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Student Visas

Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate he has made of the percentage of those on student visas who complete their courses; and what estimate he has made of the number of those on student visas who remain in this country after their visa has expired. [132922]

Beverley Hughes: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Sustainable Development

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the sustainability strategy is for his Department; and if he will make a statement on how it has changed since the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. [83502]

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Fiona Mactaggart: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

"Think First" Programmes

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish his research on the completion rates of offenders attending pilot accredited programmes, known as "Think First", in England and Wales. [135997]

Paul Goggins: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Victim Support

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) number and (b) percentage of complainants (i) were offered victim support services and (ii) accepted the help of victim support services, at an early stage in the investigation of child abuse cases in the last five years. [138284]

Paul Goggins: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Vulnerable People (Transport)

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given to local authorities to help them determine the suitability of licensed (a) taxi and (b) private hire drivers to escort vulnerable people, including children, in the absence of an enhanced check. [133945]

Ms Blears: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Waterloo Immigration Office

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what impact he estimates the proposed closure of the Waterloo Immigration Office will have on border control at this point of entry. [138210]

Beverley Hughes: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he estimates the cost will be of relocating the Immigration Office at Waterloo to France. [138211]

Beverley Hughes: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason (a) French officers at the Waterloo Immigration Office carry guns and (b) British officers there do not. [138212]

Beverley Hughes: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Wetherby Young Offenders Institution

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) assaults and (b) incidents of criminal damage there were in Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Wetherby in each of the past five years. [131974]

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Paul Goggins: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sick days have been taken off by staff at Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Wetherby in each of the past five years. [132254]

Paul Goggins: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times staff at Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Wetherby had to use control and restraint in each of the past five years. [132255]

Paul Goggins: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the grounds are for (a) the removal of staff batons and (b) the proposed replacement of staff uniforms at Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Wetherby. [132256]

Paul Goggins: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Young Offenders

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many young offenders found guilty of criminal damage have undertaken reparation under the (a) Reparation Order, (b) Action Plan, (c) Referral Order and (d) Supervision Order since their introduction; [138273]

(2) how many young offenders he estimates will undertake reparation under the (a) Reparation Order, (b) Action Plan, (c) Referral Order and (d) Supervision Order over the next two years; [138274]

(3) if he will make a statement on the forms of reparative activities that have been undertaken through the (a) Reparation Order, (b) Action Plan, (c) Referral Order and (d) Supervision Order; [138275]

(4) if he will make a statement on the re-offending rate of young offenders found guilty of criminal damage who took part in reparation schemes in 2002–03. [138276]

Ms Blears: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the results of the ISSP schemes; what the completion rate of young offenders guilty of criminal damage on the ISSP schemes has been; and what the re-offending rate of the young people responsible for criminal damage on the ISSP scheme has been. [138277]

Ms Blears: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many juveniles failed to make contact with the youth offending team on release from prison in the last year for which figures are available. [139000]

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Paul Goggins: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many girls aged (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 years are serving sentences in women's prisons. [139135]

Paul Goggins: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Youth Violence

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures the Government are taking to reduce youth violence. [138748]

Ms Blears: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Zahid Mubarek

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will set up a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Zahid Mubarek following the judgment of the House of Lords on 16 October in the case of Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Amin. [137141]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 10 November 2003]: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Georgia

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government is taking to ensure that (a) proper democratic processes are being followed and (b) that fair elections are taking place in the Republic of Georgia. [139049]

Mr. Rammell: The United Kingdom has taken every opportunity, both in our bi-lateral contacts and through our membership of international fora, to impress upon the Georgians the importance of the parliamentary elections being free and fair. Our Embassy in Tbilisi has maintained close and regular contact with government, opposition leaders and the Central Electoral Commission in the run up to, and the aftermath of the elections. We contributed a large number of observers to the OSCE monitoring mission. The UK also helped fund a Georgian NGO, the International Society for Fair Elections, to conduct a media campaign raising awareness of the democratic process.

The UK has endorsed the findings of the International Election Observation Mission on the conduct of the electoral process and encouraged all sides to come to a peaceful, negotiated settlement. The international community, including the UK, has impressed upon the Georgian authorities the need for perceived weaknesses in the electoral system to be resolved before the Presidential elections in 2005. Together with our EU partners, we made a statement on 13 November to this effect. The UK Special

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Representative to the South Caucasus also raised the matter with government and opposition politicians during his visit to Tbilisi last week.

We will consider how we can best help the Georgian Electoral Commission to bring about the required improvements in the electoral system.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Georgia. [139281]

Mr. Rammell: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) today (UIN139049).

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