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27 Jan 2004 : Column 269W—continued

Visa Requirement

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a visa requirement for all non-EEA nationals entering the UK in the course of business, where the prime purpose of that entry is to engage in anti-trade union activities. [149578]

Beverley Hughes: We have no plans to introduce a specific visa requirement for those seeking entry to engage in anti- trade union activities. However, the Immigration Rules contain provision for the refusal of entry to a person where it is judged that their presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good. This would allow for the refusal of a person where their character, conduct or associations made their entry undesirable.

Yarl's Wood Removal Centre

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the findings of Mr. Stephen

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Shaw's investigation into the management of Yarl's Wood Removal Centre will be published; and how they will be made available. [150190]

Beverley Hughes: The timing of the completion of the inquiry into the allegations of racist behaviour and attitudes among staff at Yarl's Wood Removal Centre is a matter for Stephen Shaw. However, we understand that Stephen Shaw would hope to complete his inquiry and report his findings as soon as possible. The report will be published although the details of exactly how this will done have yet to be determined.

Youth Justice System

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when consolidating legislation to create consistent definitions and terminology within the youth justice system will come into effect. [145173]

Paul Goggins: We have no plans to make consolidating legislation on youth justice.

We published on 8 September a consultative document "Youth Justice—The Next Steps" as a companion document to the main Green Paper "Every Child Matters". In "Youth Justice—The Next Steps" we set out a number of proposals, including clarification of the purpose of sentencing a juvenile, and simplification of sentencing. The consultation period ended on 1 December and we are currently analysing the responses. Some of our proposals, if taken forward, will require legislation. This would be brought forward as soon as Parliamentary time permits.

SCOTLAND

IRA Terrorism

Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on which dates terrorist incidents ascribed to the IRA have taken place in Scotland since 1973. [142753]

Mrs. McGuire: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, on 11 December 2003, Official Report, column 618W.

Post Office/Banking Services

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has held with (a) the Royal Bank of Scotland, (b) Halifax Bank of Scotland and (c) Clydesdale Bank concerning the provision of banking services in the Post Office; and if he will make a statement. [150396]

Mrs. McGuire: I plan to meet representatives from the Royal Bank of Scotland in the next month to discuss a range of issue affecting the banking sector.

The three banks mentioned currently allow access to basic bank accounts through the Post Office branch network, but have not agreed to extend this access to other accounts. While the Government would urge all banks to provide their customers with access to their accounts through Post Offices, decisions to do so are commercial ones for individual institutions.

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John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact on the Scottish rural post office network of three of the major Scottish banks not offering full bank services at the Post Office; and if he will make a statement. [150397]

Mrs. McGuire: I have made no such assessment. Decisions on whether to extend access to full banking services at Post Offices are commercial ones for individual institutions.

Public Expenditure

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last made a needs-based assessment of public expenditure levels in Scotland. [149630]

Mrs. McGuire: My right hon. Friend has made no such assessment. The details of the funding arrangements were set out in the "Statement of Funding Policy", published by the Treasury in July 2002. The Government have no plans to change the Barnett formula.

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to conduct a needs-based assessment of public expenditure levels in Scotland; and whether he anticipates that such an assessment would conclude that current levels are (a) higher, (b) lower or (c) the same as current needs. [149631]

Mrs. McGuire: My right hon. Friend has no plans to conduct an assessment. The details of the funding arrangements were set out in the "Statement of Funding Policy", published by the Treasury in July 2002. The Government have no plans to change the Barnett formula.

Sewel Motions

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list Sewel motions passed by the Scottish Parliament since 26 June 2003 that apply to his Department's responsibilities and legislation he has sponsored. [148749]

Mrs. McGuire: As part of its responsibility for Scotland's devolution settlement, the Scotland Office is involved as necessary in discussions between Government Departments and the Scottish Executive on the application of the Sewel Convention, providing advice in line with Devolution Guidance Note 10. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has not sponsored any legislation that has been the subject of a Sewel motion.

Solectron Dunfermline

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums have been paid to the Solectron plant in Dunfermline; and whether funds will be offered to Solectron Dunfermline to assist the relocation of work being carried out by Solectron Carrickfergus. [151004]

Mrs. McGuire: Issues relating to financial assistance to industry were devolved under the Scotland Act and now fall within the responsibility of the Scottish Executive.

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TREASURY

Banking Supervision

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints have been received concerning banking supervision in each of the last three years. [151063]

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services Authority is responsible for banking supervision. The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 required an arrangement for the investigation of complaints against the FSA to be established. Accordingly, the FSA's Complaints Scheme was introduced with effect from 3 September 2001.

The following table sets out the number of complaints received under the Financial Services Authority's complaints scheme concerning an alleged failure to supervise deposit taking institutions.

	Complaints received
3 September to 31 December 2001	0
Calendar year 2002	1
Calendar year 2003	2

Benefit Fraud

Mr. Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended, (c) dismissed, (d) prosecuted and (e) convicted for involvement in benefit fraud in each of the last six years; and what the amounts involved were in each of these categories listed. [151461]

Ruth Kelly: None.

Economic Survey

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the paper, "Economic Survey-United Kingdom 2004", published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. [150884]

Ruth Kelly: The OECD's assessment of the UK economy was published on 20 January 2004. The Government welcome the report and notes the positive assessment of the performance of the economy over the past few years.

Financial Services Authority

Mr. Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) of 14 January 2004, Official Report, column 816W, on the Financial Services Authority, for which firms the Financial Services Authority has reduced fees; by how much; which fees these were; and when. [151090]

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) reduces fees for all firms in those areas of business where fines have been levied. It received £100,000 in financial penalties in the financial year 2001–02. This was applied

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to the benefit of fee-payers in fee block A.7 (fund managers), reducing the fees for all firms in this fee block paid in 2002–03 by 0.5 per cent. of those fees.

The FSA received £9,169,000 in financial penalties in the financial year 2002–03. It applied this amount to the benefit of fee-payers in six fee blocks. In fee block A.1 (deposit-acceptors) there was a reduction of 1.5 per cent. of the 2003–04 fee, in fee block A.4 (firms conducting insurance activities subject to both prudential and conduct of business regulation) a reduction of 3.1 per cent., in fee block A.7 (fund managers) a reduction of 1.7 per cent., in fee block A.12 (advisory arrangers dealers or brokers (holding or controlling client money and/or assets)) a reduction of 29.0 per cent., in fee block A.13 (advisory arrangers, dealers or brokers (not holding or controlling client money and/or assets)) a reduction of 3.1 per cent., and in fee block A.16 (Pensions Review levy firms) a reduction of 11.6 per cent.

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