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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what residency qualificants are operated by the Metropolitan Police when considering for recruitment applications; what plans he has to review the qualifications; and if he will make a statement. - Inc ref to 14 December, 2000, 359 c258-9W.

Asked by

Andrew Dismore (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

18 December 2000

For answer on

21 December 2000

Answered on

21 December 2000

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what residency qualificants are operated by the Metropolitan police when considering for recruitment applications; what plans he has to review the qualifications; and if he will make a statement. [143795] Mr. Charles Clarke: The nationality requirements for applicants to the police service in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan police, were set out in my reply to the hon. Member on 14 December 2000, Official Report, column 258W. Cabinet Office guidance, on which police forces base their policy for carrying out security clearances of applicants, recommends that the normal residency requirement for security clearance is that the applicant has been resident in the United Kingdom for the previous three years. However, if the applicant has spent the previous three years in another country, discretion may be given to undertake overseas security checks where this is possible. I understand that within the Metropolitan police, following the introduction of the Metropolitan Police Recruitment Taskforce, short periods abroad (i.e. of less than six months), are disregarded. Longer periods are still a matter of concern as counter terrorism checks can be carried out in a meaningful way only where the residency of the person can be confirmed. To ensure that those candidates who have been broadening their horizons by visiting foreign countries and gaining experience of other cultures are not disadvantaged, a new protocol has been agreed with Special Branch. This protocol states that where a candidate appears suitable in every other respect, but residency is in question, Special Branch will carry out an individual risk assessment which may include a personal interview with the candidate. In appropriate cases, Special Branch will offer clearance for the recruiting process to continue. I have no plans to review the qualification in respect of residency.

Date

21 December 2000

Reference

360 c323W; 143795

House

House of Commons

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list those (a) British citizens and (b) British citizens with dual nationality who have been kidnapped in Africa from 1st January 1999 to date, indicating the (i) date of the kidnap, (ii) identity or suspected identity,...

Asked by

Lord Maude of Horsham (Conservative)

Answering body

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

18 December 2000

For answer on

21 December 2000

Answered on

21 December 2000

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those (a) British citizens and (b) British citizens with dual nationality who have been kidnapped in Africa from 1 January 1999 to date, indicating the (i) date of the kidnap, (ii) identity or suspected identity, of the kidnappers and (iii) outcome of the kidnaps. [143778] Mr. Battle: Not all kidnappings of British national are reported. However, to our knowledge, the following kidnappings have taken place in Africa since 1 January 1999: 1999 In January 1999, two British nationals were taken hostage by an Ijaw group. They were later released. On 9 February 1999, Jim Simpson, a British national, was abducted by local youths in Warri, Nigeria, along with an Italian and a Nigerian. He was released unharmed on 17 February. On 14 February 1999, Martin Westbury and his young son Benjamin, both British nationals, were abducted by armed youths in Warri, Nigeria. They were released unharmed on 15 February. On 1 March 1999, Joanne Cotton, Steve Roberts, Mark Lindgren, Martin Friend, Gary Tappenden (all British nationals) and Mark Avis (joint New Zealand/British national) were abducted by Rwandan Interahamwe rebels in Bwindi National Park, western Uganda, along with a number of other Western tourists. Gary Tappenden and Mark Avis found their way to safety; the other four were murdered by their abductors, along with four US and New Zealand tourists. On 3 March 1999, Ian Lane (British national) was abducted by armed men in Warri, Nigeria. He was later released. On 8 June 1999, three British nationals were taken hostage by local youths in Nigeria. All were released. On 20 June 1999, a British national was taken hostage near Port Harcourt in Nigeria, probably by an Ijaw group. He was released on 12 July. On 3 August 1999, a British national was taken hostage by armed youths in Nigeria. He was released on 10 August. On 4 August 1999, five British soldiers, who were part of a UN team were taken hostage by a group of former Sierra Leone Army rebels in Sierra Leone. They were released on 8-9 August. On 7 August 1999, two British nationals were taken hostage by local youths. They were released on 11 August. On 9 August 1999, two British nationals were taken hostage by local youths in Nigeria. They were released on 11 August. On 11 August 1999, four British nationals were taken hostage in Liberia by an armed gang. They were released on 13 August. On 30 September 1999, a British national was taken hostage in Nigeria. He was released on 3 November. On 11 October 1999, British nationals were kidnapped from their compound in Port Harcourt by local tribesmen. They were all released the next day. On 9 November 1999, a British national was taken hostage in Ondo State, Nigeria. He was released on 14 November. On 21 December 1999, a British national was abducted, in Nigeria, by an unknown group. He was subsequently released. 2000 In April 2000, Major Andy Harrison was detained in an area of Sierra Leone controlled by the RUF. He was brought out by the UN on 14 July. On 7 April 2000, oil company employees were taken hostage by local `activists' in Nigeria. We believe there were some British nationals involved. The incident was resolved peacefully the same day. In May 2000, Alan Smith, an aid worker, was taken hostage by RUF in Sierra Leone. He later escaped. On 16 June 2000, a British national was taken hostage in Nigeria by local people. He was released the same day. On 13 July 2000, a British national was briefly taken hostage in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was released unharmed. On 26 July 2000, Jonathan Ward, a British aid worker, was taken hostage by tribesmen in Somalia. He was released on 19 September. Around 31 July 2000, five British nationals were taken hostage as part of a larger group on two oil rigs in Nigeria. The hostage takers were two local groups. All were released on 4 August. In August 2000, five British nationals were taken hostage in the Delta Region of Nigeria. They were released on 5 August. On 25 August 2000, a group of British Army personnel were taken hostage in Sierra Leone by the West Side Boys. They were all released in an operation carried out by UK military forces. On 26 October 2000, a British national was taken hostage by a local group in Nigeria. He was released the same day. On 8 November 2000, a British national was taken hostage by local oil company employees in Nigeria. He was released. On 5 December 2000, a British national was held hostage by Nigerian oil workers on a Nigerian oil platform. He was released unharmed on 6 December.

Date

21 December 2000

Reference

360 c343-6W; 143778

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review the qualification requirements to join the Metropolitan Police based on (a) UK residence and (b) UK Commonwealth and Irish citizenship; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by

Andrew Dismore (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

6 December 2000

For answer on

14 December 2000

Answered on

14 December 2000

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the qualification requirements to join the Metropolitan police based on (a) UK residence and (b) UK Commonwealth and Irish citizenship; and if he will make a statement. [141329] Mr. Charles Clarke: Home Office Circulars 99/1982 and 33/1987, issued to police forces on 3 November 1982 and 15 June 1997 respectively, provide guidance on the nationality qualifications for applicants to the police service in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan police. To be eligible for appointment as a constable a candidate must be: (a) a British citizen; or (b) a Commonwealth citizen (other than a British citizen) or a citizen of the Irish Republic, in which case he or she must satisfy one of the following conditions: (i) at least one of his or her parents must be, or have been at death, a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Irish Republic; or (ii) he or she must have resided in a country or territory within the Commonwealth or in the Irish Republic, or have been employed elsewhere in the service of the Crown, or partly have so resided and partly been so employed, for at least five years out of the last eight years preceding the date of his or her appointment. If not qualified under (i) or (ii) he/she must satisfy the chief officer of police that he/she is so closely connected with a country or territory within the Commonwealth either by ancestry, upbringing or residence, or by reason of national service, that an exception may properly be made in his/her favour. There is no statutory requirement for an applicant for appointment as a police officer to have resided in the UK prior to application which is a matter to be determined on a local basis by chief police officers. No record is held centrally of which forces have a residency requirement as part of their recruitment process. Cabinet Office guidance, on which police forces base their policy for carrying out security clearances of applicants, recommends that the normal residency requirement for security clearance is that the applicant has been resident in the United Kingdom for the previous three years. However, if the applicant has spent the previous three years in another country, discretion may be given to undertake overseas security checks where this is possible. Consultation with the police service in 1998 identified no consensus for change to the present nationality requirements. We are giving further consideration to whether it would be appropriate to propose any changes.

Date

14 December 2000

Reference

359 c258-9W;359 c256-7W; 141329

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many decisions on nationality cases were made in the first six months of 2000-01; how many he estimates there will be in the second half of 2000-01; and if he will make a statement. - Inc figures.

Asked by

David Lidington (Conservative)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

14 December 2000

Reference

359 c266-7W;359 c264-5W; 142774

House

House of Commons

Office of the Secretary of State for Wales

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what further steps he has taken to enable people to indicate their national identity by way of a Welsh tick-box in the forthcoming census.

Asked by

Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Office of the Secretary of State for Wales

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

13 December 2000

Reference

359 c173W;359 c171W; 142006

House

House of Commons

Dept for Culture Media and Sport

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many velodromes operated in the United Kingdom in the last four years; where they were; how many velodromes are proposed to be closed; and if he will make a statement; how much (a) capital and (b) revenue funding...

Asked by

Jon Trickett (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

30 November 2000

Reference

357 c713-4W; 141203;141204;141201

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are applied to requests for extradition of British nationals to India in cases where the request concerns an Indian-born British national.

Asked by

Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

24 November 2000

Reference

140309; 357 c350W

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken to grant British citizenship was in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01 to date. - Includes figures.

Asked by

David Lidington (Conservative)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

20 November 2000

Reference

357 c99-100W;357 c98W; 139382

House

House of Commons

Home Office annual report 1999/2000. Minutes of evidence 11 July 2000.

Type

House of Commons papers; Select Committee oral evidence; Parliamentary committees

Committee

Home Affairs Committee

Date

11 July 2000

Reference

HC 708-i 1999/2000

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons have been served with civil penalty notices under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for carrying clandestine illegal entrants in their vehicles; what type of vehicle was involved in each case; what the level of the penalty...

Asked by

David Lidington (Conservative)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

13 June 2000

For answer on

19 June 2000

Answered on

19 June 2000

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been served with civil penalty notices under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for carrying clandestine illegal entrants in their vehicles; what type of vehicle was involved in each case; what the level of the penalty was in each case; what the nationality of the person served with the penalty was in each case; how many companies have been served with the penalty (a) in addition to and (b) instead of persons directly responsible for driving the vehicles; how many appeals have been entered against the penalties; and how many of them have been successful; and if he will make a statement. [126531] Mrs. Roche: Between 3 April, when the civil penalty provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 were introduced, and 11 June, penalties were imposed in respect of 189 separate incidents where vehicles were found to contain clandestine illegal entrants. The vehicles comprised 177 heavy lorries, four vans and eight private motor cars. In 56 cases, the driver of the vehicle was British. The 131 other cases involved four drivers who were Austrian, five Belgians, two Bosnians, four Bulgarians, five Czechs, four Dutch, 27 French, 15 Germans, four Hungarians, two Irish, 12 Italians, five Lithuanians, one Luxembourgeois, ten Poles, three Portuguese, one Romanian, five Slovaks, six Slovenians, ten Spaniards, one Tunisian and five Turkish. In two cases, the driver was a stateless person. In all but 26 cases, the nationality of the driver was the same as that of the company which owned the vehicle. Where there were differences they were as follows. Two British drivers were driving Irish-owned vehicles; and in one case each, British drivers were driving vehicles owned in France and Italy. Two Belgian drivers were driving vehicles owned in Italy. Two Lithuanian drivers were driving vehicles owned in Austria. In one case each, French drivers were driving vehicles owned in Belgium, Germany, Spain and Austria. In one case each, Turkish drivers were driving vehicles owned in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. In one case, each Slovak drivers were driving vehicles owned in Germany and the Czech Republic. One driver from Luxembourg was driving a vehicle owned in Austria; one driver from Croatia was driving a vehicle owned in Italy; one driver from Hungary was driving a vehicle owned in Austria, one driver from Bulgaria was driving a vehicle owned in Germany; one driver from Tunisia was driving a vehicle owned in Italy; one driver from Spain was driving a vehicle owned in Italy; one driver from Slovenia was driving a vehicle owned in Italy; one Dutch driver was driving a vehicle owned in Germany; and, one German driver was driving a vehicle owned in Austria. The two drivers who were stateless were both driving their own vehicles. In every case, the driver of the vehicle was served with a penalty notice. In addition, in all but 11 of the cases cited, penalty notices were also served on the owners or hirers of the vehicle. In 26 cases this involved the serving of penalty notices on more than two persons or companies in respect of a single incident. In each case, the level of the penalty was £2,000 per clandestine illegal entrant detected. The penalties imposed ranged from £2,000 (one illegal entrant detected) to £100,000 (50 illegal entrants detected). One hundred and one letters of objection have been received, in which the responsible person has sought to show why the penalty should not be levied, and thus far two have been successful.

Date

19 June 2000

Reference

126531; 352 c100-1W

House

House of Commons

NATIONAL NOISE ACTION DAY

That this House welcomes the launch earlier this year of the UK Noise Association; notes that Wednesday 7th June has been designated as National Noise Action Day; recognises the growing problem of environmental noise from a variety of sources including traffic and aircraft; draws attention to the fact that, according...

Primary sponsor

Helen Clark (Labour)

Type

Early day motions

Date

6 June 2000

Reference

801

House

House of Commons

NATIONAL ANAESTHESIA DAY

That this House congratulates anaesthetists throughout England on National Anaesthesia Day on 25th May; notes that anaesthetists are often not recognised for being trained to an extremely high standards after qualifying as doctors and are involved in many areas of delivery of care to patients, ranging from pain relief, care...

Primary sponsor

Laura Moffatt (Labour)

Type

Early day motions

Date

25 May 2000

Reference

785

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in each of the last five years, how many people were recorded as being detained who had sought asylum at some stage, broken down by stage of application and immigration status; at which institutions these individuals were detained; what was...

Asked by

Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

17 May 2000

For answer on

24 May 2000

Answered on

24 May 2000

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the last five years, how many people were recorded as being detained who had sought asylum at some stage, broken down by stage of application and immigration status; at which institutions these individuals were detained; what was the age range and nationality of those detained; and if he will make a statement. [123163] Mrs. Roche: The information requested, on numbers of asylum applicants detained in each of the last five years, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The available information, relating to a snapshot of asylum applicants detained solely under Immigration Act powers as at 30 December 1998 for port applicants and 4 January 1999 for in-country applicants, by stage of application and immigration status, and by nationality, is given in the tables. Number of people recorded as being detained {1,2} on 30 December 1998 {3} and 4 January 1999 {3} who had sought asylum at some stage, by stage of application and immigration status _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Stage of application Port Illegal entrants Subject to deportation Total action Awaiting initial decision 125 295 4 424 Awaiting result of appeal 127 42 11 180 Awaiting result of further 45 77 15 137 challenge or documentation for removal{4} Total 297 414 30 741 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971. {2} These figures are approximate because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period. {3} After entry figures obtained at 4 January 1999. Port figures obtained at 30 December 1998. {4} Includes those persons awaiting the result of a further appeal/other challenge or awaiting removal pending documentation. Number of people recorded as being detained {1,2} on 30 December 1998 {3} and 4 January 1999 {3} who had sought asylum at some stage, by nationality _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Nationality Total Nigeria 82 India 79 Albania 54 Pakistan 50 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 38 Sri Lanka 38 Romania 35 Algeria 32 China 29 Poland 29 Lithuania 26 Turkey 20 Ghana 18 Ukraine 12 Bangladesh 11 Sierra Leone 10 Kenya 9 Iraq 8 Bulgaria 7 Gambia 7 Somalia 7 Egypt 6 Iran 6 Uganda 6 Afghanistan 5 Ivory Coast 5 Jamaica 4 Palestine 4 Russia 4 Columbia 3 Congo 3 Croatia 3 Czech Republic 3 Latvia 3 Liberia 3 Morocco 3 Angola 2 Cyprus 2 Democratic Republic of Congo 2 Libya 2 South Africa 2 Tanzania 2 Thailand 2 Togo 2 Nationality doubtful 41 Others 22 Total 741 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971. {2} These figures are approximate because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period. {3} Port figures obtained at 30 December 1998. After entry figures obtained at 4 January 1999.

Date

24 May 2000

Reference

123163; 350 c490-2W;350 c492-4W

House

House of Commons

Housing benefit. Minutes of evidence 17 May 2000. (Reprinted in HC 385).

Type

House of Commons papers; Select Committee oral evidence; Parliamentary committees

Committee

Social Security Committee

Notes

Received 05.07.00

Date

17 May 2000

Reference

HC 385-iv 1999/2000

House

House of Commons

Scotland of Asthal, Baroness

Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Asthal on 26 October 1999 at 606 c22-3WA, whether they are yet in a position to say why the United Kingdom is not a signatory to the Optional Protocol of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations concerning Acquisition of Nationality. [HL 2226].

Asked by

Lord Alderdice (Liberal Democrat)

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

8 May 2000

Reference

612 c202WA; HL 2226

House

House of Lords

Northern Ireland Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to ensure the adherence of the national security certificate system to the quality scheme under the Northern Ireland Act 1998. - (Holding answer 3 April 2000).

Asked by

Kevin McNamara (Labour)

Answering body

Northern Ireland Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 April 2000

Reference

348 c523W; 117361

House

House of Commons

Cabinet Office

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is her Government's practice relating to the nationality of personnel who are involved in making appointments to senior positions within the United Kingdom Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Ulster Unionist Party)

Answering body

Cabinet Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

11 April 2000

Reference

348 c134W; 118092

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) nationality and (b) residency requirements there are for appointment as a police constable in England and Wales; which police forces in England and Wales undertake which part of the recruitment process outside the United Kingdom; and if he...

Asked by

Ann Widdecombe (Conservative)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

5 April 2000

For answer on

10 April 2000

Answered on

10 April 2000

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) nationality and (b) residency requirements there are for appointment as a police constable in England and Wales; which police forces in England and Wales undertake which part of the recruitment process outside the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [118543] Mr. Straw: Home Office Circulars 99/1982 and 33/1987, issued to police forces on 3 November 1982 and 15 June 1997 respectively, provide guidance on the nationality qualifications for applicants to the police service. To be eligible for appointment as a constable a candidate must be: (a) a British citizen; or (b) a Commonwealth citizen (other than a British citizen) or a citizen of the Irish Republic, in which case he or she must satisfy one of the following conditions: (i) at least one of his or her parents must be, or have been at death, a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Irish Republic; or (ii) he or she must have resided in a country or territory within the Commonwealth or in the Irish Republic, or have been employed elsewhere in the service of the Crown, or partly have so resided and partly been so employed, for at least five years out of the last eight years preceding the date of his or her appointment. If not qualified under (i) or (ii) above, he/she must satisfy the chief officer of police that he/she is so closely connected with a country or territory within the Commonwealth either by ancestry, upbringing or residence, or by reason of national service, that an exception may properly be made in his/her favour. There is no statutory requirement for an applicant for appointment as a police officer to have resided in the force area prior to application which is a matter to be determined on a local basis by chief police officers. No record is held centrally of which forces have a residency requirement as part of their recruitment process. Cabinet Office guidance, on which police forces base their policy for carrying out security clearances of applicants, recommends that the normal residency requirement for security clearance is that the applicant has been resident in the United Kingdom for the previous three years. However, if the applicant has spent the previous three years in another country, discretion may be given to undertake overseas security checks where this is possible. We do not hold any information centrally on which police forces undertake parts of the recruitment process outside the United Kingdom. This could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Date

10 April 2000

Reference

348 c74-5W; 118543

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications were made for UK nationality at the Immigration and Nationality Office in Croydon during 1999. - Includes figure.

Asked by

Tom Cox (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

13 March 2000

Reference

112580; 346 c79-80W;346 c79W

House

House of Commons

Prime Minister

To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to update the report entitled, Sharing the Nation's Prosperity.

Asked by

Paul Goggins (Labour)

Answering body

Prime Minister

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

8 March 2000

Reference

345 c685-6W; 112253

House

House of Commons

Librarians' tools

Type

House

Session

Month

Department

Member

Primary member

Answering member

Legislative stage

Legislation

Subject

Publisher