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23 Jan 2007 : Column 1709Wcontinued
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what services provided by his Department and its related agencies translation services are provided. [113892]
Mr. Byrne: The Department does not maintain a central list of services for which it offers translation services. Translation services may be providedaccording to operational needwithin any service operated by the Department and its Executive agencies. This includes services across the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, the National Offender Management Service, HM Prison Service and the Criminal Records Bureau.
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the causes are of the delay in publishing the report A systematic Review of the Evidence Relating to the Provision of Support for Victims and Witnesses of Crime by Dr. Gillian Mezey commissioned in April 2004; and when he expects it to be published. [115961]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 16 January 2007]: A literature review What Works Best in Supporting Victims and Witnesses of Crime: A literature review (Mezey, Fiander, Robbins, Cowie, Bartlett, Papadakis and Martin, 2007) has recently been completed. The date of completion of the report reflects the work that has been involved in finalising the research report, and in quality assuring its contents.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to detect suspected war criminals from the Second World War attempting to enter the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [116856]
Mr. Byrne: The UK has powers to refuse leave to enter the UK or to refuse a visa to someone on the grounds that their presence here would not be conducive to the public good for reasons of their character, conduct or associations. This would include those who were suspected of having committed war crimes. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate operates a watch list at ports of entry and visa issuing posts to support the entry control. This list contains the names of those people who are known to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and whose presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good. People who are named on the list would not be given leave to enter or issued a visa without further enquiries being made.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given to the removal of (a) nationality and (b) residency rights of individuals suspected of involvement in war crimes in the Second World War; and if he will make a statement. [116870]
Mr. Byrne: The UK has a policy of no safe haven for individuals suspected of involvement in war crimes or crimes against humanity and in recent years we have strengthened the powers to remove nationality or leave to remain from such individuals.
The power has long existed to deprive a registered or naturalised British citizen of their citizenship if that status was obtained by fraud, false representation or concealment of material fact. The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 introduced a power to deprive a person of citizenship if the Secretary of State is satisfied that deprivation would be conducive to the public good. In addition, the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 contains a power enabling indefinite leave to remain to be revoked in cases where that status was obtained by deception and the person cannot be removed for legal or practical reasons. Residency rights may also be curtailed by means of deportation.
These powers can and will be applied to those people suspected of being former Nazi war criminals provided that there is sufficient evidence to support their use.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why convicted Hungarian war criminal Sandor Kepiro was allowed to enter and leave the United Kingdom in 2003; and if he will make a statement. [116921]
Mr. Byrne: I am unable to comment on individual immigration cases.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Prime Minister how much he has spent on carbon offsetting for air travel in the past 12 months. [117129]
The Prime Minister: For these purposes, my Office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Hilary Armstrong) to the hon. Member for St. Albans (Anne Main) today.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received in respect of the decision of the Serious Fraud Office to halt its investigation into United Kingdom military equipment sales to Saudi Arabia. [117450]
The Prime Minister: Since December my Office has received approximately 25 postal representations and an e-petition about this issue.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Prime Minister how many miles he flew at public expense in each year since 1997. [110492]
The Prime Minister: The information requested is not held. However, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House. Information on the number of officials accompanying Ministers on overseas visits is included in the list.
All Ministers travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 10 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.
David Taylor: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what impact (a) existing and (b) forthcoming equality legislation (i) has had and (ii) will have on the status of female members of private golf clubs; and if she will make a statement. [116287]
Meg Munn:
Private members clubs, such as private golf clubs, are not covered by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. In 1989 the Government asked private clubs which have both men and women members to take voluntary action to abolish any discriminatory practices. We made it clear that we did not rule out the
need for legislative action. Some clubs have taken steps to remove inequalities, but there is evidence that some mixed-sex private clubs still discriminate on the grounds of sex, almost exclusively to the disadvantage of women.
Excluding women from full membership rights in private clubs such as golf clubs is basically unfair and it can involve demeaning and humiliating treatment. It can also prevent women from fulfilling their potential contribution to a club. We consider that it is no longer acceptable for organisations that admit both men and women as members or guests to discriminate against some members or guests, simply because of their gender. The Governments Discrimination Law Review is therefore considering how to address sex discrimination in private members clubs, including private sports clubs, that have members of both sexes.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps she is taking to promote equality of representation between men and women in the House of Commons. [116531]
Meg Munn: In 2002 we introduced the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act allowing positive measures towards womens increased participation. This legislation is having an impact and the numbers are rising particularly in the parties that made use of these measures.
The Labour party was able to increase the percentage of women MPs in the last general election by using all-women shortlists to select candidates in seats held by Labour MPs who were retiring.
By contrast the Liberal Democrat party and the Conservative party respectively selected only 32 per cent. and 12 per cent. of women candidates for their 50 most winnable seats.
Overall, 20 per cent. of MPs are now women compared with 9 per cent. before 1997. Nearly 27.4 per cent. of Labour MPs are now women, while 8.6 per cent. of Conservative MPs and 14.3 per cent. of Liberal Democrat MPs are women.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what percentage of women of state retirement age she expects to be receiving a full basic state pension by 2010. [116570]
Meg Munn [holding answer 22 January 2007]: Around 50 per cent. of women of pensionable age in 2010 are projected to be entitled to a full basic state pension.
The Pensions Bill, published last November, will reduce the state gender pensions gap and accelerate improvements in womens state pension outcome. This will be achieved through measures including reducing the number of qualifying years needed for a full basic state pension and giving greater recognition to carers.
Womens state pensions coverage will improve significantly as a result of reformaround three quarters of women reaching state pension age in 2010 are estimated to be entitled to a full basic state pension.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on advertising in The Guardian newspaper, including online, advertorials and advertising features, in the latest year for which figures are available. [114025]
Mr. Hain: The Northern Ireland Office spent £8,651.76 on advertising in The Guardian newspaper during 2005-06 which is the latest year for which figures are available.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether people employed (a) through employment agencies and (b) on a consultancy basis are included in the calculations for the full-time equivalent staff mentioned in his Departments annual report. [102991]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency prepare the figures on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office for its annual report. These figures are taken from information available on the Human Resource Management System.
The full-time equivalent staff mentioned in the Northern Ireland Office annual report does not include people employed (a) through employment agencies or (b) on a consultancy basis.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his Departments expenditure was on foreign travel, including accommodation, in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 2005-06. [114023]
Mr. Hain: The expenditure on foreign air travel for officials in the Northern Ireland Office in 2005-06 was £159,544.76. Information is not held for the year 1996-97.
Accommodation for overseas trips is arranged by The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and information about this is not held centrally within the Northern Ireland Office. The cost of accommodation could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the percentage of homes in Northern Ireland which have switched to digital television in the last 12 months. [116893]
Mr. Hain: Estimated take-up of digital TV in Northern Ireland was, in April 2006, 53 per cent. (Ofcom research report: The Communications Market, Nations and Regions, April 2006). In the same report, nationwide take-up was 65 per cent.
Since the 53 per cent. Northern Ireland figure was obtained, uptake across the UK has risen to 73.3 per
cent. (Ofcom Digital Progress Report, Digital TVQ3 2006, published December 2006). Although there are no more recent figures for Northern Ireland, it is likely that uptake there will have increased proportionally.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department has taken since suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2002 to promote the East-West relationships which exist between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. [110510]
Mr. Hanson: The Northern Ireland Administration has historically enjoyed very close links, at both ministerial and official level, with the Administrations in the rest of the United Kingdom. That position has not been affected by the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Government have continued to promote inter-administration relationships on an East-West axis on matters of mutual interest.
The British Government have also continued fully to support all of the agreed work areas being progressed by the British-Irish Council (BIC), in their role to promote co-operation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of the relevant Administrations.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hospital beds were available for use at the Mid-Ulster hospital, Magherafelt in each year since 2003-04. [110818]
Paul Goggins: Information on the number of available in-patient beds in Mid-Ulster hospital, Magherafelt for the years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 is shown in the following table. Average available beds are defined as the average number of beds available during the quarter in wards that are open overnight, measured at midnight. The hospital may also have a number of beds in wards which are only open during the day. Beds reserved for day case admission or regular day admission are not included.
Average available beds | |
Source: Departmental Information Return KH03 A |
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why the Northern Ireland Prison Service did not inform Judge Peter Cory of the prior destruction of a large number of files that may have been relevant to his inquiry. [110885]
Paul Goggins: These matters are presently before a Public Inquiry and it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what change in operating costs he expects for Northern Ireland Water Limited as a result of the draft Street Works (Amendment) Order over the next five years. [110849]
David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Katharine Bryan, dated 23 January 2007:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about what change in operating costs he expects for Northern Ireland Water Limited as a result of the Draft Street Works (Amendment) Order over the next five years (110849). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
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