House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 20 Dec 2005 (pt 63)

20 Dec 2005 : Column 2884W—continued

Departmental Research

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research projects commissioned by his Department are being undertaken; and what the publication arrangements are in each case. [32997]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office commissions a variety of social and scientific research in order to improve policy making, decision taking and to provide the public and Parliament with information necessary for informed debate and for future use. All high quality social research outputs will either be published by the Home Office, or permission granted for such outputs to be published elsewhere.

The majority of social research is published as online reports, freely available on the Home Office website. Some works are still published in paper form, such as the Home Office research studies, and the summary publication: Findings. The Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) Business Plan 2005–06 outlines the wide range of work carried out by HOSDB to deliver on the (recently published) HO Science and Innovation Strategy, increasing the effective use of physical sciences in Home Office business. The HOSDB Business Plan is available on the Home Office website. HOSDB is carrying out in excess of 100 science and technology projects to increase the capabilities of its stakeholders. As has been the case for many years, publications arising from the (non-classified) work will be made available in hard copy and (more recently) on the Home Office website.

Other (classified) publications will be given a limited circulation and issued to key stakeholders in their preferred format as appropriate. The Forensic Science Service carries out projects funded by the Home Office Hard Science research and development fund. The results of these projects are published when appropriate in peer-reviewed journals.

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There are a number of other areas of the Department that also undertake research to inform policy development. The available information providing details of the research projects currently being

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undertaken across the Department and its agencies has been summarised in tables which will be placed in the Library, together with copies of the business plan for RDS NOMS.
Immigration Research and Statistics Service—research programme

Project title Description of objective of work Publication arrangements

Longitudinal research with refugees

Resettlement policy and practice Literature review of resettlement policy and practice in other developed countries and detailed policy analysis in four resettlement countries (USA, Canada, Netherlands and Sweden). The aim of this work is to identify the mechanisms through which other resettlement schemes operate, and effective practice Publication date to be decided

Predeparture orientation Scoping study and systematic literature review about effective ways of preparing resettled refugees before they leave current location Publication date to be decided

Longitudinal and cross-cultural methodological development: workshop Workshop with international experts on longitudinal and cross-cultural research methods to enable team to develop methods and tools that are acceptable Planned for early 2006

Research with refugees arriving under the Gateway protection resettlement programme Longitudinal study to examine the integration and resettlement experiences of those arriving in the UK under the Quota Resettlement Programme Publication date to be decided

Longitudinal survey of refugees (renamed from longitudinal survey of refugees and other migrants) Longitudinal study to examine the integration experiences of refugees Publication date to be decided

Data linking Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection No plans to publish

Notes:
1 = Strategic statistics
2 = Strategic research
3 = Evaluation/OR
4 = Performance analysis/policy support

Project title Description of objective of work Publication arrangements

Managed and irregular migration

Employer study Qualitative interviews with employers to establish the practices of recruitment and employment and attitudes towards migrants as a labour source Planned for mid 2006

Worker Registration Scheme—employees experience Analysis of date sets held by WP(UK) to answer the question raised by Ministers on whether people on the WRS are returning home or remaining in the UK No plans to publish

Increases in entry age for spouses—evaluation of impacts on forced marriage Understand the impact that increasing the entry age for spouses has had on the incidence of forced marriages involving British citizens Publication date to be decided

Illegally resident third country nationals in the EU member states: state approaches towards them, their profile and social situation Part of the work programme for the European Migration Network as agreed by the European Commission and member states. It is intended to collate data on approaches to illegal residence in different EU countries Publication date to be decided

Project title Description of objective of work Publication arrangements

Asylum processes, reception and returns

Comparative European research on accommodation and reception processes and impacts Detailed comparative research on the use and impacts of accommodation centres in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Denmark Planned for early 2006

Data linking Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection No plans to publish

Success factors in NASS dispersal To establish what factors contribute to successful dispersal (in terms of community relations) and how NASS can develop its practice and policies accordingly Planned for December 2005

Section 9 implementation Assisting operational colleagues in producing a final evaluation that conforms to requisite standards. Undertaking inferential data analysis and assisting in development of qualitative code frames Publication date to be decided

Developing Iraqi-focused voluntary return programmes A qualitative research project with Iraqi nationals, community leaders and relevant stakeholders Publication date to be decided

Evaluation of Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programmes (VARRP)—2004 To evaluate the programme on voluntary return, to assess effectiveness and make recommendations for future development Publication date to be decided

Return of unaccompanied asylum seeker children To be determined Publication date to be decided

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Project title Description of objective of work Publication arrangements

Community relations and refugee integration

Review of the evidence on good practice and what works in integration of new migrants To review the evidence base regarding what works" in the integration of refugees and other recent migrants, to inform a presentation at the 2004 UK National Integration Conference and, in the longer term, IRSS's research strategy Planned for early 2006

Informing ethnic monitoring of passengers arriving at UK airports Request from Race Monitor to develop methodology to monitor passengers subjected to more rigorous examination Planned for mid 2006

Data linking Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection No plans to publish

Evaluation of CF and ERF To evaluate the fund and identify cost effective interventions; to provide technical support to facilitate self-evaluation and development of interventions: reception, return, integration. Funded by ERF and CF. Three sub-projects (Evaluation 2003–04, Impact 2003–04, Evaluation 2004–05) Publication date to be decided

Evaluation of SUNRISE Evaluate implementation of first stage roll-out; provide data on outputs from SUNRISE Publication date to be decided

Project title	Description of objective of work	Publication arrangements
Longitudinal research with refugees
Resettlement policy and practice	Literature review of resettlement policy and practice in other developed countries and detailed policy analysis in four resettlement countries (USA, Canada, Netherlands and Sweden). The aim of this work is to identify the mechanisms through which other resettlement schemes operate, and effective practice	Publication date to be decided

Predeparture orientation	Scoping study and systematic literature review about effective ways of preparing resettled refugees before they leave current location	Publication date to be decided

Longitudinal and cross-cultural methodological development: workshop	Workshop with international experts on longitudinal and cross-cultural research methods to enable team to develop methods and tools that are acceptable	Planned for early 2006

Research with refugees arriving under the Gateway protection resettlement programme	Longitudinal study to examine the integration and resettlement experiences of those arriving in the UK under the Quota Resettlement Programme	Publication date to be decided

Longitudinal survey of refugees (renamed from longitudinal survey of refugees and other migrants)	Longitudinal study to examine the integration experiences of refugees	Publication date to be decided

Data linking	Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection	No plans to publish

Project title	Description of objective of work	Publication arrangements
Managed and irregular migration
Employer study	Qualitative interviews with employers to establish the practices of recruitment and employment and attitudes towards migrants as a labour source	Planned for mid 2006

Worker Registration Scheme—employees experience	Analysis of date sets held by WP(UK) to answer the question raised by Ministers on whether people on the WRS are returning home or remaining in the UK	No plans to publish

Increases in entry age for spouses—evaluation of impacts on forced marriage	Understand the impact that increasing the entry age for spouses has had on the incidence of forced marriages involving British citizens	Publication date to be decided

Illegally resident third country nationals in the EU member states: state approaches towards them, their profile and social situation	Part of the work programme for the European Migration Network as agreed by the European Commission and member states. It is intended to collate data on approaches to illegal residence in different EU countries	Publication date to be decided

Project title	Description of objective of work	Publication arrangements
Asylum processes, reception and returns
Comparative European research on accommodation and reception processes and impacts	Detailed comparative research on the use and impacts of accommodation centres in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Denmark	Planned for early 2006

Data linking	Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection	No plans to publish

Success factors in NASS dispersal	To establish what factors contribute to successful dispersal (in terms of community relations) and how NASS can develop its practice and policies accordingly	Planned for December 2005

Section 9 implementation	Assisting operational colleagues in producing a final evaluation that conforms to requisite standards. Undertaking inferential data analysis and assisting in development of qualitative code frames	Publication date to be decided

Developing Iraqi-focused voluntary return programmes	A qualitative research project with Iraqi nationals, community leaders and relevant stakeholders	Publication date to be decided

Evaluation of Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programmes (VARRP)—2004	To evaluate the programme on voluntary return, to assess effectiveness and make recommendations for future development	Publication date to be decided

Return of unaccompanied asylum seeker children	To be determined	Publication date to be decided

Project title	Description of objective of work	Publication arrangements
Community relations and refugee integration
Review of the evidence on good practice and what works in integration of new migrants	To review the evidence base regarding what works" in the integration of refugees and other recent migrants, to inform a presentation at the 2004 UK National Integration Conference and, in the longer term, IRSS's research strategy	Planned for early 2006

Informing ethnic monitoring of passengers arriving at UK airports	Request from Race Monitor to develop methodology to monitor passengers subjected to more rigorous examination	Planned for mid 2006

Data linking	Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection	No plans to publish

Evaluation of CF and ERF	To evaluate the fund and identify cost effective interventions; to provide technical support to facilitate self-evaluation and development of interventions: reception, return, integration. Funded by ERF and CF. Three sub-projects (Evaluation 2003–04, Impact 2003–04, Evaluation 2004–05)	Publication date to be decided

Evaluation of SUNRISE	Evaluate implementation of first stage roll-out; provide data on outputs from SUNRISE	Publication date to be decided

Disability

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the initial activity undertaken by his Department in response to those recommendations in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit Report Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People where lead responsibility was assigned to all Government Departments. [37090]

Paul Goggins: The Home Office has welcomed the Strategy Unit Report Improving Life Chances for Disabled People. The package of recommendations put forward should deliver improved outcomes for disabled people, their families and society as a whole. Although the Home Office does not hold sole responsibility for the recommendations put forward, the department has

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responded positively by taking forward the joint recommendations as part of the work on public sector duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. The department, working closely with the new Office of Disability Issues and the Disability Rights Commission is reviewing its policies and services to identify the action needed to deliver equality for disabled people.

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