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Information on UASCs is published on a quarterly basis. Statistics on age-disputed applications are published annually. The quarter four UASC report will be available from 27 February 2007. Copies of these publications and others relating to immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.htm. Data on age-disputed asylum applications in 2006 do not necessarily relate to UASC applications received within the same period.
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Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many young unaccompanied asylum seekers from countries to which non-suspensive appeals apply claimed to be under 18; and on what grounds were each deemed to be over 18.[HL1092]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Data on the numbers of asylum applications from unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) and age-disputed cases from non-suspensive appeals countries can be found in the attached tables. Data on the grounds upon which individual age-disputed cases were deemed to be over 18 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.
Information on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications and others relating to immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
Immigration: Deportation
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will keep central records of persons detained under the immigration laws in the belief that they were foreign nationals liable to deportation, and who were subsequently found to be either (a) British, or (b) otherwise exempt from deportation. [HL928]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Detention reviews of those detained under immigration laws with a view to deportation are carried out on a case-by-case basis according to the specific individual circumstances of the detainee to ensure that detention is lawful and meets our current criteria on detention. Reviews are carried out on a monthly basis to ensure that the individual continues to meet the requirements for detention. Collating this information on a central basis in order to record details of those who were initially determined to be liable for deportation but then found not to be would require a significant use of resources at disproportionate cost.
Immigration: Harmondsworth Removal Centre
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why night staff at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre have only limited access to ligature cutters which can be used to save those who may try to hang themselves; and whether they will take steps to increase staff access to ligature cutters. [HL665]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Ligature cutters are available at all staff points throughout the immigration removal centre (IRC), and are carried by senior detention custody officers (DCOs) on duty in the residential areas. There are procedures in place to ensure that a staff cutter is readily available to any DCO who is the first on scene.
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Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give a breakdown of the persons who were discharged from Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre during the third quarter of 2006, showing how many were (a) granted bail; (b) granted temporary admission; (c) released for any other reason; (d) removed; and (e) transferred to another immigration removal centre or prison. [HL1165]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The total number of people discharged from Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre during the third quarter of 2006 was 1,741. Sixteen were granted bail, 233 were granted temporary admission, 955 were removed and 537 were transferred.
Immigration: Spot Checks
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish figures showing the number of sudden spot checks carried out by security and immigration personnel on entrants through United Kingdom airports in the past six months, as a proportion of total entrants; how many of these were checks carried out as soon as the passenger had left the aeroplane; and how many were carried out after the normal checks applicable to all passengers. [HL1184]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Immigration: Unlimited Detention
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the evidence of irreparable mental health damage to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers detained without time limit. [HL1119]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Immigration Act powers to detain are not time limited. However, domestic and European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) case law provides that detention must last for no longer than is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it is authorised and must not be of excessive duration.
Under the terms of Rule 34 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 (No. 238) Immigration Service removal centres must ensure that arrangements are in place for detainees to have a physical and mental examination by the medical practitioner within 24 hours of their arrival. The purpose of this is to identify any immediate and significant mental or physical health needs. Rule 35(5) requires medical practitioners to pay particular attention to any detainee whose mental condition appears to require it and to make arrangements for their care.
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Iraq: Execution of Saddam Hussein
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why no immediate official comment was made by members of the Cabinet on the circumstances surrounding the execution of the former president of Iraq. [HL1251]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary made a Statement immediately after the execution of Saddam Hussein on 30 December 2006. Unofficial footage was published the following day that revealed the unacceptable behaviour of some of the people present. My right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister commented on 2 January 2007. Officials from our embassy in Baghdad repeated concerns to Iraqi officials at the highest level and stressed that further executions should be carried out with appropriate sensitivity and security.
Local Government: Unitary Authorities
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the invitation to local authorities to submit proposals for unitary status, published on 26 October, is according to the system and within the framework and constraints set out in Part 1 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill. [HL999]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): Chapter 1 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill provides the procedure by which the Secretary of State may invite proposals for a single tier of local government from district and county councils in England. The invitation that was issued on 26 October is in accordance with the provisions of the Bill.
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the timescale for the invitation to local authorities to submit proposals for unitary status, published on 26 October with a deadline of 25 January 2007, gives sufficient time for the development of proposals; and whether they will consider an extension of this deadline if requested in particular cases. [HL1000]
Baroness Andrews: The Government consider that requiring councils to submit proposals by 25 January gives them sufficient time. As the invitation document, published on 26 October 2006, makes clear, the Government give no commitment that they will consider proposals received after that date.
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