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Asylum and Immigration

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many cases have (a) been received, (b) been allocated case numbers, (c) remained unallocated and (d) been determined by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in each quarter of the last five years for which records are available; and if she will make a statement. [14548]

Bridget Prentice: Figures from the records of the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA), which was superseded by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) on 4 April 2005 upon commencement of section 26 of The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004, show the volume of receipts and determinations—for all case types at the adjudicator tier—to be as follows:
ReceiptsPromulgations
2000–01
Quarter 17,8085,332
Quarter 213,3776,577
Quarter 310,5319,520
Quarter 414,22212,797
Total45,93834,226
2001–02
Quarter 115,48112,318
Quarter 215,67214,757
Quarter 318,04116,941
Quarter 419,43117,800
Total68,62561,816
2002–03
Quarter 119,34820,251
Quarter 224,73123,931
Quarter 322,88722,277
Quarter 424,97926,482
Total91,94592,941
2003–04
Quarter 124,86925,083
Quarter 228,60527,581
Quarter 327,10629,202
Quarter 426,86028,357
Total107,440110,223
2004–05
Quarter 126,68926,541
Quarter 229,74826,374
Quarter 328,05527,948
Quarter 424,81324,727
Total109,305105,590

 
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Appeals are allocated a case number upon entry onto the database. The figures provided therefore also demonstrate the number of all appeals allocated a case number in the last five years up to 31 March 2005.

Following the commencement of the AIT, information on appeal receipts and determinations for the first quarter of 2005–06 is not yet available. From manual assessments, approximately 13,000 visit visa appeals received after 4 April 2005 are awaiting case number allocation.

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what length of time was required (a) to allocate a case number following receipt and (b) to reach a determination by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in the case of Mr. Abolade Amuleya; and if she will make a statement. [14549]

Bridget Prentice: The records of the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA), which was superseded by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) on 4 April 2005 upon commencement of section 26 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004, indicate that appeal papers were received from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) on 11 July 2003. The case was allocated an appeal number on the date of receipt.

The final determination recorded, following the appellant's application of 25 September 2003 for permission to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal (IAT), was issued on 23 October 2003.

Burial Grounds Survey

Mr. Walker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) for what reasons the Burial Grounds Survey was issued by the Home Office; [15032]

(2) what the average cost to her Department is of processing a response to the Home Office Burial Grounds Survey; and if she will make a statement; [15033]

(3) pursuant to her answer dated 14 July 2005, Official Report, column 1298, what aspects of burial law and practice will be covered by the wider review referred to; and if she will make a statement. [15474]

Ms Harman: The survey was issued by the Home Office in accordance with the commitment in the Government's response to the Environment Select
 
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Committee report on cemeteries. The average cost of processing the responses will not be known until the exercise has been completed.

The main aspects of burial law and practice under review were highlighted in the Home Office consultation paper Burial Law and Policy in the 21st Century: The Need for a Sensitive and Sustainable approach", a copy of which is available from the House of Commons Library.

Child Abduction

Mrs. May: To ask the Minister of State Department for Constitutional Affairs what (a) representations she has received and (b) discussions she has had on difficulties faced by parents of children abducted abroad in claiming legal and/or departmental representation. [15883]

Ms Harman: As the Central Authority for the operation of the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the Lord Chancellor from time to time receives representations from interested parties and an open dialogue is maintained. The cost of an application for the return of a child is often a matter of concern to parents. In most countries no payment for legal proceedings is required for applications made under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Central Authority for the Convention provides information regarding legal costs in specific countries. There is no charge for the services provided by the Central Authority, including the translation of documents necessary to an application under the Convention. In countries where legal aid is not generally available efforts are made by the receiving Central Authority, in cases of financial need, to provide legal representation for applicants either at a reduced rate or free of charge.

Mrs. May: To ask the Minister of State Department for Constitutional Affairs what measures her Department has in place to ensure that the parents of children abducted abroad are given full and appropriate legal advice. [15885]

Ms Harman: The Lord Chancellor is the Central Authority in England and Wales for the operation of the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil aspects of international child abduction. The operations are conducted by the Child Abduction and Contact Unit at the Office of the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee and consists of five full-time case managers who are trained and experienced in the handling and operation of Hague Convention cases. The unit can be contacted by telephone, fax and e-mail and routinely provides advice to parents on all aspects of the Hague Convention and whether it can be applied to a particular case. The unit also maintains a website which provides information to parents regarding the Hague Convention and what they can do to try to prevent an abduction, what to do in the event of an abduction and how to apply to have contact with their children in another Hague country.

The Unit has recently updated its leaflet on international child abduction, having regard to the recent changes in law and practice arising from the revised EU Regulation on Parental Responsibility
 
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(Brussels II bis) and has revised the information available on its website. These will provide a further opportunity for advice to left-behind parents.

Civil Legal Aid Contracts

Dr. McCrea: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what percentage of solicitors firms in Northern Ireland, offered civil legal aid contracts, refused them in each of the last five years, broken down by county [15266]

Bridget Prentice: Civil legal aid in Northern Ireland is not provided through a contracting environment.

Contractors

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Minister of State Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list contractors based in other EU member states that are providing services to her Department. [15457]

Ms Harman: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Correspondence

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many letters to her Department from hon. Members in session (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 remain unanswered, broken down by those which are (i) one month old, (ii) two months old, (iii) three months old, (iv) four months old and (v) over six months old. [13857]

Bridget Prentice: My Department has answered all correspondence received in calendar year 2004. From 1 January to 29 July 2005, the Department received 1,820 letters from hon. Members and Peers, of which 26 are outstanding and up to one month old. There is no correspondence more than one month old.

The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members/Peers correspondence. The Report for 2004 was published on 6 April 2005, Official Report, columns 137–40WS. From 1 January to 29 July 2005, the Department answered 93 per cent. of correspondence within target.


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