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17 Jun 2009 : Column 317W—continued
Human Trafficking
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1227-28W, on human trafficking, how many of those foreign nationals convicted for human trafficking offences were deported on the completion of their sentence. [277238]
Mr. Alan Campbell: To date there have been 106 convictions for trafficking for sexual exploitation, five for trafficking for forced labour and three for conspiracy to traffic. Of these convictions recorded by the UK Human Trafficking Centre 25 people have been deported with a further 35 having received recommendations for deportation at the end of their sentence.
Illegal Immigrants
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were detained at their point of entry to the UK in each month of 2008; and how many were subsequently deported. [279623]
Alan Johnson: The following table outlines how many illegal entrants were detained at their point of entry to the UK and subsequently removed or deported, during each month of 2008.
| Month | Total illegal entrants detained at port | Total removed | Total deported |
| (1 )Total figure is no greater than five. Note: The data provided are based on locally-collated management information and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics. It is provisional and may be subject to change. | |||
Immigration
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues to reduce levels of enforced migration to the UK, with particular reference to (a) human rights abuses and (b) levels of inequality in source countries. [253147]
Mr. Woolas: I have regular discussions with the Home Secretary about controlling immigration to the United Kingdom. The foreword to the UK Border Agency business plan for 2009-12 was signed jointly by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Financial Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury, reflecting the cross cutting nature of the Government's work on immigration. I also meet regularly to discuss issues of joint interest, with Ministers from across Government, including with colleagues from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) which leads on global human rights and the Department for International Development which leads for the UK in the fight against global poverty.
Information on the Government's work in this area is published in the FCO's Annual Report on Human Rights which can be found at:
Immobilisation of Vehicles
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisation will be responsible for the preparation of the code of conduct for vehicle immobilisation companies; and what standards his Department expects to be included in the code. [280196]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 16 June 2009]: The Home Office issued a consultation document on the “Licensing of Vehicle Immobilisation Businesses” on 30 April 2009.
The consultation closes on 23 July.
The Government's preferred option is the compulsory licensing of vehicle immobilisation businesses by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) which would require compliance with a compulsory code of practice.
Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the Home Office will draft the code of practice with input from the SIA. The code is likely to include industry-wide standards for:
a signage, including size and visibility;
maximum penalties charged and payment methods;
minimum time between immobilisation and removal;
providing evidence that a parking infringement has taken place;
security and location of pound where vehicles are impounded; and
complaints and appeals policy.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers his Department expects the Security Industry Authority to have in respect of vehicle immobilisation. [280197]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 16 June 2009]: The Home Office issued a consultation document on the “Licensing of Vehicle Immobilisation Businesses” on 30 April 2009.
The consultation closes on 23 July.
The Government’s preferred option is the compulsory licensing of vehicle immobilisation businesses by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). The details of the scheme will be decided after the consultation period has ended.
Under these proposals, the SIA would be the regulator with responsibility for approving applications from vehicle immobilisation businesses. The SIA would also have powers of enforcement, similar to those which they already have in relation to individual licences, including revocation or suspension of a licence, and prosecution.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter dated 5 January 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Mr. A. Hamid. [263655]
Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend the former Home Secretary (Jacqui Smith), wrote to my right hon. Friend on 20 April 2009.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the UK Border Agency’s MPs’ Parliamentary Business Unit plans to reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh West’s correspondence of 13 May 2009 on his constituent Mrs. Florence Kpakiwa. [279811]
Mr. Woolas: The UK Border Agency wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 12 June 2009.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to reply to the letter to his predecessor of 29 April 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Florence Lolonyo Ami Kpodo. [280435]
Alan Johnson: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 16 June 2009.
Olympic Games 2012
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent members of staff in (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies are working on projects relating to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; how many of them are working on (i) project management, (ii) legacy planning, (iii) project oversight and (iv) financial oversight; and what plans he has for future staffing levels in each case. [279823]
Mr. Hanson: There are currently 47.6 Home Office staff or equivalents engaged full time on aspects of the development of and planning for the London 2012 Games. Roles are not specifically project based. Other staff in the Home Office and its agencies, such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency, are involved in Olympic-related projects as part of their wider duties as required.
There are currently 144.37 full-time equivalent staff from the Metropolitan Police and other police forces working on Olympic security. They are a mix of officers and civilians engaged in operational, project and programme roles which also involve both financial oversight and legacy planning.
Staffing numbers in the Home Office, its agencies and police forces will fluctuate according to the demands of the programme and are kept under constant review. The split of resources between these organisations may also change as a result of the formation of the Olympic Security Directorate in the Home Office involving the formal secondment of some staff from police forces and other agencies to the Home Office.
Overseas Students: Entry Clearances
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many holders of student visas applied (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully for the right to remain in the UK in a category other than that of student in each of the last five years. [279318]
Alan Johnson: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Personal Records: Data Protection
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Epping Forest of 1 June 2009, Official Report, column 174W, on personal records: data protection, what the eight data fields of advance passenger information are that the e-Borders system will capture [279620]
Alan Johnson: The e-Borders system requires carriers to provide the data contained in the machine readable zone (MRZ) of a passport. The eight data fields are:
Name
Date of birth
Nationality
Gender
Travel document type
State of issue
Passport number
Passport expiry date.
This information has been checked at the UK border for many years, e-Borders allows this check to take place before travel into or out of the country.
Police: Greater Manchester
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of neighbourhood policing schemes in (a) Tameside and (b) Stockport. [279775]
Mr. Hanson: Neighbourhood policing provides high visibility, reassurance policing in all communities in England and Wales, including Tameside and Stockport, establishing local priorities with local people by engaging with the community on the issues which matter most to them. There are four neighbourhood policing teams in Thameside Division and four teams in Stockport Division.
HMIC has inspected every force in England and Wales to assess their capabilities in delivering Neighbourhood Policing and Developing Citizen Focus. HMIC’s assessment is that all forces, including the Greater Manchester police who cover Tameside and Stockport, have met this standard.
Travel Restrictions
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had with the US Administration on the creation of the list of foreign nationals barred from entry to the UK, with particular reference to the inclusion of Michael Savage on that list. [279576]
Mr. Woolas: The Home Office did not consult the US Administration about the creation of the list of foreign nationals who are excluded from the United Kingdom on unacceptable behaviour grounds, which included US citizen, Michael Savage. However following publication of the list on 5 May, Home Office and FCO officials have discussed the Government’s policy on exclusion with American officials.
Women and Equality
Females: Protection
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what measures are in place to help women affected by the no recourse to public funds rule. [279098]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 11 June 2009]: I have been asked to reply.
Currently there is no statutory support available for women affected by the no recourse to public funds rule but the Government are working on a range of proposals which will be announced shortly.
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