To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the prevention of delinquency in Article 18 of the Agreement Between the Governments of the States of the Benelux Economic Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Republic on the Gradual Abolition of Controls at the Common Frontiers [Dep 5505 (3s)]; what complementary measures are understood in Article 17 concerning (a) security and (b) illegal immigration; and what manner of cooperation with Schengen countries his Department is preparing in these areas. [31222]

The 1985 Schengen Agreement is implemented by the 1990 Schengen Convention which makes provision for co-operation in preventing and detecting criminal offences, in combating illegal immigration and other measures to ensure security.The United Kingdom is not a member of Schengen. However, the United Kingdom does participate in inter-governmental co-operation in the Third Pillar on both policing, immigration and asylum policy and other Justice and Home Affairs matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's participation during its presidency in the Joint Supervisory Authority of Schengen. [31223]

The United Kingdom is not a member of Schengen, and therefore does not participate in the Joint Supervisory Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on negotiations between Ireland and the United Kingdom on the Schengen Area. [31285]

There are no such negotiations taking place between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.