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29 Apr 2008 : Column 323W—continued
Gaza: Overseas Aid
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of unplanned financial expenditure incurred by his Department and its implementing agencies in providing assistance to Gaza since the imposition of access restrictions from June 2007. [202316]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) provides its humanitarian assistance through partner agencies such as the UN Relief Works Agency and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The UK also makes a substantial contribution to the World Food Programme's central budget. For these implementing agencies, the partial closure of Gaza's crossings has significantly increased the time and costs involved in importing humanitarian supplies into Gaza. Verified estimates are unavailable, although the World Food Programme has calculated that additional costs created by Israel's food clearance procedures will reach $6 million over the two years from September 2007 to August 2009. As the situation deteriorates, we expect these costs to rise.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Government or their implementing agencies have faced delays in importing humanitarian items into Gaza in the last 12 months. [202317]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Movement and access restrictions are constricting the flow of urgent humanitarian goods and staff, as well as increasing the cost of humanitarian transfers. The frequency and size of those transfers that do make it into Gaza are insufficient to meet the humanitarian needs of the population.
The UK continues its diplomatic efforts to ease the situation and we condemn the violence from both sides. DFID is considering support for a UN access cell to facilitate the access of humanitarian staff and goods through the crossing.
River Nile: Climate Change
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) funded on (i) the likely effects of climate change on water levels in the River Nile and (ii) the likely consequences of such changes on the region. [201316]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) has commissioned no research directly on the impact of climate change on water levels in the Nile and the likely consequences on the region. However, we support the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), a partnership of nine of the 10 countries that share the Nile, which seeks to ensure that the water resources of the Nile are equitably and sustainably managed. The NBI is looking at climate change as part of broader work to predict variations in water availability and the potential of that variability on the region.
The NBI is supported by a number of donors and DFID has contributed £14 million to this programme since 2004.
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks: Public Order Offences
Mr. Ellwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) cautioned, (b) prosecuted and (c) given a penalty notice for disorder for failing to comply with a request
from police (i) not to consume alcohol in an alcohol consumption designated public place and (ii) for failing to surrender alcohol in their possession in each of the last 10 years. [191314]
Mr. Coaker: The number of persons issued with a caution, penalty notice for disorder (PND), and proceeded against at magistrates courts for failing to comply with a request from police not to consume alcohol in an alcohol consumption designated public place, and for failing to surrender alcohol in their possession in England and Wales for 2006 can be viewed in the following tables.
| Number of persons issued with a penalty notice for disorder for the offence Consumption of alcohol in public place in England and Wales for the year 2006( 1,2,3,4) | |
| Consumption of alcohol in public place | |
| (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statute: Consume alcohol in designated public place, contrary to requirement by constable not to do so. S.12 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (3) The above PND offence also covers the offence Fail to surrender intoxicating liquor to constable (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice | |
Alcoholic Drinks: Young People
Chris Huhne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) on premises and (b) off premises licences were (i) suspended and (ii)
revoked for selling alcohol to people under the age of 18 years in each of the last five years, broken down by police area. [197363]
Jacqui Smith: This information is not held centrally.
Prior to the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 which came into force on 25 November 2005, data on the number of liquor licences issued under the Licensing Act 1964 (the 1964 Act) in England and Wales were collected by petty sessional divisions (magistrates courts areas), on a three yearly basis. The previous set of data relating to the 1964 Act covered the triennial renewal process when 273 on-licensed and 81 off-licensed premises had their licences revoked in England and Wales between July 2003 and June 2004. These data do not indicate the reason for revocation which could include premises having simply ceased trading. These data are not available broken down by police area.
The first DCMS Statistical Bulletin on Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment, under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003, was published on 8 November 2007. This shows that, between April 2006 and March 2007, there were 675 completed reviews which resulted in 92 licences being revoked and 91 being suspended (based upon a 85 per cent. response rate from licensing authorities). The data do not indicate the reason for revocation or suspension, nor by type of licensed premises. Licences may be revoked on review for one or more reasons relating to the four licensing objectives, including sales of alcohol to children.
There were also 37 personal licences revoked, suspended or declared forfeit by the courts in 2006-07 (80 per cent. response rate). The loss of personal licence could relate to conviction for any one of a number of relevant offences, including the sale of alcohol to children.
Animal Experiments
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to determine which of the four categories of suffering set out in the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 specific scientific procedures come under. [201454]
Meg Hillier: The criteria used to assign severity limits to regulated procedures are set out in paragraphs 5.40 to 5.42 of the Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (HC321). Copies of the guidance have been placed in the House Library.
Anti-terrorism Control Orders
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals who absconded while subject to a control order under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 have since been located. [200921]
Jacqui Smith:
In relation to the total number of individuals who absconded while subject to a control order that have been located, I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to written ministerial statements in relation to control orders published on 11 December
2006, 16 January 2007, 22 March 2007, 24 May 2007, 21 June 2007, 17 September 2007, 12 December 2007 and 10 March 2008. These statements give as much information as we can provide about the individuals concerned given the national security sensitivities of these cases and the need to avoid publishing any information that could lead to the identification of an individual who is subject to an anonymity order.
Asylum
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of failed asylum seekers in the UK. [200546]
Jacqui Smith: Since the phasing out of embarkation controls in 1994, no Government has been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who are in the country illegally and that includes failed asylum seekers. By its very nature it is impossible to quantify accurately and that remains the case.
As part of the Government's 10-point plan for delivery, by Christmas 2008 the majority of foreign nationals will be counted in and out of the country. This is part of a very wide ranging programme of border protection which also includes the global roll-out of fingerprint visas, compulsory watch-list checks for all travellers from high-risk countries before they land in Britain and ID cards for foreign nationals.
Asylum: Children
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the report of the Children's Commissioner, published on 3 March 2008, insofar as it relates to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children; whether she plans to take steps to address such issues; and if she will make a statement. [197487]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 31 March 2008]: The UK Border Agency is carefully considering the report and, before responding formally to each of the recommendations, has met representatives of the Children's Commissioner on 3 April. Work to improve the arrangements for unaccompanied asylum seeking children has already addressed a number of the report's recommendations.
BAE Systems
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what requests the Government have received from the US Department of Justice to assist in its investigation into BAe Systems; and if she will make a statement; [198012]
(2) what provisions have been made by the Government to assist the US Department of Justice in its investigation into BAe Systems; and if she will make a statement. [198013]
Meg Hillier:
I refer the hon. Member to previous answers provided on this matter. I can confirm that the Home Office has received a request for assistance from the USA in respect of corruption allegations concerning BAE Systems. The request is being dealt
with in accordance with the bi-lateral treaty on mutual legal assistance between the UK and the USA. It would be inappropriate to comment further.
Border and Immigration Agency: Finance
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget of the UK Border Agency is for each of the next three years; how much has been spent on its establishment; and what criteria she proposes to use to assess its effectiveness. [199148]
Jacqui Smith: The UK Border Agency was established in shadow form on 1 April 2008. The 2008-09 budget is detailed in the Business plan with total spend of £2,059 million. This budget excludes the transfer from HMRC which is not yet finalised. Future year budgets are not yet finalised.
Targets and milestones for the UKBA for the period 2008-11 are set out in the agency's business plan which was published earlier this month.
Border and Immigration Agency: Manpower
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) staff and (b) immigration officers are to be employed in the UK Border Agency in 2008-09. [199147]
Jacqui Smith: The number of staff employed by the former Borders and Immigration Agency was 18,246 at the end of February 2008. On 1 April 2008, 2,303 staff transferred from. UK Visas. More than 4,000 further staff are expected to join UKBA from HM Revenue and Customs and the final staff total is expected to be around 25,000.
British Nationality: Armed Forces
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-British citizens who served with British services in (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan and (c) other military campaigns have subsequently (i) applied for British citizenship, (ii) been granted and (iii) not been granted British citizenship. [197284]
Mr. Byrne: This information is not available, as the details requested are not supplied by the applicant when making an application for British citizenship.
Cannabis
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what types of cannabis were seized by police in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what estimate she has made of the percentage of cannabis seized which was skunk, home grown or sinsemilla in each year. [200037]
Mr. Coaker: The Home Office collects and publishes figures on seizures by the police in England and Wales of cannabis (herbal), cannabis resin and cannabis plants. Figures for the years 2001 to 2005 (the most recent published period) are shown in the following table.
The Home Office has undertaken a project to identify the market share of sinsemilla to other forms of cannabis (resin and traditional imported cannabis products) and their respective mean tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinoid (CBD) content. The findings of this project, which have been shared with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs as part of its review of the classification of cannabis, will be published in due course. However, an early finding from samples submitted over a three month period in 2007-08 by a number of police forces in England and Wales suggests that sinsemilla accounts for 80 per cent. of the market share of police seizures.
| Number and quantity of police( 1) seizures of cannabis by type( 2) , England and Wales, 2001-05 | |||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005s | |
| (1) Includes seizures by the National Crime Squad, but not joint operations with HM Revenue and Customs. (2) Categorisation of drug type broadly follows the lists scheduled in the Misuse of Drugs Acts. (3) The totals are lower than the sum of the constituent parts, as some seizures contain more than one drug type. (4) These drug types have been converted from other units using standard conversion factors. These factors were revised in 2005, so 2005 weighed quantities should not be compared with those for previous years. (5) Increases in cannabis seizures in 2005 are thought to be associated with the introduction of cannabis warnings on 1 April 2004. | |||||
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