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12 Feb 2009 : Column 2208W—continued
Departmental Training
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on digital media courses provided by the Internet Advisory Bureau for her Department in 2008; how many training sessions were held; and how many staff members in the Department attended at least one training session. [254598]
Mr. Woolas: Neither the Home Office, UK Border Agency or the Identity and Passport Service have used the Internet Advisory Bureau in any capacity.
Deportation: Sri Lanka
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assurances her Department has sought from the Sri Lankan government regarding the safety and well being of Tamils deported from the UK to that country; and if she will make a statement. [256509]
Mr. Woolas: All asylum claims including those from Sri Lankan Tamils are considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the refugee convention and the European convention on human rights. Those identified by the decision making process and the independent appeals process not to be in need of international protection are expected to leave the UK voluntarily. Failed asylum seekers can and do voluntarily return to Sri Lanka. Those who do not leave voluntarily may have their return enforced.
Provision is made for post arrival assistance of all failed asylum seekers we remove to Sri Lanka. We have not sought assurances from the Sri Lankan government regarding the safety of returnees but we do closely monitor the respect for human rights in all countries that we return to. We do not routinely monitor foreign nationals who do not need our protection in their own country, but if specific allegations are made that any returnee has experienced ill-treatment on return from the UK, then these will followed up through our high commission in Colombo.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to decide on the participating countries in the Youth Mobility scheme; and whether any countries not currently participating are seeking to participate. [255916]
Mr. Woolas: The Tier 5 Statement of Intent published in May 2008 (copies of which are available in the House Library), sets out the eligibility criteria for a country to join the Youth Mobility Scheme. As well as agreeing to be the sponsor of its participating nationals, each country needs to:
(a) have an acceptably low level of immigration risk, and not be subject to a mandatory UK visa regime;
(b) operate satisfactory returns arrangements with the UK; and
(c) provide reciprocal opportunities for young UK nationals.
Expressions of interest from countries to join the new Youth Mobility Scheme are confidential to the UK Government and the countries concerned. Discussions need to remain confidential in order for countries to feel able to explore their possible involvement and make any appropriate adjustments to fulfil all the criteria for inclusion in the scheme before any public statements about their involvement are made.
Immigration: Offenders
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals with criminal convictions dealt with under the legacy exercise but not pursued for deportation have been (a) granted and (b) refused leave to remain since the exercise commenced. [256608]
Mr. Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the last update to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 8 December 2008.
Immigration: Peterborough
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many uncleared cases there are of individuals in Peterborough constituency seeking indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [253643]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 3 February 2009]: The number of applicants who have an uncleared application for indefinite leave to remain in Peterborough constituency is 185.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009, Official Report, column 284W, on deportation: Peterborough, what her estimate is of the cost to her Department of providing data on (a) received and (b) cleared cases in respect of individuals in Peterborough constituency seeking indefinite leave to remain; and if she will make a statement. [253647]
Mr. Woolas
[holding answer 3 February 2009]: The cost of providing data on (a) received and (b) cleared cases in respect of individuals in Peterborough constituency
seeking indefinite leave to remain is estimated to exceed the £750 threshold for information requests being refused. This is because the information is not stored in the format requested.
Members: Correspondence
Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the inquiry from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, of 23 October 2008, on the status documents of Mr Hassan Abdille Abdi, HO Ref. A130106Z. [254260]
Mr. Woolas: The UK Border Agency responded to the letter from the right hon. Member on 9 February 2009.
Police
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions there have been between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk (a) police authorities and (b) constabularies on cross-border working involving Wisbech and King’s Lynn police stations. [254163]
Mr. Coaker: The Home Office is aware that discussions are taking place between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk police authorities/constabularies about the construction of a shared custody suite for Wisbech and King’s Lynn police stations.
Our policy is to encourage collaboration where it is in the interests of improving the efficiency or effectiveness of the forces concerned or policing generally. We encourage police authorities to collaborate and expect them to be involved in scrutinising any proposals to collaborate.
Police Custody: Young People
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what data her Department collects on the use of appropriate adults to attend police questioning of minors. [253864]
Mr. Coaker: The use of an appropriate adult at a police station during the investigative process involving a juvenile is an operational matter based on the individual circumstances of the case. Information is not held centrally on the use of appropriate adults.
Police: Finance
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces in England and Wales are receiving funding (a) above, (b) at and (c) below the formula funding level in 2008-09; and if she will make a statement. [256510]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested is in the following table.
All police authorities receive at least the “floor” increase of 2.5 per cent.
The damping mechanism exists to protect all authorities against financial instability and ensures all authorities receive an increase in grant at least equal to the “floor” level on a like-for-like basis year-on-year.
| 2008-09 | |||
| £ million | |||
| Police authority | Raw allocation | Allocation after floors and scaling | Difference |
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