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People Trafficking
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the UK Borders Bill, in its current form, is fully compatible with the European convention against trafficking. [HL2378]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The UK Borders Bill is the next step in implementing the Home Office's plans to strengthen the ability of the new Border and Immigration Agency to deter and detect those breaking the rules and ensure that foreign nationals legally in the UK play their part in supporting the UK immigration system. The Bill is not the legislative vehicle by which we will implement the convention, but there are no provisions that are incompatible with it. Indeed, several provisions will help prevent trafficking and punish and deter traffickers, such as the measures to tackle facilitation and trafficking, the requirement for those subject to immigration control to make an application for a biometric immigration document, and automatic deportation for foreign national criminals.
Police: IPCC
Viscount Simon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Independent Police Complaints Commission pays the total costs it incurs while conducting an investigation; and, if not, which other bodies contribute towards these costs. [HL2588]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The costs arising from investigations conducted by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) are a matter for the commission.
Your Question has been passed to the chair of the IPCC and I will ensure that he replies to you directly and arrange for copies of his response to be placed in the House Libraries.
Prisoners: Supervision
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many prisoners are currently subject to supervision by MAPPA (multi-agency public protection). [HL2190]
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The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given on 6 March (Official Report, col. WA 42).
Sentences
Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the average cost to the taxpayer of (a) a community order, and (b) a suspended sentence order. [HL2540]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): There are no separately costed figures for a community order and a suspended sentence order.
The community order and the suspended sentence order were introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 for offences committed on or after 4 April 2005. For 2005-06 the average cost in the National Probation Service of a community sentence, which included for this purpose suspended sentence orders, was estimated as £2,400. As 2005-06 was a transitional year, with sentences running under both the pre-CJA 2003 regulations and the CJA 2003 regulations, this estimated cost should be treated with caution. The custodial cost arising from breach of a suspended sentence order is not included in the above cost.
Somaliland: Millennium Development Goals
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the capacity of the Somaliland authorities to measure their attainment of the millennium development goals. [HL2157]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): The UN has carried out a number of household surveys in Somalia (including Somaliland) and collated data on its progress against the MDGs (table below).
Assessment of the Transitional Federal Government and Somaliland and Puntland authorities' capacity to measure their attainment of the MDGs has been difficult as data collection in Somalia has been hampered since 1990 as a result of the civil war, insecurity and lack of governmental institutions. The TFG, Somaliland and Puntland authorities and donors are committed to addressing this and will be discussing plans for a national census and for statistical capacity to be strengthened at an envisaged donor conference later this year.
| MDG | Somaliland | Results |
| UNDP MDG Report Somalia, UNICEF Multiple Cluster Indicator Surveys, UNDP Human Development Reports, household surveys from 1999-2004. | ||
Translation
Baroness Verma asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much money has been spent on translation services for non-English speaking citizens of the United Kingdom each year since 1997. [HL2685]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Government have not made an estimate of the amount spent on translation services for non-English speaking citizens of the United Kingdom. Individual public bodies are accountable for this spend, but the Government are committed to working with them to look at the issue and consider balancing this to give a greater focus on promoting community cohesion. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government therefore has asked the Commission on Integration and Cohesion to consider this issue as part of its final report due in June 2007.
Baroness Verma asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to review the adequacy and effectiveness of money being spent on translation services, in light of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's aim that all citizens living in Great Britain should speak English. [HL2686]
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Baroness Andrews: Earlier this year, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government asked the Commission on Integration and Cohesion to consider this issue as part of its final report in June 2007. The commission, in its interim statement published in February, said that it intended to provide further information alongside its final report on the key questions local authorities should be asking before making decisions as to what to translate. The Government will decide how to take this issue forward once they receive the commission's advice.
Transport: Accidents
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
By what criteria they decide whether to make a Statement to Parliament in the aftermath of a road or rail accident. [HL2431]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Whether or not to make an Oral Statement to the House is decided on a case-by-case basis, taking account of the requirements of the Ministerial Code.
Turkey: Human Rights
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Article 301 of Turkey's penal code, which makes it a criminal offence to insult the Turkish identity and prevents free discussion of the circumstances in which Armenians lost their lives in 1915—16, is compatible with membership of the European Union. [HL2784]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The European Commission has said that,
- “if the Turkish Penal Code continues to be interpreted in a restrictive manner, then it may need to be amended in order to safeguard freedom of expression in Turkey”.
We endorse this view and continue to press the Turkish authorities to address the issue of Article 301, both in the context of Turkey's accession to the EU and for the benefit of Turkish society.
Young Offender Institutions: Huntercombe
Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:
On how many occasions since September 2004 independent monitoring boards have raised with the Home Office and the Youth Justice Board their concerns about the arrival late at night of young people being transported to the Huntercombe young offender institution. [HL2541]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The independent monitoring board at YOI Huntercombe has raised concerns to the Home Office and Youth Justice Board on 64 occasions since September 2004.
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Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:
At what time is the latest recorded arrival of a young person at Huntercombe young offender institution. [HL2542]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: On 21 December 2006, two young people arrived at Huntercombe at 1.15 am.
Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:
How often in the past 12 months juveniles have been transported to Huntercombe young offender institution in shared transport with adult prisoners. [HL2544]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Contractors’ records show that between March 2006 and February 2007, 90 juvenile prisoners shared transport with adult prisoners while being escorted to HMYOI Huntercombe. In such circumstances management arrangements ensure effective separation within the vehicle.
Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many young people in Huntercombe young offender institution have been held more than 100 miles from their homes in the latest period for which figures are available. [HL2558]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: As of January 2007, there were 13 young people from HMYOI Huntercombe who were being held more than 100 miles from their home address.
Where no home address is listed for a young person the committal court has been used as a proxy address.
Zimbabwe
Lord Elton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What treaties and agreements are in force relating to the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes giving protection to investors in Zimbabwe who are
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The UK signed an investment promotion and protection agreement (IPPA) with Zimbabwe on 1 March 1995, but this has yet to be ratified. Ratification of the IPPA would allow present and future UK investors to take the Government of Zimbabwe to international arbitration if they illegally expropriated a UK investment.
However, to ratify this IPPA the Government of Zimbabwe would need to change their constitution to allow international agreements to take precedence over national law. Current UK investments in Zimbabwe are not protected by international agreement.
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