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11 Oct 2007 : Column 720W—continued
Work Permits
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many farm workers from abroad overstayed their work permit in each of the last three years. [156531]
Mr. Byrne: Since the dismantling of embarkation controls no Government of the United Kingdom have been able to say with accuracy how many irregular migrants are present in the country, and this remains the case.
On 7 March 2007 the Border and Immigration Agency published its enforcement strategy “Enforcing the Rules”. This strategy sets out how the Border and Immigration Agency intends to make it increasingly difficult for individuals to continue to reside in the UK when they have no lawful basis to do so. Copies of the document are in the Libraries of both Houses. It is also available to view at:
House of Commons Commission
Constituencies: Telephones
Stephen Williams: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many constituency office telephone accounts are settled by the Fees Office; and what estimate the Commission has made of the potential costs of the imposition of a £4.50 non-direct debit charge per account by BT. [156488]
Helen Goodman: I have been asked to reply.
Members have a choice whether to ask the Department of Finance and Administration to settle constituency telephone accounts, including those for BT, or to pay them direct and reclaim the expenditure. In 2006-07 some 365 hon. Members had one or more accounts settled by the Department of Finance and Administration each of which would in future incur the new quarterly charge. On this basis the annual cost of the imposition of the charge of £4.50 is estimated to be approximately £20,000.
Departments: General Elections
Dan Rogerson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what contingency preparations the House authorities made for the possibility of a general election being held in autumn 2007; and what the costs were of those preparations. [157051]
Nick Harvey: Following the 2005 general election, the House authorities put in place revised arrangements for any future election. In bringing these arrangements to a higher state of readiness for the possibility of an autumn election a number of planning and other meetings were held. The cost of these was the staff time involved. This was not recorded.
Expenditure was incurred on the following:
| £ | |
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Bringing a guidebook for new Members of Parliament to a publication-ready state |
It is planned to use both these documents at the next election whenever it occurs.
Coincidentally, in early October, the House authorities set up part of the temporary accommodation which is planned to be used by new Members immediately after an election. This activity had been scheduled for several months as a test of part of the post-election arrangements. The cost was £6,085.
International Development
Democratic Republic of Congo: Minerals
Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what representations his Department has made to urge the Congolese Government to ensure that the current review process for mineral concessions and contracts in Democratic Republic of Congo is carried out effectively and transparently; [155670]
(2) what representations his Department has made to the Congolese Government in relation to the participation of civil society and parliament in the review process for mineral concessions and contracts in Democratic Republic of Congo. [155671]
Mr. Thomas: DFID and the FCO have raised concerns about the transparency of the review of mineral concessions with the relevant DRC authorities on numerous occasions. My colleague, Baroness Vadera, raised the mining review with the Vice-Minister of Mines during her recent visit to Kinshasa, and underlined the importance of transparency. We are not directly involved in the work of the DRC Government Commission which is undertaking the mining review, but fully recognise its importance for the future of the minerals sector. The review is vital for public confidence in DRC and investor confidence globally. While we believe that it is for the DRC Government to decide who should be involved in the review process, we will continue to use our channels with government, the private sector and civil society to push for the commission to carry out its work in the most transparent way possible.
Developing Countries
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's strategy is for (a) low-income countries and (b) middle-income countries. [155728]
Mr. Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) set out what the UK Government will do to reduce world poverty over the next five years in DFID's White Paper: Making governance work for the poor http://www.dfid.gov.uk/wp2006/ for both low income countries (LICs) and middle income countries (MICs).
DFID's commitment to MICs can be found in more detail in the middle income countries strategy 2005-2008
Under DFID's public service agreement (PSA) 2005-2008 the Department planned to allocate 90 per cent. of its bilateral programme to LICs to support them in reaching the millennium development goals (MDGs). DFID is meeting its objective.
International Assistance
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will ensure that his Department measures progress towards Millennium Development Goal 1 against malnutrition rates as well as income. [155920]
Mr. Malik: Progress on all Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is measured annually by a set of indicators produced by the United Nations (UN). DFID draws on these data to monitor progress on all MDG targets and sub-targets, including progress on malnutrition rates.
Justice
Burglary and Drugs: Suffolk
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what proportion of those convicted for burglary committed in Suffolk were given a custodial sentence in each of the last 10 years; [156764]
(2) what proportion of those convicted for supplying illegal drugs in Suffolk were given a custodial sentence in each of the last 10 years. [156765]
Mr. Hanson: The information requested is in the following table. It relates to persons sentenced in Suffolk. However, it is not possible to say from statistics held centrally how many of the offences were committed in Suffolk.
2006 data will be available towards the end of the year.
Departments: ICT
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of buying new (a) laptops, (b) mobile telephones and (c) personal digital assistant devices for new Ministers in his Department following each Cabinet reshuffle since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [156744]
Bridget Prentice: If laptops are allocated to Ministers, they are usually from a central pool held within the Ministry’s central IT Department, and are returned to the pool when no longer required for re-allocation.
There were no purchases of laptops, mobile telephones or personal digital assistant devices for new Ministers following the Cabinet reshuffle earlier this year. Information prior to the latest reshuffle is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Driving Offences
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many (a) people (i) over the age of 60, (ii) over the age of 25 and (iii) under the age of 25 years, (b) men and (c) women holding a full UK driving licence were convicted of (A) speeding offences and (B) dangerous driving in (1) Jarrow constituency, (2) South Tyneside, (3) the north-east and (4) England and Wales in each year since 1997; [156037]
(2) how many people (a) over and (b) under the age of 25 who did not hold a full UK driving licence were convicted of dangerous driving offences in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the north-east and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997. [156662]
Maria Eagle: Information held centrally by my Department on convictions for motoring offences does not identify whether the offender held a UK or other driving licence (full or provisional). Possession of a licence can only be inferred through the nature of specific offences such as driving while disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence, or failing to produce a driving licence. Information is available at police force area level only.
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