| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Passport Applications
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In what proportion of applications for United Kingdom passports a check is made on the credentials of referees for the applicants.[HL1435]
Lord Rooker: The requirement for a referee or countersignatory for passport applications applies to first time applications for adults and children, to applications to replace lost, stolen or damaged passports, and for renewal applicants whose appearance has significantly changed. These
applications represent around 50 per cent of the business of the UK Passport Service.Various checks on the acceptability of a countersignatory are undertaken on all such applications through the passport issuing process. Some checks are automatic; others are undertaken at the discretion of passport examiners. These checks include formal checks on the countersignatory's credentials. Because they are part of the wider examination process these particular checks are not separately recorded.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many applications were made in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available for United Kingdom passports, showing separately (a) the number of first time applications and (b) applications for passport renewal, and giving the number refused in each instance.[HL1436]
Lord Rooker: The total number of passport applications made in the 12 month period November 2000 to October 2001 was 5,581,132, of which 2,653,544 were first time applications and 2,488,318 were renewals. The number of refusals was 2,371. A breakdown between first time and renewal applications cannot be provided but most refusals would be on first time applications.
Passports Lost or Stolen
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many current United Kingdom passports remain missing from those which have been reported lost or stolen.[HL1437]
Lord Rooker: The United Kingdom Passport Service does not routinely collate information relating to total recoveries of passports recorded as lost or stolen. Figures for passports reported as lost which have not been recovered and are still missing are not therefore available.
All passports reported lost and stolen are cancelled on the Passport Service's systems. Also the new digital passport has enhanced security features which make it extremely difficult for someone who is in possession of a stolen passport to alter the document for use in a false identity.
UK Passport Holders: Notification of Death
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 14 November (WA 82), whether it is the case that in less than 10 per cent of cases of deaths of holders of valid United Kingdom passports the passports are returned for cancellation; if so, whether they regard this as satisfactory; and, whether they intend to take steps to deal with this situation.[HL1438]
Lord Rooker: There are no arrangements requiring the Government to be routinely notified of the death of a United Kingdom passport holder. Therefore, it is not possible to establish the proportion of cases in which a passport is returned for cancellation following the death of the holder.
The United Kingdom Passport Service believes it would be helpful to know of all deaths of United Kingdom passport holders and is considering what measures it can take to achieve this.
Extradition: Application of Death Penalty
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which are the countries to which the United Kingdom might not extradite persons due to the death penalty.[HL1506]
Lord Rooker: The Extradition Act 1989 provides that extradition may be refused if the fugitive stands accused or convicted of an offence for which he could be or has been sentenced to death. This discretion must be interpreted in the light of the wording of the Sixth Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights which outlaws the application of the death penalty and to which the United Kingdom is a signatory. This Government will therefore refuse to extradite persons to any jurisdiction where the offence for which they could be or have been tried carries the death penalty unless sufficient assurances are provided by a requesting state that the death penalty will not be imposed or, if imposed, will not be carried out.
On the rare occasions where the death penalty has been an issue in an extradition case we have always been able to obtain sufficient assurances.
Abu Hamsa Al Masri
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Yemen has asked for the extradition of Abu Hamsa Al Masri to Yemen; whether they will (a) allow him to remain free in the United Kingdom, (b) find a safe third country for him, (c) detain him, or (d) extradite him to the Yemen.[HL1508]
Lord Rooker: It is Home Office policy not to make public announcements on individual extradition requests that may or may not have been received. This is to ensure that any on-going investigations by the relevant law enforcement agencies are not jeopardised in any way.
The question of detention is a matter solely for the police.
Asset Recovery Strategy
Lord Tomlinson asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the Government's Asset Recovery Strategy. [HL1690]
Lord Rooker: We are publishing the strategy today. Copies have been placed in the Vote Office and the Library and sent to the members of the Standing Committee currently considering the Proceeds of Crime Bill.
The Asset Recovery Strategy is the first United Kingdom-wide initiative of its kind, in which the law enforcement, prosecution and relevant government bodies have joined together to commit themselves to making financial investigation and asset recovery a higher priority.
The strategy's aims are: to make greater use of the investigation of criminal assets in the fight against crime; to recover money that has been made from crime or which is intended for use in crime; to prevent criminals and their associates from laundering the proceeds of criminal conduct and to detect and penalise such laundering where it occurs; and to use the proceeds recovered for the benefit of the community.
The strategy sets out our objectives for meeting the challenging financial investigation target of recovering £60 million in confiscation and forfeiture receipts during the 2004–05 financial year. Hitting this target would achieve the Government's commitment of doubling amounts recovered from drug traffickers and other major criminals by 2004.
It is not acceptable that people should enjoy the proceeds of criminal activity and live a life of luxury when it is built on the misery of victims or activities which damage or exploit society.
The strategy we are publishing today sets out how we propose to push forward recovering criminal assets with partners both inside and outside government. Alongside the Proceeds of Crime Bill, the strategy will help take the profit out of crime and dismantle and disrupt criminal enterprises.
The strategy will be updated with further targets when the Bill is implemented and the new assets recovery agency is established.
Baroness Whitaker asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans they have to issue a modified code of practice for authorised officers in relation to their proposal to widen the scope of the cash seizure powers in the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill.[HL1691]
Lord Rooker: Clause 1 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill enables my right honourable friend the Home Secretary to make whatever modifications he thinks are necessary or expedient to any code of practice in operation under Schedule 14 to the Terrorism Act 2000. Such modifications can be made in an order under Clause 123 of the Bill, bringing the cash seizure provisions in Schedule 1 to the Bill into force. My right honourable friend has today made available in the Library a draft code of practice for
authorised officers showing where he believes the modifications are required. These modifications are still subject to final consultation with the police and others.Airborne Launch Platforms
Lord Inglewood asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have asked Airbus if the A340 could be adapted to fulfil a military role equivalent to that carried out for the United States by the B52.[HL1432]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): The UK does not currently have a requirement for an airborne platform capable of delivering the same type or numbers of ordnance as carried by a B52. However, the UK does have a requirement to replace, towards the end of the next decade, the strike capability currently provided by the Tornado GR4 aircraft. This programme is known as the future offensive air system. While no decisions have yet been taken, we are currently looking at a potential mix of systems to deliver precision strike capability, including long-range cruise missiles, uninhabited air combat vehicles and manned aircraft. As part of this work the potential of large military and converted civil aircraft, such as the Airbus A340, to act as launch platforms for long-range conventional air launched cruise missiles is being considered.
Next Section
Back to Table of Contents
Lords Hansard Home Page