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Afghan Immigrants from Sangatte
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the statement by Lord Filkin on 2 December (HL Deb, col. 984) that the United Kingdom will admit Afghans from Sangatte who need to be reunited with their families in the United Kingdom or have other particular vulnerabilities, what will constitute particular vulnerabilities for this purpose; and what support will be provided for those who come within this category. [HL448]
Lord Filkin: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has identified Afghans in Sangatte whom they consider vulnerable either because of a need to be reunited with relatives or because of an international protection need. We have agreed to take those identifed by UNHCR as having links to the United Kingdom. Rebo
Asylum Seekers: Dispersal
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which are the cluster areas for the dispersal of asylum seekers to which new dispersals have been suspended; and what are the reasons for such suspension. [HL485]
Lord Filkin: The information as at 27 November is as follows:
| Cluster area | Dispersal suspended to all or part of the cluster area | Reason |
| Burnley | All | Dispersal suspended at the request of the police |
| Nelson | All | Dispersal suspended at the request of the police |
| Bolton | Part | Dispersal suspended at the request of the police |
| Huddersfield | Part | Dispersal suspended at the request of the police |
| Blackburn | All | Dispersal suspended at the request of the regional consortium |
| Bolton | Part | Dispersal suspended at the request of the regional consortium |
| Manchester | Part | Dispersal suspended at the request of the local authority/police |
National Asylum Support Service (NASS) suspends dispersal for a variety of reasons. Suspension of dispersal does not mean that an area is unsafe for asylum seekers already living there. Where NASS has suspended dispersal at the request of the police this will not be resumed until the police advise that it is advisable to do so.
ReboJanice
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Filkin: Department of Health officials are due to have a preliminary meeting with representatives from the British Medical Association shortly to discuss the issues raised and recommendations made in their report Asylum seekers: meeting their healthcare needs.
Meeting the health needs of those with mental health prolems is a priority for the NHS and the National Service Framework for Mental Health is improving services across the board for all service users including asylum seekers. Mental health services can treat the majority of mental health problems. Complex cases can be referred to specialist units throughout the country. The Department of Health is funding the Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture to deliver training to health providers on the needs of those who have been tortured.
Voluntary sector agencies provide reception assistants whose job is to assist asylum seekers to complete an application form for support from the National Asylum Support Service. Reception assistants have been given guidance on what to do if an asylum seeker mentions that they are suffering from torture or demonstrates that they have care needs above and beyond destitution. They will be referred to the local authority for assessment.
Within the induction centre at Dover, asylum seekers are offered a health assessment by a healthcare professional. It is hoped that further induction centres will also offer this service and that this will provide a better way of determining health needs of asylum seekers, including those suffering from psychological trauma.
Janice
Lord Monson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Filkin: The Iraqis coming to the United Kingdom from Sangatte are being given leave to enter for four years to work here. Their status is not dependent on conditions in Iraq.
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Baroness Scotland of Asthall): Magistrates' courts committees (MCCs) are responsible for the efficient and effective administration of magistrates' courts in their area, including their location.
The Countryside Agency's rural proofing checklist was sent to all 42 MCCs in May 2001, with the emphasis that rural proofing should be demonstrated when undertaking any accommodation or service review.
Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The European Parliament (Representation) Bill, which was introduced into Parliament on 21 November, contains a provision to require the Electoral Commission to recommend to the Lord Chancellor which electoral region it would be most appropriate for Gibraltar to be a part of for the purposes of European Parliament elections. The Electoral Commission will have to make this recommendation by September 2003.
Rebo/Joan
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 7 November (WA154), and notwithstanding the publication of the regulatory impact assessment in preparation of the Data Protection Act 1998, what were the actual costs for (i) inception of data protection regimes and (ii) annual maintenance costs of compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 for government departments; and[HL421]
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 7 November (WA154), and notwithstanding the publication of the regulatory impact assessment in preparation of the Data Protection Act 1998, what were the actual costs for (i) inception of data protection regimes and (ii) annual maintenance costs of compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 for the National Health Service; and[HL422]
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 7 November (WA154) and notwithstanding the publication of the regulatory impact assessment in preparation of the Data Protection Act 1998, what were the actual costs for (i) inception of data protection regimes and (ii) annual maintenance costs of compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 for United Kingdom companies that employ:
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): The Bill that was published last week is intended to enable Parliament to reach a conclusion on the contentious issue of hunting with hounds. It seeks to prevent cruelty while recognising those activities which are necessary to countryside management such as the protection of animals or crops. All activities have to satisfy the two tests of utility and cruelty (least suffering). The evidence on which decisions were taken include the report of the Burns inquiry and evidence provided to that inquiry public hearing held in Portcullis House in September and submissions from a variety of organisations and individuals.
All the evidence has been published: the Burns report and related documents in 2000; 194 letters from organisations or individual hunts in response to the consultation letter of 31 May 2002; complete verbatim transcripts of hearings on 9-11 September 2002 in Portcullis House; videotapes of these hearings are also available, and papers of evidence submitted by the witnesses at those hearings. All of these documents are in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
What action they intend to take in response to the report by the British Medical Association (Asylum seekers: meeting their healthcare needs, 23 October 2002) that asylum seekers suffering from psychological aspects of torture are not always referred to specialist centres.[HL498]
Whether, in the event of the present regime in Iraq being replaced by a stable democratic government, the Iraqi Kurds being sent to Britain from Sangatte will be required to return to their country of origin.[HL501]
Whether rationalisation of magistrates' courts might be better accomplished by closing some courts in towns and cities and retaining others in surrounding rural areas to reduce the travel problems of rural dwellers while allowing public transport from areas of concentrated population.[HL323]
With which United Kingdom region Gibraltar will be put for voting purposes in the next European parliamentary elections.[HL362]
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 7 November (WA154), and notwithstanding the publication of the regulatory impact assessment in preparation of the Data Protection Act 1998, what were the actual costs for (i) inception of data protection regimes and (ii) annual maintenance costs of compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 for local authorities; and[HL420]
(a) fewer than 20 persons;
(b) between 20 and 50 persons;
(c) between 50 and 250 persons; and
(d) more than 250 persons[HL423]Why they have decided that deer hunting cannot meet the tests of utility and cruelty; whether they will publish those reasons; and whether they consider that mink hunting should continue in addition to ratting and rabbiting.[HL451]
16 Dec 2002 : Column WA71
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