Written question asked by Neil Gerrard (Labour) on Friday, 15 October 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 November 2004. It was answered by Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour) on Monday, 15 November 2004 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been prosecuted under section 35 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004. - Inc figure and ref to Home Office website.

Answer: Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted under section 35 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004. [192790] Mr. Browne: To date there have been no prosecutions under section 35 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004, which came into force on 22 September 2004. This is because the offence is not committed until a person has first been required to take specific action under section 35, and then has failed to comply with that request without reasonable excuse. As a result, the time period is too short for any cases to have reached the prosecution stage. Information on Prosecutions is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www. homeoffice.gov.uk/rds.html.

Secondary information