HC Deb 27 February 2002 vol 380 cc1397-9W
Mr. Clelland

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reimburse local authorities for their expenditure on supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children. [39480]

Mr. Blunkett

I have laid before Parliament today a Special Grant Report which sets out the arrangements for reimbursing local authorities in England for the costs of supporting Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) as a result of their duties under the Children Act 1989.

The Special Grant Report explains the areas of expenditure which will be eligible for the grant and the time scales for local authorities to make their claims.

As I outlined in the White Paper we will continue to offer appropriate levels of care to UASC and the Home Office leads the Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children's Stakeholder Group. One key element of this is to ensure that we can sift out adults posing as children and deter those seeking to abuse the system. Home Office staff are already taking steps to challenge older applicants and divert them to the adult asylum process.

We are exploring opportunities for better sharing of costs across the country and in particular the joint commissioning of accommodation for unaccompanied minors who are 16 or 17 on arrival. We are already doing more to support local authorities by improving information exchange and UASC will be included as part of the asylum audit. It is important that financial support to local authorities provides fairly for essential needs and encourages good value for money.

Fiona Mactaggart

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department into which languages the information leaflets for asylum seekers in induction centres are translated; and if he will place a copy of the English language leaflet, and the document asylum seekers are required to sign, in the Library. [36431]

Angela Eagle

It is intended to produce a comprehensive briefing package in 31 languages. These are:

  • Albanian
  • Amharic
  • Arabic
  • Bengali
  • Chinese Simplified
  • Croat
  • Czech
  • Dari
  • Farsi
  • French
  • Gujurati
  • Kurmanji
  • Kurdish soorani
  • Lingala
  • Lithuanian
    • 1398W
  • Ndebele
  • Nepali
  • Pashto
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
  • Punjabi
  • Romanian
  • Russian
  • Serbian
  • Shoria
  • Spanish
  • Swahili
  • Tamil
  • Turkish
  • Ukranian
  • Urdu

The induction system is an evolving process and as such literature is still subject to change better to reflect the whole end to end asylum process. National Asylum Support Service (NASS), in conjunction with voluntary sector organisations, is in the process of refining and producing a raft of material for issue to those asylum seekers going through the induction process. This includes the 'client diary' which asylum seekers are asked to sign. When the material is finalised I shall arrange for an English language copy to be placed in the Library.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of race-related crimes have been reported involving asylum seekers since the introduction of the Government's dispersal policy; and if he will make a statement. [35443]

Angela Eagle

Detailed statistics are not collected centrally on race-related crimes involving asylum seekers. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) records the numbers of allegations of racial harassment made by asylum seekers and their dependants in receipt of NASS support. Between May 2000 to December 2001 NASS investigations team recorded 1,159 allegations of racial harassment.

When NASS first learns of such incidents it always ensures that they have been reported to the relevant local police, who have prime responsibility for investigating the allegation. If, following police advice, it is decided that safety or wellbeing of an asylum seeker, who is receiving NASS support, is in any doubt NASS would arrange to move that person to alternative accommodation while the case is under investigation.

If an asylum seeker does not wish to report allegations of harassment to the police, they can do so through their solicitor who can make a report on their behalf, or an asylum seeker can report the incident to their landlord. Alternatively, there are voluntary organisations with whom an asylum seeker can report and discuss their concerns. The voluntary organisation would then liaise with NASS as regards further action.

John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when final decisions regarding the sites of accommodation centres for asylum seekers within the UK will be taken. [32516]

Angela Eagle

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Luff) on 13 February 2002,Official Report, column 461W.

Mrs. Ellman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2002,Official Report, column 302W, if he will place in the Library the two recent letters received from Merseyside police in relation to the use of Landmark and Inn on the Park to house asylum seekers. [33598]

Angela Eagle

[holding answer 5 February 2002]: I am making arrangements for copies of these letters to be placed in the Library.