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People Trafficking
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What procedures exist to ensure that victims of human trafficking who are repatriated have access to relevant civil society organisations in their countries of origin. [HL4175]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Victims of trafficking who have no basis of stay in the United Kingdom may be repatriated either via the government-funded voluntary assisted returns programme run by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) or as an enforced return. However, voluntary returns are always the preferred option; removal action is only ever considered as a last resort. Victims of trafficking are routinely encouraged to make use of the assisted voluntary return (AVR) programme available to them.
The IOM's network of offices work in co-operation with local non-government organisations and generally provide specialist reintegration assistance for victims of trafficking where necessary. The assistance may include shelter, medical assistance/psychological counselling and vocational training. IOM monitor the provision of such services themselves. However, the availability of such services in a given country depends on what sort of provision the Government of that country have agreed can be made available.
There is no post-return monitoring or sustainability programme for those persons who choose not to return as part of an AVR package and whose subsequent removal from the UK is enforced.
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether France has ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings; and whether they are discussing with the Government of France the best methods of coping with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the Calais region who wish to enter Britain. [HL4176]
Lord West of Spithead: France signed the convention on 22 May 2006 and ratified on 9 January 2008. Unaccompanied children seeking asylum in France would have their cases considered by the French authorities. We co-operate on a daily basis with the French authorities where they request this.
In addition UK officials have regular contact with French counterparts on the management of juxtaposed controls and have, as part of those discussions, covered the question of unaccompanied children around Calais. This includes co-operation on an assisted voluntary return information project run jointly with France, the UK and with International Organisation for Migration as well as discussion with between the law-enforcement agencies on tackling illegal networks which can target children.
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration they are giving to the funding of safe accommodation for victims of human trafficking, in addition to that provided by the Poppy Project. [HL4177]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Poppy Project received additional resources during Operation Pentameter Two to help with capacity building. This
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Planning: Barker Review
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 19 February 2007 (WA 192), whether they have set out their response to the Barker review of land use planning; and, if so, what is their response to the four questions posed. [HL4126]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Government welcomed Kate Barker's report published in December 2006, agreeing with her overall analysis. Our response to her recommendations was set out in the White Paper, Planning for a Sustainable Future, in May 2007, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
In response to the noble Lord's Questions on green belt policy, I can tell him that the Government are committed to the principles of the green belt and will make no fundamental change to policy in this area; a point the Prime Minister reiterated last July.
Planning: Eco-towns
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
On how many occasions Ministers and officials have met representatives of private construction companies to discuss the development of "eco-towns", and which construction companies were involved. [HL4119]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): No Ministers or officials have met with representatives of private construction companies to discuss the development of eco-towns, unless they are a bid promoter. In taking forward the shortlisted eco-towns schemes officials are meeting with promoters to explore issues related to their bid, and through the Eco-towns Challenge Panel each of the promoters is being challenged on their eco-town vision and how they intend to deliver it.
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
On how many occasions Ministers and officials have visited the site of the proposed “eco-town” at Elsenham. [HL4120]
Baroness Andrews: The Government are currently planning a programme of visits for the Housing Minister and officials, to all the shortlisted eco-town locations.
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Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
What estimates have been made of the amount of carbon dioxide that would be emitted during construction of the proposed “eco-town” at Elsenham. [HL4121]
Baroness Andrews: Like all the shortlisted eco-towns, the proposal at Elsenham is going forward for further assessment and consultation. Eco-towns will need to be zero-carbon across the whole development and promoters are developing further proposals on minimising carbon use in other aspects of the development.
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
What criteria and processes were used in selecting the 15 shortlisted sites for eco-towns; and [HL4143]
Whether the criteria used for selecting the 15 shortlisted eco-town sites carried equal weighting; and, if not, what was the weighting; and [HL4144]
Whether the criteria used for the eco-towns scoring were the same for each region of the country and [HL4145]
Whether the eco-town sites were scored against each other; and what were the criteria used. [HL4146]
Baroness Andrews: The process and criteria for selecting the shortlisted eco-towns are set out in the eco-towns prospectus, which we published on 23 July 2007 alongside the housing Green Paper. Copies of the prospectus are available in the House Library.
These tough and challenging criteria were applied to all the sites, and the Government have already rejected more than 40 proposals. The bids going forward are those that performed most strongly in an initial scrutiny across government and its agencies in terms of transport and environment issues, affordability benefits and deliverability against the eco-towns criteria. A summary of the issues for each of the shortlisted locations is set out in the consultation document Eco-towns—living a greener future, copies of which are also available in the House Library.
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
At what level in the Department for Communities and Local Government the final selection of potential eco-town sites was made; and who made that decision. [HL4147]
Baroness Andrews: The decision on the shortlisted locations to go forward for further assessment and consultation was made by Caroline Flint, Minister for Housing and Planning on the basis of advice from officials, and in consultation with ministerial colleagues in other departments.
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Police: Northern Ireland
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much night cover the Police Service of Northern Ireland provides in the Clogher Valley area of Northern Ireland; and whether they will increase such cover. [HL4187]
Lord Tunnicliffe: The chief constable has provided the following Answer.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland provides a 24-hour, seven days a week response service to every area in Northern Ireland. Where analysis indicates, additional neighbourhood policing, tactical support group and roads policing officers will be deployed to support response policing or to address specific problems.
Prisoners: Housing and Resettlement
Lord Dholakia asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Prison Service has key performance targets for sentenced prisoners being released to an address or settled accommodation for five years since 2003. For the first four years the measure was for releases to an address and data on the number of releases without an address are as follows:
2003-04—39,784 discharges without an address. (45.6 per cent of all sentenced discharges);2004-05—21,604 discharges without an address. (25.2 per cent of all sentenced discharges);2005-06—12,209 discharges without an address. (16.2 per cent of all sentenced discharges);2006-07—4,541 discharges without an address. (5.8 per cent of all sentenced discharges); and 2007-08—the key performance target was strengthened to measure sentenced releases to settled accommodation. Performance is as follows: 90,314 sentenced discharges of which 76,779 (85 per cent) were released to settled accommodation.Lord Dholakia asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many prisons in England and Wales have (a) a housing advice service, and (b) a resettlement team providing advice to individual prisoners. [HL4153]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The National Offender Management Service and HM Prison Service have a resettlement strategy which includes the development of prison-based housing advice and support services. Resettlement teams operate in all prisons across England and Wales and accommodation advice is now available in all local prisons and all prisons which release offenders into the community.
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This is reflected in the success that the prison service has had over the past five years in dramatically reducing the number of sentenced offenders being released with no address to go to.
Railways: Rolling Stock
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the amount of rolling stock which will be necessary to meet the December 2009 timetable commitments; how much of this is likely to be available; and whether sufficient will be available to avoid breaching overcrowding standards. [HL4329]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: It is for the train operators to ensure that they have enough rolling stock to meet their timetable commitments.
Schools: Teach First
The Earl of Listowel asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Lord Adonis): Since 2003-04 Teach First has recruited 1,094 high class graduates of which 742 completed the programme. Over 40 per cent of the first cohort and about 50 per cent of the second cohort opted to remain in teaching.
The Prime Minister announced on 23 June that the programme would double in size from 2008-09 to 2012-13, annual recruitment will rise from 380 to over 800.
Trade: Francophone Countries
Viscount Waverley asked Her Majesty's Government:
When and where a United Kingdom Trade Minister has visited non-Commonwealth Francophone countries in order to promote United Kingdom commercial interests over the past four years. [HL4294]
Lord Bach: As part of a wider programme of visits to support and promote British commercial interests overseas, the Minister for Trade and Investment and his predecessors have visited the following countries covered by the Question: France (September 2004, January 2005, March 2006, December 2007); Morocco (January 2008); and Tunisia (July 2004).
UK Border Agency
Baroness Hanham asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the financial savings to the Government expected to come from the creation of the UK Border Agency. [HL4140]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The UK Border Agency has a published target in its current business plan to deliver 5 per cent year on year savings over the financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11 against its 2007-08 baseline. The UKBA 2008-09 budget is expected to be in excess of £2 billion, although details of the budget transfer from HMRC are still being finalised.
Youth Custody: Outdoor Exercise
Lord Carlile of Berriew asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which youth custody institutions have had an increase in outdoor exercise facilities since 1 January 2007; and what additional facilities have been provided. [HL4237]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Since January 2007, Rainsbrook secure training centre has built a new secure climbing wall; Hassockfield, Oakhill and Medway secure training centres have introduced new activities to make better use of their existing outdoor facilities.
Clayfields House secure children's home has built a new BMX track; Aycliffe, Barton Moss, Orchard Lodge, Sutton Place and Vinney Green secure children's homes have upgraded and improved their current facilities.
A new all-weather pitch came into use at Warren Hill young offender institution in March this year; a new all-weather pitch has been commissioned at Cookham Wood young offender institution: this should be available for use later in the year.
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