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Immigration Service: Guidance to Staff
Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish the Instructions to Immigration Service and Home Office staff on dealing with immigration cases.[HL1402]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: We are pleased to announce that a copy of the disclosable version of four of the six volumes of the Immigration Directorates' Instructions (IDIs) is being placed in the Library. The material is subject to periodic review and revision. We shall arrange to provide the Library with any necessary amendments or new instructions.
The IDIs consist of internal guidance to staff about the handling of on-entry and after-entry immigration casework. They are being made available in accordance with the principles of openness in the White Paper on Freedom of Information and in the existing Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. A small amount of material cannot be disclosed, either on the grounds of national security or because disclosure would prejudice the effective operation of immigration controls.
Arrangements are now in hand to make this information available on the Internet. Because of the volume of material and the technical arrangements involved, it is likely to take approximately six weeks before this process is complete. In the meantime, members of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's After-Entry User Panel are being consulted about other suitable ways of facilitating access to this information.
Separate sets of internal instructions on asylum, enforcement, European Economic Area and nationality casework will be made available in due course. We are also examining disclosure of the remaining two volumes
of the IDIs in so far as they relate to immigration casework. Much of the material in those volumes relates to internal administrative matters, such as general guidance on the drafting of letters, which would not normally be relevant to those outside the Home Office.USA: Gun Culture
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will offer advice and assistance in an endeavour to counter the gun culture in the United States.[HL1308]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: No. It is not this Government's policy to intervene in the lawful domestic arrangements in another sovereign state.
Police Use of Soft Point Ammunition
The Earl of Haddington asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether police forces in the United Kingdom use small arms ammunition when attending an operational incident which the Armed Forces are prohibited from using in wartime.[HL1213]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Authorised police firearms officers may use soft point ammunition operationally. In accordance with our obligations under the Hague Convention of 1899, the Armed Forces would not use such ammunition in wartime. The convention does not apply to police use of firearms. The circumstances in which the police are, on rare occasions, required to use firearms are different from those found in wartime. Police use of soft point ammunition reflects the need for them to have ammunition which is effective in quickly incapacitating someone who is presenting an immediate threat to life and who cannot be dealt with in any other way. It is also important for the police to have ammunition which is less likely to pass through a target and thus put others at risk.
Handguns: Compensation Payments to Date
The Earl of Haddington asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Williams of Mostyn on 3 June 1997 (WA 27), whether they will publish a table showing the current payments made under the Large Calibre Handgun Compensation Scheme 1997 to (a) dealers and
(b) individuals in the following categories agreed by the Government:
(i) large calibre pistols;
(ii) expanding ammunition;
(iii) small calibre pistols;
(iv) ancillary equipment.[HL1220]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The information at
31 March 1998 is given in the table below. Audited details of compensation expenditure will be made available at the end of the scheme. These interim figures should therefore be regarded as provisional and subject to adjustment.
(1) All payments made under the ex gratia surrender scheme for small-calibre pistols.
(2) Includes payments made under the ex gratia surrender scheme for small calibre pistols.
In addition, interim payments of around £2.0 million have been made to firearms dealers pending full settlement of their claims.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Government are committed to promoting the eradication of the commercial sexual exploitation of children both in this country and abroad. We already have extensive arrangements in place for assisting other countries in the investigation and prosecution of offences involving the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children, as well as for responding to extradition requests.
Last August, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines Government on co-operation to fight child abuse, which is the first of its kind in the world. On the practical front we are sharing intelligence and the expertise and training skills of our police with other governments. United Kingdom police forces have run training courses in the Philippines and Sri Lanka, the latter course being attended by officers from all parts of the sub-continent. Last month I visited Thailand, where I met the Interior Minister, the Deputy Foreign Minister and the Justice Minister, and discussed with them the issue of United Kingdom/Thai co-operation on child protection. I also launched a child protection training course run by officers from Northumbria Police.
At the second Asia/Europe summit, held in London from 3-4 April, my right honourable friend the
Lord HolmPatrick asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Williams of Mostyn: It is not possible fully to categorise claims until they have been examined. The available information at 31 March 1998 based on claims received and registered on the Firearms Compensation Section's computer is as follows:
There are around 2,000 claims still to be registered, which will add to these numbers. The figures do not include applications under the ex gratia surrender scheme for small-calibre pistols.
Lord HolmPatrick asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the total monetary value of claims for compensation arising from the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 compensation scheme in respect of:
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The information at
31 March 1998 is as follows:
The figures do not include applications under the ex gratia surrender scheme for small-calibre pistols.
Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Government understand that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been responsible for terrorist attacks overseas. We strongly condemn all acts of terrorism from whatever source.
Payments made (£ million)
Items surrendered Individual Dealer Total
Large calibre handguns 14.02 3.99 18.01
Expanding ammunition 0.26 0.92 1.18
Small calibre pistols(1) 1.95 0.56 2.51
Ancillary equipment(2) 10.17 9.36 19.53
What assistance they give to governments, such as the Government of Thailand, to protect children in South East Asia who are sold into prostitution and to combat the trafficking of children; and what discussions have been held between Home Office Ministers and their Thai counterparts.[HL1271]
How many claims for compensation arising from the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 compensation scheme have been received in respect of:
(a) Option A;
(b) Option B; and
(c) Option C.[HL1251]
Number of claims received
Claims under Options A and B 20,216
Claims under Options A, B and C (mixed claims) 17,688
Claims under Option C only 800
How many claims for compensation arising from the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 compensation scheme have been paid in respect of:
(a) Option A;
(b) Option B; and
(c) Option C; and[HL1252]
(a) Option A;
(b) Option B; and
(c) Option C.[HL 1253]
Number of payments made Value
Claims under Option A 25,043 £9,778,413
Claims under Option B 26,279 £27,205,687
Claims under Option C 213 £2,114,207
Whether, in the context of international co-operation in the suppression of terrorism, they consider the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to be an organisation that engages in terrorist activity.[HL1219]
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