House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 14 Jan 2004 (pt 7)

14 Jan 2004 : Column 751W—continued

University Tuition Fees

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of annual net income to (a) Russell Group and (b) other universities from the proposed tuition fees after all costs and concessions are taken into account. [147601]

Alan Johnson: Information on the costs and benefits associated with the proposal in the Higher Education Bill to allow universities to set their own tuition fees is contained in the Regulatory Impact Assessment published on 8 January alongside the Bill. The Regulatory Impact Assessment illustrates the income from additional fees in different scenarios. Because of the nature of a variable scheme, the costs vary greatly according to the decisions that higher education institutions take, and they cannot be estimated precisely at this stage. The Regulatory Impact Assessment does not distinguish between individual universities. Copies of the Regulatory Impact Assessment were placed in the Library of the House; it is also available on the Department for Education and Skills website.

PRIME MINISTER

Social Behaviour

15. Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister what action the Government have taken to improve social behaviour; and if he will make a statement. [147494]

The Prime Minister: We have taken a number of measures to improve social behaviour. These include introducing citizenship education into primary schools in 2000 and making citizenship education a statutory part of the secondary school National Curriculum in

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September 2002. We have also tackled the problem of anti-social behaviour through our introduction of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act.

Appointments Commission

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister when he last met the Chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission to discuss its work. [147959]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 16 May 2003, Official Report, column 439W.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 18 December 2003, Official Report, column 1076W, on People's Peers, whether he is now in a position to invite the House of Lords Appointments Commission to recommend names for the second round of People's Peers. [147961]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to my previous answer.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum/Immigration

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been taken into care as a result of paragraph 1 of schedule 3 to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; and whether the Home Department have ever referred the possible placing of a child into care to any local authority social services authority. [142325]

Beverley Hughes: No children have been taken into care as a result of the operation of paragraph 1 of Schedule 3; nor have the Home Office referred the possible placing of a child into care to any local authority Social Services authority in connection with this legislation.

Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers with children are facing removal from the United Kingdom. [143802]

Beverley Hughes [holding answer 15 December 2003]: The information requested is unavailable, partly because it is not possible to determine the number of unsuccessful asylum seekers who leave the United Kingdom voluntarily without informing the Immigration Service of their departure.

Information on asylum applications, decisions, appeals and removals is published regularly on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) asylum cases and (b) immigration cases were heard by (i) the Court of Appeal and (ii) the House of Lords in the latest year for which figures are available. [143845]

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Beverley Hughes [holding answer 15 December 2003]: During the period from 1 October 2002 to 30 September 2003, nine immigration cases were heard by the Court of Appeal (five asylum cases and four non-asylum) and four cases were heard by the House of Lords (three asylum cases and one non-asylum).

Information on these cases can be obtained from the website: http://www.lawreports.co.uk

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy concerning the best interests of children of asylum seekers with respect to (a) removal centres and (b) other circumstances for which he has jurisdiction. [142717]

Beverley Hughes: The best interests of children of asylum seekers will always be a key consideration in all dealings the Immigration and Nationality Directorate has with asylum-seeking families .

With respect to removal centres, rule 11 (3) of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 requires removal centre operators to provide everything reasonably necessary for detained persons' protection, safety and well-being and for the maintenance and care of infants and children.

Children who are accommodated in a removal centre as part of a family group are not separated from their parents or siblings and so are able to receive familial comfort and emotional support. Provision is made to ensure that they are safe; they are able to eat well; they are accommodated in quiet, warm bedrooms; they are

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occupied during the day; they have access to the fresh air, outside play areas, and are able to undertake physical exercise; they also have access to an excellent healthcare facility.

In the community, local authorities in the UK have duties towards all children in need, including the children of asylum seekers and failed asylum seekers.

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made asking for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and of these, how many were granted leave. [142581]

Beverley Hughes [holding answer 8 December 2003]: Data on the number of appeals received and determined by the Immigration Appeals Tribunal, as well as the outcome from Tribunal hearings, in each of the last five years, are given in the following table. The latter data does not necessarily correspond to the number of applications for leave to appeal in any given year.

Information on how many applications for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal were granted is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Statistics on appeals to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal are published annually. The latest publication, "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2002", is available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Appeals: Further appeals to the Tribunal, decisions, and the outcome of Tribunal Hearings, excluding dependants, 1994 to 2002⁽¹⁰⁾Number of principal appellants

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002⁽¹¹⁾

Applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal⁽¹²⁾

Applications 10,910 8,635 6,020 15,540 25,600

Decisions ⁽¹³⁾10,315 9,575 5,490 13,540 22,825

Appeals to the Tribunal3

Received ⁽¹³⁾1,775 2,135 1,615 3,860 6,920

Determined 1,090 1,790 2,635 3,190 5,565

Outcome of Tribunal Hearings3

Allowed ⁽¹³⁾— — 815 475 620

Dismissed — — 1,385 1,140 2,015

Withdrawn — — 220 150 225

Remitted to adjudicators for further consideration — — 215 1,430 2,700

	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002⁽¹¹⁾
Applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal⁽¹²⁾
Applications	10,910	8,635	6,020	15,540	25,600
Decisions	⁽¹³⁾10,315	9,575	5,490	13,540	22,825

Appeals to the Tribunal3
Received	⁽¹³⁾1,775	2,135	1,615	3,860	6,920
Determined	1,090	1,790	2,635	3,190	5,565

Outcome of Tribunal Hearings3
Allowed	⁽¹³⁾—	—	815	475	620
Dismissed	—	—	1,385	1,140	2,015
Withdrawn	—	—	220	150	225
Remitted to adjudicators for further consideration	—	—	215	1,430	2,700

⁽¹⁰⁾ Figures rounded to the nearest five. Numbers might not add up due to rounding.

⁽¹¹⁾ Provisional figures.

⁽¹²⁾ Figures based on data supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Decisions and determinations do not necessarily correspond to applications and appeals received in any given year.

⁽¹³⁾ Revised figures.

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made by his Department asking for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and, of these, how many were granted leave. [142583]

Beverley Hughes [holding answer 8 December 2003]: The information requested is not available because data on the number of applications for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal are not separately compiled in relation to whom the appeal is sought by and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The latest available data on total applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal and the outcomes from hearings at the Tribunal in each of the last five years are given in the following table. The table shows the total number of applications and decisions for leave to appeal

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to the Tribunal, the number of appeals received and determined and the outcomes of Tribunal hearings broken down by appellant and Secretary of State. Decisions and determinations do not necessarily correspond to applications and appeals in any given year.

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Statistics on appeals to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal are published annually. The latest publication, "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2002", is available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Appeals: Further appeals to the Tribunal, decisions, and the outcome of Tribunal Hearings, excluding dependants, 1994 to 2002⁽¹⁴⁾Number of principal appellants

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002⁽¹⁵⁾

Applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal⁽¹⁶⁾

Applications 10,910 8,635 6,020 15,540 25,600

Decisions ⁽¹⁷⁾10,315 9,575 5,490 13,540 22,825

Appeals to the Tribunal3

Received ⁽¹⁷⁾1,775 2,135 1,615 3,860 6,920

Determined 1,090 1,790 2,635 3,190 5,565

Outcome of Tribunal Hearings3

Allowed ⁽¹⁷⁾— — 815 475 620

Dismissed — — 1,385 1,140 2,015

Withdrawn — — 220 150 225

Remitted to adjudicators for further consideration — — 215 1,430 2,700

	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002⁽¹⁵⁾
Applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal⁽¹⁶⁾
Applications	10,910	8,635	6,020	15,540	25,600
Decisions	⁽¹⁷⁾10,315	9,575	5,490	13,540	22,825

Appeals to the Tribunal3
Received	⁽¹⁷⁾1,775	2,135	1,615	3,860	6,920
Determined	1,090	1,790	2,635	3,190	5,565

Outcome of Tribunal Hearings3
Allowed	⁽¹⁷⁾—	—	815	475	620
Dismissed	—	—	1,385	1,140	2,015
Withdrawn	—	—	220	150	225
Remitted to adjudicators for further consideration	—	—	215	1,430	2,700

⁽¹⁴⁾ Figures rounded to the nearest five. Numbers might not add up due to rounding.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Provisional figures.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Figures based on data supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Decisions and determinations do not necessarily correspond to applications and appeals received in any given year.

⁽¹⁷⁾ Revised figures.

Outcome of Tribunal Hearings⁽¹⁸⁾Number of principal appellants

Appellant Secretary of State

Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn

1998 — — — — — —

1999 — — — — — —

2000 650 1,225 185 170 165 35

2001 315 1,020 125 160 120 25

2002⁽¹⁹⁾ 410 1,880 210 215 130 15

	Appellant	Secretary of State
	Allowed	Dismissed	Withdrawn	Allowed	Dismissed	Withdrawn
1998	—	—	—	—	—	—
1999	—	—	—	—	—	—
2000	650	1,225	185	170	165	35
2001	315	1,020	125	160	120	25
2002⁽¹⁹⁾	410	1,880	210	215	130	15

⁽¹⁸⁾ Figures supplied by the Presenting Officers Unit. Figures for October–December 1999 are based on data for November-December.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Provisional figures.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of families likely to be affected by Clause 7 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill. [143406]

Beverley Hughes: Clause 7 will only affect failed asylum seekers and their families who refuse to take advantage of voluntary return arrangements, or to put themselves in a position to do so, without good cause. The precise number who have support stopped will depend upon the decisions made by individual families.

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