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12 Jul 2004 : Column 976W—continued
Working Time Directive
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees in his Department have (a) signed a formal opt out from and (b) are exempt from the Working Time Directive; and how many employees in his Department have recorded hours, including any accruing on a flexitime basis, in excess of the maximum allowed under the Working Time Directive in the last month for which figures are available. [178374]
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Mr. Pearson: The number of employees in the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments who:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| (a) have signed a formal opt out form is | 916 |
| (b) are exempt from the Working Time Directive is | 0 |
| (c) have recorded hours, including any accruing on a flexitime basis, in excess of the maximum allowed under the Working Time Directive in the last month for which figures are available | (30)43 |
(30) The figure does not include a figure from the Department for Regional Development as the data is not recorded centrally and is therefore not readily available.
We remain committed to keeping the number of employees who are required to work in excess of 48 hours a week to the absolute minimum, commensurate with meeting business needs.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Police Stations
23. Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make an assessment of the availability of cell capacity in police stations. [183107]
Ms Blears: The Department does not maintain central records of the availability of cell capacity in police stations. However, from police forces we estimate the number of cells in use, to be in the order of 5,500.
CCTV
24. Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional plans he has to assist those areas that did not qualify for CCTV funding in the past to receive CCTV in the near future; and if he will make a statement. [183108]
Caroline Flint: The Home Office invested £170 million in 684 public area CCTV schemes through the CCTV Initiative under the Crime Reduction Programme (CRP). This Initiative closed at the end of 2002–03.
After the conclusion of this programme, crime reduction funding has been directly allocated to local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships and Basic Command Units to enable them to tackle local crime priorities using a number of interventions including CCTV.
Advisory Panel on Country Information
Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the members of the Advisory Panel on Country Information. [181800]
Mr. Browne: The members of the Advisory Panel on Country Information are:
Professor Stephen Castles, Director, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford. Chair
Dr. Khalid Koser, Migration Research Unit, Department of Geography University College London
Professor Gil Loescher, the International Institute for Strategic Studies
Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Centennial Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science
Professor Vaughan Robinson, Department of Geography, University of Wales Swansea
The Immigration Appellate Authority: Andrew Jordan, Vice President, IAT
The Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House): Lavinia Allison, Business Director and Secretary to the Council
International Crisis Group: Charles Radcliffe, Vice President
International Centre for Migration Policy Development: Gottfried Zuercher, Deputy Director General
International Organisation for Migration: Jan de Wilde, Chief of Mission
The Refugee Council: Anna Reisenberger
The Royal Geographical Society: Professor Richard Black (University of Sussex)
UNHCR: Oldrich Andrysek, Protection Information Section; Christian Mahr, Legal Officer, London Office
Asylum Seekers
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers entered the United Kingdom through Heathrow (a) last year and (b) in each of the last three months for which figures are available. [182722]
Mr. Browne: The requested information is unavailable and could only be produced at disproportionate cost. The table shows asylum applications to the United Kingdom by port and in country.
| Total Applications | Applied at port | Applied in country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 49,370 | 13,810 | 35,560 |
| Jan 2004 | 3,030 | 770 | 2,260 |
| Feb 2004 | 2,900 | 705 | 2,190 |
| Mar 2004 | 3,015 | 650 | 2,365 |
(31) Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5
Information on asylum applications is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin 'Asylum Statistics United Kingdom'. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www. homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many units of accommodation in Kent are kept vacant for the use of asylum seekers by the National Asylum Support Service. [181696]
Mr. Browne [holding answer 1 July 2004]: Kent is not a designated dispersal area. The National Asylum Support Service does not have any properties in Kent for use by asylum seekers who have been dispersed. There is a 600 bedspace induction centre in Dover with accommodation in Dover, Margate and Ashford. A certain number of vacancies are needed in order to manage the flux in the Induction Centre.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research he has commissioned into the skills and qualifications held by (a) asylum seekers and (b) refugees. [181504]
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Mr. Browne: The Home Office has conducted a skills audit of refugees, in conjunction with the Skills Audit Working Group which included representatives from both Government Departments and NGOs.
Questionnaires were posted to those people who received a positive decision on their asylum claim over a three-month period, and these collected information on respondents' language skills, qualifications and levels of education, and recent employment experiences.
The results of the survey have now been analysed and the report is being prepared for release.
ASBOs
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of anti-social behaviour orders issued in the south Wales police area in each year since the orders were introduced. [183088]
Ms Blears: Anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) were introduced in April 1999. The number of ASBOs granted and notified to the Home Office for the South Wales area is none for 1999, one for 2000, three for 2001, three for 2002, 29 for 2003, and three for January to March 2004. A total of 39.
Across England and Wales, 2,455 ASBOs were granted between April 1999 and March 2004.
Commission for Racial Equality
Mr. Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grants have been made by the Commission for Racial Equality to (a) churches, (b) temples, (c) mosques and (d) synagogues. [180740]
Fiona Mactaggart: Although this year the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) is funding one project that was initiated and is co-ordinated by a Christian group, the project is not of a religious nature and the CRE has not given financial assistance to any other church, temple, mosque, synagogue or other place of worship.
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements the Commission for Racial Equality has made regarding the pensions of staff employed by racial equality councils; and if he will make a statement. [181162]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Commission for Racial Equality is reviewing the future of the scheme and hopes to be able to consult members shortly.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his response is to the recent Commission for Racial Equality report on racism in the Metropolitan Police. [180100]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The Government is considering the Commission for Racial Equality's interim report into racism in the police service and will be working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities to co-ordinate the promotion of race equality across the police service. The final report is expected early in 2005.
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