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21 Oct 2003 : Column 555W—continued
Illegal Immigration
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the French authorities to discuss (a) illegal immigration from France and (b) trafficking of illegal immigrants across Europe. [131980]
Beverley Hughes: There is extensive co-operation between the two Governments and Ministers meet regularly to discuss issues of mutual concern. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary met the French Minister of the Interior on 19–20 October.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) the use of freight searching equipment, and (b) steps taken by the French authorities to return failed asylum seekers to the Balkans. [131981]
Beverley Hughes: The effectiveness of using UK freight searching equipment in France has been clear for some time. There has been during 2003, the capacity to search 100 per cent. of freight vehicles passing through Calais and the number of clandestines encountered by Immigration Officers in the South East District (SED) has fallen drastically as a result. Locally collated management information (which may be subject to revision and correction) indicates a fall of 72 per cent. in monthly detections by SED, from 975 in September 2002 to 270 in June 2003.
New detection technology has also now been deployed in Belgium at Zeebrugge and Ostend and will be rolled out to other ports in Northern France. The deployment of UK detection technology in continental Europe has been a key measure in reducing asylum applications from 8,770 in October 2002 to 3,610 in June 2003.
The French are continuing to operate an efficient system for dealing with asylum applications and failed asylum seekers are being removed to their countries of origin, including the Balkans. The French are currently bringing in new legislation to tighten up their immigration rules.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the (a) issuing and (b) loaning of high-technology UK freight searching equipment to port-cities in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Europe; what equipment is in place; and if he will make a statement. [131983]
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Beverley Hughes: There are no current plans to issue or loan freight-searching technology to port operators in the United Kingdom. Freight searching to detect clandestine arrivals is carried out in the United Kingdom by the UK Immigration Service.
As part of the measures to reduce the number of unfounded asylum applications in the United Kingdom, a programme is under way to loan and deploy UK-owned detection technology to port operators and carriers overseas.
We have deployed people detection technology at the ports of Calais and Coquelles. At Calais there is the capability to screen 100 per cent. of embarking freight vehicles. Following the tightening of security at Calais, we are taking steps to deploy at other continental ports including in France, Belgium and Holland, vulnerable to the displacement of clandestine activity.
Additionally, a UK owned scanner is currently on loan to the Belgian authorities and is deployed by the Belgian Federal Maritime Police. In line with the UK commitment to work with European partners to combat illegal immigration, UK owned technology is also currently on loan to the Irish and German authorities.
Immigration and Asylum
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors underlay decisions about the number of United Kingdom immigration officers employed in ports in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Europe; what the role is of UK officers in non-United Kingdom ports; and if he will make a statement. [131982]
Beverley Hughes: The information is as follows:
(a) Port staffing levels in the United Kingdom are determined by a number of factors;
- Current and projected numbers of passenger arrivals;
For seaports the number of freight vehicles that will require searching
An assessment of the casework generated from the arriving passenger traffic
Projected numbers of asylum seekers that will require interview on arrival
- Gare du Nord, Paris;
Gare du Midi, Lille;
Frethun, Calais;
Coquelles (Eurotunnel)
Save in respect of asylum claims and suspensive rights of appeal all these controls operate on the same basis as immigration controls operated at UK ports.
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Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about judicial involvement in the immigration and asylum system. [132235]
Beverley Hughes: The Government are committed to providing a firm, fast and fair asylum and immigration system. The reforms we introduced through the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum (NIA) Act 2002 have helped to deliver a significantly faster and more efficient system, which benefits both the taxpayer and those seeking legal entry or asylum in the United Kingdom. However, the Government believe that there are still too many examples of asylum applicants lodging groundless appeals to frustrate the asylum process and delay removal. Therefore, as my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary stated on 22 May 2003, we are drawing up further legislative measures to limit the scope for making unfounded appeals, including the possibility of moving to a single tier of appeal.
Kent Police
Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) police constables, (b) sergeants and (c) inspectors were transferred from the Kent Police Force to the Metropolitan Police Force in each of the last five years; [131701]
- (2) what the vacancy rate was for (a) police constables, (b) sergeants and (c) inspectors in each of the last five years for the Kent Police Force area; [131702]
(3) how many police officers have retired from Kent Police Force in each of the last five years; and what the average age of retirement was. [131759]
Ms Blears: There have been no compulsory transfers of officers between the two forces. Information about the officers who have chosen to transfer from Kent County Constabulary to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) between 1998–99 to 2002–03 is in Table 1. This information has been provided by the Acting Chief Constable (Mr. R. Ayling QPM). I am also told that during the last five years a total of 37 officers transferred from the MPS to Kent. At the end of August Kent County Constabulary had 3,520 officers, a record number and 260 more than in March 1997.
No information is collected centrally about the age of retiring police officers. Table 2 sets out the number of retirements as a whole for each year from 1998–99 to 2002–03 and, separately, shows the number of medical and ordinary retirements, from the Kent County Constabulary.
Details of vacancy levels in police forces for the last five years are not available centrally.
| Constable | Sergeant | Inspector | Other | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 3 |
| 1999–2000 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 2000–01 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 2001–02 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 5 |
| 2002–03 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 24 |
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| All ranks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical retirements | Ordinary retirements | Total retirements | |
| 1998–99 | 16 | 80 | 96 |
| 1999–2000 | 18 | 84 | 102 |
| 2000–01 | 29 | 74 | 103 |
| 2001–02 | 38 | 101 | 139 |
| 2002–03 | 21 | 85 | 106 |
Migrants
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the numbers of migrant participants in the new Sector Based Schemes covering food processing and hospitality. [130500]
Beverley Hughes: The figures for the number of Sectors Based Scheme (SBS) work permits that have been approved from the launch on 30 May 2003 to 31 June 2003 covering food processing and hospitality are given in the table:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Total | 1,269 |
| Food manufacturing sector | 1,214 |
| Hospitality sector | 55 |
Work Permits (UK) is currently discussing with key stakeholders how effectively the scheme is operating, and these discussions will inform the way forward from the end of January 2004 onward (when the current quota is due to expire).
Military Deaths
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the result was of the police investigation into the death of Private Alison Croft at Dalton Barracks in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, on 28 September 2002. [132188]
Ms Blears: I understand that Thames Valley Police have submitted a file to the Coroner on this case. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the result was of the police investigation into the death of Private Tesoni Vakacakaudrove at the Defence School of Transport, Leconfield, on 6 October 2002. [132189]
Ms Blears: I understand that following a major investigation by Humberside Police into the death of Private Vakacakaudrove the Coroner inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.
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