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12 Oct 2009 : Column 541W—continued
Employment Tribunals Service
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times his Department has been taken to an employment tribunal in each of the last five years; what the reason cited in each case was; and in how many cases the tribunal found in favour of the (a) employee and (b) Department. [290571]
Mr. Woolas: The number of times the Home Office, including the UK Border Agency (UKBA), Identity and Passport Service (IPS) and Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), have been taken to a full employment tribunal hearing in each of the last five years is as follows:
Neither Home Office HQ nor UKBA hold this information centrally, which could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. Neither IPS nor CRB were taken to a full employment tribunal.
Fewer than five claims went to a full hearing. Further information is therefore withheld on confidentiality grounds.
There were 10 full employment tribunal hearings; the tribunal found in favour of the employee on two occasions and in favour of the Department on 8 occasions. The reasons given for the claims included disability discrimination, race discrimination, unfair dismissal, and equal pay.
There were seven full employment tribunal hearings; the tribunal found in favour of the employee on one occasion and in favour of the Department on six occasions. The reasons given for the claims included race discrimination, unfair dismissal, and unlawful deduction of wages.
There were 11 full employment tribunals; the tribunal found in favour of the employee on four occasions and in favour of the Department on seven occasions. The reasons given for the claims included disability discrimination, race discrimination, sex discrimination, unfair dismissal, unlawful deduction of wages and victimisation.
Entry Clearances
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to publish the research commissioned by his Department on the likely effects of raising the minimum age for (a) a sponsor and (b) leave to enter the UK as a spouse or fiancé. [290402]
Mr. Woolas: There is no current intention to formally publish the research commissioned by the Department on the likely effects of raising the minimum age for (a) a sponsor and (b) leave to enter the UK as a spouse or fiancé.
The view of the UK Border Agency researchers and two external peer-reviewers was that the research report was not of sufficient quality to be published in the Home Office Research Series. The methodology used
for the research was sound, but the subsequent report contained unsubstantiated conclusions and misleading statements.
The contractor was informed that the full research report was not of suitable quality for publication in the Home Office Research Series but that the Home Office would be content for them to seek publication elsewhere. Research findings have since been published by the contractor on the University of Bristol website and by the Runnymede Trust.
A summary of the research, subsequently produced by the UK Border Agency researchers in conjunction with the contractors drew out the key findings. This was provided to the Home Affairs Select Committee to inform the consultation on domestic violence, forced marriage and 'honour' based violence. The Department will also be releasing this report under a Freedom of Information Act request. However, it will not be formally publishing in the Home Office Research Series due to the concerns outlined above.
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to reduce the waiting time for the consideration of EEA2 applications. [290690]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 9 September 2009]: UKBA has put in place a clear, focused recovery plan which will enable the agency to return to operating with service standards by December 2009.The plan is monitored on a daily basis by senior operational managers.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student visa applications were submitted in the first six months of 2009. [291201]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 14 September 2009]: I refer the hon. Member to the Entry Clearance Statistics for FY 2008-09, published in August on the UK Border Agency's Visa Service's website, for details of student visa applications submitted in the first quarter of 2009. Entry clearance statistics for the second quarter of 2009 are due to be published in November.
Essex Police: Public Appointments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who in his Department was (a) consulted about and (b) informed of the appointment of the chief constable of Essex police; and if he will make a statement. [291043]
Mr. Hanson [holding answer 14 September 2009]: Under Section 11 of the Police Act 1996 Ministers approve candidates for chief constable posts. This takes place before short-listing by the police authority and on the advice of the Police Senior Appointments Panel.
Sir Ronnie Flanagan is interim independent chair of the panel and it includes a representative from the Home Office, as well as representation from the Association of Police Authorities, the Association of Chief Police Officers, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and an independent member.
Following ministerial approval, it is the responsibility of the police authority to interview candidates and make the final appointment. The police authority will then notify the Senior Appointments Panel's secretariat of its decision. The secretariat will then inform members of the panel, including the Home Office representative.
Fingerprints: Databases
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many records were held on National Fingerprint Database on 1 August 2009. [291200]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 14 October 2009]: As at 1 August 2009 there were 8,045,329 subjects held on the National Fingerprint Database.
Fixed Penalties
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices were issued in each of the last 24 months by each police force in England and Wales. [290978]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 14 September 2009]: Information on the number of fixed penalty notices for motoring offences is provided in table A.
Additionally, data provided by the Ministry of Justice on Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) issued to persons aged 16 and over in England and Wales, by police force area and month, for 2006 and 2007 (latest available) are given in tables B and C.
Information on fixed penalty notices for motoring offences held by the Home Office is not broken down by months and therefore we are unable to provide you with data in this way.
| Table A: Fixed penalty notices issued for all offences by offence group and police force area for England and Wales, 2006 and 2007 | ||
| Police force area | 2006 | 2007 |
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