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17 Nov 2005 : Column 1409W—continued
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Asylum and Immigration Appeals
Mr. Chope: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many asylum and immigration appeals lodged prior to 4 April are still outstanding; how many have been determined in each month since that date; and when the outstanding cases are expected to be resolved. [22878]
Bridget Prentice: The latest provisional information available from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) indicates that, at the end of March 2005, (a) 16,300 outstanding asylum appeals, (b) 10,500 immigration appeals (comprising in-country and entry clearance appeals) and (c) 8,600 family visitor appeals were outstanding before the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA), and the Immigration Appeal Tribunal (IAT).
All outstanding work before the IAA and the IAT was transferred to an appropriate stage of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) following its commencement on 4 April 2005.
Outstanding cases are those either listed and awaiting hearing before an immigration judge, or appeals that have been heard and that await determination by the immigration judge.
The latest provisional figures available from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) indicate that, at the end of June 2005, the numbers of outstanding asylum and immigration appeals determined in each month from April 2005 to June 2005, and which were lodged prior to 4 April 2005, are as follows:
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| 2005 | Asylum appeals | Immigration appeals |
|---|---|---|
| April | 3,528 | 2,875 |
| May | 3,025 | 2,514 |
| June | 2,194 | 2,488 |
The transitional arrangements for the treatment of outstanding asylum and immigration appeals, prior to the commencement of the AIT, are set out in the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 (Commencement No. 5 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2005 (SI 2005/565).
At present it is not possible to specify the number of outstanding appeals, lodged prior to 4 April 2005, which remain to be determined, nor the estimated time for those cases to pass fully through the system, without incurring disproportionate costs.
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many asylum appeals are outstanding in Scotland. [28962]
Bridget Prentice: The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) considers outstanding cases to be those either listed and awaiting hearing before an immigration judge, or appeals that have been heard and that await determination by the immigration judge.
The latest provisional figures from the AIT show that, as at 15 November 2005, there were 125 asylum appeals outstanding in its Glasgow hearing centre.
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many immigration appeals have been held in Scotland in 2005. [28963]
Bridget Prentice: Information available from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) shows that, in the period from 1 January 2005 to 30 September 2005, 526 substantive immigration hearings (comprising both entry clearance and in-country cases) were heard in its Glasgow hearing centre.
Departmental Assets
Mike Penning: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by her Department. [27386]
Bridget Prentice: The 10 most valuable moveable assets owned by the Department as at 31 March 2005 are listed as follows:
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The 10 most valuable immoveable assets owned by the Department as at 31 March 2005 are listed as follows:
For commercial reasons I am not able to give individual valuations for each site but the total net book value of these sites is circa £600 million.
CABINET OFFICE
Departmental Staff
Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff in his Department were (a) civil servants, (b) contractors and (c) other staff in each year since 1997. [27451]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The figures for civil servants are published in Civil Service Statistics. Table C of Civil Service Statistics 2004 shows permanent staff numbers (Full-time equivalent basis) between 1998 and 2004. The data for 1997 can be obtained from Table C in Civil Service Statistics 2003. Civil Service Statistics 2004 are available in the Library and on the Cabinet Office Statistics website at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management of the civil service/statistics/civil service statistics/index.asp
The most recent figures, as at 30 June 2005, were published on 6 October 2005. http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management of the civil service/statistics/news/in dex.asp#061005
Data for the number of contractors is not currently collected.
Data on numbers of casual staff is also published on the Cabinet Office Statistics website at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management of the civil service/statistics/civil service statistics/index.asp. Data on numbers of agency temporary workers is not currently collected.
Equality/Diversity Units
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost to public funds of supporting (a) equality and (b) diversity units within central Government was in the last period for which figures are available; if he will deposit a list of these groups in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [28098]
Mr. Jim Murphy:
Information on expenditure of equality and diversity units in individual Government Departments is not held centrally. However, the NAO report 'Delivering Public Services to a Diverse Society'
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published in December 2004 estimated that the direct costs in 2002–03 associated with co-ordinating strategy across gender, race, disability and civil service work force representation were over 19 million.
National Minimum Wage
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff in his Department were affected by the increase in the national minimum wage on 1 October. [28931]
Mr. Jim Murphy: No staff in the Cabinet Office or the Central Office of Information were affected by the October increase in the national minimum wage as minimum salary levels exceeded the rates.
Strategy Unit
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to his answer of 3 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1353–54W, on the Strategy Unit, what the other phases of the work will be. [28823]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Phase two of the report was the final phase of this work and contained policy recommendations. This has been withheld under Section 35 of the Freedom of Information Act.
DEFENCE
Afghanistan
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the progress made in reducing narcotics production and trafficking in Afghanistan; [27155]
(2) what representations he has received from his US counterpart regarding the progress made in reducing narcotics production and trafficking in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement; [27156]
(3) what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts regarding the possibility of the international security assistance force resuming a role in counter narcotics missions; and if he will make a statement. [27161]
Mr. Ingram: UK armed forces are helping the Afghans create a secure environment in their country on which the eventual elimination of the Afghan opium trade depends. The United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime report states that there has been a 21 per cent. drop in poppy cultivation this year, down from 131,000 hectares to 103,000 hectares. Favourable weather conditions resulted, however, in an increase in the opium yield per acre from 32 kg in 2004 to 39 kg in 2005. It will take time for the impact of international assistance to counter narcotics activity in Afghanistan to be evident in Afghanistan and also in the supply of heroin to the UK.
The UK regularly discusses ongoing military assistance to counter narcotics with allies, including the United States. ISAF's role in support of counter narcotics is currently under discussion in NATO.
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Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funds have been provided by his Department (a) to assist Afghanistan's counter narcotics effort and (b) to train Afghan police; and if he will make a statement. [27157]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has not provided funds specifically for either counter narcotics or Afghan police training. In both cases, however, United Kingdom armed forces provide support, including information, training and logistic assistance, to Afghan forces.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what funds his Department has provided (a) to help create a new Afghan army and (b) to reconstitute Afghanistan's police force since 2002; [27164]
(2) if he will make a statement on progress in training the Afghan national police. [27159]
Mr. Ingram: The development of the Afghan National Army (ANA) is led by the United States. The UK Ministry of Defence has not contributed funds but has provided resources and assisted ANA capacity building within means and capabilities in theatre.
The development of the Afghan national police (ANP) is led by Germany. The UK Ministry of Defence has not contributed funds to ANP training, although we do provide assistance through our provincial reconstruction team in Mazar-e-Sharif, and would look to do the same in any future deployment to southern Afghanistan.
Some financial support to both the ANA (paying for students attending Sandhurst) and the ANP (work in Mazar-e-Sharif) has been funded by the global conflict prevention pool, which is co-owned with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development.
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