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20 Mar 2006 : Column 113W—continued
Training Schools
Ms Angela C. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many schools in the (a) primary and (b) secondary sector are training schools; [59297]
(2) how many schools in the (a) primary and (b) secondary sector are to be designated as training schools in 2007. [59324]
Jacqui Smith: There are currently 244 operational Training Schools—195 secondary and 49 primary. From 2005, high performing specialist schools are able to apply for secondary Training School status at specialist re-designation; 16 new Training Schools will become operational from 1 April. Primary schools will no longer be able to apply directly for Training School status, but the Training and Development Agency are currently considering the development of a primary initiative.
There are no set targets for 2007.
High performing specialist schools applying for specialist re-designation will be given the opportunity to apply for Training School status beginning in 2007.
Trust Schools
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which features of proposed new trust schools will help raise standards at Clayton Hall Business and Language College in Newcastle-under-Lyme. [59209]
Jacqui Smith: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him in reply to the same question he asked about Wolstanton High School and Sir Thomas Boughey High School, given on 13 March 2006, Official Report, column 1881W. The same potential benefits apply to Clayton Hall Business and Language College.
LEADER OF THE HOUSE
Visit (Bexley)
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Leader of the House what the itinerary was for his recent visit to Bexley borough. [58886]
Mr. Hoon: The itinerary was as follows:
HOME DEPARTMENT
Immigration and Nationality Directorate
21. Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the backlog of cases at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [59244]
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Mr. McNulty: We will continue with the wide range of measures being introduced under our five year strategy. Through these measures we will speed up decision making, introduce tighter border control and new visa regimes and increasingly apply fast track processes to determine straightforward cases. For example, our continuing success in reducing asylum intake will enable us to process older cases and the Points Based System will introduce a more efficient application process.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum claims have been processed under each of the late and opportunistic and non-suspensive appeal segments of the New Asylum Model since 20 June; and what the outcome was in each case. [20497]
Mr. McNulty: As at 20 October the Asylum Casework Information Database (ACID) recorded 70 cases as having been taken into the New Asylum Model (NAM) segments which relate to potentially non-suspensive appeals (Segment 3) and to late and opportunistic claims with low barriers to removal (Segment 4), with 65 case outcomes.
| Case outcome | Segment 3 | Segment 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Asylum refusal | 5 | 55 |
| Granted | — | 10 |
| Humanitarian protection/ discretionary leave | * | * |
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum claimants awaiting a decision were wearing an electronic tag on 31 December 2005. [47484]
Mr. McNulty: On 31 December 2005 there were a total of 71 asylum claimants wearing an electronic tag. Of those, 12 were awaiting a decision on their claim.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the removal of failed asylum seekers. [59236]
Mr. McNulty: We have taken some very important steps forward in recent weeks, by significantly increasing the number of removals, and now believe we have reached the point where they exceed the number of unfounded applications. We will validate these figures and release them in due course. This represents a fantastic achievement in performance in comparison to past years.
Data-mining
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Government policy on the practice of data-mining. [59227]
Andy Burnham:
The practice of data-mining, which I understand to be a tool to help establish relationships in large databases of information, can be valuable in protecting the public. However, there must always be appropriate checks and balances to prevent the misuse of personal data.
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Equality/Diversity
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to promote equality and diversity within his Department. [59238]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Home Office is promoting equality, fairness and respect through a 5-year programme of action to drive forward an integrated and systematic approach to race equality and diversity in leadership, staff management and business delivery across the Home Office Group. The programme also supports the work to achieve Cabinet Office diversity targets for SCS and feeder grades and action on the Cabinet Office 10 Point Plan for delivering a diverse civil service.
Abdel Karim Taqhouti
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the determination of 14 September by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in respect of Abdel Karim Taqhouti, appeal number OA/00652/2005, was not sent to the UK embassy in Tunis until 31 October; and if he will make a statement. [29617]
Mr. McNulty: The determination was forwarded to the British embassy in Tunis on 21 September by diplomatic bag.
Child Abuse
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 928W, on child abuse, what powers the police have (a) to issue a risk of sexual harm order where the offender has been cautioned for the sexual abuse of a child committed more than 50 years ago and (b) to investigate an individual who confesses to an offence of child abuse committed over 50 years ago to determine whether the offender is a risk to children or has committed any subsequent acts of child abuse. [57277]
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Paul Goggins: The police can apply to a magistrate's court for a risk of sexual harm order in respect of any adult aged 18 or over who, on at least two occasions, has engaged in sexually explicit conduct or communication with a child or children. The defendant does not need to have a conviction for a sexual or any other offence but, by virtue of section 127 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1980, at least part of the behaviour causing concern must have taken place in the six months prior to the application being made. The police have the power to investigate any individual about whom an allegation is made or where there is evidence of any offence having been committed, regardless of whether or not the person has offended previously.
Child Immigrants (Detention)
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were detained with their families for immigration purposes in (a) 2005 and (b) November 2005. [58856]
Mr. McNulty: The number of children with their families detained solely under Immigration Act Powers is not available. It would be available only by examination of manual records at disproportionate costs.
Child Protection
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2006, Official Report, column 1090W on child protection, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the number of cautions given for possession of an indecent photograph of a child between 2002 and 2003. [51665]
Paul Goggins [holding answer 14 February 2006]: The issuing of simple cautions is an operational matter for the police. No analysis has been made of the reason for the increase in cautions at that particular time, although the number of those prosecuted also rose during the same period.
n/a=not available.
*=not applicable.
(31)All data given refer to the principal offence only. Data may include persons proceeded against in earlier years or for a different offence.
(32)Offences under the Protection of Children Act 1978, section 1 and section 6 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 84.
(33)Offences under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, section 160 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Services Act 2000, section 41(3). (previously 181/06)
(34)Amendments in figures made as this offence became an indictable offence during this period.
Source:
Offending and Criminal Justice Group (RDS)
Ref: IOS 391–05
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