HC Deb 12 December 1995 vol 268 cc604-6W
Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in respect of each principal proposal and related amendment contained in his Asylum and Immigration Bill, he will publish a document which lists(a) the principal amendment or addition to annual legislation, (b) related paving amendments, (c) any consequential amendments and (d) the reasons for and the purposes of each change; and if he will circulate the document to each of the bodies referred to in his answer of 28 November 1995, Official Report, column 658. [4464]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 6 December 1995]: Notes on clauses will be made available after Second Reading in the usual way. Copies will be available to interested parties from the Home Office.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what requests he has made to his Metropolitan police advisory committee to(a) consult and (b) report to him on the (i) operational, (ii) financial, (iii) police public relations and (iv) other implications, of the implementation of the measures contained in his Asylum and Immigration Bill; [4466]

(2) when and by what measures he has consulted the main organisations representing police constables c[...]ncerning his proposals in the Asylum and Immigration Bill. [4468]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 6 December 1995]: A copy of our consultation exercise on the prevention of unauthorised employment has been sent to the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list any legislative link between the list he intends to publish relating to countries whose citizens will not be eligible to apply for political asylum and any list of nations arising from article 100c of the treaty on European Union relating to a common system of visas within the European Union. [4477]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 6 December 1995]: There is no link between the list of countries which will be designated under clause 1 of the Asylum and Immigration Bill as in general not giving rise to a serious risk of persecution and any list of countries under article 100c Applicants from countries designated under clause 1 of the Bill will still be able to apply for asylum, but there will be a rebuttable presumption against granting asylum. Accelerated appeal procedures will apply, and there will be no further right of appeal from the special adjudicator to the immigration appeal tribunal.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to circulate to(a) hon. Members or (b) other interested bodies and persons the public response of bodies and persons to the proposals and operation of the measures contained in his Asylum and Immigration Bill. [4478]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 6 December 1995]: The result of the consultation exercise that we are conducting on our proposals for the prevention of unauthorised employment will be made known to Parliament. However, it will be for individual organisations to decide whether to make public their responses to this exercise.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will send the text and full details of his Asylum and Immigration Bill to each of the statutory police community consultative committees in the Greater London area, asking for(a) their general observations and (b) their suggestions as to the means of achieving his purposes by alternative means. [4479]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 6 December 1995]: My right hon. and learned Friend made clear in his statement to the House on 20 November why he considered the proposals in the Asylum and Immigration Bill to be necessary. We are happy to make available a copy of the statement and this Bill to any interested body on request and to consider any representations that may be received. Copies of our consultative document on prevention of unauthorised employment have been sent to more than 150 bodies, including the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will be present in Committee during the Standing Committee stages of the Asylum and Immigration Bill. [4481]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 6 December 1995]: The composition of Standing Committee is a matter for the House and will he announced in due course.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has conducted with high commissions of any member states of the Commonwealth prior to the publication of his Asylum and Immigration Bill. [4465]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 6 December 1995]: It is not normal practice to consult high commissioners about domestic legislation.