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Black Offenders

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to commission research into the reasons for increases in the number of black offenders in custody. [205688]

Paul Goggins: The prison population by ethnic group, for each year from 1993 to 2003, has been published in table 8.4 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2003". A copy of this publication is available in the House of Commons library.

One of the reasons for the increase in the black prison population is the increase in the number of foreign nationals in prison. The population of black foreign national prisoners increased by 284 per cent. between 1993 and 2003.

There are no plans to conduct specific research into the reasons for increases in the number of black offenders in custody. However, the forthcoming cohort study will include a sample of ethnic minority prisoners in comparison with other prisoners.
 
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Chief Constable of Lancashire

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the (a) process and (b) timetable for replacing the chief constable of Lancashire. [215463]

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects Paul Stephenson to take up his position as Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police; and what the timetable is for the appointment of his successor as chief constable of Lancashire. [215003]

Ms Blears: Mr. Stephenson will take up his new appointment as Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police on 16 March 2005. Lancashire police authority advertised their chief constable post on 4 February. It will be considered by the senior appointments panel on 16 March, and the authority will conduct interviews on 18 and 19 April.

Correspondence

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for Asylum and Immigration will reply to the letter of 15 November 2004 from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent Mr. G. Pesic. [212169]

Mr. Mullin: I have been asked to reply.

UKvisas, the department responsible for entry clearance matters arising overseas, replied to the hon. Member on 1 February.

Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Spelthorne dated 29 September 2004 about Mr. Ayoub Soobhanu (Ref: Ruhomaun R299459). [214936]

Mr. Browne: I wrote to the hon. Member on 10 February 2005.

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply in full to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes about Mr. Henry Arthur dated 17 November 2004, acknowledged by his Department on 26 November 2004 (ref: M18669/4). [215537]

Mr. Browne: I wrote to the hon. Member on 10 February.

Deportation Orders

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to determine deportation applications for British prison inmates who are Irish nationals; and whether this differs from the criteria used for other EU nationals. [214696]

Mr. Browne: European law (Council Directive 64/221 EEC) provides that nationals of member states may be expelled from the territory of another member state only on grounds of public policy, public security or public health. These provisions are reflected in the EEA Regulations 2000. A decision must then be taken as to whether deportation is justified.
 
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However, under section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971 (as amended), nationals of the Republic of Ireland are not liable to deportation if they were ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom at the coming into force of the 1971 Act and who, at the time of the Secretary of State's decision, had been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom for the last five years. This excludes any time during which the person claiming exemption was serving a custodial sentence of more than six months.

Dispersal Orders

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dispersal orders have been used by Devon and Cornwall constabulary since their inception. [213980]

Ms Blears: Devon and Cornwall Constabulary tell me that, between January and August 2004, they authorised five areas under section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003. In these areas 155 people were dispersed and one young person under the age of 16 was taken home.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Committee on the introduction of a uniform format for visas met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement. [214776]

Mr. Browne: The EU uniform format visa (UFV) has been in operation since 1995.

Issues surrounding the UFV, and any amendments to the legislation governing it, are discussed in the EU Visa Working Party/Mixed Committee. In addition, the European Commission Article 6 comitology committee meets to discuss technical specifications for the uniform format of visa, and in particular those elements designed to prevent counterfeiting or falsification. Both Committees meet in EU buildings in Brussels.

The Visa Working Party met five times during the Italian presidency, six times during the Irish Presidency and six times during the Dutch presidency. The Article 6 committee met on five occasions during the same period.

The Visa Working Party and Article 6 Committee discuss a range of issues, not just the uniform format visa. But issues relating to the uniform format visa have arisen at all meetings of the Visa Working Party during the three Presidencies. The specific UK government expert present at any meeting will vary depending on which items are on the agenda.

Fixed Penalty Notices

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices have been issued by (a) police and (b) non-police personnel in each Lancashire district in each year since 2000. [215462]

 
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Ms Blears: Available information on motoring fixed penalty notices issued by the Lancashire police force area can be found in the annual Home Office publication Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales Supplementary tables"—Table 20(a) refers. The information is collected at police force level only. The latest issue covers 2002. Copies are available from the Library. As at 31 December 2002 no borough council within Lancashire were enforcing parking controls.

4,868 penalty notices for disorder were issued in Lancashire in 2004, the year of their introduction. Figures collected centrally do not allow analysis below police force area level nor distinguish between those issued by police and non-police personnel.

Gurkha Soldiers

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Gurkha soldiers living in the UK are not entitled to UK citizenship because their service ended prior to 1 July 1997; and what percentage of the total number of Gurkha soldiers living in the UK they represent. [215357]

Mr. Browne: Before applying for citizenship a Gurkha needs to have been granted settlement in the UK. It is not possible to provide the information requested because this would require examination of individual case files which could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who drew up the guest list for the Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration in Westminster Hall on 27 January; and which hon. and right hon. Members were invited. [212227]

Fiona Mactaggart: The list was drawn up by the Home Office in consultation with survivor and veteran groups and stakeholder bodies with an interest in Holocaust commemoration and education.

The following hon. Members were invited:

The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party

Six members of the Government with departmental responsibilities relevant to HMD—the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Secretary of State for Education, and myself as the Home Office Minister with responsibility for Race Equality, Community Policy and Civil Renewal. In the event, the Foreign Secretary attended the commemoration at Auschwitz on the same day and was therefore unable to be present. The Secretaries of State for Defence and Education were represented by Mr. Adam Ingram and Mr. Ivan Lewis.

The Speaker and the Leader of the House.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and Mr.Rhodri Morgan and Mr. Jack McConnell representing respectively the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Executive
 
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Mr. Lembit Opik, Mr. James Clappison and Mr.Andrew Lansley, as nominees of the Holocaust Education Trust. Ms. Louise Ellman as a member-designate of the new Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

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