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Written Answers
Monday, 26th November 2001.
Individual Petition
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which member states other than the United Kingdom have failed to accept the right of individual petition under (a) the United Nations Convention on the elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, (b) the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, (c) the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and (d) the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. [HL864]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): In summary, the following numbers of state parties have accepted the right of individual petition.
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination—36.
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women—27.
Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment—45.
Convention on the Rights of the Child—there is no right of individual petition.
I shall write to the noble Lord with full details.
Republic of Ireland: British Passport Applications
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many applications they have received from residents in the Republic of Ireland for British passports (a) in each year since 1990 and (b) during the period 1 January to 31 October 2001. [HL1382]
Baroness Amos: The British Embassy in Dublin issued the following numbers of British passports in recent years:
- 1996: 4,701
- 1997: 5,199
- 1998: 5,649
- 1999: 6,381
- 2000: 7,274
- 1 January to 31 October 2001: 7,345
Great Lakes Region
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have studied the report of the visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo last August by the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Great Lakes and Genocide Prevention; what action they are taking in response to the group's recommendations; and whether they are producing a regional strategy paper on the Great Lakes region. [HL1388]
Baroness Amos: We have studied carefully the report made by the all party group. I look forward to discussing it and its recommendations when I meet with the group on 28 November. We have a flexible policy towards the Great Lakes, anchored firmly in the Lusaka and Arusha peace processes, which provide the only viable frameworks for lasting peace in the region.
Air Travel: Identity Checks
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government: What requirements they intend to introduce to check the identities of those travelling by air within the United Kingdom.[HL956]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker): The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill will amend the Terrorism Act 2000 to give an examining officer the power to make a written request to an air or shipping carrier for it to collect and provide information about passengers, crew, vehicles belonging to passengers or crew and goods carried by ships or aircraft either arriving in, leaving from or traveling within the United Kingdom. At present the power extends only to journeys within the common travel area.
The type of information to be collected will be specified by order after the passage of this Bill. The law enforcement agencies are working on a list of common information requirements and the carriers will be consulted on this.
Asylum Applications
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will give a breakdown of the 79,000 applications for asylum received in the past financial year showing:
(a) the countries of origin;
(b) the number who applied for asylum at the border and those who made in-country applications;
(c) the number entering the United Kingdom by air, by ship and by land (via Channel Tunnel); and
(d) of those making in-country applications, how many were discovered by the authorities and how many surrendered to the authorities voluntarily.[HL1046]
Lord Rooker: A breakdown of the 79,125 applications for asylum to the UK in the financial year 2000–01, by area and nationality, is provided below (Table: Applications for asylum, received in the UK, excluding dependants, by nationality, 2000–01).
Information on the total numbers of asylum applicants entering the UK by air, by ship and by land (via the Channel Tunnel) is unavailable. Data are available on applications at ports, and are provided below (Table: Total asylum claims at port of entry, 2000–01).
Information on the numbers of in-country applicants discovered by the authorities or who surrendered to the authorities voluntarily is not currently recorded and is therefore unavailable.
(1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with (*) = 1 or 2.
(2) Includes applications from Other Yugoslavia.
(3) All data are provisional and rounded to nearest 5, where * =
1 or 2
Lord Burnham asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Rooker: I understand from the Chief Constable of the Thames Valley Police, who is responsible for administering the firearm and shot gun certification process within his area, that in the financial year 2000–01 the revenue accrued from gun licensing was £326,184. These funds were credited to the Thames Valley Police revenue budget. The overall expenditure of the firearms department for this period was £431,224. In the current financial year the revenue accrued from gun licensing to date (i.e. week 31) is £251,694. It is forecast that the overall cost of the firearms department will be £446,940.
Viscount Simon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Rooker: The Home Office, Northern Ireland Office and the Scottish Executive do not collect information on the type of vehicle involved in speeding offences.
Applied at port Applied in-country Number of principal applicants Total
Europe
Albania 250 1,430 1,680
Czech Republic 900 75 975
FRY(2) 600 3,945 4,545
Poland 410 420 830
Romania 260 1,650 1,910
Russia 65 720 780
Turkey 2,185 1,915 4,100
Ukraine 115 520 640
Other Former USSR 360 1,485 1,845
Other Former Yugoslavia 80 2,475 2,555
Others 170 300 470
Total 5,390 14,940 20,330
Americas
Colombia 105 225 325
Ecuador 65 230 300
Others 130 360 490
Total 300 815 1,115
Middle East
Iran 1,330 4,985 6,310
Iraq 2,105 6,625 8,730
Others 510 780 1,290
Total 3,940 12,385 16,330
Africa
Algeria 285 1,240 1,525
Angola 205 590 795
Democratic Republic of Congo 395 560 955
Ethiopia 130 340 470
Gambia 10 40 50
Ghana 100 165 265
Ivory Coast 60 355 415
Kenya 115 225 345
Nigeria 275 460 740
Rwanda 105 615 720
Sierra Leone 580 870 1,450
Somalia 1,095 4,280 5,375
Sudan 200 230 430
Tanzania 25 45 70
Uganda 45 490 535
Zimbabwe 1,005 240 1,250
Others 765 1,875 2,640
Total 5,400 12,625 18,025
Asia
Afghanistan 2,780 3,435 6,215
Bangladesh 200 520 720
China 1,695 1,490 3,185
India 455 1,720 2,175
Pakistan 790 2,070 2,860
Sri Lanka 4,000 2,340 6,340
Others 245 1,035 1,280
Total 10,155 12,615 22,775
Other and unknown nationalities 265 290 555
Grand Total 25,455 53,675 79,125
Total
Heathrow 7,765
Dover East 4,835
Waterloo 4,810
Gatwick 2,870
Cheriton 1,300
Stansted 865
Harwich 240
Manchester 210
Hull 160
London City 155
Ashford 145
Portsmouth 130
Felixstowe 110
Tees Ports 95
Birmingham 70
Luton 65
Newcastle/North Shields 25
Dover Hoverport 15
Edinburgh 15
Poole 10
Aberdeen 10
Belfast 5
Bristol 5
Plymouth 5
Liverpool 5
Southampton 5
Swansea 5
Folkestone 5
Leeds Bradford *
Norwich *
Newhaven *
West Midlands *
Cardiff *
What money from firearms and gun licence applications has been paid into the general police fund in the Thames Valley for the most recently available accounting period.[HL1294]
(a) how many speeding offences involving heavy goods vehicles and public services vehicles have involved speeds in excess of national limits for the vehicles in question over the last three years for which figures are available;
(b) how many of these vehicles involved in these offences have been found to have defective speed governors; and
(c) what penalties have been imposed as a result.[HL1356]
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