To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of service at the UK Border Agency has been of (a) case-owners and (b) casework team leaders (i) in Cardiff and (ii) nationally in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. (316217)

UK Border Agency staffing data held are collated by grade only and not by role. Therefore average length of service of these roles is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of UK Border Agency legal staff (a) in Cardiff and (b) nationally are qualified (i) solicitors, (ii) barristers and (iii) para-legal staff; and if he will make a statement. (316220)

There are no staff of the UK Border Agency based in Cardiff whose role is to provide legal services. General advice on procedure and current case law is provided through teams outside the Wales and South West of England region and are staffed by policy specialists. Bespoke legal advice is commissioned from the Home Office Legal Advisers Branch, Treasury Solicitor or independent Counsel as required.

Home Office Presenting Officers, who appear for the Secretary of State in the vast majority of represented appeals before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, are not required to hold a legal qualification.

No data are held on whether staff employed by UK Border Agency hold these qualifications.