§ Mr. Eggarasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer of 6 February, Official Report, column 573, he will state the cost or net revenue accruing to his Department in each of the past three financial years for each of the services listed.
§ Mr. BrittanWhere the costs are borne directly on my Department's Votes and the income accrues to them, the details requested for each of the services listed in my reply to a question from my hon. Friend on 6 February at columns 572–73 are as follows:
511W
£000 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 Firearms licences* — — — Issue of travel documents for stateless persons Costs 134 197 209 Income -96 -140 -103 Net cost/net income 38 47 106 Clamping and removal of illegally parked vehicles* — — — Dealing with nationality applications in the Home Office† Costs 3,463 4,523 5,085 Income -1,934 -10,949 -4,593 Net cost/net income 1,529 -6,426 492 Inspection of premises under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Costs 200 204 205 Income -197 -204 -203 Net cost/net income 3 — 2 Accommodation of passengers refused entry under the Immigration Act Costs 944 822 821 Income -1,136 -820 -833 Net cost/net income -192 2 -63 Issue of Liquor licences by magistrates' courts — — — Issue of betting licences by Gaming Board and magistrates' courts‡ Costs 1,833 1,905 1,795 Income -1,752 -1,590 -1,996 Net cost/net income 81 315 -201 Issue of aliens registration certificate* — — — Issue of Police reports on road traffic accidents* — — — Issue of passports≑ Costs 31,565 41,222 42,432 Income -32,803 -33,233 -37,073 Net cost/net income -1,238 8,089 5,359 * No expenditure incurred by, or receipts accruing to, the Home Office in respect of these services. † This service was included under (b) of my reply of 6 February because, in 1983–84, in line with policy, full cost recovery was achieved for successful applicants, the cost of processing unsuccessful applications being subsidised. The figures given for this service are, consistently with the other figures in the table, on a cash basis. The calculation of the nationality fees is now on an accruals accounting basis (see annex B of the Government's reply to the third report from the Home Affairs Committee, Session 1982–83. HC 248: "British Nationality Fees" (March 1984, Cmnd. 9183)). ‡ Available figures include estimates of costs incurred by, and income from fees to, magistrates' courts. ≑ The issue of passports was a Foreign and Commonwealth Office responsibility until 1 April 1984 and the costs were borne on and income accrued to that Department's Votes. I regret that the issue of passports was placed erroneously under (b) of my reply of 6 February, when it should have been placed under (a).