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24 Mar 2010 : Column 345W—continued
Glasgow
Kingstanding-Birmingham
Liverpool (2)
London
London City Airport
Middleton-Manchester
Manchester City Airport
Old Street-London EC1
Oxford
Queensway-Birmingham
Redditch
Romsey
Sheffield
Solihull
South Shields
Stamford
Anticipated capacity for enrolment for identity cards is 650,000 to 700,000 per annum.
Entry Clearances: Pakistan
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visa applications were turned away from the Islamabad high commission under the pre-sift process before the formal application had been considered in each of the last five years. [323014]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 22 March 2010]: We ceased to operate a "pre-sift" procedure at our Visa Sections overseas by 2001-02. Hitherto, an entry clearance officer would carry out an initial assessment of a visa application before it was formally lodged and advise the applicant if it was unlikely to be successful. The applicant would then decide whether or not to proceed.
Identity Cards
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people had (a) applied for and (b) been issued with identity cards by the Identity and Passport Service on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [323935]
Meg Hillier: Up to and including 21 March 2010, over 8,900 people have applied for an identity card. For the same period, IPS has issued over 8,000 identity cards.
Illegal Immigrants: Car Washes
Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil penalties were issued by the UK Border Agency to hand car wash operators for employing illegal workers in 2009. [323973]
Mr. Woolas: A total of 126 notices of liability for a civil penalty were issued by the UK Border Agency to hand car wash operators for employing illegal workers during the period from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009.
These data are derived from local management information and are not quality assured under National Statistics protocols. They should therefore be treated as provisional and subject to change.
Immigrants: Detainees
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions children detained at immigration removal centres have been held separately from their parents for a period of more than (a) 12 and (b) 24 hours in the latest period for which figures are available. [322797]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 18 March 2010]: There has been one occasion when a child was held separately from its parent for more than 12 hours. This was when a single parent needed to attend hospital for treatment. During this time, the child was looked after by social services professionals.
There have been no occasions when a child was held separately from its parent for more than 24 hours.
These data are taken from local management information for the period October 2009 to the present date. They have not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols and are therefore subject to change and should be treated as provisional.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what independent checks there are on the welfare of children detained at immigration removal centres. [322798]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 18 March 2010]: The UK Border Agency takes the health and emotional wellbeing of those in its care very seriously. This is particularly true of children who are regrettably detained-with their parents-pending their removal after they refuse to leave the UK voluntarily. We introduced a new duty in November 2009 contained in the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, which requires the agency to protect and promote the welfare of children. The Office of the Children's Champion, which includes professional advisers, is responsible for challenging the agency to ensure it meets its obligations, and they provide constant advice and support to those responsible for detention and escorting matters.
Children can only be held in three immigration removal centres. Tinsley house currently holds families for 24 hours and Dungavel house for up to three days.
Those families who will be held for longer periods are taken to Yarl's Wood, as are those families in Scotland whose flights are departing from London.
Prior to detention, the agency conducts a formal assessment of each child to identify any particular medical; safeguarding or welfare needs in order to make the necessary arrangements to support them while in detention. On site independent social workers contribute to this initial assessment.
Once in detention the social workers continue to make regular weekly welfare checks on each individual child throughout the entire period of detention. In addition to these regular welfare checks, the independent social workers carry out a formal welfare needs assessment between 14-21 days of detention for any child whose detention extends beyond 28 days. A copy of the completed assessment is submitted to the head of Bedford Children's Services; thereby ensuring independent oversight is maintained for the welfare assessments of children held in detention.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance is available for individuals detained at UK Border Agency immigration removal centres who are suspected to be at risk of suicide. [322799]
Mr. Woolas
[holding answer 18 March 2010]: A comprehensive self-harm reduction strategy is in place at Immigration Removal Centres to support detainees who are deemed to be at risk of suicide or self-harm.
Our procedures, called Assessment Care in Detention and Teamwork (ACDT), provide an holistic approach to suicide and self harm prevention within the broader context of decency, safety, and the concept of a healthy centre. It also brings existing policy in line with similar changes implemented by the Ministry of Justice.
The ACDT process starts as soon as an individual has been identified as being at risk. It involves an initial risk assessment and assessment interview conducted by specially trained individuals. A specific care map tailored to the issues faced by the individual is produced to ensure provision of multi-disciplinary support, including input from both health care professionals and staff at the centre. The ACDT document is reviewed at regular intervals to ensure the correct support is provided while the individual is thought to be at risk.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are made in respect of the (a) personal possessions, (b) vehicles and (c) bank accounts of detainees following (i) detention at an immigration removal centre and (ii) deportation. [322800]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 18 March 2010]: All immigration removal centres offer welfare services which are delivered by a mixture of dedicated teams and individual members of staff.
Staff help detainees to make preparations for their departure from the United Kingdom, including providing advice about how to tie up their affairs before their departure. They cannot, however, make such arrangements such as shipping property home.
Detainees are required to limit their property in Immigration Removal Centres to 20 kilograms as this is the restriction placed upon them by airlines.
National Bullying Helpline
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contact his Department has had with the National Bullying Helpline since 2004; and whether his Department has made any payments to (a) the National Bullying Helpline and (b) HR and Diversity Management Ltd. in that period. [320133]
Mr. Woolas: The Home Office (excluding its agencies) has had no contact with the National Bullying Helpline; and has not made any payments (a) the National Bullying Helpline and (b) HR and Diversity Management Ltd. since 2004.
Powers of Entry
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which powers of entry have been subject to a liberty test since October 2007. [323806]
Mr. Hanson [holding answer 23 March 2010]: I refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson) on 28 January 2010, Official Report, columns 1046-48W.
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports his Department has received on allegations that Mr. Raja Petra Kamarudin may be in exile in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [323620]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
Our high commission in Kuala Lumpur has reported on speculation in Malaysia that Raja Petra Kamarudin may be in the United Kingdom. We are not in a position to comment on or to confirm such speculation.
Smuggling: Birds
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many birds in how many seizures were seized by HM Revenue and Customs under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in each year since 2000. [322551]
Mr. Woolas: The following table provides data, taken from HM Revenue and Customs central records, relating to birds seized during financial years 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09.
| Birds | ||
| Number seized | Number of seizures | |
These seizures were made using customs enforcement powers, in relation to live animals listed as endangered species under Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97, on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora. This regulation implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), within the EU. The UK Border Agency now has responsibility for enforcement of illegal imports and exports under this regulation.
Information on all CITES seizures made by the former HM Customs and Excise prior to 2005, is available on the DEFRA website, at the following link:
UK Border Agency
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the UK Border Agency received in fees for applications in each of the last five years. [322335]
Mr. Woolas: The United Kingdom Border Agency and its predecessor bodies received the following sums in fees for applications in each of the last five fiscal years:
| £000 | |||||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
| (1) Visa applications income 2004-09 is shown for information only: it was not part of UKBA until the 1 April 2009. | |||||
UK Border Agency: Correspondence
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the UK Border Agency expects to reply to the email from the hon. Member for Aylesbury dated 4 February 2010 on medical students applying for visas at the Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries. [323268]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 22 March 2010]: The United Kingdom Border Agency responded to the hon. Member for Aylesbury on 18 March 2010.
UK Border Agency: Stress
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of working days lost by UK Border Agency staff was attributed to stress-related conditions in the most recent year for which figures are available. [322380]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 15 March 2010]: 8.8 per cent. of days lost to sickness absence were due to stress-related conditions for the period 1 March 2009 to 28 February 2010.
UK Border Agency: Travel
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials of each grade at the UK Border Agency are entitled to first-class travel; and if he will make a statement. [320802]
Mr. Woolas: Because the UK Border Agency's work is national and international in scope, it is necessary in some cases for staff to travel in order to facilitate that work. This is only undertaken when other forms of business interaction such as video or voice conferencing have been considered first. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the civil service management and ministerial codes and is approved in advance by a line manager. Over 90 per cent. of the work force of the UK Border Agency have no contractual entitlement to travel first class.
Senior executive officer grades (and equivalent) and above are entitled to travel first class where there is an operational need for them to travel on business.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 14 December 2009, Official Report, column 730W, which shows that 2,223 staff were employed in those grades as at October 2009.
Entitlement is not an indication as to the actual numbers who travelled. Information provided by the company which supplied UKBA with travel services for the period shows that, of the individuals who would have been contractually entitled to travel first class in
2009, less than 40 per cent. made use of any first class travel in 2009. The agency encourages officials to incur the lowest practicable cost.
The UK Border Agency is focused on driving down the cost of travel expenditure. In addition the Home Office has a travel contract that enables significant savings to be achieved compared with the standard price of UK rail travel.
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