§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many persons appointed to chair immigration appeal tribunals have left office before the end of their respective terms during the period of office of the present president of the immigration appeal tribunal; and how many of them are(a) women and (b) members of ethnic minorities. [68482]
§ Mr. HoonNo person appointed to chair Immigration Appeal Tribunals has left office before the end of their appointment during the period of the present President of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal, His Honour Judge David Pearl.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the duties of the Vice-President of Administration of the Immigration Appeals Authority; when the present appointment was made and at what salary; how many(a) informal and (b) formal complaints about the vice-president have been made since his appointment; and what was the outcome of the complaints. [68487]
§ Mr. HoonThe post of Vice President of Administration of the Immigration Appellate Authority does not exist. The Immigration Appellate Authority consists of Immigration Adjudicators and the Immigration Appeal Tribunal. The Compliment of the Adjudicators consists of; one Chief Adjudicator; one Deputy Chief Adjudicator; 4 Regional Adjudicators; 29 full-time Adjudicators; and 213 part-time Adjudicators. The compliment of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal consists of one President; 4 Vice Presidents; 25 part-time legal members; and 26 part-time lay members. On the matter of complaints I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 1 February 1999.
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§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many(a) informal and (b) formal complaints have been made to his Department about the activities and attitudes of immigration appeal adjudicators by other adjudicators in each of the last five years; how many were from (a) women and (b) people from ethnic minorities; and what was the outcome of each complaint. [68486]
§ Mr. HoonNo such complaints are recorded as having been made to the Lord Chancellor's Department between 1994 and 1996.
In 1997 there were three informal complaints. Two of them were from a female member of a minority ethnic community. One of these complaints was resolved by agreement between the parties and the other was superseded by further discussions and correspondence. The third complaint was discussed with the individual concerned and no further action taken.
In 1998 there were four informal and two formal complaints, all from a female member of a minority ethnic community. The complainant requested that the matters of substance raised in the informal and one of the formal complaints should be recorded but did not seek further action. The Lord Chancellor determined in relation to the other formal complaint that the adjudicator concerned should have made more careful enquiries in handling of complaint from solicitors and not have referred to the "promulgation" of a determination.
The Lord Chancellor is considering one informal complaint made this year by a female member of a minority ethnic community.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department on what date the post of research and policy adjudicator at the Immigration Appeals Authority was created; how the person chosen was selected and by whom; and what steps were taken to ensure that the method of appointment was free from race and gender prejudice. [68485]
§ Mr. HoonFollowing an announcement in Parliament on 18 December 1996,Official Report, column 752, that the then Government intended to review Asylum and Immigration Appeals, the Regional Immigration Adjudicators asked one of their number, Dr. H. H. Storey, to prepare a paper which could be submitted to the Lord Chancellor's Department, setting out the Authority's response to that Review. Dr. Storey prepared the paper and it was submitted to the Lord Chancellor's Department in May 1997. From that date Dr. Storey has, with the endorsement of the present and previous Chief Adjudicator, continued to work on research projects for the Authority, in addition to his normal duties. Dr. Storey was originally chosen because the Regional Adjudicators considered him to be the person best qualified for the position. He is a former University Lecturer and an expert on European and Human Rights law.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department when the European panel of the Immigration Appeals Authority was established; for what purpose and by whom; how and by whom its membership was recommended and appointed; and what steps were taken to ensure that the method of appointment was free of race and gender prejudice. [68484]
480W
§ Mr. HoonA European Panel was established in 1997 by the Chief Immigration Adjudicator as a result of specific concerns expressed by practitioners that it occasionally happened that cases with complex European issues were listed before relatively inexperienced Adjudicators. The intention was to create a core of Adjudicators who could be trained in European law, and that this core be widened as quickly as possible. The first group of Adjudicators were nominated by Regional Adjudicators. All full-time Adjudicators in post as at November 1998 have now been trained and are on the Panel.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if it is mandatory for the Chief Adjudicator of the Immigration Appeal Authority to report the nature and number of complaints of race or gender prejudice or discrimination by members of the authority about other members to his Department. [68483]
§ Mr. HoonThe Chief Immigration Adjudicator is responsible, in liaison with the Lord Chancellor, his officials and the Court Service, for the efficient operation of the Adjudicators' system. The Lord Chancellor would expect the Chief Immigration Adjudicator, and all other Tribunal Presidents or Tribunal Heads, to inform him of any complaint against a member of the judiciary, whether it is from a member of the public or a fellow member of the judiciary.