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6 Dec 2007 : Column 1460W—continued
Crown Dependencies: Immigration
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what UK legislation governs immigration from European Union nations to the United Kingdom via the Channel Islands; and if he will make a statement. [171207]
Mr. Wills: Entry to the Channel Islands is governed by UK immigration legislation extended to the Islands. The Border and Immigration Agency does not operate a border control on passengers arriving from the Channel Islands as this falls within the arrangements set out for the common travel area. The objective of the common travel area (the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland) is that all the territories should be treated as a single unit for the purpose of travel within the area. Passengers arriving in the United Kingdom from the Channel Islands are, therefore, not normally subject to examination by an immigration officer. Passengers arriving from countries outside the common travel area, including other European Union states, are required to show their passports or identity cards, where appropriate, on each arrival.
Crown Dependencies: Legislation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will review the time taken to promulgate Jersey legislation. [171203]
Mr. Wills: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr. Straw) is content that the existing arrangements for the promulgation of Jersey legislation provides for Her Majesty's Government to give effect to its constitutional responsibilities towards the Island. The time taken reflects the process that has to be undertaken which includes consultation with policy holding departments. The process provides the flexibility to process Jersey legislation on an urgent basis where there is a need to do so.
This process is kept under review.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how the Department obtains the consent of the Crown Dependencies in circumstances where matters within the United Kingdom have legal implications for them. [171205]
Mr. Wills: UK legislation does not normally extend to the Crown Dependencies and is not extended to them without their consent. Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man may, however, request that UK legislation is extended to them and this can then be done through an Order in Council.
Treaties and international agreements are extended to the Crown Dependencies with their consent.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will review current legislation or administrative practices that directly effect the Crown Dependencies with a view to improving police and criminal judicial co-operation between Crown Dependencies and European Union member states. [171206]
Mr. Wills: The Crown Dependencies are autonomous self-governing parliamentary democracies with their own legislatures. Legislation and administrative practices that affect Crown Dependencies are a matter for their respective governments. The governments of the UK and the Crown Dependencies routinely consider shared interests and approaches to improving police and criminal judicial co-operation not just between the UK and the Crown Dependencies but with other jurisdictions, including EU member states.
Crown Dependencies: Prerogative Remedies
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recourse the Government has had to prerogative powers in respect of (a) the Channel Islands and (b) the Isle of Man, in the last 12 months. [171204]
Mr. Wills:
The prerogative powers are used all the time in respect of the Crown Dependencies, most usually in the granting of Royal Assent for insular legislation and in the making of appointments of
Crown Officers. In the past 12 months Royal Assent has been given to 56 Laws for the Channel Islands and eight for the Isle of Man. There has been one new appointment which is that of the new Solicitor-General for Jersey which is still under way.
Crown Dependencies: Prisons
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what responsibility his Department has with regard to the number of available prison spaces in (a) the Isle of Man and (b) the Channel Islands. [171212]
Mr. Wills: The Crown Dependencies, the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey and the Isle of Man, are not part of the UK but are self-governing dependencies of the Crown.
The number of prison spaces in the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands is a matter for the authorities in the islands.
Crown Dependencies: Public Appointments
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Government has any plans to make new Crown appointments on any of the Channel Islands. [171211]
Mr. Wills: The Ministry of Justice is currently taking forward the appointment of the new Solicitor-General of Jersey. There are no other new Crown Appointments scheduled for the immediate future. The timing of the appointment of the majority of Crown Officers in the Crown Dependencies is determined by when their Warrants or Letters Patent expire, or by their retirement from office.
Delivery Services
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which companies are under contract to his Department to provide mail services. [170171]
Maria Eagle: The following companies are under contract to the Ministry of Justice to provide mail services:
DX Services Limited
TNT
Amtrak Express Parcels Limited
Departmental Aviation
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department and its predecessor spent on (a) business and (b) first class air travel in the last 12 months. [171244]
Bridget Prentice:
It is not possible to list the costs spent on (a) business class and (b) first class air travel by the Department in the last 12 months as the
expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department’s accounts and may be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the “Ministerial Code” and “Travel by Ministers”, copies of which are available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. The Cabinet Office has recently published the annual list of Cabinet Ministers overseas travel for 2006-07.
All official travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the “Civil Service Management Code”, a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.
Departmental Travel
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by his Department and its predecessor on first class train tickets in the last 12 months. [171257]
Bridget Prentice: It is not possible to list the costs spent on first class train tickets by the Department in the last 12 months as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department’s accounts and may be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the “Ministerial Code” and “Travel by Ministers”, copies of which are available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. All official travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the “Civil Service Management Code”, a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.
Governance of Britain Document
Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place copies of responses to “The Governance of Britain” document in the Library. [171185]
Mr. Wills: “The Governance of Britain” Green Paper was not a consultation document. However, a number of consultations concerning specific proposals within the Green Paper have since been published.
There are three public consultations that are currently continuing ‘Managing Protest Around Parliament’ (CM 7235); ‘War Powers and Treaties: Limiting Executive Powers’ (CM 7239); and ‘Judicial Appointments’ (CM 7210). They will all close on 17 January 2008.
A consultation on ‘Altering the current guidance on flying the Union Flag from UK Government buildings’ closed on 9 November and a consultation on the ‘Role of the Attorney General’ (CM 7192) closed on 30 November.
Responses to all of these consultations will be published in line with Cabinet Office guidelines and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Hollesley Bay Prison: Prisoners Escape
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners absconded from HM Prison Hollesley Bay in each of the last six years. [169091]
Maria Eagle: The number of absconds from HMP Hollesley Bay in each of the last six years is as follows:
| Number of absconds | |
| (1) Figures recorded for 2007-08 are provisional and subject to change. | |
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice of what crimes those prisoners who have absconded from HM Prison Hollesley Bay in the last six years had been convicted. [169093]
Maria Eagle: Statistics are not available for the year 2002-03, however the main index offences for those who absconded from Hollesley Bay in each of the last five years up to end September 2007 are as follows:
| Crime type | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | Total |
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