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21 Feb 2005 : Column 436W—continued
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in each district in Lancashire since they were introduced, broken down by age group and sex. [215327]
Ms Blears: The available information is given in the following table.
Note:
ASBOs were introduced under The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 , however data from 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 are not available as they were collected on aggregate numbers only at police force area level. The number of ASBOs issued during the period within Lancashire police force area was five.
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Mr. Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) criminal antisocial behaviour orders and (b) antisocial behaviour orders have been secured by courts since the introduction of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 in (i) Birmingham, (ii) Bristol, (iiii) Leeds, (iv) Liverpool, (v) Manchester, (vi) Newcastle, (vii) Nottingham and (viii) Sheffield. [214015]
Ms Blears:
The Anti-social Behaviour Act received royal assent in November 2003. antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) were introduced under The Crime and
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Disorder Act 1998 and have been available since April 1999. ASBOs following conviction were introduced under The Police Reform Act 2002 and have been available since December 2002.
Available information, including the availability of ASBOs since the introduction of the Anti-social Behaviour Act, is given in the table.
(187) Introduced under The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 ASBOs were made available to the magistrates courts, acting in their civil capacity, on application, from 1 April 1999. However data from 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 are not available as they were collected on aggregate numbers only at police force area level.
(188) The Police Reform Act 2002 authorised application to the county courts, as from 1 April 2003, where there are existing proceedings, for an ASBO to be issued.
(189) As from 31 March 2004 the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 added housing action trusts (HATS) and English county councils to the list of relevant authorities who can apply for an ASBO or an order in county court proceedings.
(190) As from 2 December 2002 The Police Reform Act 2002 gave authority to the magistrates courts acting in their criminal capacity, and the Crown Court to issue ASBOs following conviction.
Anti-terrorism Measures
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to institute anti-terrorism measures in inner-city schools, with particular reference to (a) the replacement of glass in windows with laminated glass, (b) the installation of anti-bomb litter bins and (c) increased patrol security. [215348]
Derek Twigg:
I have been asked to reply.
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My Department has issued guidelines for schools on the use of laminated glass or safety film to maintain the integrity of windows, and on the use of security patrols. We have also issued guidance on school security overall, and the Security Service has issued advice on protective security for organisations. The Government is always looking at ways of protecting people and works hard to strengthen our defences against terrorist attacks by having proportionate protective and preventative security in place. In schools, employers are responsible for security measures as part of their responsibility in law for health and safety at work.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement of 7 February 2005, Official Report, columns 1181–98, on the Five Year Asylum Strategy, what abuses he has identified in relation to the operation of family visit appeals. [215827]
Mr. Browne: 'Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain' is the product of a review of the whole immigration and asylum system, including appeal rights and the appeals system. The strategy sets out proposals to remove appeal rights for student and employment routes into the United Kingdom, but states that we will retain the right of appeal for family visitors because we recognise the importance of family life. We are, however, confronted with rising numbers of family visit applications and appeals. We recognise that family visit appeals need to be considered quickly, if they are to be of value to appellants. We also have a duty to ensure that the asylum and immigration appeals system as a whole is able to function effectively. We have decided, in order to make the best use of available resources, and to provide a fair and efficient appeals process for appellants, that family visit appeals should be dealt with on the papers only and to limit the right of appeal to close family members.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated public cost of supporting asylum seekers in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland has been in each year since 1996–97. [216230]
Mr. Browne: The answer is not available in the precise format requested. It is only possible to provide information on the direct costs (financial support and accommodation) for the whole of the United Kingdom.
| Financial year | £ million(191) |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 413 |
| 1997–98 | 375 |
| 1998–99 | 475 |
| 1999–2000 | 589 |
| 2000–01 | 747 |
| 2001–02 | 1,046 |
| 2002–03 | 1,070 |
| 2003–04 | 1,007 |
(191) All figures rounded to nearest million.
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Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement on 7 February 2005, Official Report, column 1190, what his estimate of the number of asylum seekers resident in Kent is. [216248]
Mr. Browne: Statistics on the location of asylum seekers in the UK are linked to the available information on the support that the asylum seeker receives.
At the end of September 2004 there were 265 1 asylum seekers in Kent 2 recorded as in receipt of National Asylum Support Service (NASS) support.
Corresponding figures for those not in receipt of NASS support are not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
Numbers of asylum seekers receiving MASS accommodation support and numbers receiving NASS subsistence only support, are published on a quarterly and annual basis. The next publication, providing information relating to the end of the fourth quarter of 2004 (October to December), will be published shortly.
1 This figure is rounded to the nearest five and covers both those receiving NASS accommodation support and those receiving NASS subsistence only support
2 Kent is defined as the 12 local authorities (Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Gravesham, Sevenoaks, Shepway, Swale, Thanet, Tonbridge and Malling and Tunbridge Wells) and one Unitary Authority (Medway).
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to authorise outstanding monies due from his Department to Kent county council in respect of payments for costs arising for provision for asylum seekers. [216249]
Mr. Browne: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate does not readily agree with the claim by Kent county council that any additional payments are outstanding. Officials from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are working with officials from Kent county council to reconcile the claim that money remains owing. If it is found that money is owing, consideration will be given to payment.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people arrived in Britain seeking asylum in 2004. [216316]
Mr. Browne: The available information relates to when asylum applications were made, rather than when applicants arrived in the UK.
25,465 principal applicants (30,180 including dependants) sought asylum between January and September 2004 in the United Kingdom. Applications have fallen by two thirds from their peak level in 2002.
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Information on asylum applications is published quarterly. The next publication, covering the last quarter of 2004 (October to December), and including provisional 2004 totals, will be published shortly.
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to return unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to their countries of origin; and what consultation will be carried out on those plans. [216515]
Mr. Browne: We have been developing a returns programme for some time for unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs) who are under 18 years of age and whose asylum or Humanitarian Protection claims have been refused.
Only those UASCs for whom an appropriate package of reception care and support has been put in place, or whose families have been traced, will be returned. The programme will be piloted in Albania. We set out our intentions in this area in Controlling our borders: Making Migration Work For Britain, Five year strategy for asylum and immigration" (Cm 6472, February 2005, paragraph 76).
Other Government Departments, non-governmental organisations and local authorities have been closely consulted throughout the development of the programme. We have also engaged formally with the Albanian Government both in Albania and the UK.
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Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government are planning to return unaccompanied asylum seeker children to their countries of origin. [217173]
Mr. Browne: We have been developing a returns programme for some time for unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs) who are under 18 years of age and whose asylum or Humanitarian Protection claims have been refused.
Only those UASCs for whom an appropriate package of reception care and support has been put in place, or whose families have been traced, will be returned. The programme will be piloted in Albania. We set out our intentions in this area in Controlling our borders: Making Migration Work For Britain, Five year strategy for asylum and immigration" (Cm 6472, February 2005, paragraph 76).
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