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Under £50,000:


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Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2007, Official Report, column 970W, on identity cards, what estimate he has made of each strand of the national identity project that are (a) required and (b) not required for biometric passports. [130331]

John Reid: Since the merger of the Home Office Identity Cards Programme and the UK Passport Service to create the Identity and Passport Service on 1 April 2006, projects to deliver biometric passports, identity cards and other improvements have been necessarily combined. As much of the functionality needed to implement identity cards is also required for the implementation of biometric passports, this is the most cost-effective way to deliver these initiatives (e.g. both the implementation of biometric passports and identity cards will require a very similar application procedure as well the procurement of biometric recording equipment, data storage capability for biographical and biometric information and offices to facilitate enrolment).

As a result, much of the work conducted by Identity and Passport Service cannot be categorised, both financially and operationally, as contributing towards either the introduction of biometric passports or identity cards alone. The work is accounted for in future development projects. My estimate is that only one project relating to card production would solely relate to the introduction of identity cards but the work of this project at this stage of the programme primarily involves analysis related to common aspects for both passport and identity
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card developments (e.g. specification for and procurement of chip technology). The cost can therefore not be disaggregated at this stage of the programme.

Illegal Immigrants: Identity Cards

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of illegal immigrants who are likely to be detected each year as a result of the introduction of the identity cards scheme. [136991]

Joan Ryan: Although no such estimates have yet been made, one of the statutory purposes of the identity cards scheme is to provide a secure and reliable method of identifying people resident in the United Kingdom, where that is in the public interest, including for the purposes of the enforcement of immigration controls, and this will act as a major deterrent to potential illegal migrants.

Immigrants: Turkey

Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many migrants from Turkey were granted (a) exceptional leave and (b) indefinite leave to remain as a result of the provisions of the Ankara Agreement in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [142515]

Mr. Byrne: No grants of exceptional leave to remain were given as a result of the provisions of the Ankara Agreement.

Only three grants of indefinite leave to remain was given during the period requested, one in 2004 and two in 2006.

Information on decisions relating to Turkish nationals making applications for the period May 2005 to December 2006 was published by the Department in February 2007. It can be found at the following website:

Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Standards

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the legacy was of case records still to be decided by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on (a) 16 July 2006 and (b) 12 March 2007; what estimate he has made of the time it will take to clear these cases; and whether the legacy of cases is being dealt with (i) after and (ii) at the same time as new cases. [127657]

Mr. Byrne: In his statement to Parliament on 19 July 2006, the Home Secretary advised that there was a legacy of between 400,000 and 450,000 electronic and paper records relating to unresolved asylum cases, and that we would aim to clear these cases in five years or less. It is our intention to complete consideration of all current legacy cases by July 2011.

The Director General of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the Home Affairs Committee on 19 February with an update on the Legacy Programme. A copy of the letter is in the Library.


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Immigration Control

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department will liaise with the Scottish Parliament Cabinet Secretary of Justice to consider the creation of a new international organisation to promote common international standards and technology in border control. [144405]

Mr. Byrne: We are in the very early stages of considering the potential for development of such a body. This work will be taken forward in liaison with interested parties in the UK and abroad.

Immigration: Appeals

Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost of an immigration appeal, excluding deportation and asylum appeals, before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal where his Department is represented by (a) a presenting officer and (b) Treasury counsel was over the last 12 months. [141410]

John Reid: The average cost of an immigration appeal before the tribunal where the Home Office is represented by a Home Office Presenting Officer is £981. The average cost where the Home Office is represented by Treasury Counsel is estimated to be £1,448.

The figures represent an estimated average of all immigration appeal hearings before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, excluding deportation and asylum appeals, for the last financial year including the costs incurred by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and the average cost for providing a Presenting Officer or Treasury Counsel.

Immigration: Kosovo

Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time was for citizenship application forms to be processed for applicants from Kosovo in the latest period for which figures are available. [141765]

Mr. Byrne: The average waiting time for the processing of citizenship applications from receipt to decision for applicants from Kosovo was 3.53 months for the 12 month period up to 31 May 2007.

This information has not been quality assured, and is not a national statistic. It should be treated as provisional management information.

Labour Party: Conferences

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated costs are of policing the Special Labour Party Conference on 24 June in Manchester; and who will meet the costs. [144988]

Mr. McNulty: The chief constable of Greater Manchester police has advised that he estimates the costs of policing the event will be £200,000. I have spoken to the chief constable and the chair of the Police Authority to discuss the issue and explained
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the procedures for applying to the Home Office for special grant support. The force has expressed its intention to submit a grant which will be processed in the usual way.

Members: Correspondence

Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will provide a substantive answer to Question 123572, on removal proceedings, tabled on 21 February by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam for answer on 23 February. [141355]

John Reid: I replied to the hon. Member on 21 June 2007, Official Report, column 2065W.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department expects to respond to the letter of 14 March from the hon. Member for Billericay on Mr. I. Clarke of Billericay. [145612]

Mr. Byrne: I wrote to the hon. Member for Billericay on 22 June 2007.

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Minister of State for Nationality, Citizenship and Immigration to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey of 19 March 2007, reference SP2271, on employees of Strathaird Salmon Ltd, Inverness. [140446]

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

Nathalie Ketchanou

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis Miss Nathalie Ketchanou was immediately returned to the UK from Kenya following her deportation from the UK; and at what cost. [134975]

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

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