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29 Sep 2008 : Column 2347W—continued
Illegal Immigrants
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suspected illegal immigrants have been apprehended in British waters as a result of boarding inspections carried out by boats used by (a) the UK Border Agency and (b) other agencies in each year since 1997. [220117]
Mr. Byrne: The information requested could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many known overstayers (a) were deported, (b) were removed, (c) left of their own accord and (d) had no action taken against them in the last 12 months. [223415]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 10 September 2008]: The information requested on known overstayers could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost. No Government have ever been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who are in the country illegally. 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 December.2008 the majority of foreign nationals will be counted in and out of the country. This is part of a sweeping 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.
On 19 June 2008, the Government set out its plans to more robustly enforce the immigration rules including the removal of those not entitled to be here. Copies of the document are placed in the Library of the House. It is also available to view at:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/?requestType=form&;view=Search+results&simpleOrAdvanced =simple&page=1&contentType=All&searchTerm=enforcing+the+deal &Submit=Go
Illegal Immigrants: Aviation
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fines her Department issued to airlines for carrying illegal immigrants into the UK in the last 12 months; and which airlines were fined. [223331]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 10 September 2008]: Under Section 40 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (as amended by the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002), air and sea carriers are liable to a fixed charge of £2,000 for each inadequately documented passenger brought to the UK.
Between 31 August 2007 and 1 September 2008 a total of 2,767 charges were imposed on 163 different carriers. I am unable to disclose details of individual carriers for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
Immigration
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what service standards for the processing of leave to remain applications are in place. [219430]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is as follows:
General Casework Leave to Remain and Employment Leave to Remain
Our current published service standards for deciding charged applications are:
Applications made by post: we aim to decide 70 per cent. of applications within four weeks (20 working days) and 90 per cent. within 14 weeks (70 working days).
Applications made in person: we aim to decide 90 per cent. within 24 hours.
Immigration Officers: Pay
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much sick pay was paid to immigration officers in each of the last five years; and what proportion of the immigration officer staffing budget this amount represented in each of those years. [218893]
Mr. Byrne: The figures cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
Immigration Rules
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria she used to determine which of the 19,000 foreign nationals, dealt with as old cases, have been granted leave to remain; how many of these have previous convictions either in the UK or another country; what checks were made in the UK, or sought in other countries, in respect of such convictions; how many of these foreign nationals have dependants who are eligible for, or have received, leave to remain; if she will break down the 19,000 foreign nationals by (a) nationality and (b) type of case; and if she will make a statement. [176053]
Mr. Byrne
[holding answer 7 January 2008]: Individuals' entitlement to stay in the UK is considered in accordance with the immigration rules. Before entitlement to stay is
confirmed, including for any dependants aged 10 or over, details are checked against the Police National Computer to establish whether there is a criminal record. The checking process may also indicate if an individual is wanted for crimes outside the UK.
The cases of any individuals with a serious criminal conviction are considered as a high priority. Any outstanding applications may be refused and consideration will be given to deportation.
Obtaining figures on the number of applicants and dependants with criminal convictions would be possible only by examination of individual files and this would incur disproportionate cost.
The original figure of 19,000 has now been updated and the breakdown of the figures you have requested is contained in the UK Border Agency Chief Executive's letter, dated 23 July 2008, updating the Home Affairs Select Committee, copies of which are in the House Library.
Immigration: Armed Forces
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account is taken of gallantry awards for service in the armed forces in determining applications for settlement in the UK. [206167]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 16 May 2008]: Discretion may be exercised to waive certain requirements of the immigration rules applicable to former members of the armed forces, including the requirement for an application for indefinite leave to be made within two years of the date of discharge. Discretion may be exercised in individual cases if there are strong reasons why settlement in the UK is appropriate and account is taken of all relevant factors. Gallantry awards may be one factor in whether discretion is exercised.
Internet: Security
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department’s budget for cyber-security measures is. [201676]
Mr. Byrne: The Home Office takes cyber-security very seriously. It is an integral part of every Home Office IT system but is not costed separately, hence it is not feasible to give a total budget figure.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer the letter to her dated 29 May 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Viviea Duhaned. [218873]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 21 July 2008.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to the hon. Member for Walsall, North's letter of 8 July 2008 on a constituent, reference M12920/8; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply. [223189]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 10 September 2008]: I have asked for further details on the case to be obtained by visa staff in New Delhi, and will reply to the letter by 30 September. I apologise for the delay.
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letters of 26 February, 4 March and 4 June from the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling regarding Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kelly. [224005]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 17 September 2008]: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 16 September 2008.
National Security: Entry Clearances
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been (a) deported and (b) excluded from the UK on national security grounds since August 2005, broken down by quarter. [224123]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 17 September 2008]: The figures are as follows:
| Number | |
| (1) From August 2005 | |
Neighbourhood Wardens: Foreign Workers
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the non-UK citizens who do not have a right to work in the UK but are licensed to work in the security industry by the Security Industry Authority have been accredited to perform community safety functions under the Police Reform Act 2002. [223146]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 10 September 2008]: The Home Office does not collect data centrally on individual accreditations made under the Police Reform Act 2002.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department has issued on the accreditation of (a) EU and (b) non-EU citizens under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme; what checks her Department performs to establish whether applicants from overseas have criminal records in countries other than the UK; and what estimate she has made of the number of foreign nationals accredited under the scheme to date. [223147]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 10 September 2008]: The Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have both produced guidance on Community Safety Accreditation Schemes (CSAS). The guidance is available on the Home Office website at:
Community Safety Accreditation Schemes are established at the discretion of chief constables and, as the ACPO guidance makes clear, it is the chief constable who decides on the checks required of a person seeking accreditation. The Home Office does not collect data centrally on individual accreditations made under the Police Reform Act 2002.
Offenders: Deportation
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 1,013 foreign nationals released from prison without being considered for deportation originally identified as (a) the more serious and (b) the most serious cases (i) have been deported, (ii) have been granted leave to remain in the UK, (iii) are outstanding cases and (iv) have yet to be located. [206264]
Mr. Byrne: The chief executive of the UK Border Agency has regularly written to the Home Affairs Committee in order to provide the most robust and accurate information available on the deportation of foreign national prisoners. Her letter of 23 July has been placed in the House Library.
Passports: China
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will introduce measures to ensure that all passport details of unaccompanied children travelling on flights from China and Vietnam are sent to the Immigration Office of the UK airport prior to the aircraft's arrival; and if she will make a statement. [182075]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 28 January 2008]: The majority of passengers travelling on flights from China and Vietnam to the United Kingdom are likely to be visa nationals. Biometrics are taken from all visa nationals over the age of five as part of the entry clearance process. The passport details and biometric information is available to immigration staff working at ports of entry.
In addition to this UKBA—the Uk Border Agency—has a network of airline liaison officers (ALOs) based in key source and transit locations which are targeted by those who may seek to abuse the UK's immigration controls. ALOs provide a comprehensive programme of formal training for carriers in UK passport and visa requirements and forgery awareness. This training incorporates a session about the smuggling and trafficking of children and adults, and the means of identifying vulnerable children and their traffickers by their demeanour and the documents they may present.
Finally, the e-Borders Programme will check and screen against watchlists 60 per cent. of all passenger and crew movements, including children, in and out of the UK by December 2009, 95 per cent. by December 2010 and 100 per cent. by 2014.
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