into inciting violence, or who commit offences motivated by racial or religious hatred. We tightened these powers in the Anti-Terrorism and Security Acts (2001). Police can and do use these powers.Every word and every statement that representatives of AI-Muhajiroun make is closely monitored by the appropriate authorities.

Bailiffs

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases were prosecuted and how many convictions there were in each year since 1997 concerning (a) debts or payments in arrears and (b) abusive and illegal behaviour by bailiffs. [126950]

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Home Office.

Asylum Seekers

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are being provided with accommodation under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. [125078]

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Beverley Hughes: Reliable information on the numbers of cases receiving support under Section 4 of the 1999 Act is currently unavailable, because of the difficulty of ensuring that the information is accurate. We are working with the YMCA to establish more frequent reporting that will enable us to produce accurate figures.

Information on the number of applications for the National Asylum Supports Service (NASS) support and the numbers of asylum seekers currently being supported by NASS can be found on the website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from Somalia (a) sought asylum, (b) were granted asylum, (c) were granted exceptional leave to remain, (d) have made applications which are still outstanding and (e) have made applications for asylum which have been refused and have been subsequently removed from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years. [127513]

Beverley Hughes: The tables provide the available information, showing the number of asylum applications, initial decisions and removals of Somalis for the last five years. Initial decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same year. Nor do removals necessarily relate to initial decisions or appeal outcomes in the same year.

Information on asylum applications, by nationality, awaiting an initial decision is unavailable. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

Information on the number of asylum applications, initial decisions and removals is published quarterly on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice. gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum applications received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, initial decisions, removals and voluntary departures, nationals of Somalia, 1998 to 2002⁽¹⁸⁾

Initial decisions⁽¹⁹⁾^,⁽²⁰⁾

Cases considered under normal procedures Backlog clearance exercise

Applications received Total initial decisions Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave Total refused Grants of ELR under backlog criteria⁽²¹⁾^,⁽²²⁾ Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria⁽²¹⁾^,⁽²³⁾

1998 4,685 2,805 2,330 375 100 — —

1999⁽²⁴⁾ 7,495 350 130 55 1 20 35 5

2000⁽²⁴⁾^,⁽²⁵⁾ 5,020 11,325 5,310 3,575 2,365 55 15

2001⁽²⁶⁾ 6,420 8,430 2,910 1,995 3,525 — —

2002⁽²⁷⁾ 6,540 6,735 2,515 1,405 2,815 — —

			Initial decisions⁽¹⁹⁾^,⁽²⁰⁾
				Cases considered under normal procedures		Backlog clearance exercise
	Applications received	Total initial decisions	Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum	Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave	Total refused	Grants of ELR under backlog criteria⁽²¹⁾^,⁽²²⁾	Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria⁽²¹⁾^,⁽²³⁾


1998	4,685	2,805	2,330	375	100	—	—
1999⁽²⁴⁾	7,495	350	130	55	1 20	35	5
2000⁽²⁴⁾^,⁽²⁵⁾	5,020	11,325	5,310	3,575	2,365	55	15
2001⁽²⁶⁾	6,420	8,430	2,910	1,995	3,525	—	—
2002⁽²⁷⁾	6,540	6,735	2,515	1,405	2,815	—	—

⁽¹⁸⁾ Figures rounded to nearest 5, with "*" = 1 or 2, and "—" = 0.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

⁽²⁰⁾ The refusal figures for each year do not necessarily relate to the applications received in the same year.

⁽²¹⁾ Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre '96 asylum backlog.

⁽²²⁾ Includes cases where asylum or exceptional leave has been granted under the backlog criteria.

⁽²³⁾ Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.

⁽²⁴⁾ May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices between January 1999 and March 2000.

⁽²⁵⁾ Cases considered under the normal procedures may include some cases decided under the backlog criteria.

⁽²⁶⁾ Revised figures.

⁽²⁷⁾ Provisional figures.

Note:

From October 2000, the source for data on decisions changed. The nationality breakdown is therefore not directly comparable with previous months.

15 Sept 2003 : Column 585W

The latest available data on removals of Somali nationals who have sought asylum at some stage are given in the table.

Removals and voluntary departures⁽²⁸⁾ of Somali principal asylum applicants⁽²⁹⁾^,⁽³⁰⁾

Number

1998⁽³¹⁾ 35

1999 n/a

2000 n/a

2001⁽³¹⁾^,⁽³²⁾ 25

2002⁽³¹⁾^,⁽³²⁾ 50

	Number


1998⁽³¹⁾	35
1999	n/a
2000	n/a
2001⁽³¹⁾^,⁽³²⁾	25
2002⁽³¹⁾^,⁽³²⁾	50

n/a = Nationality data are not available for 1999 and 2000 due to data quality issues on IS enforcement databases.

⁽²⁸⁾ Includes persons departing 'voluntarily' after enforcement action had been initiated against them, persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration, and removals on safe third country grounds.

⁽²⁹⁾ Figures rounded to nearest 5, with "*" = 1 or 2, and "—" = 0.

⁽³⁰⁾ Figures exclude dependants of asylum seekers removed. Data on dependants have only been collected since April 2001.

⁽³¹⁾ Data for 2001 and 2002 have been estimated due to data quality issues.

⁽³²⁾ Figure may include a small number of dependants leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes.

⁽³³⁾ Provisional figures.

Note:

From October 2000, the source for data on decisions changed. The nationality breakdown is therefore not directly comparable with previous months.

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