Administering an oath of British Citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981 at a citizenship ceremony
80.00
41.
Preparing or forwarding, or both, an application for registration, naturalisation or renunciation to the Home Office
63.00
42.
Preparing or forwarding, or both, any other application requested by any Department of Her Majesty’s Government
63.00
43.
Supervising a knowledge of life test for naturalisation under the British Nationality Act 1981 in consular premises
128.00
Part IX
Estates
Fee
£
44.
Administering fully or partly, safeguarding, or arranging the transmission of all or part of the personal effects and other estate of a deceased person or if sold, the proceeds, except for the wages and personal effects of a seaman. Except where the gross current market value is less than £1,000; charge based on the amount of the gross current market value
2%
rounded to the nearest £10.00
However where a local lawyer is employed and consular officer’s actions are nominal
81.00
Part X
Attendances
Fee
£
45.
Attending (except in connection with trade and investment enquiries) for each hour or part hour. The time taken will include reasonable travelling time from the consular premises and return or out of office hours to the consular or other premises and return—
19 Mar 2009 : Column 66WS
(a)
at the consular premises or elsewhere during office hours except when attending to supervise an examination for two or more persons sitting examinations at the same time when the fee may be apportioned between them
128.00
(b)
at the consular premises or elsewhere outside office hours
128.00
up to a maximum in any 24 hour period for each consular officer of
922.00
Part XI
Matters Relating to Legal Proceedings
Fee
£
46.
Presiding at the taking of evidence under a commission or order from a Court, including any action by the consular officer as examiner—
(a)
for up to two hours on the first day
255.00
(b)
for each additional hour or part hour
128.00
47.
Providing evidence of service or attempted service (in addition to fee 45 or 48)
128.00
48.
Providing the services of a consular officer or consular employee—
(a)
to assist the consular officer in the taking of evidence under a commission or order from a Court, for each such person—
for each hour or part hour
128.00
(b)
to affect or endeavour to affect service of a document, for each hour or part hour outside the consular premises—
during office hours
128.00
outside office hours
160.00
49.
Forwarding a request to a local authority for the taking of evidence or the service of a document, where necessary, certifying the accuracy of a translation accompanying the document
128.00
Part XII
Repatriation and Financial Assistance
Fee
£
50.
Arranging the repatriation of a person or members of the same family travelling together
128.00
51.
Arranging, in exceptional circumstances, for currency to be made available against the deposit of funds with Her Majesty’s Government by any means (in addition to fee 45 where payable). The applicable fee will depend on the value of the sums being deposited as follows:
(a)
£0-£50
8.00
(b)
£51-£100
16.00
(c)
£101-£500
32.00
(d)
£501-£1500
74.00
(e)
>£1500
90.00
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Part XIII
Shipping, Seamen and Related Matters
Fee
£
52.
Granting or considering whether to grant a provisional certificate of registry, whether the owner is a private individual or body corporate
373.00
53.
Receiving a return of the birth or death of any person on board a ship and endorsing the agreement with the crew accordingly
54.00
54.
Examining or arranging for the examination of provisions or water, payable by the party who proves to be in default (in addition to any cost of a survey)
54.00
55.
Noting a marine protest and furnishing one certified copy if required and for each further copy
45.00
56.
Extending a marine protest, filing the original and furnishing one certified copy if required (in addition to fee 1 and 3 where applicable)—
(a)
for up to 200 words, excluding the declaratory clause
107.00
(b)
for every subsequent 100 words or less
45.00
57.
Making a request, or issuing or arranging for the issue of a document, in connection with a survey of a ship (in addition to fee 8 where applicable)—
(a)
for the purposes of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS) or of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 as modified by its Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL)
71.00
(b)
for any other purpose
128.00
58.
Issuing a bill of health
45.00
59.
Preparing or signing, or both, any document, whether required by the Merchant Shipping Acts or by the local authorities, relating to the master or the members of the crew of a ship, to their numbers, names or other details, or to their engagement, discharge, desertion or death (except where fee 53 is taken in addition to fee 45, or a death inquiry is held under section 271 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995)
71.00
60.
Signing and, if required, sealing any documents at the request of the master of the ship (except where this is required under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, or fee 59 is taken)
71.00
61.
Inspecting—
(a)
a ship’s papers when required to enable a consular officer to do any matter or thing in respect of a ship (except where fee 59 is taken in addition to fee 45)
53.00
(b)
the marking of a ship, irrespective of the number of visits (in addition to fee 45)
53.00
Part XIV
Payments Using Credit Cards
Fee
£
62.
Receiving payments by credit card on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government where no other fee is chargeable under this Order.
The applicable fee will be equal to the credit card charges incurred
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Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong (Six-Monthly Report)
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (David Miliband):
The latest report on the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong was published today. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. A copy of the report is also available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at: www.fco.gov.uk. The report covers the period from 1 July to 31 December 2008. I commend the report to the House.
Health
Prostate Cancer Screening
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Ann Keen):
We are committed to having a prostate cancer screening programme if and when screening and treatment techniques are sufficiently well developed. Major findings on screening for prostate cancer were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) on 18 March 2009.
The NEJM reports on two studies. The European trial (the European randomized study on screening for prostate cancer) started in 1993 and reports on 162,000 men from eight countries. It shows that the risk of dying from prostate cancer is reduced amongst those screened by around 20 per cent.. However, around 48 men have to be treated for prostate cancer to avoid one death.
The other research trial (the prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancer screening trial - PLCO) comes from the United Sates of America. This involves around 75,000 men and shows no benefit from screening.
The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UKNSC) regularly reviews its policy decisions in the light of new evidence. As a result of the new reports, we will formally ask the UKNSC to review the evidence on prostate cancer screening and make recommendations. We look forward to examining this new evidence.
The prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP) is in place to ensure that men without symptoms of prostate cancer can have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test free on the National Health Service provided they have made an informed choice about the advantages and disadvantages of the test. Any man contemplating having a PSA test or with symptoms of prostate cancer should speak to his general practitioner who will be able to counsel him and provide him with evidence-based support materials.
The chief medical officer has sent an alert to all general practitioners in England to inform them of the new research findings, providing them with a link to the PCRMP materials to assist them in discussing the issues with their patients.
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Home Department
Asylum Support
The Minister for Borders and Immigration (Mr. Phil Woolas):
The UK Border Agency expects those with no right to remain in the United Kingdom to return home voluntarily; if they choose not to, we will enforce their removal. Where an individual, through not fault of their own, cannot be removed we will provide support to prevent destitution. This form of support is called section 4 support and is intended as a limited and temporary form of support. Section 4 support is currently administered through a voucher system.
I have approved plans to introduce a plastic payment card system for the administration of section 4 support, personalised for each applicant. This will enable the UK Border Agency to cut down on the abuse of asylum support and provide a more efficient system.
The UK Border Agency will pilot this scheme in June, with a view to rolling out the cards to all section 4 applicants later this year.
