Written Answers to Questions
Monday 30 April 2012
Prime Minister
British Sky Broadcasting
John Mann: To ask the Prime Minister for what reason his deputy press spokeswoman informed the media on 19 July 2011 that he had had no discussions with James Murdoch about BSkyB. [106068]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr Skinner) on 20 July 2011, Official Report, column 931.
John Mann: To ask the Prime Minister what advice he has taken about whether he is required to initiate an investigation into whether the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport was in breach of the Ministerial Code with respect to the proposed takeover of BSkyB. [106069]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband) on 25 April 2012, Official Report, column 945.
Northern Ireland
BMI
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the takeover by IAG of bmi on the Belfast city to Heathrow air route. [106265]
Mr Paterson: I have discussed the matter with Willie Walsh, the chief executive of International Airlines Group, and also with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Transport and in the Northern Ireland Executive.
Maintaining Northern Ireland's domestic and international air links is of huge importance for business and tourism. I note the commitments given by Mr Walsh that IAG will maintain:
“a comprehensive domestic schedule including Belfast.”
The Northern Ireland Regional Development Minister, Mr Danny Kennedy, has registered with the Secretary of State for Transport, the importance that Northern Ireland is connected to a hub airport. We will ensure the DFT Aviation Framework addresses Northern Ireland needs when it is put to consultation in the summer.
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HMS Caroline
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on plans for the future of HMS Caroline. [106228]
Mr Swire: I held discussions about HMS Caroline with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment today and offered my support to the Executive's plans to safeguard its future in Belfast.
Parades Commission
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make an assessment of the value for money of the work of each member of the Parades Commission. [105957]
Mr Swire: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 695W.
The Parades Commission is an independent non-departmental public body. The Commission's accounting officer holds delegated responsibility for considering value for money in respect of the Commission's operations and the chairman holds responsibility for assessing the effectiveness and performance of the individual members of the Commission.
Procurement
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his Department's percentage procurement spend with small and medium-sized enterprises was in (a) the fourth quarter of 2010-11, (b) the first quarter of 2011-12 and (c) the second quarter of 2011-12. [105873]
Mr Paterson: The Department does not currently record and publish information about the size of suppliers as this does not fully reflect the number and size of businesses engaged in supplying goods and services. For example, small and medium-sized enterprises can be found within larger supply chains.
The total number of invoices received by the Department in the requested periods are as follows:
(a) the fourth quarter of 2010-11: 2,463
(b) the first quarter of 2011-12: 2,133
(c) the second quarter of 2011-12: 1,877.
Deputy Prime Minister
Free Trade: South Korea
Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his role was in substantive negotiations with the South Korean Government on free trade. [105042]
The Deputy Prime Minister:
EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations are carried out by the European Commission, led by the Trade Commissioner, on behalf of all EU member states. FTA negotiations between the EU and South Korea began in May 2007 and the final agreement was approved by the European Council in
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September 2010. The FTA has been in force provisionally since July 2011. During my visit to Seoul in March, I announced UK ratification of the FTA.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from the UK automotive industry on the free trade agreement with South Korea. [105043]
The Deputy Prime Minister: My Office received a written briefing from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd ahead of my recent visit to South Korea.
Home Department
Abu Qatada
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date she received assurances from the Jordanian authorities that evidence obtained from torture would not be used during Abu Qatada's trial. [104528]
James Brokenshire: We have been in continuous dialogue with the Jordanian authorities since the European Court handed down its judgment on 17 January 2012. These discussions have provided us with the key assurances that Qatada will receive a fair trial on his return to Jordan and that we can deport him legally.
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on the case of Abu Qatada since 2001. [105040]
James Brokenshire: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 347W. The information requested could be obtained only by the examination of individual records at a disproportionate cost.
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent to date on legal fees relating to proceedings involving Abu Qatada. [105951]
Damian Green: Since 2002 the legal fees incurred by the Government to deport Abu Qatada are around £825,000. The case is ongoing, and so further costs are likely to be incurred.
Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the UK Border Agency's work with officials in other EU member states to tackle organised criminal activity related to alcohol duty fraud. [101960]
Damian Green [holding answer 26 March 2012]: Home Office officials in UK Border Agency or Border Force do not work with officials in other EU member states on alcohol duty fraud. Responsibility for tackling revenue fraud away from the UK border lies with HM Revenue and Customs.
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Alcoholic Drinks: Prices
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the introduction of a minimum price for alcohol. [105362]
James Brokenshire: The Alcohol Strategy sets out the Government's commitment to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol. We will consult on the level to be set for a minimum unit price in the forthcoming months.
Animal Experiments
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason her Department’s response to the public consultation on the EU directive on animal experimentation has not yet been published. [106290]
Lynne Featherstone: Over 13,000 individuals and nearly 100 organisations responded to the public consultation on European directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. Analysis of the responses has taken time, but has now been completed. We will publish the Government’s response to the consultation as soon as we have completed our consideration of the options for transposition.
Antisocial Behaviour
John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate her Department has made of the cost to police forces in England of policing antisocial behaviour associated with betting shops; [106005]
(2) what estimate her Department has made of the cost to the police forces in England of disorder and crime associated with betting shops. [106007]
Nick Herbert: We have made no such estimate or assessment. Decisions regarding the funding and resourcing of local policing are for the chief constable and their police authority based on local priorities and need. The election of police and crime commissioners in November will give the public a voice in these decisions for the first time.
Asylum
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many asylum seekers have been transferred from the UK to each other EU member state under the provisions of the Dublin II Regulation in each year since the Regulation took effect; [105594]
(2) how many asylum seekers have been transferred to the UK from each other EU member state under the provisions of the Dublin II Regulation in each year since the Regulation took effect. [105599]
Damian Green [holding answer 26 April 2012]: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
| Asylum seekers transferred from the UK to other EU member states | |
| Number | |
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| Asylum seekers transferred to the UK from other EU member states | |
| Number | |
| Note: The figures are based on management information data that is not quality assured under National Statistics protocols. The figures do not constitute part of National Statistics and should be treated as provisional. Figures for 2011 are not currently available, nor has it been possible within the timeframe to provide a breakdown by member state. | |
Asylum: Appeals
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the hon. Member for Vauxhall's constituent, Ref: R1001999, to receive his leave to remain documents following his allowed appeal. [105472]
Damian Green: I will write to the hon. Member separately on this individual case.
Asylum: Northern Ireland
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the services provided to asylum seekers in Northern Ireland; and what plans she has to improve interagency and intersectoral working in respect of refugees and asylum seekers. [105828]
Damian Green: In July last year, the UK Border Agency funded the establishment of a Strategic Migration Partnership in Northern Ireland which brings together senior officials from the public, private and voluntary sectors in Northern Ireland under one forum with the specific aim of debating and using cross-sector local knowledge and experience of immigration matters to deliver better and more efficient services.
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representation there is on the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum from (a) Government Departments and non-departmental public bodies and (b) voluntary and community sector representatives based in Northern Ireland. [105829]
Damian Green:
The National Asylum Stakeholder Forum is a national consultative forum on asylum issues, including refugee integration, for the UK Border
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Agency and its key stakeholders. The group meets bi-monthly and is comprised of a number of voluntary sector and other Government Department attendees. The full list of members is as follows:
Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)
Association of Directors of Social Services and Association of Directors of Children's Services
Asylum Support Appeals Project
Asylum Support Tribunal
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
Department of Education
Department of Health (DOH)
Department of Work and Pensions
Local Government Association
MOJ
Scottish Government
UNHCR
Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA)
Amnesty International
Asylum Aid
Bail for Immigration Detainees
British Red Cross
Children's Society
Evelyn Oldfield Unit
Freedom from Torture
Helen Bamber Foundation
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)
Refugee Action
Refugee Council
Scottish Refugee Council
The Coram Children's Legal Centre
The Employability Forum
Welsh Refugee Council
Asylum Support Partnership (Refugee Council)
Regional Migration Partnerships
Asylum: Poverty
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the level of destitution and poverty amongst refugees and asylum seekers in Belfast East constituency. [104452]
Damian Green: Refugees who are granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom can access mainstream welfare benefits. Asylum seekers who are destitute are provided with accommodation and support by the UK Border Agency until their applications are decided.
Asylum: Young People
Lisa Nandy:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions she has had with the (a) Equality and Human Rights Commission,
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(b)
Secretary of State for Health,
(c)
Secretary of State for Education and
(d)
National Ethics Research Service about the age assessments dental x-ray pilot; [106034]
(2) what representations she has received from (a) medical experts, (b) children's welfare organisations and (c) other Government Departments about the age assessments dental x-ray pilot; [106035]
(3) whether she has sought legal advice on the age assessments dental x-ray pilot. [106036]
Damian Green: No discussions have been held with the Equality and Human Rights Commission on this issue. The UK Border Agency has engaged with the Department for Education and the Department of Health. Agency officials have also met with representatives of the National Research Ethics Service. The agency has received correspondence from the Chief Medical Officer, the British Dental Association and the Children's Commissioner for England. The agency has sought legal advice on the legality of the trial.
Boston College
Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2012 from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Official Report, column 49W, on Boston College, what discussions she had with (a) the Police Service of Northern Ireland, (b) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, (c) the Northern Ireland Justice Minister, (d) the Prime Minister and (e) the Attorney General (i) prior to and (ii) after the Government's request to subpoena recordings from the Boston College oral history project. [106235]
Nick Herbert: Home Office Ministers have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues and others as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such meetings.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of individuals (a) arrested and (b) charged within the Northern Basic Command Unit of Cambridgeshire Constabulary were (i) EU nationals and (ii) UK citizens in each month since May 2004; and if she will make a statement. [R] [104496]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 24 April 2012]: Data on arrests reported to the Home Office do not include nationalities of suspects and are not provided to the Home Office broken down by basic command unit.
Data on charges by basic command unit are not collected centrally.
Child Protection: EU Action
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken towards ratifying and implementing the Council of Europe convention on the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse since 20 May 2011. [105449]
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Lynne Featherstone: The UK signed the Council of Europe's Convention on the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in May 2008. Since May 2011, a number of discussions have taken place across Government to assess the individual articles within the Convention and establish a clear picture of current levels of existing compliance.
Proof of Identity
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the UK Border Agency has any plans to recognise the citizen card as proof of identity. [106133]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not have any plans to recognise the citizen card as proof of identity. This card is not issued by the Home Office or indeed any other Government Department or agency. Its primary usefulness is to provide a proof of age of the holder.
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse was of recruiting the new Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; and if she will make a statement. [105982]
Nick Herbert: The total cost of recruiting the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service was £10,824. This does not include the cost of staff salaries.
Crime: Armed Forces
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with police forces local to RAF, Army and Royal Navy bases about the investigation of crimes on those bases; what protocols have been established for the conduct of investigations; and if she will make a statement. [106054]
Nick Herbert: No such discussions have taken place.
Two protocols exist between the Ministry of Defence and the Association of Chief Police Officers that cover the investigation of crimes at Defence establishments. Responsibility for the investigation of defence-related crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is detailed in a memorandum of understanding between the Association of Chief Police Officers and the MOD dated 6 January 2008 that was communicated under cover of Home Office circular 028/2008, which will be placed in the House Library. A separate protocol providing Guidance on the Investigation of Deaths on land or premises owned, occupied or under the control of the Ministry of Defence was signed in January 2008. Both documents are currently being reviewed.
Crime: Nature Conservation
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has any plans to conduct a review of the enforcement of wildlife crime in England; and if she will make a statement. [105048]
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James Brokenshire: The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) inquiry into wildlife crime will examine the scale of wildlife crime in the UK, including how the policing of wildlife crime is coordinated and whether enforcement bodies have sufficient resources and powers.
The Home Office has submitted evidence, including the views of the UK Border Force, to the EAC inquiry and will consider their recommendations once the findings have been published.
Databases: Telecommunications
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the cost of the Communications Capabilities Development Programme in the last year of the programme's start-up; and what estimate she has made of the annual running costs of the Programme. [104490]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 23 April 2012]: The costs of the Communications Capabilities Development programme will be announced once details of the proposals are published.
Dental Services
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether an equality impact assessment has been conducted in relation to the age assessments dental X-ray pilot; [105941]
(2) whether she obtained approval from the National Ethics Research Service for the age assessments dental X-ray pilot; [105942]
(3) what steps she plans to take to ensure meaningful consent is obtained from young people involved in the age assessments dental X-ray pilot; [105943]
(4) what the evidential basis is for the age assessment dental X-ray pilot. [105945]
Damian Green: No equality impact assessment has been conducted. The UK Border Agency continues to pay due regard to the equality duty and the trial would be part of the ongoing gathering of evidence that contributes to the agency’s compliance with the duty.
Discussions have taken place with the National Ethics Research Service (NRES). NRES approval has not yet been formally sought. The NRES has confirmed that it is satisfied that there has been no activity connected to the trial that would have required ethics approval. On this basis, it is satisfied that the Research Governance Framework has not been breached. No X-rays will take place until such time as the agency has received the ethics approval.
The purpose of the trial would be to help establish whether the existing age assessment process can be improved through scientific means. The intention is that the trial would provide an evidential basis for further consideration of the age assessment process. It is important to emphasise that it would be open only to those who have already been assessed as an adult and only to those who actively choose to take part.
Once the agency is in a position to go ahead with the trial, there would be a two-stage process to ensure that full informed consent is obtained from individuals who choose to take part in the trial. First, at the point at which the individual notifies UKBA that he/she would
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like to have a dental X-ray, the caseowner would arrange an appointment with them, including arranging for an interpreter where appropriate. At this meeting, the caseowner would provide the individual with information on the purpose of the X-ray and the risks involved. The purpose of the provision of this information is to help prepare the individual for the dental X-ray. It would not constitute the full informed consent process which would be carried out independently by the dentist.
Should the individual decide to proceed with the dental X-ray, at the start of their dental appointment they will be provided with further information on the purpose of the dental X-ray and the risks involved. The X-ray will not take place unless the dentist is independently satisfied that the individual is fully informed about the process and that informed consent has been given.
At any stage of the process, right up until the X-ray is taken, the individual can change their mind and no adverse inference would be drawn from a decision not to take part. The whole process would be entirely voluntary.
Deportation
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had on reviewing the use of a memorandum of understanding as a means of facilitating the deportation of foreign nationals. [105332]
Damian Green: Memoranda of understanding (MOU) on migration are used with some countries as an effective and efficient way of managing returns, in particular where we require a valid travel document to be issued by the authorities there. They are negotiated by officials from the UK Border Agency in conjunction with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and are reviewed periodically with representatives of the Governments concerned to ensure they continue to support our removals activity.
Deportation: EU Action
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of deportation from the UK were halted by the European Court of Human Rights in each of the last five years. [105487]
Damian Green: Where an individual makes an application to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) challenging their removal, the Court may issue a Rule 39 Interim Measure to postpone removal while it considers the admissibility and/or merits of the case. Statistics published by the ECHR on the use of Rule 39 Interim Measures will be placed in the Library and are available at:
http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/91C30C84-EFAF-4979-BBD6-C730D6380196/0/Stats_Rule_39_20082011 _RETOUCHE.pdf
The UK Border Agency is aware that individuals may seek to frustrate their imminent removal or deportation by way of an application to the ECHR and will challenge a negative decision made by the Court. Where appropriate the UK Border Agency takes action specifically to alleviate the Court's concerns, which has in a number of cases resulted in the European Court lifting its Rule 39 Interim Measure.
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Deportation: Sri Lanka
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers have been (a) removed and (b) deported to Sri Lanka on (i) chartered and (ii) scheduled flights (A) in total and (B) in each month since May 2010. [105522]
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Damian Green: The following table provides the available information on the total number of Sri Lankan asylum seekers who were removed or departed voluntarily from the UK to Sri Lanka in each quarter since May 2010. This data was taken from published statistics which the Home Office publishes on a quarterly and annual basis.
| Table rv.03.q: Removals and voluntary departures by country of nationality and type | ||||
| Asylum cases: | ||||
| Quarter | Total Sri Lankan asylum cases removed | Enforced removals and notified voluntary departures | Assisted voluntary returns | Other voluntary departures |
| Note: Figures include enforced removals, non-asylum cases refused entry at port and subsequently removed, people departing voluntarily after notifying the UK Border Agency of their intention to leave prior to their departure, people leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by Refugee Action (prior to April 2011 run by the International Organisation for Migration) and people who it has been established left without informing the immigration authorities. | ||||
Deportation refers explicitly to the removal of foreign national offenders. Table rv.07.q in the published statistics reports on removals foreign national offenders from 2009 to 2011. However, this information is not broken down by nationality or asylum. The link to the published statistics can be found here
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q4-2011/removals-q4-2011-tabs
Detention Centres: Children
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for what reason the healthcare and managing non-compliance sections of the operating standards for the Cedars secure pre-departure accommodation have not yet been published; [106064]
(2) for what reason the Short Term Holding Facility Rules that would apply to the Cedars secure pre-departure accommodation have not yet been published; which rules apply to the operation of the Cedars secure pre-departure accommodation; and whether the Cedars secure pre-departure accommodation may operate without published rules. [106065]
Damian Green: The pre-departure accommodation healthcare operating standard was published on the UK Border Agency website in February. The operating standard on managing non-compliance is not yet finalised.
The Short-term Holding Facility Rules remain under development at present. Cedars pre-departure accommodation will be subject to the rules when they are made but, as was made clear when the facility opened last year, it currently operates in compliance with the published operating standards for pre-departure accommodation. This will continue to be the case when the rules are made as they will provide an over-arching statutory framework for all short-term holding facilities, including pre-departure accommodation, with the detailed operation of the different facilities set out in published operating standards appropriate to the type of facility. In this respect, Cedars pre-departure accommodation is no different to other short-term holding facilities at present.
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what route visa regulations provide for a non-EU citizen who is (a) an academic at a foreign university and (b) employed by a foreign company to (i) be paid to teach on a specific week-long university course and (ii) act as a PhD examiner and be paid an honorarium for doing so in the UK. [104481]
Damian Green [holding answer 23 April 2012]: A new visitor route for “permitted paid engagements” (PPE) was introduced on 6 April 2012 to provide greater flexibility for non-EU professionals coming to the UK to undertake specific pre-arranged paid activities for up to one month, without requiring a formal sponsor.
Academics working at an overseas university and/or employed by a foreign company can use this route to give paid lectures in their field of expertise as part of a short university course, as long as this does not constitute a full-time teaching role, and to examine PhD students. They would need to satisfy all the requirements of the PPE visitor route including providing evidence which demonstrates they have been formally invited by a UK higher education institution to carry out the engagement; and that it relates to their area of expertise and/or qualifications and full-time occupation overseas. The PPE visitor route does not replace any of the existing work routes under the points based system, which continue to be the most appropriate for those undertaking employment in the UK.
Caroline Lucas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of applications for leave to remain as a student under Tier 4 of the Points Based System have been completed
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in under four weeks from the date biometric data are taken in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the average time has been
(a)
between initial submission of an application and an applicant's biometric data being taken,
(b)
between an applicant's biometric data being taken and notification of the final decision and
(c)
for processing applications fast-tracked on compassionate grounds. [105986]
Damian Green: This information is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols.
However, published statistics are available on a quarterly and annual basis, that report on Tier 4 applications received. This publication is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q4-2011
In addition, data relating to the number of decisions made within service standards for financial year 2010-11 and the first two quarters of 2011-12, are available from the UK Border Agency website at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/percentage-of-migration
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Finance
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the proposed cuts to the budget of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on its United Nations A status accreditation as a human rights institution; and if she will make a statement. [105557]
Lynne Featherstone: Our assessment is that the proposed budget reductions will have no impact on the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) A status accreditation. As part of the spending review we announced that we would be reducing the EHRC's budget by over half, from £55 million in 2010-11 to £26.8 million in 2014-15. But it is clear that even after the proposed budget reductions, the EHRC remains well-funded compared to similar bodies across Europe.
European Court of Human Rights
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of deportation from the UK were refused by the European Court of Human Rights in the last 10 years. [105039]
Damian Green: The number of removals from the UK refused by the European Court of Human Rights in the last 10 years can be determined only by examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
Where an individual makes an application to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) challenging their removal, the Court may issue a Rule 39 Interim Measure to postpone removal while it considers the admissibility and/or merits of the case. Statistics published by the ECHR on the use of Rule 39 Interim Measures will be placed in the Library and are available at:
http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/91C30C84-EFAF-4979-BBD6-C730D6380196/0/Stats_Rule_39_20082011_ RETOUCHE.pdf
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The UK Border Agency is aware that individuals may seek to frustrate their imminent removal or deportation by way of an application to the ECHR and will challenge a negative decision made by the Court. Where appropriate the UK Border Agency takes action specifically to alleviate the Court's concerns, which has in a number of cases resulted in the European Court lifting its Rule 39 Interim Measure.
European Union
Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on which occasions the UK has requested to participate in activities of the EU agency Frontex under Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004; what the activities were; and whether the UK's request was approved or rejected in each such case. [105922]
Damian Green: A document will be placed in the Library detailing the UK's requests to participate in Frontex activities.
Extradition
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many requests for extradition, and to which countries, the UK received (a) in each year between 2004 and 2011 and (b) during 2012 to date; [104999]
(2) how many people were extradited, and to which countries, from the UK (a) in each year between 2004 and 2011 and (b) during 2012 to date. [105000]
Damian Green [holding answer 23 April 2012]: Not all extradition requests lead to the arrest of the subject. As a matter of longstanding policy and practice, we will neither confirm nor deny whether an extradition request has been made or received until such time as a person is arrested in relation to the request, so that people do not have the opportunity to escape justice by leaving the country before they are arrested.
For that reason, a breakdown of the number of arrests as well as surrenders by country is provided in the following tables:
| 2011 | ||
| Country | Arrests | Surrenders |
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| 2012 (up to 17 April) | ||
| Country | Arrests | Surrenders |
The tables provide non-EU extradition figures for 2011 and for 2012 up until 17 April. Figures from 2004 to July 2011 were published in ‘A Review of the United Kingdom's Extradition Arrangements’ on 18 October 2011 and can be found on pages 464-467.
The figures relate to requests dealt with under the Extradition Act 2003. These do not include figures for Scotland. It should also be emphasized that an arrest and/or surrenders made in a particular year may relate to a request made in a previous year.
Extradition: USA
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been extradited from (a) the UK to the US and (b) the US to the UK in each year since 2003. [105354]
Damian Green: The following tables provide the figures requested:
| Extraditions from the UK to the US | ||
| Number | ||
| Surrenders under the 1989 Act | Surrenders under the 2003 Act | |
| Extraditions from the US to the UK | |
| Number of surrenders | |
For the purposes of the question, we have taken the “UK” as meaning England and Wales. Scotland deals with its own US cases, as did Northern Ireland until 1 April 2008.
It should also be emphasized that an arrest and/or surrenders made in a particular year may relate to a request made in a previous year.
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Firearms: Crime
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children and teenagers were killed by guns in each of the last five years for which data are available. [105266]
Nick Herbert: Homicide Index data for victims aged under 19 where the principal method of killing was shooting are provided in Table A. Data are provided for each year from 2006-07 to 2010-11. These data do not include cases where a child or teenager was killed by a gun but the incident was not recorded as a homicide.
Homicides are relatively rare events and the number can fluctuate from year-to-year so these changes need to be interpreted with some caution.
The data presented are for homicides currently recorded in each year as at 18 October 2011. Figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts or as further information becomes available.
| Table A: Offences currently (1) recorded as shooting homicide (2) where the victim was aged 19 or under: England and Wales, 2006-07 to 2010-11 | |
| Total | |
| (1) As at 18 October 2011; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Includes homicides where the principal method of killing was a firearm or other type of shooting weapon e.g. crossbow or catapult. | |
Freedom of Information
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her Department's response of 22 December 2011 to Freedom of Information request T19647/11, for what reason the Taser statistics for March 2010 to December 2011 have not been published. [105538]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 26 April 2012]: The data capture issues referenced in the Freedom of Information response have taken slightly longer to resolve than previously expected. The Home Office intend to publish the police use of Taser statistics at the end of May.
Government’s Procurement Service Training Academy
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff of her Department will attend the Government’s procurement service training academy. [105797]
Damian Green: The Home Office will not decide the number of staff to attend the Government's procurement service training academy until it has been set up.
Homicide
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 April 2012, Official Report, columns 305-6W, on suicides and homicides, what assessment she has made of the reason for the decline in homicides between 2002 and 2010. [105296]
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Nick Herbert [holding answer 24 April 2012]: Homicides are relatively rare events and the number can fluctuate from year to year, so these changes need to be interpreted with some caution. Due to this, a statistical analysis of trends in homicides was published by the Home Office in January 2012. This assessed the extent to which fluctuations in the level of homicides represent an indication of a real change in the underlying trend as opposed to random year-to-year variation.
The analysis considered homicide incidents, defined as incidents where the same person (or a group of people) is suspected of committing one or more related homicides. For example, the 172 homicides committed by Dr Shipman which were all recorded in 2002-03 were counted as one incident. These offences were not all committed in 2002-03, but all came to light in the official inquiry led by Dame Janet Smith DBE in 2002.
This analysis indicated that the number of homicide incidents recorded in 2010-11 was statistically significantly lower than the number of incidents recorded in 2002-03. The number recorded in 2010-11 was in fact statistically significantly lower than that recorded in each year from 2000-01 to 2007-08 with the exception of 2005-06.
The apparent falls in homicides across this period seem to have been largely driven by falls in stranger homicides. These include cases where the relationship of the victim to the principal suspect was either 'stranger' or 'not known'. Since 2003-04 (the year after the recording of the 172 homicides committed by Dr Shipman), these have fallen by more than half, from 287 stranger homicides to 140 currently recorded in 2010-11.
The data are for homicides currently recorded in each year as at 18 October 2011. Figures are subject to
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revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts or as further information becomes available.
Further information on the statistical homicide analysis can be found in Section 1.6 of ‘Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2010-11' at the following link:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/hosb0212/hosb0212?view=Binary
Homicide: Young People
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homicides of adolescents involving (a) guns and (b) knives were reported in each year for which data is available; and in each case what proportion these were of total homicides. [105265]
Nick Herbert: Homicide index data on offences currently recorded as homicide by method of killing are available for each year from 1977 to 2010-11. Definitions of ‘adolescents’ vary. In this instance, data are provided where the victim was aged 13 to 19. Data for all homicides of victims within this age group are provided in table A, including the number and proportion of which were committed by sharp instrument or shooting.
Homicides are relatively rare events and the number can fluctuate from year-to-year so these changes need to be interpreted with some caution.
The data presented are for homicides currently recorded in each year as at 18 October 2011. Figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts or as further information becomes available.
| Table A: Offences currently (1) recorded as homicide where the victim was aged 13 to 19, with the number and proportion of which were committed by sharp instrument or shooting, England and Wales, 1977 to 2010-11 | |||||
| Of which, the principal method used was: | |||||
| Total | Sharp instrument (2) | Percentage of total | Shooting (3) | Percentage of total | |
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| (1) As at 18 October 2011; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Includes homicides where the principal method of killing was a knife or other sharp instrument. (3) Includes homicides where the principal method of killing was a firearm or other type of shooting weapon e.g. crossbow or catapult. | |||||
Human Rights: Russia
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has made representations regarding improving human rights protection in Russia during the course of discussions on rebuilding links between the two countries to tackle serious crime. [103625]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 19 April 2012]: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, has not made any specific representations regarding improving human rights protection in Russia during the course of discussions on rebuilding links between the two countries to tackle serious crime. The FCO has regular discussions with Russia on human rights issues, including through their Annual Human Rights Dialogue. The Prime Minister also raised human rights issues with President Medvedev during his visit to Moscow in September 2011.
Human Trafficking: Asylum
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time was for the conclusion of asylum applications of victims of human trafficking in each of the last three years. [103559]
Damian Green: The requested data are shown in the following table.
| Table 1: Average asylum case conclusion timings for Victims of Trafficking, 2009 -2011 | ||
| Year of conclusion | Number of cases | Average days |
| Notes: 1. All figures quoted are management information which has been subject to internal quality checks. 2. Data relates to 1(st) time asylum applications and main applicants only. 3. Average days refers to calendar days. | ||
Immigration
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time is for security checks undertaken by the Case Assurance and Audit Unit before granting leave to remain. [104966]
Damian Green: Security checks are specific to individuals and depending on results further inquiries may be required. Due to the importance of such checks and any subsequent issues that may require investigation, an average waiting time is not held.
Sir Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if (a) she and (b) the Minister for Immigration will visit the UK Border Agency website and test themselves against the Life in the UK or knowledge of language test. [105125]
Damian Green: There is no test on the UK Border Agency (UKBA) website. The Life in the UK test is administered for UKBA by UfI (University for Industry) and can be taken only at one of their test centres.
Neither I nor the Secretary of State for the Home Department, have any plans to sit the test at the current time. However, we are aware of the content, which is why we are currently reviewing the test to put British culture and history at its heart.
Immigration: Leicestershire
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in Leicestershire had a UK residence permit at the most recent date for which figures are available. [101567]
Damian Green: County level data are not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols.
However, the UK Border Agency publishes statistics on a quarterly and annual basis that cover all applications to the UK Border Agency broken down by application type. Published statistics regarding these applications can be found at the following location:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q4-2011/
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Internet
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with internet service providers on the monitoring of their customers' internet browsing activity. [103911]
James Brokenshire: Home Office Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of national and international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Ivan Cherkasov
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for information regarding the home address of Ivan Cherkasov have been made by the Russian authorities since 1 January 2009; what information was disclosed in response to such requests; and what the reasons were for any such disclosures. [103755]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 19 April 2012]: A request from the Russian authorities for information in relation to a Russian criminal investigation would normally be made either as a formal request to the Home Office for mutual legal assistance (MLA) or to SOCA in its capacity as the UK National Central Bureau for Interpol. It is the usual policy neither to confirm nor deny whether the UK authorities have received such requests or provided any information in response to such requests.
Legal Costs
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if she will make a statement. [104571]
Damian Green: The Home Office including its Executive agencies spent £38,294,545 on fees for legal work in 2010-11.
The Government Equalities Office (GEO) joined the Home Office under machinery of Government changes in April 2011. GEO spend on fees for legal work in 2010-11 was £975,000.
The Home Office including its Executive agencies spent £54,530,628 on fees for legal work in 2011-12.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the UK Border Agency will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 26 March 2012, ref: M1309525 / CTS ref: M5289/12; and what the reasons are for the time taken to respond. [106170]
Damian Green: Correspondence submitted by Members of Parliament to the UK Border Agency is dealt with in target date order. The response issued under M5289/12 was completed on the specified target date of 25 April and dispatched by post on 26 April.
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Metropolitan Police: Expenditure
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much the Metropolitan Police spent on first-class train tickets in 2011-12; and if she will make a statement; [105983]
(2) how much the Metropolitan Police spent on hotels in 2011-12; and if she will make a statement. [105979]
Nick Herbert: This is not a matter for the Home Office.
Official Secrets Act
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any person employed by (a) her Department, (b) the agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible and (c) any private firms contracted by her Department is bound by any part of the Official Secrets Act. [104844]
Damian Green: All persons employed by the Home Office and any private firms contracted by the Department are bound by the Official Secrets Act. Agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which the Home Office is responsible will only be bound in particular circumstances of the body in question.
Passports
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to ensure that any passport confiscated by door security staff in the nighttime economy does not enter the criminal passport market; and if she will make a statement. [104937]
Damian Green: The UK passport is one of the most secure documents of its kind utilising a combination of physical and electronic security features. Since 2006 individuals have been biometrically linked to their passports through the photograph contained in an electronic chip embedded in the document. The chip cannot be altered without Border Control officers becoming aware that the passport has been tampered with. UK passports also have a range of physical security measures designed to prevent forgery and tampering. These measures are continuously assessed and attempted frauds and forgeries analysed to ensure that security is maintained and to identify opportunities for further strengthening of the passport and passport issuing process.
The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has a database of passports reported lost and stolen and of passports which have been recovered by third parties and returned to the agency. All passports reported lost or stolen are automatically cancelled on IPS systems and their details added to the database. IPS provides data relating to lost and stolen passports to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency and the UK Border Agency on a daily basis.
All passports returned to IPS by third parties are automatically cancelled and destroyed.
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Police Custody
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it a requirement that custody officers at police stations are given training in identifying (a) acquired brain injuries, (b) autism and (c) strokes in people arrested in the belief they are under the influence of drink or drugs; and if she will make a statement. [105279]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 24 April 2012]: Training for police officers on the recognition of symptoms of brain injuries and strokes is already included within the First Aid Skills—Custody module of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Police First Aid Learning Programme.
Guidance in relation to autism is provided by the joint ACPO and Department of Health document ‘Responding to People with Mental Health or Learning Disabilities’.
Additional information on the appropriate care of detainees is provided by the ACPO Guidance on the Safer Detention and Handling of Persons in Police Custody (Second Edition) and in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act Code of Practice C.
Police: Autism
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what training police officers receive in dealing with people with autism; [106134]
(2) how many complaints her Department has received on police handling of suspects with autism. [106135]
Nick Herbert: On joining the police service, all officers undertake a two-year initial Police Learning and Development Programme. Within this programme, police officers and police community support officers are provided with training in dealing with people who are vulnerable through disability, mental ill health or learning disabilities.
The Home Office does not collect information on complaints about police handling of suspects with autism.
Police: First Aid
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what level of competence in first aid forms part of the training of those joining the police; [105277]
(2) what requirement there is for police officers at all levels to have a recognised competence in first aid; and if she will make a statement. [105278]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 24 April 2012]: All officers must complete and refresh first aid training annually. The initial learning curriculum that all new police officers have to undertake covers first aid training (Emergency First Aider at Work), to the standard defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
This training is the minimum level of first aid required by all police officers and operational support staff that have direct contact with the public. There is no requirement to formally assess officers completing the programme but assessment does take place.
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Police Officers
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many scene of crime officers were employed by each police force in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010. [104912]
Nick Herbert: The latest available information shows the number of scenes of crime police officers and staff within each police force in England and Wales from 2008 to 2011 and is given on Tables 1 and 2 respectively.
| Table 1: Number of scenes of crime police officers within each police force in England and Wales, 31 March 2008 to 2011 (1,2,3) | ||||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
| (1) Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables. (2) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (3) Definition of the scenes of crime function: Staff who are predominantly employed in providing scientific support including scenes of crime officers, their supervisors and those engaged in administrative duties relating thereto. It does not include officers who are predominantly employed in connection with fingerprints and photographs. It includes officers in supporting roles. | ||||
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| Table 2: Number of scenes of crime police staff within each police force in England and Wales, 31 March 2008 to 2011 (1,2,3,4) | ||||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
| (1) Police staff includes s.36 Police Staff and Designated officers (investigation, detention and escort). Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables. (2) Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. (3) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (4) Definition of the scenes of crime function: Staff who are predominantly employed in providing scientific support including scenes of crime officers, their supervisors and those engaged in administrative duties relating thereto. It does not include officers who are predominantly employed in connection with fingerprints and photographs. It includes officers in supporting roles. | ||||