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5 Nov 2008 : Column 601W—continued

Fraud: Credit Cards

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded offences of credit card fraud there were in each year since 1997; what the estimated cost was of these offences; and what percentage of these offences resulted in a conviction. [230589]

Mr. Alan Campbell: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Home Office recorded crime statistics cannot separately identify offences specifically relating to credit card fraud. Such offences are encompassed in a larger category of Fraud by False Representation involving Cheque, Plastic Card and Online Bank Accounts. We do incorporate figures on plastic card fraud from the UK Payments Association within our annual crime publication. Their latest figures can be found on page 107 of ‘Crime in England and Wales 2007-08’ which can be accessed at:

Genetics: Databases

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of people with criminal records who do not have records on the national DNA database. [227347]


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Jacqui Smith: The National DNA Database (NDNAD) does not contain any information about criminal records, as this is not necessary for its function of matching DNA from crime scenes with DNA from individuals. Criminal record information is held on the Police National Computer (PNC). Data obtained from the PNC on 31 March 2008 indicate that there were 2,324,879 persons with a record on the PNC added by an English or Welsh force who had a conviction, caution, reprimand or final warning, but no record on NDNAD.

Highly Skilled Migrant Programme

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of students at universities required to pay full fees because of changes to the immigration status of their parents as a result of amendments to the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme. [231587]

Mr. Woolas: Dependants of highly skilled migrants are required to pay full student fees up until the point at which they obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

The November 2006 amendments to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, taken in conjunction with the remedies applied as a result of the successful Judicial Review, did not affect the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain in the UK so therefore did not affect the number of dependants required to pay full fees at UK universities.

Illegal Immigrants: France

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the French government on camps for illegal immigrants. [231727]

Mr. Woolas: On 30 September my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr. Byrne) met with Brice Hortefeux in Paris and discussed the problem of illegal migration in Northern France. They welcomed progress on strengthening border security, deterring irregular migrants from coming to the area and agreed to increase efforts to reduce the numbers of irregular migrants in the area. They restated their shared opposition to a permanent humanitarian centre. The UK looks forward to further cooperation with France on joint returns and information campaigns in countries of source and origin to deter migrants from remaining in Northern France.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were stopped trying to enter the UK through the Channel tunnel in (a) 2007 and (b) 1997. [231728]

Mr. Woolas: Locally-collated management information shows that in 2007, the UK Border Agency prevented 2,974 illegal attempts to enter the UK through the channel tunnel. The UK Border Agency does not hold the relevant reliable statistical information for the period 1997.

The following table shows that since the end of 2001, there has been a 672 per cent. increase in the detection of illegal attempts to enter the UK through the channel tunnel.


5 Nov 2008 : Column 603W
Illegal attempts detected at ports serving the channel tunnel

 Number

2001

(1)385

2002

963

2003

3,396

2004

2,969

2005

2,427

2006

2,160

2007

2,974

(1) Coquelles only

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of (a) immigrant camps in operation on the French coast for people seeking to enter the UK, (b) people in such camps and (c) children in such camps. [231729]

Mr. Woolas: There are no permanent camps in the Calais area since the closure of Sangatte in 2002. The French police regularly intervene to disrupt areas with high numbers of migrants or where such areas threaten to become durable. The number of people sleeping rough in Northern France is believed to vary greatly and are difficult to estimate. However between January and September 2006 there was an 88 per cent. fall in the number of clandestine entrants arriving in Kent compared to the same period in 2002. On the question of children, the French have in place specific procedures for protecting children, and provide particular support to children via their equivalent local authorities in the area.

Immigration Controls

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to consult on the future of the long residence rules, as stated on 7 July. [224695]

Mr. Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 October 2008, Official Report, column 268W.

Immigration: EU Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the UK’s responsibilities are under the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum agreed at the recent meeting of the European Council. [231731]

Mr. Woolas: The Migration Pact is a political statement which reaffirms priorities on immigration and asylum for the EU and member states. It contains statements of principle to which EU member states collectively should have regard in EU policy-making, such as a political commitment to avoid mass regularisation. We welcome the messages on returns, strong borders and combating illegal immigration. We also welcome the emphasis on legal migration that meets the needs of our countries.

The pact is not a legislative text and subsequent proposals for legislation on immigration and asylum resulting from the pact will be subject to the UK’s Opt In Protocol.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions exist in the
5 Nov 2008 : Column 604W
European Pact on Immigration and Asylum to help share the burden of immigration more fairly amongst member states. [231732]

Mr. Woolas: The Migration Pact promotes a number of ways to help show solidarity in dealing with immigration and asylum, including cooperation between member states in controlling illegal immigration. The pact also includes the possibility of continuing arrangements for intra EU relocation of recognised refugees for those member states which are faced with specific and disproportionate pressures on their national asylum systems. Any intra EU relocation of refugees will be on a voluntary basis. The EU Solidarity Mechanism funds will continue to support any burden sharing.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for developing a common asylum and immigration policy as a result of the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum; and if she will make a statement. [231733]

Mr. Woolas: The Migration Pact itself does not lay down a timetable for a common European asylum and immigration policy, but sets out a series of commitments for member states and the EU as a whole.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions have taken place with other EU member states on the proposed blue card immigration system and its potential effect on the UK. [231734]

Mr. Woolas: The blue card directive was discussed, without agreement, at the JHA Council on 25 September. On 22 October the directive was agreed at the COREPER ambassadors meeting and political agreement is likely to be reached at the November JHA Council.

Given that we have decided not to opt into the directive, any movement rights between member states obtained by a third country national through it would not apply to the UK.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed Europe-wide blue card immigration system would supersede existing immigration controls, with particular reference to the points-based immigration system; and if she will make a statement. [231735]

Mr. Woolas: The UK is introducing its points based system as a fundamental part of delivering our improved immigration system. We have concluded that the blue card directive is not as flexible as the PBS. The UK decided not to opt in to the directive. For further details on the blue card I refer the right hon. Member to the Explanatory Memorandum deposited on 11 July 2008.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the scale was of fees for processing applications for (a) indefinite leave to remain and (b) further leave to remain in each of the last three years. [231506]


5 Nov 2008 : Column 605W

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 29 October 2008]: The following table lists the fees for an application made by post for indefinite leave to remain and leave to remain (non-student) in each of the last three years.

£

 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

Indefinite Leave to Remain

335

750

750

Leave to Remain (non-student)

335

595

595


Immigration: Manpower

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of UK Border Agency staff have been allocated to the processing of leave to remain applications in each of the last five years. [231507]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 29 October 2008]: Details of the number of staff allocated to processing leave to remain applications are not held.

Annual estimates of the number of staff allocated to processing charged leave to remain applications are however, made to support production of memorandum trading accounts. The table below provides the estimated proportion of UK Border Agency staff allocated for trading account purposes in each of the last five years:

 Estimated staffing allocated LTR MTA Total UKBA staffing Percentage allocated to charged LTR processing (rounded)

2007-08

1,500

18,100

8

2006-07

1,300

18,800

7

2005-06

1,100

17,200

6

2004-05

1,000

16,900

6

2003-04

900

14,900

6


The figures above are based upon internal management information and may be subject to change.


5 Nov 2008 : Column 606W

Mujahedin-e Khalq

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent meetings she has had with her European counterparts on the subject of the People’s Mujaheddin Organisation of Iran in light of the ruling of the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg in Case T-256/07 on 23 October 2008. [232318]

Mr. Coaker [holding answer 3 November 2008]: The Home Secretary has had no meetings with her European counterparts on the People’s Mujaheddin Organisation of Iran since the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg handed down its ruling in Case T-256/07 on 23 October 2008.

Offensive Weapons

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of offences involving (a) firearms and (b) knives after handing themselves into the police in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (i) offence and (ii) police force area. [229283]

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is not available centrally.

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the detection rate for offences involving knives was in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) offence and (b) police force area. [229399]

Jacqui Smith: The requested data are not collected centrally on the dataset for serious offences involving sharp instruments.

Information available from the Homicide Index relates to offences currently recorded as homicide where a sharp instrument was used and there is a current suspect. Data from 1997-98 up to and including 2006-07 are given in the following table.


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5 Nov 2008 : Column 610W
Offences currently recorded as homicides( 1) where a sharp instrument( 2) was used and there is a current suspect, 1997-98 to 2006-07( 3,4)
Year offence initially recorded as homicide
Police force area Police force name 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07

North East Region

Cleveland

1

1

3

5

3

3

3

3

3

3

Durham

3

2

—

1

2

3

—

2

3

5

Northumbria

11

5

9

5

4

8

8

6

7

10

North West Region

Cheshire

3

3

—

—

3

2

5

3

7

3

Cumbria

2

1

5

3

1

2

1

1

—

—

Greater Manchester

15

14

10

13

23

18

16

15

11

10

Lancashire

6

2

1

15

4

10

12

11

1

4

Merseyside

7

11

6

13

3

10

10

13

10

10

Yorkshire and the Humber Region

Humberside

2

2

2

2

3

5

8

3

1

7

North Yorkshire

1

—

1

—

—

—

1

3

2

—

South Yorkshire

2

2

4

4

5

7

2

7

6

3

West Yorkshire

12

12

7

8

11

12

6

13

11

10

East Midlands Region

Derbyshire

2

1

2

1

4

2

3

2

2

3

Leicestershire

1

1

—

3

2

4

9

3

3

5

Lincolnshire

—

1

2

—

1

2

2

—

—

3

Northamptonshire

2

2

1

3

2

5

1

—

6

6

Nottinghamshire

3

6

5

4

6

3

6

6

7

7

West Midlands Region

Staffordshire

4

4

2

—

1

—

3

3

2

4

Warwickshire

—

2

1

—

1

2

2

3

1

5

West Mercia

3

3

1

3

5

2

5

3

—

3

West Midlands

3

16

14

7

19

15

22

20

21

14

East of England Region

Bedfordshire

3

2

1

2

7

1

1

4

3

3

Cambridgeshire

1

1

4

—

1

2

5

1

2

2

Essex

1

4

9

2

10

7

5

—

4

8

Hertfordshire

2

1

5

4

3

4

3

4

3

6

Norfolk

—

5

2

4

1

—

3

1

1

3

Suffolk

—

—

—

3

2

—

2

2

3

2

London Region

City of London

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Metropolitan Police

57

47

63

63

58

56

56

58

54

56

South East Region

Hampshire

1

3

5

3

7

8

3

7

4

6

Kent

7

3

7

4

10

6

4

4

7

4

Surrey

1

1

1

1

2

1

1

4

3

—

Sussex

4

4

5

5

6

8

2

8

4

2

Thames Valley

7

7

8

3

9

12

3

6

7

5

South West Region

Avon and Somerset

3

4

5

3

3

4

4

3

2

3

Devon and Cornwall

7

5

1

5

6

2

3

10

5

5

Dorset

1

1

1

3

—

3

6

—

—

—

Gloucestershire

1

1

3

—

3

3

2

2

—

2

Wiltshire

2

—

1

—

3

2

2

3

1

1

Wales

Dyfed Powys

—

2

—

1

—

3

—

—

2

1

Gwent

—

1

1

2

2

2

—

4

1

2

North Wales

2

—

2

1

2

3

—

5

2

1

South Wales

9

9

6

3

10

1

3

4

2

7

British Transport Police

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

England and Wales

192

192

206

202

248

243

233

250

214

234

(1) As at 12 November 2007 figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available.
(2) Homicides involving any sharp instrument, including knives.
(3) Offences are shown according to the year in which the police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made.
(4) Data for 2007-08 are scheduled to be published in January 2009.
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