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25 Jun 2007 : Column 297W—continued


Departments: Recruitment

Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department and its agencies paid to recruitment consultants in each year since 1997. [140027]


25 Jun 2007 : Column 298W

Mr. Byrne: The Department maintains records of expenditure on agency and temporary staff. It does not maintain separate records of fees paid to recruitment agencies. To provide such detailed information could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Research

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department’s expenditure on communications research was in each year since 1997-98; and how much of this cost was accounted for by producing (a) reports on the public perceptions of his Department or its agencies, (b) stakeholder surveys, (c) national media evaluations, (d) regional media evaluations and (e) other research. [136993]

Mr. Byrne: The information requested is given the table.

For the years for which consistent records are available, expenditure on communications research is as follows:

£
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07

Public perception

33,723.00

84,298.00

224,843.00

273,121.00

225,276.00

Stakeholder

8,510.00

337,307.99

384,727.67

306,134.61

244,900.00

111,980.00

National media

74,680.00

176,348.65

306,726.33

Regional media

Other

1,018,283.49

1,002,007.08

1,674,796.81

1,598,866.33

1,395,833.93

1,726,880.41

Total

1,026,793.49

1,373,038.07

2,143,822.48

2,204,523.94

2,090,203.58

2,370,862.74


Departments: Work Permits

Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were applied for by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each of the last five years. [126803]

John Reid: The following table shows the number of applications for a ‘Work Permit’ where the employer was recorded as either ‘The Home Office’ or one of its agencies, namely: the Criminal Records Bureau, the Identity and Passport Service and HM Prison Service. It is not viable to identify any applications where the employer name was not recorded in this way.

The figures do not include applications from Independent Inspectorates and Ombudsmen or non-departmental public bodies.

The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.

Work Permit applications
Home Office Home Office agencies

2002

2

22

2003

5

24

2004

1

16

2005

0

11

2006

4

9


Deportation: Afghanistan

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people whose asylum claims have failed are awaiting deportation to Afghanistan. [142274]

Mr. Byrne: As the Home Secretary set out in his evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 23 May 2006, following the dismantling of embarkation controls beginning in 1994, no Government have been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who are in the country illegally, and that remains the case. The Home Secretary has set a clear goal of reintroducing systems to count everyone in and out of Britain.

Detainees

Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department embassy officials from which countries have met asylum seekers detained in the UK in the last 12 months. [141405]

John Reid: Certain countries have specific arrangements with the Border and Immigration Agency to interview individuals, for the purpose of agreeing to issue an Emergency Travel Document if nationality cannot be confirmed by other means. We do hold the information requested but agreements between the Home Office and other countries are sensitive and disclosure could damage our relationship
25 Jun 2007 : Column 299W
with the country concerned, our relations with other states and prejudice our ability to operate an efficient removals system.

Countries where return is facilitated by documents other than an Emergency Travel Document may also request an interview to establish nationality. Data is not centrally collated on these cases and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Detainees: Correspondence

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances correspondence between hon. and right hon. Members and detainees is opened by staff in immigration removal centres before it reaches recipients; and if he will make a statement. [144733]

Mr. Byrne: Correspondence between hon. and right hon. Members and detainees is not opened by staff in Immigration Removal Centres.

A situation may arise where the centre manager has reasonable cause to believe that the contents of an envelope may endanger the security of the centre or the safety of others. Under these circumstances the envelope may be opened in front of the detainee.

EC Accession

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will write to the hon. Member for Glasgow South West, as referred to in the answer of 8 November 2006, Official Report, column 1646W, on accession countries. [104855]

Mr. Byrne: I wrote to the hon. Member on 21 June 2007.

Edward Chininga

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what mechanisms Edward Chininga was permitted to transit via Gatwick; whether officials were aware of his position on the EU no fly list for selected Zimbabwean nationals; at what point Ministers were made aware of his transiting; and if he will make a statement. [133087]

Mr. Byrne: I shall write separately to the hon. Member.

Entry Clearances

Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what consideration is given to service in the UK armed forces by non-UK nationals when deciding who is eligible to reside in the UK; [141396]

(2) under what criteria non-UK nationals can legally (a) reside and (b) work in the UK; [141397]

(3) what criteria are used to measure whether an individual has strong ties with the UK when considering whether or not to allow that person to reside in the UK. [141398]

John Reid: The rules applying to applications for indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United
25 Jun 2007 : Column 300W
Kingdom by foreign and Commonwealth nationals discharged from HM Forces and by former Gurkhas who completed their service on or after 1 July 1997 are set out in paragraphs 276E to 276Q of the Immigration Rules. They include the requirement for a minimum of four years’ service to have been completed prior to discharge. I would refer the hon. Member to the relevant policy contained on the Border and Immigration Agency website at:

Discretion may be exercised for former members of HM Forces discharged from service before 1 July 1997 or discharged more than two years prior to the date of application where there are strong reasons why settlement in the UK is appropriate. In such cases there is the same requirement for a minimum of four years’ service to have been completed prior to discharge. The relevant guidance is contained in Chapter 15, Section 2A of the Immigration Directorate Instructions at:

Mr. Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were issued in each year since 2000; and how many of them were for (a) nurses, (b) doctors, (c) lecturers and (d) teachers for overseas nationals from (i) Africa, (ii) Asia, (iii) South America and (iv) the Caribbean. [144097]

Mr. Byrne [holding answer 19 June 2007]: The following table shows the number of work permit applications which were approved for overseas nationals, in the period 1 January 2000 to 31 May 2007 from (a) Africa, (b) Asia (c) South America and (d) The Caribbean.

The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.


25 Jun 2007 : Column 301W
Doctor Lecturer Nurse Teacher Total

2000

Africa

(1)

50

4,850

340

5,240

Asia

(1)

160

8,110

80

8,345

South America

(1)

15

35

5

60

Caribbean

(1)

5

815

20

835

Total

(1)

230

13,810

445

14,480

2001

Africa

270

65

7,760

2,485

10,580

Asia

485

155

14,110

285

15,035

South America

(2)

15

85

40

145

Caribbean

15

5

790

460

1,270

Total

770

240

22,745

8,265

27,025

2002

Africa

1,070

80

10,275

3,380

14,805

Asia

1,130

210

16,045

535

17,920

South America

5

30

130

65

230

Caribbean

55

5

760

620

1,440

Total

2,260

325

27,210

4,600

34,395

2003

Africa

920

80

10,090

2,265

13,355

Asia

2,020

295

17,375

370

20,060

South America

5

30

170

50

250

Caribbean

50

5

580

595

1,235

Total

2,995

410

28,220

3,280

34,900

2004

Africa

840

105

9,985

1,680

12,615

Asia

3,060

265

17,265

390

20,980

South America

5

30

310

35

380

Caribbean

65

10

570

420

1,060

Total

3,965

410

28,135

2,530

35,035

2005

Africa

590

110

7,840

1,425

9,965

Asia

2,920

290

13,235

370

16,810

South America

5

35

235

60

340

Caribbean

50

10

530

350

940

Total

3,585

45

21,840

2,200

28,950

2006

Africa

520

80

4,585

1,225

6,410

Asia

2,140

340

8,010

390

10,885

South America

5

30

185

40

260

Caribbean

40

10

305

310

665

Total

2,705

460

13,085

1,970

18,220

January to May 2007

Africa

95

30

1,190

375

1,690

Asia

275

115

2,125

130

2,645

South America

(2)

10

35

70

55

Caribbean

5

5

90

95

190

Total

380

165

3,440

610

4,585

Grand total

Africa

74,660

Asia

112,680

South America

1,720

Caribbean

7,650

Total

196,685

(1) Indicates 1 or 2.
(2) Indicates nil.
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to nearest 5.
2. Because of rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown.

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