| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
4 Feb 2005 : Column 1150W—continued
Identity Cards and Passports (Forgery)
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many forged passports have been confiscated or impounded by Customs and Immigration officers in the last 12 months; [207329]
(2) how many forged passports have been confiscated or impounded in the last three years by (a) Customs and Immigration officers and (b) the police. [207484]
Mr. Browne: The fraudulent use of passports (including forged and counterfeit documents) is taken very seriously by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, HM Customs and the police. In addition to referrals from HM Customs and the police service, fraudulent travel documents are identified by the Immigration Service at ports of entry as well as during enforcement operations. There is no single central record of the total number of forged passports confiscated or impounded by Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Her Majesty's Customs and Excise (HMCE) and the police. However the available statistics show:
Since 2001 numbers of fraudulent 1 travel documents detected at United Kingdom ports of entry are as follows:
1 In the context of forgery statistics "Travel documents" is the all embracing term for passports, ID cards, refugee travel documents, certificates of identity, seaman's books and visas.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 6,601 |
| 2002 | 9,664 |
| 2003 | 7,985 |
Figures are not available to indicate how many of these documents were detected by Customs or Immigration Officers or by the police.
In addition, since 2001 the National Document Fraud Unit has had a permanent presence in the main offices of IND in Croydon, following a pilot exercise which revealed large numbers of fraudulent travel documents being submitted in support of applications for leave to remain. Fraudulent documents detected by NDFU in Croydon from 2001 are:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 360 |
| 2002 | 461 |
| 2003 | 837 |
| 2004 | 1,044 |
Illegal Immigration
Charles Hendry:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what technical surveillance
4 Feb 2005 : Column 1151W
equipment is installed at ports of entry to the UK; and how many sniffer dogs are deployed at ports of entry. [213185]
Mr. Browne [holding answer 1 February 2005]: A range of surveillance equipment is installed at UK ports of entry. This includes CCTV cameras to record both arriving and departing passengers and New Detection Technology (NDT) to detect clandestine entrants. The location of this equipment is as follows:
The Immigration Service operates cameras at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. In addition to the systems operated solely by the Immigration Service access is provided at other locations by the port operators to their local systems.
A combination of NDT, including Passive Millimetric Wave Imagers, Heart Beat Detectors, Gamma Ray Scanner and CO 2 probes are deployed at various locations including Calais, Coquelles, Dunkirk, Ostend, Zeebrugge and Vlissingen. This technology is either operated by the port authority, the carrying company or by UK immigration staff.
CO 2 probes are also deployed at various UK locations and in addition the Mobile Freight Search Team, deploying both CO 2 probes and body detection dogs covers a variety of United Kingdom Ports. The team is intelligence led and maintains the flexibility to respond to threats at other ports.
Details of the deployment of NDT and the Mobile Freight Search Team cannot be released, as this would compromise Border Control operations.
The UK Immigration Service currently has eight body detection dogs and they are deployed at both juxtaposed locations and in the UK.
Independent Police Complaints Commission
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints from (a) England and Wales, (b) Essex and (c) Southend have been (i) made to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, (ii) upheld and (iii) investigated by (A) the authority, (B) another police force and (C) an independent organisation since its inception in April 2004. [208278]
Ms Blears: The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) informs me that 4,043 complaints from England and Wales and 108 complaints from Essex have been made direct to the IPCC.
As of 25 January 2005, there were 21 investigations being independently investigated by the IPCC, of which four complaints were made direct to the IPCC.
However, as it is the responsibility of individual police forces to record all complaints, and because not all complaints come through, or involve the participation of, the IPCC, the other statistics requested by my hon. Friend could be obtained only from the IPCC, police forces and police authorities at disproportionate cost.
Although there is no statutory requirement for the IPCC, Essex Police, or indeed any other organisation to collect or record the information that my hon. Friend requests, the IPCC will collect and publish complaints'
4 Feb 2005 : Column 1152W
statistics on an annual basis. The IPCC hopes to publish the first set of figures for the year beginning 1 April 2004, in November of this year.
Finally, I understand that the IPCC would welcome the opportunity to discuss with the hon. Gentleman direct any questions that he may have on the new complaints system and the keeping of statistics.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the response time for the Independent Police Complaints Commission to acknowledge receipt of a complaint by letter was in the latest period for which figures are available. [211065]
Ms Blears: I am informed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission that it does not acknowledge receipt of a complaint.
In each case, it contacts the complainant for his/her consent to pass the complaint for recording to the police force concerned and, if necessary, for further information. Response time for this action varies according to the processes and is recorded only on case files. This information can be retrieved only at a disproportionate cost.
Legislation
Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what pieces of legislation passed in the last 30 years that the Department is responsible for remain to be brought into force, broken down by year of enactment. [200446]
Fiona Mactaggart: The table, which has been placed in the Library, lists the Bills introduced by the Home Office in the sessions 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–2001, 2001–2002 and 2002–2003. The table indicates the extent to which provisions are not in force or only partially in force.
It is not possible to provide information for legislation passed in the last 30 years without incurring disproportionate cost.
Littering (Derbyshire)
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices for littering have been issued by Derbyshire community support officers in the last 12 months. [211911]
Ms Blears: Community Support Officers (CSOs) have not yet been deployed by Derbyshire Constabulary. The Constabulary was allocated 43 CSO posts under the first phase of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund. I understand that those recruited for these posts will begin training shortly.
Motoring Offences (Sentencing Review)
Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the review of sentencing for motoring offences commenced; and when he expects the review to conclude. [211540]
Ms Blears:
The Home Secretary commissioned the Review of Road Traffic Offences involving Bad Driving in 2003.
4 Feb 2005 : Column 1153W
The review will be followed by the publication of a public consultation paper setting out our proposals for reform of this area of the law.
The publication of the consultation paper is being treated as a top priority and we hope to publish very shortly.
People Trafficking
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances of the trafficking of (a) men, (b) women and (c) children into the UK have been investigated in each of the last five years; how many individuals were involved; how many court cases have resulted; and what the outcome was in each case. [213375]
Mr. Browne: We do not keep central statistics on trafficking cases other than in published statistics on court proceedings. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) on 17 November 2004, Official Report, column 1592W. We are now starting to see convictions under the new legislation on trafficking and these will be reported in published statistics in due course.
Reflex continues to co-ordinate law enforcement activity against organised immigration crime, including people trafficking. From April 2003-March 2004 Reflex resulted in the disruption of 38 groups involved in organised immigration crime at National Intelligence Model Level 3, and this financial year Reflex has resulted in 38 disruptions of criminal networks so far.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many victims of human trafficking into the UK have been returned to their home countries in each of the last five years; to which countries; what support was given to the individuals concerned; and if he will make a statement. [213377]
Mr. Browne: Information on those who were removed who were victims of human trafficking in the UK, and the country to which they were removed, is not available.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |