| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Asylum Applicants: Exceptional Leave
Baroness Young of Old Scone asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will allow those asylum applicants whose claims have remained undecided for 10 years or more to remain in the United Kingdom exceptionally.[HL1126]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): While each asylum claim is considered on its individual merits, it has been a long-standing practice (since the early 1990s) to consider the grant of exceptional leave, on account of the length of stay here, in those asylum cases where a decision had not been taken seven years after the application was made. There are criteria for considering such cases and the grant of exceptional leave is not an automatic outcome. We will publish the relevant guidance to caseworkers shortly and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Immigration Advisory Service: Grant
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why they are reducing the grant to the Immigration Advisory Service by £500,000 in 1998-99; what effect this will have on clearing the backlog of applications for asylum; and how appellants are to be fairly treated if they have no legal aid and their cases cannot be presented by the Refugee Legal Centre or the Immigration Advisory Service.[HL1014]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: There is no reduction in core funding for the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS): in fact, it is being increased by 3 per cent. for the coming financial year after three years of standstill. The £500,000 referred to was allocated to IAS in each of the financial years 1996-97 and 1997-98 under the Spend to Save arrangements, which were designed to reduce the burden on public funds by funding measures to reduce the backlog of asylum cases. This was a time-limited initiative under which funds are not available for the IAS in 1998-99. This will not affect the backlog of asylum applications since the IAS is funded under Section 23 of the Immigration Act 1971 to provide assistance only to those with rights of appeal under immigration and asylum legislation. Funding under Section 23 is one method by which assistance is available to immigration and asylum appellants but it is also open to them to seek assistance from other voluntary organisations or from representatives, including solicitors.
Victims of Nazi Persecution: Files on Release of Assets
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are their reasons for deciding not to release to the Public Record Office until the year 2010 file BT 271/83 concerning the release of assets to victims of Nazi persecution; and[HL871]
Whether they will reconsider their decision not to release to the Public Record Office until the year 2010 file BT 271/83 concerning the release of assets to victims of Nazi persecution; and, if not, why not.[HL872]
Lord Haskel: The DTI leads on this subject as the successor to the Board of Trade, which administered the Trading With the Enemy legislation during the Second World War. All the records that are over 30 years old relating to Holocaust victims and the treatment of enemy assets may be seen by the public in the Public Record Office (PRO). In response to a letter from Lord Janner to the Lord Chancellor, the DTI has agreed to consider the early release to the PRO of any records less than 30 years old up to the point where the last Custodian of Enemy Property was wound up in 1988. I am sure that the noble Lord will appreciate that this will take a little time but we will carry this out as soon as current resources permit.
There is a particular problem in reviewing for early release files which contain personal information which may have been provided in confidence. The file which the noble Lord has asked about contains copies of documents relating to individuals as recently as the late 1970s. For this reason, officials require a little time before deciding whether to release the file. This will be done as quickly as possible.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will allow public access to all records in their possession concerning the release of assets to victims of Nazi persecution.[HL1013]
Lord Haskel: The DTI leads on this subject as the successor to the Board of Trade, which administered the Trading With the Enemy legislation during the Second World War. All the records that are over 30 years old relating to Holocaust victims and the treatment of enemy assets may be seen by the public in the Public Record Office (PRO). In response to a letter from Lord Janner to the Lord Chancellor, the DTI has agreed to consider the early release to the PRO of any records less than 30 years old up to the point where the last Custodian of Enemy Property was wound up in 1988. I am sure that the noble Lord will appreciate that this will take a little time but we will carry this out as soon as current resources permit.
Vehicle Excise Duty Exemptions
Lord Sefton of Garston asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many cars are exempt from paying road tax and displaying discs and for what reasons.[HL1052]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman): Approximately 1.3 million vehicles of all types are exempt from paying Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Exemption from VED is restricted to vehicles used for humanitarian, emergency or police purposes, vehicles used by or for the severely disabled, agricultural vehicles used for short distances only, vehicles over 25 years old and diplomatic, consular and visiting forces vehicles. All of these are required to license annually and to display a (NIL) VED disc.
Twenty thousand vehicles are registered to Crown bodies. These are exempt from VED and the requirement to display a VED disc, but must display a Crown Exemption Certificate.
Foreign vehicles (licensed in their country of origin) on short visits to the UK, vehicles being exported and those on their way to a prearranged roadworthiness test are exempt from VED and from displaying a Vehicle Excise Duty disc.
Local Authority Housing Transfers
Lord Gladwin of Clee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish the names of the local authorities to be included in the programme for housing transfers by councils in 1998-99.[HL1129]
Baroness Hayman: We have today announced the names of the 23 local authorities which will be able to proceed, on a voluntary basis and subject to the approval of their tenants, with proposals to carry out 28 transfers of all or part of their housing stock to registered social landlords (RSLs) in 1998-99. The programme will involve over 85,000 dwellings in large-scale voluntary transfers, generating capital receipts of over £482 million. Sixteen of the transfers will be supported by Estates Renewal Challenge Funding.
This reflects the Government's commitment to a continuing programme of transfers as a means of generating private finance to repair and improve the condition of social housing.
The authorities which have successfully gained a place on the programme, together with the intended recipient RSL are as follows:
(a) disposals by Allerdale Borough Council of not more than 3,899 dwelling-houses to Derwent and Solway Housing Association and not more than 1,002 dwelling-houses on the Salterbeck estate to Impact Housing Association;
(b) a disposal by Bath & North East Somerset Council of not more than 10,200 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(c) a disposal by Birmingham City Council of not more than 2,643 dwelling-houses on the Central Area estate to a registered social landlord;
(d) a disposal by Bradford City Council of not more than 598 dwelling-houses on the Thorpe Edge estate to a registered social landlord;
(e) a disposal by East Lindsey District Council of not more than 5,179 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(f) a disposal by London Borough of Greenwich of not more than 1,246 dwelling-houses on the Charlton Triangle estate to a registered social landlord;
(g) disposals by London Borough of Hackney of not more than 1,157 dwelling-houses on the Morningside estate to Sanctuary Housing, not more than 661 dwelling-houses on the Haggerston estate to Metropolitan Housing Trust and Community Housing Association and not more than 1,000 dwelling-houses on the Upper Clapton estate to Clapton Community Consortium;
(h) a disposal by London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham of not more than 703 dwelling-houses on the Old Oak estate to Family Housing Association;
(i) a disposal by London Borough of Lambeth of not more than 681 dwellings on the Lansdowne Green estate to South London Family Housing Association;
(j) disposals by Liverpool City Council of not more than 800 dwelling-houses on the Pinehurst estate to CDS Housing;
(k) disposals by Manchester City Council of not more than 1,272 dwelling-houses on the Darnhill estate to Guiness Trust and not more than 6,900 dwelling-houses on the East Wythenshawe estate to Willow Park Trust;
(l) a disposal by Rother District Council of not more than 3,180 dwelling-houses to Rother Homes, a subsidiary of South London Family Housing Association;
(m) a disposal by St. Helens Borough Council of not more than 789 dwelling-houses on the Wargrave estate to Wargrave Community Housing Association;
(n) a disposal by South Hams District Council of not more than 3,212 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(o) a disposal by South Somerset District Council of not more than 9,133 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(p) a disposal by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council of not more than 904 dwelling-houses on the West Ashton estate to West Ashton Pioneer Homes;
(q) a disposal by Tewkesbury Borough Council of not more than 3,105 dwelling-houses to Severn Vale Housing Society;
(r) a disposal by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets of not more than 2,887 dwelling-houses on the Poplar estates to Poplar Housing and Regeneration Community Association; and not more than 2,322 dwelling-houses on the Cityside estates to Cityside Housing and Regeneration Community Association;
(s) a disposal by West Devon Borough Council of not more than 1,439 dwelling-houses to West Devon Homes;
(t) a disposal by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council of not more than 1,108 dwelling-houses on the Leasowe estate to Leasowe Community Homes, a subsidiary of Liver Housing Association;
(u) a disposal by Wokingham Borough Council of not more than 3,101 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(v) a disposal by Worthing Borough Council of not more than 2,579 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(w) a disposal by Wrekin District Council of not more than 13,495 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord.
Northern Ireland Computerised Cattle Traceability System: Demonstration
Lord McConnell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- On what basis it was decided which Northern Ireland peers should be invited to the recent demonstration in the Palace of Westminster by the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture.[HL934]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Dubs): Officials from the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland demonstrated their computerised cattle traceability system in the Palace of Westminster on 19 February.
Members of this House with Northern Ireland links were identified and received invitations to the demonstration. Unfortunately, due to an administrative error, a number of peers did not receive an invitation, including the noble Lord.
The Department of Agriculture is in the process of arranging another demonstration of the system, to take place before the Easter Recess, and will invite those peers not included in the previous demonstration to attend.
"Spouse": Interpretation
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the recent decision of the European Court of Justice with respect to European equal pay and sex discrimination law in the case Grant v. South West Trains Limited will have any impact upon how usage of the word "spouse" in the Ministerial Code has been interpreted.[HL700]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: No.
| Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |