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21 Oct 2008 : Column 264W—continued
Note:
This data is unpublished and should be treated as provisional
Source:
Central Reference System
Foreign Workers: Domestic Service
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 25 June 2008, Official Report, columns 23-24WS, on consultation on visitors (Government report), if she will take steps to ensure that protections which apply to overseas domestic workers in private households are extended to domestic workers in diplomatic households. [222735]
Mr. Woolas: With the introduction of the points based system, all diplomatic missions wishing to employ domestic workers in their diplomatic households will need to seek a place on the UK Border Agency sponsor register. By signing up to the sponsor register, Missions will be agreeing to a number of criteria governing their employment of domestic workers. Private servants that work for foreign diplomats in the UK are protected from potential exploitation by UK law. We expect foreign diplomats to obey our laws and regulations and take seriously any alleged violation by those entitled to immunity. We would take appropriate action if any allegations of exploitation were to be brought to our attention.
Genetics: Databases
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 September 2008, Official Report, column 1866W, on genetics: databases, what proportion of detected crimes in 2007-08 in which DNA evidence was available or played a part were crimes in which the offender had a prior conviction recorded on the Police National Computer. [227219]
Jacqui Smith: Information on the number of crimes detected in 2007-08 in which DNA was available, or played a part, and in which the offender had a prior conviction recorded on the Police National Computer (PNC), is not available from the National DNA Database (NDNAD) or from police force data collected by the Home Office on forensic activity and related detections. The NDNAD holds DNA profiles taken from persons arrested for a recordable offence but does not hold data on their criminal histories; this information is held on the PNC.
Homicide
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Harwich of 5 March 2008, Official Report, column 2670W, on homicide, when she plans to publish an honour-based violence action plan. [227429]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The Association of Chief Police Officers will launch their honour based violence strategy for police forces shortly. A key part of the strategy will be the development of a two-year action plan.
In addition, the Government plan to publish their annual National Domestic Violence Delivery Plan. The plan will set out key actions and initiatives that will be taken forward to address domestic violence in the coming years. This will also include specific workstreams to address honour based violence.
Human Trafficking
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards meeting the Government’s deadline to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Human Trafficking by the end of 2008. [228409]
Mr. Woolas:
Good progress has been made. We are on track to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Human Trafficking (“the Convention”)
by the end of the year. We have made the necessary legislative changes and a Command Paper and supporting documents were laid before Parliament on 7 October setting out the Government’s plan.
Identity Cards: Foreigners
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether biometric information collected from foreign nationals in receipt of identity cards will be destroyed when the individual permanently leaves the UK; [226396]
(2) under what circumstances biometric information collected from foreign nationals applying for identity cards can be removed from Government records. [226397]
Jacqui Smith: Biometric data collected by the Secretary of State will be retained as long as retention of that data is necessary for the specified functions, for example functions under the Immigration Acts or for the prevention or detection of an offence. This applies even if the individual leaves the UK permanently, as it is difficult to anticipate whether a person may return to the UK on another occasion. It is essential to retain this information, for example, to identify those who may seek to abuse immigration control by seeking to return to the UK in a false identity and identify those who are entitled to be here.
The biometric data collected will be destroyed if it is no longer of use for those specified purposes. It will also be destroyed if the person proves that they are a British citizen or a Commonwealth citizen with a right of abode.
The exception to this is where the information is retained in accordance with, and for the purposes of, another enactment (that is, where Parliament has already approved retention of information for a particular purpose).
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the age of six years has been stipulated as the age at which foreign national children must supply fingerprints when obtaining an identity card. [226407]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 13 October 2008]: The requirement for fingerprints to be taken from the age of six comes from EU Regulation 380/2008. The EU Commission agreed to set the minimum age at six years as this is the age at which fingerprints stabilise.
Illegal Immigrants
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 July 2008, Official Report, column 958W, which police forces have not established an immigration crime partnership. [222430]
Mr. Woolas: Immigration crime partnerships are yet to be established with the following police forces/services:
Bedfordshire Police;
City of London Police;
Cumbria Constabulary;
Hertfordshire Constabulary;
Merseyside Police.
There are ongoing negotiations to establish ICP teams in all ACPO regions across the UK which will be made up of officers from forces within that region.
In Scotland Policing is a devolved matter. There is an agreement between UKBA Scotland and the Association of Chief Police Officers of Scotland to set up an ICP team for Scotland and arrangements are in place.
In Northern Ireland the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has not established an immigration crime partnership but there is an agreement that PSNI will tackle immigration crime and immigration related crime.
The agency sits on the Organised Crime Taskforce steering group.
Illegal Immigrants: Employment
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal migrant workers were the subject of enforcement action (a) in each year since 1997 and (b) in each quarter of the last three years; and how many have been deported or otherwise removed from the UK. [222337]
Mr. Woolas: The United Kingdom Border Agency's records details of enforcement operations and arrests going back as far as 2005. To link that data to subsequent enforcement action and successful removals could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
Published information on removals is provided in the quarterly asylum statistics. The most recent figures can be accessed at:
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employers have been made the subject of (a) a civil penalty and (b) a criminal prosecution since the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 came into force; how many of those prosecuted have been convicted; and how many of the employees illegally employed in such cases have been removed from the UK, broken down by sector of the employers concerned. [222338]
Mr. Woolas: There have been 354 notices of liability issued to employers under the civil penalty regime since its introduction on 29 February 2008 until 12 July 2008.
Prosecution proceedings are live in a further 27 cases. And in four cases, these proceedings have been completed and have resulted in a fine for the employer. The data provided are management information. They may be subject to change and do not represent published national statistics.
The United Kingdom Border Agency does not hold data in the format requested on those encountered working illegally and that have been removed from the UK. Published information on removals is provided in the quarterly asylum statistics. The most recent figures can be accessed at:
A copy is available in the House Library.
Immigration Controls
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Hitchen and Harpenden on 7 July 2008, Official Report, column 1247W, when and how she plans to consult on changes to the immigration rules on length of residence rights of access to a child. [222306]
Mr. Woolas: The green paper ‘The Path to Citizenship’ outlined our proposals to create a new clear framework for the journey to citizenship and clarify the routes to British Citizenship/permanent residence.
These proposals will affect all those who would otherwise have sought settlement under the Long Residence Rules or Rules on those seeking to exercise rights of access to a child.
We published the Government's response to the consultation on 14 July. We will not therefore consult further on these two areas but will continue to determine how these two categories will fit within the revised architecture.
Immigration Controls: Aviation
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure that those travelling in (a) private helicopters and (b) very light jets or other private light aircraft do not evade immigration controls. [223052]
Mr. Woolas: The UK Border Agency, working closely with the police, pursues an intelligence-led and risk-based approach to immigration control for flights in the general aviation sector.
Operators or pilots of flights to the UK from abroad submit General Aviation Reports (GARs) which include passenger and crew data. This information is checked against watch lists to inform action by the police and local border offices. This includes meeting arrivals and also unannounced visits to provide information on activities at particular locations.
We will update the GAR system with a new reporting and checking system fully integrated into e-borders. In line with recommendations from the Cabinet Office Review, “Security in a Global Hub”, we are examining other supplementary protective measures.
Immigration: Biometrics
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place to examine and check the (a) fingerprints and (b) irises of (i) persons wishing to enter the UK at (A) an overseas post and (B) the UK border and (ii) persons who have entered the UK. [222705]
Mr. Woolas: The global rollout of the biometric visas programme was completed at the end of 2007. All visa applicants are now required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photographs) when making an application.
We have successfully concluded trials involving the use of biometrics to verify the identity of holders of UK biometric visas seeking entry to the UK. Plans are
being progressed to introduce a scheme in 2009, which will enable the biometric verification of all arriving passengers who have recorded their biometrics with the UK Border Agency. Proposals are also being developed to meet the longer term objective of ensuring that by the end of 2011, all non-EEA nationals have a biometrically enabled, secure, unique identity before being admitted.
Arrangements are currently in place at 10 terminals across four UK airports to examine and check the iris patterns of people wishing to enter the UK.
There are currently no arrangements in place to examine or check the irises of people at overseas posts, or the irises of those who have already entered the UK.
From the 25 November 2008, foreign nationals applying for leave to remain in certain student categories or as spouses, civil partners or unmarried couples will be required to provide biometric features, including a facial image and 10 fingerprints. These will be checked against existing databases for matches. Successful applicants will be issued with an identity card for foreign nationals. This follows on from a pilot which started on the 28 April 2008.
Immigration: Fraud
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forged documents were confiscated at the UK’s borders by (a) the UK Border Agency and (b) UK Visas in 2007-08. [227217]
Jacqui Smith: Due to the vigilance of UK Border Agency staff, between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008 a total of 3,338 fraudulent passports (or other identity documents used in lieu of passports) were detected by UK Border Agency officers at ports of entry. Of this total 1,696 documents were forged, the remainder being counterfeits, fraudulently obtained or being used by an individual seeking to impersonate the rightful holder.
Migration Impact Forum
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have submitted one or more briefing notes to the Migration Impact Forum since it was established. [227218]
Jacqui Smith: No individual police forces have submitted briefing notes to the Migration Impacts Forum. The forum has received a presentation on the impact of migration from a representative of the Association of Chief Police Officers that was informed by discussions with a number of police forces. A representative of ACPO sits on the forum.
Prisoners: Foreigners
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed by the UK Border Agency dedicated specialist team to deal with foreign prisoners not considered for deportation in each month since March 2006; and what the operating costs of this team were in each such month. [227004]
Jacqui Smith: The specialist team dedicated to considering for deportation the 1,013 foreign criminals who were released without consideration for deportation prior to April 2006 form part of the wider Criminal Casework Directorate, which is in turn part of the UK Border Agency. Historical staffing numbers and operational costs are held for the Criminal Casework Directorate, but are not broken down to account for its constituent teams, due to the sharing of administrative and other supportive functions.
Security Guards: Licensing
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her estimate is of the number of security companies in the UK which are potentially subject to the regulation of the Security Industry Authority. [227740]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Exact figures for the number of security companies in the UK are not available. However, the Security Industry Authority estimates that there are in the region of 2,500.
Security companies are not currently required to be regulated by the Security Industry Authority.
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the average number of employees was of companies with Security Industry Authority approved contractor status in (a) 2006, (b) 2007 and (c) the latest date for which data are available; [227741]
(2) how many companies had approved contractor status removed by the Security Industry Authority in (a) 2006, (b) 2007 and (c) 2008 to date; [227742]
(3) how many Security Industry Authority approved contractors there were on (a) 31 December 2006, (b) 31 December 2007 and (c) the latest date for which data are available. [227743]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The following data have been supplied by the Security Industry Authority.
Based on information provided by companies in the course of annual re-registration with the SIA, the total number of staff working for companies with Security Industry Authority approved contractor status in the years in question were as follows:
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