HC Deb 29 October 2002 vol 391 cc758-9W
Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the level of violent crime in the London Borough of Havering. [75107]

Mr. Denham

In 2001–02 there were a total of 3,947 violent offences in Havering.

It should be noted that recorded violent crime is not necessarily an accurate guide to trends in violent crime, as it is subject to changes in reporting and recording. For example, in the British Crime Survey, for England and Wales as a whole, the number of common assaults showed a statistically significant decrease of 24 per cent. between 1999 and interviews during 2001/02, whereas common assaults recorded by the police in England and Wales increased by 15 per cent. over the same period.

Mr. Malins

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what affect the decision in the Ahmadi case has had on his asylum policy; and if he will make a statement. [75414]

Beverley Hughes

The ruling does not impact on our general policy regarding third country transfers under the Dublin Convention. Nor does it affect the operation of Section 11 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The case impacts on the Secretary of State's power to certify human rights claims as manifestly unfounded where certain types of medical evidence are in issue. We are disappointed that the High Court took the view it did on the particular facts of this case. An appeal against the decision has been lodged with the Court of Appeal. The family's separate appeal to the Independent Appellate Authority has been listed for hearing.

Harry Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in relation to communications data, how many times(a) the Security Services and (b) each police force sought access to such data from communications providers such as Internet service providers in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [74482]

Bob Ainsworth

The Metropolitan Police made approximately 155,000 requests for communications date to be passed to them under the Data Protection Act 1998. Figures for each police force are not collected centrally. It is policy not to comment on the operational matters of the Security Service.