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HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those detained under (a) the Terrorism Act 2000 and (b) the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (i) were seeking asylum at the time of their detention and (ii) have subsequently claimed asylum. [31457]

Mr. McNulty: Between 11 September 2001 and 8 November 2005, Police and Home Office records show that a total of 963 people were detained under the Terrorism Act 2000 and the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Many have since been released. Of the 232 identified in Home Office records as having applied for asylum, 214 had claimed asylum prior to arrest, and 18 subsequently.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seeking families have (a) applied for and (b) been awarded indefinite leave to remain since 24 October 2003 under the family asylum amnesty; and how many are awaiting the outcome of applications made under the scheme. [36170]

Mr. McNulty: Information on the Family Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Exercise is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Bail Hostel (Aldridge)

Mr. Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps (a) the West Midlands probation service and (b) the National Offender Management Service have taken to identify an alternative site for the Bail Hostel located in Stonnall road, Aldridge, since the High Court ruling in 1996. [36226]

Fiona Mactaggart: The information is as follows.

(a) NPS West Midlands do wish to provide a larger approved premises in the Walsall area. However, this would rely on both the local authority agreeing a suitable location and adequate funding being available.

(b) The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has not identified an alternative site for this specific approved premises and currently there are no funds allocated for its replacement. There is a NOMS instigated review and scoping exercise currently being undertaken to ascertain the level of development required across the approved premises estate. Once complete this information will be used to inform a national strategy for approved premises development including, if appropriate, Stonnall road.

British Citizenship

Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 1032W, on British citizenship, how many of the 760,886 applicants who were not
 
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refused British citizenship on character grounds had (a) been found guilty of a criminal offence by a court in the United Kingdom and (b) sentenced to a custodial sentence by a court in the United Kingdom. [33504]

Mr. McNulty: This information is not readily available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British naturalisation there were from people resident in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [36485]

Mr. McNulty: The numbers of applications for naturalisation as a British citizen from people resident in Northern Ireland for the last five years is as follows.

	Number
2001	97
2002	165
2003	190
2004	166
2005	250

This information is provisional management information and may be subject to change.

Cheque Fraud

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the British Bankers' Association about methods to reduce cheque fraud. [37053]

Paul Goggins: The Government take fraud seriously. Ministers and officials meet regularly with representatives from the police, retail and banking sectors, including the BBA, to discuss ways of combating fraud, including cheque fraud.

On 27 October the Attorney General announced terms of reference for a wide ranging cross-Government review of fraud. The review will engage a range of key stakeholders, including the banking industry, and consider the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution/punishment of fraud.

Child Deaths (Custody)

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child deaths in custody there have been in each year since 1990. [37323]

Fiona Mactaggart: Figures for deaths in custody of young people below the age of 18 are given in the following table:
Deaths in custody of young people under 18

	Number of deaths
1990	3
1991	1
1992	1
1993	1
1994	2
1995	1
1996	1
1997	0
1998	3
1999	2
2000	3
2001	3
2002	2
2003	0
2004	2
2005	2
Total	27

 
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Citygate Public Affairs Ltd

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings his Department has held with Citygate Public Affairs Ltd. since July. [36750]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Department does not maintain a central list of such contacts. Ministers and civil servants, including special advisers meet many people as part of the process of policy development and business delivery. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Civil Service Code, Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and Guidance for civil servants on contacts with lobbyists and people outside Government.

Correspondence

Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 1 November regarding a constituent, reference M26613/5. [36228]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer 8 December 2005]: Irefer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 December 2005, Official Report, column 1357W.

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Warley of (a) 27 October regarding Mr. Munye, Jordan Close, Smethwick, (b) 13 September regarding Mrs. McBride, Wigon Road, Smethwick, (c) 5 October regarding Mr.Dalvir Singh, Tollgate Shopping Centre, Smethwick and (d) 16 November regarding Mr. Mohammed Hasan, 25Beacon Close, Smethwick. [37565]

Mr. McNulty: The information requested is as follows:

(a) The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley about Mr.Munye on 14 December 2005.

(b) The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley about Mrs.McBride on 7 December 2005.

(c) The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley about Mr.Singh on 13 December 2005.

(d) The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley about Mr.Hasan on 14 December 2005.

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will reply to the letter of 15 September from the right hon. Member
 
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for Warley regarding (a) Mr. Rolando March, Priory Close, Smethwick and (b) Mr. Tvala, Melbourne Road, Smethwick. [37566]

Mr. McNulty: The information requested is as follows:

(a) The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley about Mr.March on 13 December 2005.

(b) The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley about Mr.Tvala on 13 December 2005.

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will reply to the letter of 14 September from the right hon. Member for Warley regarding (a) Mr. Kushnau, Woodlands Street, Smethwick and (b) Mr. Mahmoud, High Road, Smethwick. [37567]

Mr. McNulty: The information requested is as follows:

(a) Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley about Mr.Kushnau on 14 December 2005.

(b) Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley about Mr.Mahmoud on 12 December 2005.

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 4 October 2005 from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, regarding Neville Harding, reference H353358. [37671]

Mr. McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood about Mr. Harding on 14 December 2005.

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 25 October from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, regarding Claudia Velvalee Love James, reference J1018480. [37672]

Mr. McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Warley (Mr. Spellar) about Ms James on 14 December 2005.

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