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Sexual Exploitation of Women
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- For each of the last five years, what sum has been recovered by way of confiscation for those prosecuted for involvement in the sexual exploitation of women.[HL4556]
Lord Filkin: Under current legislation, the sexual exploitation of women is not a specific legal offence. There are a number of existing offences relating to those who profit from the prostitution of others, such as running a brothel. Information relating to the sums recovered as a result of confiscations from prosecutions in these cases is not currently centrally collected.
Sangatte
Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the reasons for not taking up the offer by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help resolve the problems arising from the presence of United Kingdom asylum seekers at the Sangatte Centre in France.[HL5288]
Lord Filkin: The Government have not rejected any offer to help. Both we and the French Government welcome United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee's (UNHCR) offer of assistance, and the Home Secretary agreed with French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, on 12 July that the two governments would involve the UNHCR in work to prepare for the closure of the Sangatte centre.
Afghanistan: Asylum Seekers
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the conditions in Afghanistan that have led them to the conclusion that it is now safe to return asylum seekers to that country.[HL5303]
Lord Filkin: The situation in Afghanistan has been and continues to be kept under constant review. There continues to be a real and sustained improvement in the country situation. After extensive consideration of all the available evidence and official advice, the Government decided that it was appropriate to modify our policy to reflect those improving conditions.
The country of origin information on which this modification of policy was based comes from a wide range of sources, including from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, inter-governmental organisations such as the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and other United Nations (UN) bodies and non-governmental organisations. A bulletin setting out the latest available country of origin information, which updates the Home Office country assessment on Afghanistan published in April, is available on the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
We will only enforce the return of unsuccessful asylum seekers who have been found not to be in need of protection and who can safely return to Afghanistan but who do not leave voluntarily.
Asylum Seekers: Third Country Cases
Lord Puttnam asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What their policy is where family ties are claimed to the UK in third country cases.[HL5484]
Lord Filkin: The policy on the exercise of discretion in safe third country cases where family ties to the United Kingdom are claimed is that potential third country cases would normally have their asylum claims considered substantively in this country where:
- (a) an applicant's spouse is in the United Kingdom;
- (b) the applicant is an unmarried minor and a parent is in the United Kingdom;
- (c) the applicant has an unmarried minor child in the United Kingdom.
Discretion may be exercised according to the merits of the case where:
- (d) a married minor was involved but the criteria in (b) or (c) above were otherwise fulfilled. (We
- would be less likely to consider cases under (c) than (b) under these circumstances);
- (e) the applicant was an elderly or otherwise dependent parent;
- (f) the family link was not one which would normally be considered but there was clear evidence that the applicant was wholly or mainly dependent on the relative in the United Kingdom and that there was an absence of similar support elsewhere.
Factors which might influence the exercise of discretion in these cases such as language, cultural links or the number of family members in the United Kingdom may have a bearing, but there would need to be a compelling combination of such factors to ensure the exercise of discretion in favour of an applicant.
Cases citing family ties which would not normally be considered and which did not display any of the features which engaged the exercise of discretion would not normally be considered substantively. This means that a brother who was not dependent on his sibling(s) would not normally have his case considered here, no matter how strong his cultural or linguistic links with the United Kingdom.
The intention of the policy is to re-unite members of an existing family unit who, through circumstances outside of their control, had become fragmented. However, we emphasise that where the relationship did not exist prior to the person's arrival to the United Kingdom, the policy would be applied only in the most exceptionally compelling cases.
We are satisfied that this policy complies with the United Kingdom's obligations as regards the European Convention on Human Rights and that it is consistent with our obligations under the Dublin Convention, as set out in Article 1 of Decision 1/2000 of the committee set up by Article 18 of the Dublin Convention concerning the transfer of responsibility for family members in accordance with Article 3(4) and Article 9 of the convention.
Government Agencies: Requirement for Original Documentation
Lord Lipsey asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which government agencies require the submission of originals of passports, driving licences or birth certificates with applications for official documents.[HL2286]
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): Based on information obtained from across government, the following agencies require the submission of original passports, driving licences or birth certificates:
| Agency | Original documents required |
| Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency | passport, birth certificate or driving licence |
| Driving Standards Agency | driving licence |
| Maritime and Coastguard Agency | passport or birth certificate |
| Vehicle Inspectorate | driving licence |
| The Passport and Records Agency | passport, birth certificate or driving licence |
| Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies: Child Support Agency, Jobcentre Plus, Pensions Service and the Appeals Service | passport, birth certificate or driving licence |
In addition, Foreign and Commonwealth Office entry clearance officers at posts outside the UK require sight of original documentation.
A letter will be sent separately to the noble Lord about the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise, for which information is still being collected.
I understand that it is normal practice for government departments and their agencies to require original documentation in order to establish identity and entitlement to services as a basic safeguard against fraud.
House of Lords Reform: Creation of Life Peers
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they consider that any new Life Peers should be created pending the report of the Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform and decisions on phase two reform, including the composition of a reformed Upper House.[HL5132]
The Lord Chancellor: While the way forward on House of Lords reform is under consideration, the Government will keep the membership of the House, including that of non-party political Peers, under ongoing review.
Investment in Industry
Lord Higgins asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will place in the Library of the House the evidence in support of the statement of Baroness Hollis of Heigham on 11 July (HL Deb, column 830) that investment in industry has increased as a result of the change in ACT (advanced corporation tax) made in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's first Budget. [HL5280]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Total business investment, measured at constant prices, has increased markedly since 1997. It was £93.1 billion in 1997 and £113.1 billion in 2001. This information has been published in the UK Economic Accounts (Table A8: Grossed Fixed Capital Formation, Business Investment at Constant Prices).
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
Lord Hylton : asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which of the world's heavily indebted poor countries have had their debts written off; how much of the total debt has so far been cancelled; and what further amounts they expect to be cancelled in the coming 12 months. [HL5307]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The enhanced highly indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative agreed at Cologne in 1999 makes provision for the cancellation of around 100 billion US dollars of debt, of which 28 billion dollars is provided through traditional debt relief mechanisms and 11 billion dollars through additional bilateral debt relief over and beyond HIPC terms.
Under the HIPC initative, a country receives interim debt relief on payments due when it reaches decision point, and subsequently the debt is irrevocably cancelled at completion point. Of the 42 countries classified as HIPCs, four are currently expected to have a sustainable burden of debt after traditional debt relief and one has so far not opted to apply for debt relief.
Of the remaining 37 countries, 26 have now reached decision point with 62 billion dollars in debt relief committed compared with the 100 billion dollars total. Six of these countries, Bolivia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, have reached completion point and have had total debts of around 13 billion dollars cancelled, excluding traditional debt relief and additional bilateral voluntary debt relief. Out of 11 countries yet to reach decision point, eight are affected by conflict and this makes their progress in the HIPC initiative difficult.
In April 2002 the staffs of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank estimated that, subject to progress under their poverty reduction strategy process and IMF programme, over the next 12 months (ie by mid-2003) 12 countries could reach completion point: Benin, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Honduras, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger and Rwanda. At completion point these countries could have total debts of around 14 billion dollars cancelled, excluding traditional debt relief and additonal bilateral voluntary debt relief.
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