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Immigration Applications
The Minister for Citizenship and Immigration (Mr. Desmond Browne): I am publishing today a consultation document setting out options for new fees for immigration applications. As part of the ongoing review of the immigration system, the Home Office has been reviewing the charges for a range of immigration services: leave to remain; leave to remain associated with an immigration employment document; the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, the Sectors Based Scheme, and Travel Documents.
We are seeking the views of the public, businesses, the education sector, legal representatives and our other stakeholders, regarding proposals to include the costs of non-asylum appeals and enforcement activity in the overall charge for an immigration application. We are also consulting on proposals to:
introduce new payment methods for customers;
introduce fees for applications for the transfer conditions of limited leave to a new passport or travel document; and
introduce separate travel documents for children.
We aim to implement new charges from 1 April 2005.
We will be consulting on charges for work permits and for applications to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme later in the year.
A partial regulatory impact assessment, which estimates the likely cost to business of increasing the fees for applications to the sectors based scheme and applications for leave to remain associated with an immigration employment document, is available by visiting www.homeoffice.gov.uk or www.direct.gov.uk, or by telephoning 0114 279 3422.
An electronic version of the consultation document is available from 8 September on the Home Office website at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk. Hard copies of the consultation document will be available from 15 September, in the Libraries of both Houses or from the Charging Programme Office (telephone: 0151 235 8359).
Interested parties are invited to submit their comments and views, by Wednesday 8 December 2004 to:
Charging Programme Office, 3 Floor Cunard Building, Water Street, Liverpool, L2 OPP or by e-mail to: charging.consultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.
All replies that are received will be made public unless the author explicitly requests that this should not happen.
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DEFENCE
Defence Procurement Agency
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Mr. Adam Ingram): Six key targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency for the financial year 2004–2005.
In a change to previous years, the first three key targets now apply to all projects over £20 million which have passed their main gate approval but not yet achieved in service date (ISD). Key targets 2 and 3 are consistent with the goals set in the Department's public service agreement (PSA) for major equipment projects, although for the key targets, all movement in most likely ISD and cost forecasts will be measured, rather than only that which is in excess of the approval. The fourth key target relates to improvements in DPA Customer satisfaction. A revised key target 5, comprising a basket of measures, replaces the previous straight measure in order to provide a better indication of DPA efficiency. There is a new sixth key target reflecting the importance which the Department attaches to delivery of assets to the front-line. The key targets are:
Key Target 1: Key requirements Compliance
Predicted achievement of customers' core requirements 1 for projects: 97 per cent.
Key Target 2: Average in-year in service date slippage
Average in-year slippage of in service dates not to exceed 0.9 months
Key Target 3: Average in-year cost growth
Average in-year cost variation not to exceed 0.5 per cent.
Key Target 4: Customer survey satisfaction rating
Customer satisfaction rating of 72 per cent.
Key Target 5: Achievement of planned efficiency measures 2
| (i) Measured asset turnover in months by comparing assets delivered to total assets less current liabilities | 69.6 |
| (ii) Measures value of assets delivered as a multiple of operating cost | 10.7 |
| (iii) Measures value of assets added to the balance sheet as a multiple of operating cost. | 16.2 |
Around 10 core requirements per projects are agreed between the DPA and MOD headquarters, defining the essential characteristics of the equipment/capability.
Target levels differ from those in the published corporate business plan as they reflect start of year forecast data.
Key Target 6: Asset deliveries
Variance between planned and actual in-year asset deliveries not to exceed 15 per cent.
Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin):
Key Targets have been set for the chief executive of the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency (MDPGA) for the financial year 2004–05. This year the key targets focus on MDP and
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work is ongoing to establish an effective and joined up performance management system that will fully incorporate the MGS and MDP from next year.
By March 2005, as a means of providing greater public reassurance, ensure that no more than 25 per cent. of the duty time of dedicated patrol officers is expended on activities not directly related to patrol duties.
By 31 March 2005, as a means of reducing crime and protecting MOD property and interests, achieve a crime-solving rate of 50 per cent. for the investigation of primary crime.
By 31 March 2005, in order to delivery performance as defined in relevant establishment CSAs, ensure that the Agency fulfils at least 95 per cent. of its funded and agreed customer taskings.
By 31 March 2005, in order to maintain appropriate levels of security as defined in relevant MDP CSAs, seek to maintain and improve upon the average baseline Security Contribution Index score achieved in the previous quarter at each establishment contributing to the index system.
By 31 March 2005, within the overall recruitment of police staff, and as part of an overall programme to retain personnel levels, to have recruited at least 15 per cent. women and 4 per cent. from minority ethnic communities.
By 31 March 2005, excepting unforeseen operational commitments, and with the intention of providing cost effective policing and guarding, as well as maintaining an appropriate work life balance for personnel, reduce the amount of overtime worked by each officer to no more than eight hours worked per week averaged over a 17 week rolling period.
By 31 March 2005, in order to maintain a healthy and effective workforce and contribute to the achievement of other key targets, reduce the overall level of sickness lost within the Agency (except MGS personnel) by one hour per member of staff per month against the corresponding achievement in the previous year.
By 31 March 2005, to have provided a greater clarity as to the extent of fraud within the MOD and thereby to have raised the awareness, by engaging with, and encouraging the MOD community to provide intelligence, with a view to increasing the number of reported fraud cases.
Deployment of RAF Harrier GR7s to Afghanistan
The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon):
The United Kingdom has a long-standing commitment to help the people of Afghanistan to rebuild their country as a stable, secure and prosperous nation. That process is now approaching a vital stage. NATO is in the process of expanding the international security assistance force (ISAF) by creating more provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs). The coalition, meanwhile, continues to deploy PRTs of its own and to engage the remnants of the Taliban and its al-Qaeda supporters that reject all the Afghan people have achieved since 2001. Both the ISAF and the coalition provide essential support to the Afghan transitional
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authority and to the United Nations' Assistance Mission Afghanistan as they prepare for the Afghan presidential elections which are due on 9 October 2004.
These are important tasks and both the coalition and the ISAF merit our support. In response to a coalition request for the United Kingdom to provide a close air support capability to coalition forces operating in southern Afghanistan, I have agreed the deployment of six Royal Air Force Harrier GR7 aircraft to Kandahar, Afghanistan. The aircraft will be provided by No. 3 Squadron, Royal Air Force, and the deployment is planned to be for nine months. The first personnel from 53 Field Squadron (Airfield Support), Royal Engineers, and No. 3 Squadron have already deployed to Kandahar and the force should be operational by the end of this month. The deployment will reach a strength of some 315 personnel in its early stages but will eventually settle at a strength of about 230. The cost of the deployment is estimated to be some £35.5 million.
This is our first deployment of combat aircraft to Afghanistan in the current campaign. While their principal role will be to support coalition forces, the aircraft will also be available to support the ISAF. NATO has identified three such tasks: close air support as ISAF expands into Western Afghanistan; an airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability to support all ISAF forces, and; the provision of "air presence patrols" as part of the ISAF's support for the security of the Afghan presidential elections.
The versatility of the Harriers, which will be equipped with laser-guided bombs, air to surface missiles and the joint reconnaissance pod, makes them an ideal asset to meet all these tasks. Deployment of these aircraft confirms our commitment to the NATO mission in Afghanistan, our support for the ISAF and our determination to help ensure the success of the international community's support for the Afghan electoral process. The Army and Royal Air Force personnel will provide a highly capable and credible force that will contribute to improving the security environment in the region. This is another clear sign of the UK's long term commitment to achieving a stable and secure Afghanistan.
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