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25 Nov 2008 : Column 1253W—continued
Hizb ut-Tahrir
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the threat posed to UK security by Hizb ut-Tahrir. [219351]
Jacqui Smith: Although I am unable to comment on intelligence matters, I can confirm that Hizb ut-Tahrir, along with other organisations which cause us concern, is kept under continuous review. As and when new material comes to light it is considered and the organisation reassessed as part of that process.
Human Trafficking
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken in support of the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking; what steps have been taken in the UK as a result of the UK high level delegation's participation in the Vienna Forum on the Global Initiative held on 12 to 15 February 2008; and if she will make a statement. [219357]
Jacqui Smith: Human trafficking is largely a cross border crime and the UK recognises the need for effective international collaboration to tackling this horrendous problem. The UK Government have supported UN.GIFT from the outset. The formal launch took place in London on 26 March 2007 at which my hon. Friend the Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism and Policing spoke on behalf of the Government. The UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking provides an important forum to discuss and facilitate global action against trafficking.
The Vienna Forum, at which my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Policing, Crime and Security also spoke, delivering a keynote speech, provided an excellent opportunity to outline the UK's approach to tackling
human trafficking and to develop new relationships and enhance existing ones with international partners.
Recommendations from the Vienna Forum discussions are reflected in the UK Action Plan on Human Trafficking and are being taken forward as part of our on-going work. Examples include, further demonstrating our existing commitment to adopting a victim-centred, human rights approach to preventing and combating human trafficking by ratifying the Council of Europe Convention, which we are on-track to do by the end of the year; conducting research and analysis into the nature and extent of trafficking through the Police and the UK Human Trafficking Centre; on-going co-operation at operational level at home and abroad between key agencies like SOCA and its counterparts and at home between SOCA, the UKHTC, police, Government departments and NGOs especially in terms of investigations and victim identification; and continuation of the 'Blue Blindfold' awareness campaign led by the UK Human Trafficking centre.
Human Trafficking: Romania
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with (a) other EU member states and (b) EU institutions on the trafficking of Roma children from other EU member states to the UK. [234430]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 10 November 2008]: We are very concerned about the trafficking of Roma children from certain EU member states by organised criminal networks for the purpose of criminal exploitation.
In addition to targeted operations led by the Metropolitan Police Service to bring the traffickers to justice, officials are working with the Romanian embassy in London to agree a protocol for the safe return of trafficked children where it is in their best interests.
On 1 September 2008, the Metropolitan Police Service signed an agreement with Romania, setting up a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Human Trafficking. This is the first such JIT on human trafficking in Europe.
No direct discussions have been held with EU institutions on this issue.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the extent of trafficking of Roma children from other EU member states to the UK; and if she will make a statement. [234431]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 10 November 2008]: Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Police Service estimated that more than 200 Roma children were being exploited in London and other locations in the UK by Romanian organised crime gangs. The Romanian police have identified 1,300 children whom they believe have been trafficked from Romania to western Europe for criminal exploitation.
Identity Cards
Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2008, Official Report, column 44W, on identity cards, where a single transaction creates an audit trail relating
to more than one of the three biometric, biographical and administrative databases, whether the multiple audit trails will be brought together to create a fourth separate audit trail record to show what checks have taken place against a single transaction. [220294]
Meg Hillier: The Identity and Passport Service is currently in the process of procuring the different systems that will enable the establishment of the national identity register. This process will involve the creation of varying systems design from participating bidders on the basis of outcome-based requirements. They can propose a number of different technical solutions to deliver such requirements. As a result, the detailed manner in which the relevant systems will work together in order to combine, when necessary, information from different audit records on each system has not been finalised.
Identity Cards: Contracts
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the expected delivery dates are for IT contracts in relation to the identity card scheme, including those that have been awarded and those that are yet to be awarded. [224718]
Jacqui Smith: The following table sets out the expected award dates for the IT enabled services contracts that have either been awarded or being procured. In the case of the ‘Application and Enrolment’ and ‘National Biometric Identity Service’, services will begin with transition of existing contracts before future capabilities to support the passport or identity card process commence.
| Contract | Award |
Immigrants: English Language
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department had discussions with the Department for Children, Schools and Families or the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on ETS before the decision to approve ETS’s Test of English as a Foreign Language for use within the United Kingdom immigration system. [220791]
Mr. Woolas: The selection of organisations to provide independent assessment of an applicant’s English Language skills for Immigration purposes has no impact on, or relevance to, either the Department for Children, Schools and Families or the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
Consequently it was not considered necessary to consult either department before the decision was taken to approve ETS’s Test of English as a Foreign Language for use within the United Kingdom immigration system.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what references her Department obtained in order to verify the record of ETS’s past performance in delivering the Test of English as a Foreign Language before the decision to approve ETS’s Test of English as a Foreign Language for use within the United Kingdom immigration system; [220793]
(2) what assessment was made of ETS’s previous record of delivery of the Test of English as a Foreign Language before the decision to approve ETS’s Test of English as a Foreign Language for use within the United Kingdom immigration system. [220794]
Mr. Woolas: The UK Border Agency under took an assessment exercise to ensure that all the tests included on the list of approved English Language tests for tier 1 satisfied our required standards of assessment and test security. In support of their application, ETS provided information on:
Award security features
Test methodologies
Test security
Test verification procedures
How ETS mapped their test to the Common European Framework Reference for Languages: Learning, Training, assessment (CEFR)
How ETS train their test markers and how marking standards are set
The bona fides of their organisation
The results of ETS’s English language tests are recognised by employers and institutions the world wide. However, the actual procurement of testing services is between ETS and the individual applicant taking their test.
Immigration: Biometrics
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether foreign nationals who are issued with biometric immigration documents before the National Identity Register has been established will have their details entered on the Register when it has been set up. [237726]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 20 November 2008]: Foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control and apply for biometric immigration documents before the national identity register is established will not have to enter their biometric details onto the register. However, once biometric immigration documents are designated under the Identity Cards Act 2006, foreign nationals applying for a designated biometric immigration document will be required to provide their details for the register.
Immigration: Fees and Charges
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the fees are for applications made in person at public inquiry offices for (a) indefinite leave to remain and (b) leave to remain. [219428]
Jacqui Smith: The level of fees for immigration applications is publicly available; they are published on the UKBA website at the following link:
A copy of the web page is available in the Library.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to the letter of 11 April from the hon. Member for Warley on Mr. Runjit Singh. [213600]
Mr. Woolas: My predecessor wrote to the hon. Member on 18 June 2008.
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letters of 1 August, 18 August and 17 October 2008 from the hon. Member for Congleton on behalf of her constituent Mr. J Burt. [236242]
Mr. Coaker: We have had to consult on this and I shall reply to the hon. Member shortly.
National Anti-Fraud Network
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role local authorities will have in the National Anti-Fraud Network. [236495]
Mr. McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
The National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) is funded by subscriptions from local authorities and exists to provide them with data, intelligence and best practice services. As of March 2008, 370 local authorities subscribed to this service.
National Policing Information Agency: Correspondence
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the National Policing Information Agency plans to respond to the letter of 1 September 2008 from Lingotran Ltd of Christchurch. [237185]
Mr. Coaker [holding answer 18 November 2008]: The National Policing Improvement Agency responded to the letter from Lingotran Ltd of Christchurch on 21 November 2008.
Offences Against Children
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports of child abuse were made to the police in the year ending March (a) 2004, (b) 2005, (c) 2006, (d) 2007 and (e) 2008. [237701]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The recorded crime statistics are based on legal definitions and the available statistics relate to offences recorded by the police. Statistics for the relevant recorded offences where the victim can be identified as a child are given in table 1.
Data for table 2 have been extracted from the Homicide Index and give the number of offences recorded as homicide where the age of the victim is under 16 and the apparent circumstances of killing is child/sexual abuse.
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