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14 Oct 2008 : Column 1054W—continued
Powers of Entry
James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation sponsored by his Department has (i) amended and (ii) enhanced existing powers of entry since May 1997. [222035]
Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Home Department (Mr. Coaker) on 7 October 2008, Official Report, column 577W. Of the legislation he referred to, my Department has sponsored the following:
(1) The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000; and
(2) The Finance Act 2003.
(1) The Money Laundering Regulations 2007 (SI 2157/2007);
(2) The Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2007 (SI 3298/2007); and
(3) The Biofuels and Other Fuel Substitutes (Payment of Excise Duties etc.) Regulations 2004.
Public Expenditure
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government’s factual paper on the Barnett formula will be published. [226929]
Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr (Adam Price) on 21 July 2008, Official Report, column 729W.
Public Sector: Pensions
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a document containing the underlying assumptions for the Government's latest estimate of total public service pension scheme liabilities. [215382]
Yvette Cooper: The underlying assumptions for the Government's latest estimate of total unfunded public service scheme liabilities are explained in paragraph 4.14 of the March 2008 Long Term Public Finance Report, in particular Box 4.3 on page 38, published on Budget day.
This document can be found here:
Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new public sector pensions were opened in each of the last 10 years. [226164]
Yvette Cooper: Membership data on individual public sector pension schemes is available in their published resource accounts.
Taxation: Aviation
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance his Department has issued to airline companies on the refunding of tax on unused airline tickets. [225819]
Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the former Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West (Mr. Brady) on 7 October 2008, Official Report, column 591W.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
China: Taiwan
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to facilitate the development of relations between Taiwan and mainland China since the election of President Ma in March 2008. [221703]
Bill Rammell: On 22 March my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary publicly encouraged increased dialogue between China and Taiwan to resolve differences, with a view to finding a peaceful solution to the Taiwan question acceptable to the people on both sides of the Strait. We have taken every opportunity since then to convey these views to the Chinese government, and through unofficial channels, to the Taiwanese authorities. We have given strong support to EU statements to the same end.
We have also encouraged both sides to find solutions to allow Taiwan's greater participation in selected multilateral forums where this is important to global interests. In particular, we look forward to a solution before next year's World Health Assembly which will allow Taiwan's more effective participation in the global health safety net.
Diplomatic Service: Tolls
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries' diplomatic missions have indicated to his Department that they will not pay the London congestion charge. [223471]
Gillian Merron: The diplomatic missions of the following countries have indicated that they will not pay the London congestion charge:
Austria;
Belgium;
Belarus;
Bulgaria;
Cameroon;
Cyprus;
Czech Republic;
Denmark;
Finland;
France;
Germany;
Greece;
Hungary;
India;
Japan;
Kenya;
Latvia;
Lithuania;
Malta;
Mexico;
Moldova;
Poland;
Romania;
Russia;
Slovak Republic;
Slovenia;
Spain;
Uganda;
USA.
Pakistan: Detainees
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 13 September 2006, Official Report, column 2317W, what recent steps the High Commission in Karachi has taken to gain consular access to Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh; what recent reports he has received on the progress of Mr Sheikh's case; and if he will make a statement. [222505]
Bill Rammell: Our high commission in Islamabad has continued to make representations to the national and provincial authorities in Pakistan with regard to gaining consular access to Mr. Sheikh. Consular staff in Karachi are in contact with Mr. Sheikh's lawyer about progress on his case.
Republic of Ireland: Personal Savings
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to lodge a formal complaint at the European Commission against the government of Ireland’s decision to guarantee all Irish savings deposits. [225412]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
The Government continue to be engaged in discussion with the Irish authorities, other member states, and the European Commission on issues relating to deposit guarantee schemes in the EU, including the recent meeting of EU Finance Ministers (ECOFIN) which took place in Luxembourg on 7 October. The Irish government has recently announced that certain subsidiaries of foreign banks would be able to join this scheme.
Home Department
Antisocial Behaviour
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the one day count of antisocial behaviour published in September 2003, whether her Department has conducted a more recent study of the number of daily reported incidents of anti-social behaviour in England and Wales. [221473]
Jacqui Smith: The Home Office has not conducted a recent study on the number of daily reported incidents of antisocial behaviour in England and Wales.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government have taken to encourage local authorities to assist in reducing antisocial behaviour. [225338]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 9 October 2008]: We have provided practitioners with a wide range of tools and powers to tackle antisocial behaviour, issued guidance on their use, provide information through a practitioner website and set up a free telephone advice line to provide specific support on individual problems. We also deliver regional workshops to help local practitioners make the best use of the available tools and powers.
Asylum
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many asylum seekers' applications had been outstanding for (a) six months to one year, (b) one to two years, (c) two to three years, (d) three to four years, (e) four to five years, (f) five to six years, (g) six to seven years, (h) seven to eight years, (i) eight to nine years, (j) nine to 10 years and (k) more than 10 years on 31 December in each of the last 11 years; [224550]
(2) how many outstanding asylum seekers’ applications there were on 31 December in each of the last 11 years. [224555]
Mr. Woolas: The following table shows the number of cases awaiting initial decision at the end of the year for 1997 to 2007.
Cases awaiting initial decision at end of year(1)(, 2)
This information is available from Table 1.1 in the annual Statistical Bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2007 for 1998 to 2007
and from table 1.1 in the annual Statistical Bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2006 for 1997
Copies of these publications are available from the Library of the house and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
Information about the length of time that asylum applications have been outstanding can only be obtained at disproportionate cost by examination of each of the individual case records.
(1) Data for 1997 and 1998 are not directly comparable with figures for later years.
(2) Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
| Number of cases awaiting initial decision outcome at end of year | |
| (1) Provisional figures. | |
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it took on average to process an asylum seeker's application in each of the last 11 years. [224554]
Mr. Woolas: Information is available only for average time to initial decision. The following table shows the average time to initial decisions for cases decided between 1997 and 2007. The number of decisions in each year is also shown.
| Average time to initial decision and number of decisions, 1997 to 2007( 1, 2, 3, 4) | ||
| Year of decision | Average time in months | Number of decisions( 5) |
| (1) Excluding dependants. (2) Figures are estimates based on cases for which information is recorded. (3) Prior to 2000 based on data from Refugee Index, and the A-CID database for 2000-07. (4) The average length of time (in months) is calculated from date application is lodged to the date of initial decision, and relates to the year in which the decisions were made. (5) Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. (6) Provisional figures. | ||
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