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29 Jan 2009 : Column 818W—continued
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) analysis has been commissioned and (b) research has been carried out by her Department on the likely number of illegal immigrants in the UK since her Department’s online report 58/04, “Sizing the Illegally Resident Population in the UK”. [250070]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 22 January 2009]: 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.
Although it is impossible to determine accurately how many people are in the UK illegally, the Home Office published the report “Sizing the unauthorised (illegal) migrant population in the United Kingdom in 2001” in 2005 as Home Office Online Report 29/05. This was a follow-on report from Online Report 58/04, “Sizing the Illegally Resident Population in the UK”.
A copy of the report is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office’s Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
Illegal Immigrants: Deportation
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants have been deported from the UK in each year since 2004. [246239]
Jacqui Smith: The chief executive of the UK Border Agency has regularly written to the Home Affairs Select Committee in which she has provided all of the most robust and accurate information on the subject of deportation of foreign criminals. In her most recent letter to the Committee, dated 8 December, she advised that the agency had deported or removed over 4,500 foreign criminals and was on track to not only meet but exceed its target of deporting or removing 5,000 foreign criminals in 2008. Copies of her letters are available in the Library of the House.
The UK Border Agency has since confirmed that, according to provisional management information, more than 5,000 foreign criminals were removed or deported in 2008.
Published statistics on immigration and asylum, including removal of illegal immigrants, are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
Immigrants: English Language
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those who have taken the English language test for immigrants have (a) passed and (b) failed the test since its introduction. [251476]
Mr. Woolas: It is assumed that the question refers to the Life in the UK test.
For the period October 2005, when the test was introduced, to October 2008:
69.9 per cent. of tests have resulted in a pass
30.1 per cent. have resulted in a fail.
These figures relate to the number of tests taken and not the number of candidates taking the test as candidates who fail may take the test as many times as they wish.
Note:
Figures provided by Ufi Ltd.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons her Department has decided to exempt foreign footballers bought by British football clubs from completing the English language test for a year; and what other conditions apply exclusively to footballers immigrating to this country. [251477]
Mr. Woolas: There are provisions for sports people under Tier 2 and Tier 5 of the points based system. Those entering under Tier 2: Sport need to meet an English language requirement, while those entering under Tier 5 will not. This is due to the temporary nature of Tier 5. Those entering under the Tier 5: Creative and Sporting sub-category, are granted leave for a maximum of 12 months. These routes are available to all sports.
We have provided arrangements exclusively for footballers to enable them to switch from Tier 5: Creative and Sporting into Tier 2: Sport without having to leave the UK. This is because we have recognised that the tight time scales around the transfer window mean that not all football players will have time to take an English test to prove that they are able to meet the English language requirement for Tier 2: Sport. Therefore they will be able to switch in country from Tier 5 to Tier 2 once they can prove they meet the English language requirement.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what score is required to pass the English language test for immigrants; and what the procedure is when an individual fails the test. [251478]
Mr. Woolas: The pass mark for the ‘Life in the UK test’ is set at around 75 per cent. Applicants failing the test are required to wait a minimum of seven days before they are able to sit the test again. Those who wish to sit the test again need to book a new test date and time with their test centre and pay the test fee again.
Those applicants who feel they did not pass the test because of their level of English have the alternative option of attending an ESOL with citizenship course at their local further education college.
Immigration: Peterborough
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many residents in Peterborough constituency who are (a) Afghan, (b) Iraqi and (c) other non-EEA nationals are awaiting determination in respect of applications for leave to remain; and if she will make a statement. [249283]
Mr. Woolas: The following table details the number of Afghan, Iraqi and other non-EEA nationalities in Peterborough awaiting a decision on their leave to remain application.
The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
| Nationality | Number of cases |
| Note: 1. Data relate to lead applicants only 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest five Source: UKBA Case Information Database | |
Mr. Stewart Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals applied for a marriage visa to enter the United Kingdom from (a) Pakistan and (b) other non-EEA
countries whose intended spouse was resident in Peterborough constituency in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement. [249288]
Mr. Woolas: The requested information is unavailable and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records and therefore at disproportionate cost.
Legal Opinion
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of external legal services engaged by her Department was in 2007-08. [251364]
Mr. Woolas: The Department's expenditure on external legal services is set out in the following table.
| £ | |
This figure does not include the cost to the Home Office of litigation or other legal services provided by the Treasury Solicitor or elsewhere within Government.
Legal costs are incurred in accordance with guidance, issued by Attorney General, on what constitutes core Government business and the use of the private sector for Government legal work.
Contracts for external legal services are awarded on the basis of value for money, in line with the Government's policy on public procurement.
Lunar House
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to provide facilities at Lunar House for all queuing to take place indoors. [252317]
Mr. Woolas: Planning is currently under way for the area beneath Lunar house to be enclosed, providing a safe and secure queuing area for customers attending both the public inquiry office and the asylum screening unit.
Members: Correspondence
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer question 243517 on identity card verification at her Department's agencies, tabled on 9 December 2008. [250422]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 27 January 2009]: I replied to the hon. Member on 19 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1228-29W.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer question 243274, on identity card charges, tabled on 9 December 2008. [250486]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 27 January 2009]: I replied to the hon. Member on 19 January 2009, Official Report, column 1228W.
Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 27 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, sent on behalf of Mojtaba Abedini (Home Office reference number A1161546, acknowledgement reference M22818/8). [250748]
Mr. Woolas: I wrote to the right hon. Lady on 26 January 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 25 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Tracy Betty Gororo. [250861]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 26 January 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 1 December 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Abdul Awal Chowdhury. [250862]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 21 January 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 1 December 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Shazaib Tufail. [250865]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 21 January 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 1 December 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Tariq Aziz. [250866]
Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 26 January 2009.
National Identity Card Scheme Strategic Suppliers Group
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009, Official Report, columns 296-97W, on the National Identity Card Scheme Strategic Suppliers Group, how many of the eight shortlisted suppliers for the National Identity Card Scheme signed a non-disclosure agreement; and whether the provisions of the agreement signed by each were identical. [252607]
Meg Hillier: A condition of bidding for the Strategic Supplier Group framework was signature of a non-disclosure agreement in an unmodified form. All bidders complied with this condition.
National Identity Scheme Commissioner
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what salary range is proposed for the National Identity Scheme Commissioner. [251682]
Meg Hillier: The appointment will attract a six figure package. The role requires someone with the calibre to develop the new regulatory role from scratch, command public confidence and be able to work across Government and the private sector at senior levels.
In accordance with the Identity Cards Act 2006 the remuneration will be approved by HM Treasury.
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff will work in the office of the National Identity Scheme Commissioner. [251683]
Meg Hillier: The scheme commissioner will have a secretariat to support the work. In accordance with the Identity Cards Act 2006 the scheme commissioner has the right to ask the Home Secretary for staff required to fulfil the role. The commissioner’s needs will be discussed at the commencement of the appointment.
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the National Identity Scheme Commissioner to start work. [251684]
Meg Hillier: The scheme commissioner will be in place by around the middle of this year to meet commitments. The scheme commissioner will be in place prior to the issue of the first card under the Identity Cards Act 2006.
National Policing Improvement Agency: Vacancies
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacant posts there are in the National Police Improvement Agency. [250529]
Mr. Coaker: As at 21 January 2009, the National Policing Improvement Agency had 340 vacancies. Of these, 314 were permanent posts and 26 were secondment opportunities.
Offensive Weapons
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) warnings were given, (b) cautions were issued and (c) prosecutions were brought for the illegal possession of knives in each year for which figures are available, broken down by police force area. [248011]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Data collected centrally on the number of offenders cautioned and the number of defendants proceeded against for the possession of an article with a blade or point, from 1997 to 2007 (the latest available), broken down by police force area, are given in the following tables. Offences involving knives specifically are not separately identifiable from this data.
The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
Information on the number of warnings given to offenders by the police is not collected centrally.
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