HC Deb 23 July 2004 vol 424 cc853-6W
Annabelle Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what conditions individuals seeking asylum will be required to wear an electronic tagging device; and what sanctions will be imposed for failure to comply with such a condition. [183919]

Mr. Browne

Section 36 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc) Act 2004 will allow for electronic monitoring of those aged 18 years and over who are liable to detention under immigration legislation and will be used as an alternative to detention.

Individuals who are liable to detention may be required to wear an electronic tagging device if a Chief Immigration Officer, adjudicator or judge of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission considers, following an individual risk assessment, that the risk of absconding can be managed through the additional safeguard of electronic monitoring by tagging.

Tagging involves wearing a bracelet similar to a wristwatch, which emits a signal to a receiver at the subject's home address to confirm that they are complying with a residence restriction.

The consent of the individual will be required in order for an electronic monitoring provision to be applied. This is intended to ensure that the subject complies with the necessary practical arrangements for monitoring specified by the person imposing the requirement.

Failure to comply with an electronic monitoring condition (for example through tampering with the equipment or failing to be at the specified address during the specified period) will be treated as a failure to comply with a residence or reporting requirement attached as a condition of immigration bail, temporary release or temporary admission. Sanctions available include detention and/or prosecution under immigration legislation with a penalty of up to £5,000 or six months imprisonment.

John Thurso

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on trials for electronic tagging of asylum seekers in Scotland. [185732]

Mr. Browne

Section 36 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Act 2004 will allow for the electronic monitoring of those aged 18 years and over who are liable to detention under immigration legislation and will be used as an alternative to detention.

Electronic monitoring may be applied where it is felt that the risk of absconding can be managed with this additional safeguard, and an individual risk assessment will be conducted in each case.

A pilot is planned for the autumn in England, Wales and Scotland. The pilot will encompass a total of 200 people for voice recognition and up to 50 people for tagging (including up to 10 on satellite tracking). Numbers will be divided between the three contractors operating under the existing Home Office contract for England and Wales, and an interim contractor in Scotland. Satellite tracking is currently only available in a limited number of locations in England and will therefore not be applied in Scotland or Wales at present.

Alistair Burt

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likely impact on asylum detention centres of the electronic tagging of those seeking asylum in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [186139]

Mr. Browne

Electronic monitoring will be applied where it is felt that the risk of absconding can be managed with this additional safeguard. An individual risk assessment will be conducted in each case and I am not therefore able to estimate at this stage how many of the individuals held in immigration detention centres will apply to be released with such a condition, nor how many would be considered suitable. A pilot planned for the autumn should help inform the position.

Alistair Burt

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to pilot a programme of tagging by electronic means those seeking asylum in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [186140]

Mr. Browne

Clause 36 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Bill will allow for the electronic monitoring of those aged 18 years and over who are liable to detention under Immigration legislation.

Electronic Monitoring may be applied where it is felt that the risk of absconding can be managed with this additional safeguard, and an individual risk assessment will be conducted in each case. A pilot is planned for the autumn in England, Wales and Scotland. The pilot will encompass a total of 200 people for voice recognition and up to 50 people for tagging (including up to ten on satellite tracking). Numbers will be divided between the three contractors operating under the existing Home Office contract for England and Wales, and an interim contractor in Scotland. Satellite tracking is currently only available in a limited number of locations in England and will therefore not be applied in Scotland or Wales at present.

Alistair Burt

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his plans are in relation to the numbers of those being detained at the Yarl's Wood Detention Centre over the next(a) six, (b) 12 and (c) 18 months; what assessment he has made of the likely impact on these numbers of his proposals in relation to the electronic tagging of those seeking asylum in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [186148]

Mr. Browne

Our plans are to increase the number of detainee's at the Yarl's Wood Removal Centre from 60 at present to 120 in September 2004 and 407 in January 2005 when building work is completed.

Electronic monitoring will be applied where it is felt that the risk of absconding can be managed with this additional safeguard and an individual risk assessment will be conducted in each case. I am not therefore able to estimate how many of the individuals held at Yarl's Wood Removal Centre will apply to be released with such a condition, nor how many would be considered suitable.

Mr. Patrick Hall

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people liable to detention under the Immigration Acts he is planning to include in the electronic monitoring pilot his Department is launching this autumn; how many he estimates will at the time be held at the Yarl's Wood Removal Centre; whether he plans to include (a) men, (b) women and (c) children among those he is planning to include in the pilot; how many he estimates will be subject to (i) tagging, (ii) satellite tracking and (iii) voice recognition; how he is planning to monitor the progress of the pilot; when he expects to evaluate the outcome; and if he will make a statement. [185978]

Mr. Browne

[holding answer 22 July 2004]: Section 36 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc) Act 2004 will allow for electronic monitoring of those aged 18 years and over who are liable to detention under immigration legislation and will be used as an alternative to detention.

The pilot to test the effectiveness of electronic monitoring in an immigration context will include 200 individuals for voice recognition and up to 50 people for tagging (10 of whom may be subject to satellite tracking).

Electronic monitoring will be applied where it is felt that the risk of absconding can be managed with this additional safeguard and an individual risk assessment will be conducted in each case. Therefore, it is not possible to estimate how many of the individuals held at Yarl's Wood detention centre will apply to be released with such a condition, nor how many would be considered suitable.

Electronic monitoring may be applied only to men and women of 18 years of age and over. Therefore no children will be included in the pilot.

Evaluation of the pilot will commence after a three-month period.