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Immigration: Failed Asylum Applicants
Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The International Organisation for Migration provides return and reintegration assistance under the voluntary-assisted returns and reintegration programme for failed asylum seekers making a voluntary return. The Immigration and Nationality Department makes available support and accommodation under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to failed asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute and for whom there is a temporary barrier to leaving the UK. Families who were in receipt of asylum support under Section 95 at the time appeal rights were exhausted normally continue to receive support, while they remain in the UK, until the youngest dependant reaches 18 years of age. Failed asylum seekers who have a need for care and attention due to age, illness or disability and not solely because of destitution may be eligible for support from the local authority under Section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948.
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Immigration: Harmondsworth Removal Centre
Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:
On the latest date for which figures are available, how many of the people detained under immigration legislation in Harmondsworth immigration removal centre for removal or deportation at the time of the disturbances had previously served a sentence for a criminal offence; and whether they will provide for each of those persons their nationality and the length of their detention on the date of the disturbance. [HL647]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The number of people detained in Harmondsworth at the time of the disturbance who had previously served a sentence for a criminal offence was 177. It would be at disproportionate cost to look at each individual case in order to provide the information requested relating to nationality and length of detention.
Immigration: Temporary Leave to Remain
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to grant further exceptional and temporary leaves to remain, in respect of asylum applicants in the backlog of cases and for current cases, when it appears that there is no reasonable prospect of return to the country of origin.[HL1025]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Asylum applicants who qualify to enter or remain in the United Kingdom are granted permission to do so. Those who do not qualify have had the benefit of consideration by specialist decision makers and access to the courts. They are expected to leave and are otherwise liable to removal. Applicants who, through no fault of their own, cannot return to their countries of origin have access to support and accommodation until the obstacles to return are removed.
Languages: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they will make to support those in Northern Ireland who have as a native tongue (a) Polish; (b) a Chinese language; (c) Irish; and (d) Ulster-Scots.[HL502]
Lord Rooker: In respect of those in Northern Ireland who have either Polish or Chinese as their native tongue, all government departments adhere to the Guide to Making Information Accessible, a government-wide document which advises officials on how information should be provided to the public to
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In the St Andrews agreement the Government are committed to introducing an Irish Language Bill reflecting on the experience in Wales and Ireland and to work with the incoming Executive to enhance and protect the Irish language. A consultation paper on proposed Irish language legislation was published on 13 December.
In the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 the Government have put duties on the Executive of a devolved Government as follows:
the Executive Committee shall adopt a strategy setting out how it proposes to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language; andthe Executive Committee shall adopt a strategy setting out how it proposes to enhance and develop the Ulster-Scots language, heritage and culture.National Parks
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the recent report by the Council of National Parks on the economic significance of national parks in the Yorkshire and Humber region; what is their estimate of additional resources for the national parks identified by this report; and whether they will undertake their own full examination of the economic value of these and other similar sites. [HL857]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): I welcome this report as it should reassure those who have suggested that the enormous pleasure our national parks have given to so many people has been at the expense of businesses within them. It shows that, on the contrary, national parks help businesses to prosper, locally and regionally.
We have just announced an increase of £1.12 million in the level of funding Defra provides to the national park authorities and we are currently discussing the forthcoming spending review with the park authorities and stakeholders.
Defra is working towards a more strategic approach to decision and policy making on the natural environment which involves formulating an ecosystems approach for England's terrestrial ecosystems. Research is under way to develop tools and methodologies for valuation of ecosystem services (the broad range of benefits that healthy ecosystems provide to humans), so that their true value can be taken into account in decision-making. This work will help in assessing the overall value of national parks and other protected areas.
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Northern Ireland Assembly: Dead Members
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is possible for the vote of a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly who has died to be exercised; if so, how; and since when this has been possible. [HL833]
Lord Rooker: Section 17 of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 provides that the Standing Orders of the Northern Ireland Assembly may include provision enabling a right to vote in the Assembly which could have been exercised but for a vacancy in the membership of the Assembly to be exercisable in such a manner as is so provided.
In relation to the transitional Assembly established by Section 1 of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006, Standing Order 17(h) of the Transitional Assembly Standing Orders, provides that where a right to vote could have been exercised but for a vacancy in the membership of the transitional Assembly, the nominating officer (as defined in Standing Order 22(a)) of the party of the member that held the seat on the vacancy occurring shall be entitled to exercise that vote.
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Pensions
Baroness Hollis of Heigham asked Her Majesty's Government:
What would be the likely size of the final pot in today's terms, including tax relief, with prudent assumptions about investment growth, for a man on median male earnings if he and his employer over 40 years were each to contribute (a) 4 per cent; (b) 5 per cent; (c) 6 per cent; (d) 7 per cent; and (e) 8 per cent into (i) a contracted-in money purchase scheme, and (ii) a contracted-out money purchase scheme; and [HL673]
What would be the likely size of the final pot in today's terms, including tax relief, with prudent assumptions about investment growth, for a woman on median female earnings if she and her employer over 40 years were each to contribute (a) 4 per cent; (b) 5 per cent; (c) 6 per cent; (d) 7 per cent; and (e) 8 per cent into (i) a contracted-in money purchase scheme, and (ii) a contracted-out money purchase scheme. [HL674]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The information is in the tables.
| HL673 | |||||
| Type of Money Purchase Scheme | Value of final pensions pot after 40 years | ||||
| 8 per cent | 10 per cent | 12 per cent | 14 per cent | 16 per cent | |
Police: Shared Intelligence System
Baroness Harris of Richmond asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their assessment of the extent to which the implementation of the cross-regional information sharing project is stalling the final implementation of the IMPACT programme recommended by the Bichard inquiry. [HL258]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The cross-regional information sharing project (IMPACT CRISP) is an important step in the modular and incremental approach we are taking to the delivery of new information sharing services to the police and partner agencies. It will provide the police service with a new capability to access information held in other forces' local systems much more quickly than would otherwise have been possible. It will also assist in the delivery of the police
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Prisoners: Deportation
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of all guidance, circulars or instructions issued during 2006 concerning (a) the release of foreign prisoners on completion of the custodial part of their sentence or on licence; (b) the redetention under immigration laws of foreign nationals who had previously been released from prison; and (c) the identification of prisoners who are foreign or liable to be deported. [HL234]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The following guidance has been published concerning the release and detention of foreign national prisoners and is accessible via the internet:
Prison Service Order 4630: Immigration and Foreign Nationals in Prisons (http://pso.hmprisonservice .gov.uk/PSO_4630_immigration_and_foreign_ nationals.doc)
Chapter 13 of the Immigration Directorate Instructions (http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/idischapter13/)
The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20061003.htm).
Railways: East Coast Main Line
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in the interim period before the letting of a new franchise for the east coast main line there will be any significant changes to the timetable and services to passengers; and whether the programme of refurbishment and upgrading of the InterCity 125 diesel trains which operate on that service will continue as planned. [HL997]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The only significant changes to the timetable and services to passengers in the interim period before the letting of the new franchise for the east coast main line will be, subject to Office of the Rail Regulator approval, the introduction of a new half hourly Leeds-London service from May 2007.
For passengers and staff, this means that services will continue to operate as usual, tickets will be valid and passengers can book and reserve tickets in exactly the same way they do today.
The HST (high-speed train, Class 125) refurbishment programme is ongoing and will continue under the management contract.
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