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Asylum Removals

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons applicants for asylum who were unsuccessful in 2003 were not removed. [164165]

Mr. Browne: There are a number of reasons to explain why some people whose asylum applications were unsuccessful in 2003 have not yet been removed. The removal of a person is complex and several factors have to be taken into account before we are able to effect removal. These factors include assessing the various factors relating to an individual's removal and overcoming various barriers to removal, such as documentation issues and a lack of co-operation from receiving countries.
 
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Every effort is made to remove people as quickly as possible after refusal or the exhaustion of appeal rights. And we are taking action to overcome these obstacles. We have negotiated four new returns agreements in the last seven months, and are progressively extending biometrics in visas for countries where we know there is a problem. In the Asylum and Immigration Bill We are proposing penalties of up to two years for those who destroy their documents or won't cooperate with redocumentation, simplifying the appeals process to stop people lodging multiple appeals to frustrate removal, and encouraging voluntary removal by ending benefits for those whose claims have failed.

We are also expanding detention space available and increasing investment in the enforcement capability of the Immigration Service with staffing increased from 1,677 in April 2002 to 2,463 in November 2003. We remain committed to making every effort remove and detect those people who have no right to be here.

Asylum Seekers (Children)

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the past 12 months unaccompanied child asylum seekers have been detained; and what the average length of time of detention is. [164332]

Mr. Browne: Information on the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children detained over the last 12 months is not available.

Unaccompanied minors are not normally detained and would only be so in exceptional circumstances, and then only overnight, where this was considered necessary for the safety and security of the minor while alternative care arrangements were made.

Information on the number of people detained solely under Immigration Act powers as at 27 March 2004 will be published on the Home Office website on 25 May. www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Bail Hostels (Peterborough)

Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the nine sex offenders until recently housed at the Peterborough bail hostel next to St. George's School have been removed; and if he will give an undertaking that they will not be returned there. [165189]

Paul Goggins: Admissions to, and discharges from, all approved premises including at Peterborough occur on a regular basis and for a variety of reasons. I am unable to give personal details about any individual, current or past residents. Approved premises play a key role in the Government's strategy for supporting offenders after release from prison and ensuring effective public protection.

Boarding Schools

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many boarding schools with charitable status the Charity Commissioners have inspected in each of the last six financial years; and if he will estimate the cost; [164260]
 
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(2) in how many boarding schools the Charity Commissioners have identified significant defects in each of the last six financial years. [164261]

Fiona Mactaggart: These are matters for the Charity   Commission as the Government Department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The Chief Charity Commissioner will write to the right hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

BRACE

Mr. Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the policy known as BRACE was introduced; [161130]

(2) when Ministers authorised the treatment of work permit applications under BRACE; [161131]

(3) to which categories of entry applicants BRACE originally applied; and when it was extended to applicants under European Community Association agreements. [161132]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 12 March 2004]: BRACE was applied to backlogs of general casework applications submitted by people who were already in the United Kingdom and who had already been pre-cleared at a visa issuing office overseas or examined by an immigration officer at port. These would have included backlogs of in-country applications under the European Community Association Agreements. BRACE did not extend to work permit applications. As regards the date of introduction and the authorisation of the guidance, I refer the right hon. Member to the note entitled "Summary of longstanding practice in Managing Longstanding Immigration Backlogs" placed in the Library on 29 March.

Carter Review

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date Patrick Carter was commissioned to undertake the review of the correctional service. [164496]

Paul Goggins [holding answer 30 March 2004] Patrick Carter was commissioned to undertake the review of Correctional Services on 17 March 2003.

Communications Directorate

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff the Communications Directorate of the Home Office had in each year from 1997–98 to 2005–06 (planned); what the running costs    were in each year; and if he will make a statement. [156706]

Mr. Blunkett: The purpose of the Communication Directorate (CD) is to take a strategic overview of Home Office communication activity. This entails managing a wide range of communication roles from the strategic level to front line delivery; also included is management of the Direct Communications unit, which is responsible for answering all public and ministerial inquiries by telephone, mail and email.
 
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CD unit organisation and staffing at 1 March 2004

	Number
Directors office	2
Direct communications	88
Marketing and strategic communications	55
Information services	38
Internal communications	23
Press office	51
Total	257

The requested breakdown of expenditure is as follows:

	Staff numbers	Communication directorate running costs (£)
1997–98	88	4,102,943
1998–99	92	3,960,185
1999–2000	90	5,580,806
2000–01	117	7,699,620
2001–02	153	9,242,712
2002–03	226.5	9,086,614
2003–04	260	11,682,504
2004–05	(55)260	(55)11,098,376
2005–06	(55)260	(55)11,098,376

⁽⁵⁵⁾ Provisional figures.

Direct Communications Unit has absorbed functions from other parts of the Home Office, including telephones, front of house, ministerial correspondence and public inquiries.

A review of the press office in 2000 agreed an expansion to meet the growing demands of a 24 hour 365 day media. At the same time there was development of the Home Office Internet site and the internal Intranet to communicate with 18,000 staff who have access. The function of internal communications did not exist pre 1999.

Coroners

Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether coroners have the power to delay the release of bodies because no funeral arrangements have been made. [159970]

Paul Goggins: Coroners are not empowered to delay releasing the body of a deceased person solely because no funeral arrangements have been made. However, if the persons to whom the body should be released cannot agree on the mode of disposal or who should arrange the funeral the coroner will be entitled to retain the body pending resolution of the dispute.

Correspondence

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for Torbay on 29 August 2003 with regard to Mr. Wyman of Preston Down Road, Paignton. [164039]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 26 March 2004]: I wrote to the hon. Member on 7 April 2004.

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