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AIDS (Prisons)
Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to assess the risks of contracting HIV in prisons.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The risk in prison, as elsewhere, is determined by personal behaviour. This is stressed in the educational material available to prisoners. No research to assess the rate of HIV infection, or spread of infection, in the prison population is currently being undertaken by the Department ; but prisoners will, where appropriate, be included in future approved research programmes based on anonymous blood testing. A central record is kept for statistical and monitoring purposes of prisoners identified as HIV antibody positive in the course of the careful screening undertaken by Medical Officers.
Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has considered the World Health Organisation's recommendation that consideration should be given to allow prisoners access to condoms ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have, as the World Health Organisation recommended, considered whether condoms should be made available to prisoners, but have concluded that we would not be justified in changing our policy that prisoners should not be allowed access to condoms.
Prisoners (Health Education)
Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what health education material is in preparation for prisoners ; and when this will be available.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : An AIDS resource pack comprising a video film, a user's guide and a companion leaflet is in an advanced state of development. A second leaflet for more general use is also in preparation. It is expected that these will be ready for use very early next year to supplement the material which is already available.
Personal Freedom
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to require all organisations, which maintain the names of people on lists
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without their knowledge and circulate the lists for a fee to others for employment and other purposes, to register with his Department ; if he will investigate the procedure and role of such organisations ; and if he will take steps to seek to ban those which interfere with personal freedom.Mr. Renton : The Data Protection Act 1984 provides that data users holding personal data processed automatically shall register the fact and, interalia, the purpose for which the data are held and to whom they may be disclosed. My right hon. Friend has no plans to extend the registration requirement to manual files.
Prison Officers (London Weighting)
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the number of prison officers who have been transferred from London prisons to other prisons outside London who are still in receipt of London weighting under the mark-time proposals of the fresh start arrangements ; how many are currently serving in Her Majesty's prison, Ashwell ; and what is the total cost to public funds on an annual basis of this arrangement ;
(2) what is the number of prison officers who have been transferred from London prisons to other prisons outside London who are not still receiving London weighting under the mark-time proposals because their previous prison in London had not accepted fresh start ; how many are currently serving in Her Majesty's prison, Ashwell ; and what would be the total cost to public funds of extending the London weighting to those currently denied it.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : To provide the information in the form requested would require disproportionate cost because of the large number of variable factors in individual cases and the calculations involved in mark-time pay. Between July 1987 and November 1988, 187 prison officers were transferred from London prisons to other prisons outside London and retained London weighting on a mark-time basis. Of these four are serving at Her Majesty's prison, Ashwell.
In the same period, 145 prison officers were transferred from London prisons to prisons outside London and did not receive London weighting under the mark-time rules because the London prison from which they were transferred had not moved to fresh start pay. Of these four are in post at Her Majesty's prison, Ashwell.
Derbyshire County Council
Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much section 11 grant, under the Local Government Act 1966, Derbyshire county council received in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available ; and on what schemes this money was spent.
Mr. John Patten : The amount of grant paid to Derbyshire county council under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, in respect of each of the last five years is shown in the table. The grant represents 75 per cent. of the eligible expenditure by the authority on posts addressing the special needs of ethnic minorities of Commonwealth origin.
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|£ |Posts
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84
Education |592,859 |161
Social Workers |11,171 |8
Other Staff |55,911 |10
Grant paid on formula basis in
respect of:
(a) Children in care |24,791
(b) Day Nurseries |39,204
|----
|Total |723,936
(Payment of section 11 grant on a formula basis ceased at the end
|of 1983-84)
1984-85
Education |714,537 |163
Social Workers |40,362 |9
Other Staff |73,181 |10
|----
|Total |828,080
1985-86
Education |735,429 |168
Social Workers |39,684 |8
Other Staff |95,577 |15
|----
|Total |870,690
1986-87
Education |876,520 |163.5
Social Workers |76,028 |18
Other Staff |114,737 |17
|----
|Total |1,067,285
1987-88
Education |967,533 |116.5
Social Workers |96,833 |18
Other Staff |151,188 |17
|----
|Total |1,215,554
Solvent Abuse
Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has to the effect of the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985 on the supply of such substances to children; and what measures are being taken by his Department to inform shopkeepers as to the law and to educate the public as to the dangers of solvent abuse ;
(2) what information he has as to the action being taken by the police to enforce the provisions of the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : In 1987 there were 11 successful prosecutions under the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985.
As regards publicity and prevention, the lead is taken by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, to whom my hon. Friend has addressed a similar question.
New Prison (Merseyside)
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to measure public reaction to any proposals for the construction of a new prison in the Field lane area of Merseyside.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Any proposal to build a prison in the Field lane area would be subject to the normal planning procedures which require local publicity and the assessment by the planning authority of local opinion.
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Broadcasting
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following his White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s," it is his intention to require applicants for Channel 3 franchises to make specific commitments about the production and broadcasting of religious programmes.
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has of the market for (a) video rental and (b) pre- recorded video tapes referred to in paragraph 2.4 of his White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s," Cm. 517.
Mr. Renton : According to a study on subscription television commissioned by the Home Office from Communications Studies and Planning International Limited, published in May 1987, a total of between £550 million and £600 million was spent on video software in 1986. Two thirds of the expenditure was on pre-recorded software, while the remainder was spent on blank cassettes. This is the equivalent of each household with a VCR buying or renting about one cassette a week. The study estimated that the market for pre-recorded VCR software would expand from £470 million in 1987 to £625 million in 1990. The equivalent estimates for expenditure on VCR rentals were £667 million in 1987 and £772 million in 1990.
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with manufacturers about the development of technology for pay-per-view subscription referred to in paragraph 2.4 of his White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s," Cm. 517 ; and whether those manufacturers are British.
Mr. Renton : The subject of pay-per-view technology is one of a number of issues which has been discussed in the Government's day-to-day contact with the electronics industry. The choice of manufacturers for reception equipment is one for the broadcasters themselves to make.
A variety of subscription and pay-per-view payment methods are being developed in Europe and the United States. Some satellite television services are expected to be subscription based, and British Satellite Broadcasting plans to introduce a pay-per-view system.
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has commissioned any research into the production costs of (a) news, (b) current affairs, (c) dramas, (d) documentaries, (e) children's programmes, (f) religious programmes and (g) educational programmes in (i) BBC, (ii) ITV, (iii) independent production and (iv) other countries.
Mr. Renton : The study of subscription television prepared for the Home Office by Booz Allen and Hamilton and published in May 1987 contains information about production costs. Such information is also available to the Home Office from other sources.
Television Licences
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those owning a television pay for (a) a colour licence and (b) a black and white licence.
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Mr. Renton : It is estimated that about 92 per cent. of television owners obtain a television licence. About 82 per cent. pay for a colour licence, and about 10 per cent. pay for a black and white licence.
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) detected and (b) prosecuted for not having a television licence in each of the last 10 years ; and at what cost.
Mr. Renton : The available data which have been supplied by the national television licence records office are given in the following table. Corresponding information on costs is not available.
Detections and prosecutions for TV licence evasion in the United Kingdom thousands Year ending 31 March |Detected |Prosecuted ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1978-79 |73.8 |55.4 1979-80 |78.7 |49.9 1980-81 |93.3 |65.8 1981-82 |101.7 |70.5 1982-83 |125.3 |85.4 1983-84 |152.8 |97.4 1984-85 |149.0 |110.0 1985-86 |235.4 |123.1 1986-87 |258.4 |174.5 1987-88 |288.9 |158.2
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he estimates will be (a) the cost and (b) the staffing implications of transferring responsibility for the collection of the British Broadcasting Corporation licence fee on to the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Mr. Renton : There should be no increase in the cost of collecting licence revenue, and the BBC will clearly have a strong incentive to reduce costs so far as is practicable consistent with the maximisation of licence revenue. It is likely that the transfer of responsibility will save in the order of two central Government staff posts.
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed in collecting the BBC licence fee.
Mr. Renton : About 1,300, excluding Post Office counter staff who issue television licences and sell television licence savings stamps as part of their general duties.
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present administrative cost of collecting the BBC licence fee.
Mr. Renton : A total of £59.6 million for the year 1987-88.
Animal Procedures Committee (Report)
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the first annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee ; and when he intends to lay copies of the report before Parliament.
Mr. Hurd : I have now laid before Parliament copies of the report, which is published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office as House of Commons Paper 36.
This report reflects the significant contribution which the Animal Procedures Committee has made in the first
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year of operation of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. I am sure that it will continue its work for the protection of animals used in experimental or other scientific procedures.I particularly welcome the report's conclusion that
"the emerging system of control will match the high expectations of Parliament and the public".
Pub Bombings
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in considering representations about the case of the four persons convicted of offences arising from the bombing of public houses in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974.
Mr. Hurd : In April I received a report from the Chief Constable of the Avon and Somerset police on the results of inquiries made into certain matters raised with me since my statement of 20 January 1987 at columns 735 -38. Since then, and in particular during October and November, I have received further representations about the case, both from the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, and from firms of solicitors acting for the four persons convicted, some of which purport to disclose new evidence. I have been asked to take these further matters into account in reaching my decision on whether to refer the case to the Court of Appeal, in the exercise of my power under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968. I have agreed to do so. My decision should obviously be based on the fullest available information. Further inquiries are now being carried out by the police into some of the new matters which have been raised and I intend to reach a decision in January.
THE ARTS
Tax
Mr. Soames : To ask the Minister for the Arts if there have been any items accepted in lieu of tax or allocated since he last made an announcement on the subject to the House.
Mr. Luce : Since my announcement on 12 July, at column 101, I am pleased to announce that two items have been accepted in lieu of tax ; a flower painting by Jacob Marrel and a print by William Blake, Frontispiece to the Book of Ahania. The tax liability satisfied was £61,369 and £19,658, respectively. The Blake print will go to the Fitzwilliam museum but a decision over the allocation of the Marrel painting has not yet been taken.
SCOTLAND
YTS
Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there are enough training places available under YTS for 16 to 17-year-olds in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : Yes. There were 13,000 unfilled YTS places in Scotland on 5 December 1988.
Curriculum and Assessment"
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the total number of responses he has received to the document,
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"Curriculum and Assessment", indicating the source in each case ; and if he will make such responses available through publication.Mr. Michael Forsyth : Over 1,000 responses were received from a wide range of sources. All the responses were available for public inspection at West Register house, Edinburgh, between 4 October and 5 December.
Special Schools
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many special schools in each region and division recorded no head teacher in the schools census of 1987.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The numbers of education authority special schools and the numbers with no head teacher at September 1987 are as follows :
(1) |(2) |(3)
|Total |Number without a
|head teacher
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |1 |1
Central |11 |3
Dumfries and Galloway |1 |0
Fife |12 |1
Grampian |19 |0
Highland |7 |1
Lothian |22 |1
Strathclyde |118 |37
Tayside |8 |2
Orkney |1 |0
Shetland |0 |0
Western Isles |0 |0
Scotland |200 |46
Argyll and Bute |4 |1
Ayr |25 |13
Dunbarton |16 |5
Glasgow (City) |45 |12
Lanark |18 |3
Renfrew |10 |3
In some cases recorded in column (3) above the post of head teacher will have been vacant at the time of the census ; in others there will be no such post because of small size or because oversight is provided by an associated mainstream school. Responsibility for determining the complement of head teachers and for filling vacancies rests with regional and islands authorities.
TVE1
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report those schools in each region and division which are currently involved in TVE1 schemes.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The schools within each region and division of Strathclyde currently participating in TVE1 are as follows :
Region/Division |Schools involved in
|TVE1 Schemes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |All schools
Central |Bannockburn High School
|Graeme High School
|St. Mungo's Academy
|St. Modan's High School
|Lornshill Academy
Dumfries and
Galloway |All Schools
Fife |Glenwood High School
|Glenrothes High School
|Auchmuty High School
|Bell Baxter High School
|Kirkcaldy High School
|Beath High School
|Lochgelly High School
|Woodmill High School
|Buchhaven High School
Grampian |Buckie High School
|Elgin Academy
|Elgin High School
|Forrest Academy
|Milnes High School
Highland |Farr Secondary School
|Golspie High School
|Thurso High School
|Wick High School
Lothian |Tynecastle High School
|St. Augustine's High School
|Armadale Academy
|Blackburn Academy
|St. Kentigern's Academy
|St. Mary's Academy
|Whitburn Academy
|Craigmount High School
|Queensferry High School
|Royal High School
|Boroughmuir High School
|Firrhill High School
|James Gillespie High School
|St. Thomas of Aquins High School
|Cairnpark Special School
|Graysmill Special School
|Ainslie Park High School
|Forrester High School
|Wester Hailes Education Centre
|Bathgate Academy
|Broughton High School
|Craighroyston High School
|Drummond High School
|Leith Academy
|Trinity Academy
|Canonmills Special School
|Pilrig Park Special School
|Lugton Special School
|St. David's High School
|Newbattle High School
|Lasswade High School
|Dalkeith High School
|Greenhill High School
Orkney |All schools
Shetland |Anderson High School
|Brae Junior High School
|Sandwick Junior High School
|Scalloway Junior High School
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute |Campbeltown Grammar School
|Lochgilphead High School
|Oban High School
|Islay High School
Ayr |Grange Academy
|James Hamilton Academy
|Kilmarnock Academy
|Part Special School
|St. Joseph's Academy
Dumbarton |Dumbarton Academy
|Auchentoshan Special School
|St. Patrick's High School
|Notre Dame High School
|Vale of Leven Academy
Glasgow |Lochend Secondary School
|St. Leonard's Secondary School
|Westwood Secondary School
Lanark |Airdrie Academy
|Caldervale High School
|St. Margaret's High School
Renfrew |Gourock High School
|Port Glasgow High School
|St. Stephen's High School
|Greenock Academy
|Grovepark High School
|Eastwood High School
|Woodfarm High School
|Renfrew High School
|The Mary Russell Special School
|Hunterhill Tutorial Centre Special School
|Kersland Special School
|Greenock High School
|St. Columba's High School
|Lilybank Special School
|Cowdenknowes High School
|Notre Dame High School
|Mearns Castle High School
|St. Ninian's High School
|Linwood High School
|Clippens Special School
|Isobel Mair Special School
|Gateside Special School
Tayside |Craigie High School
|Linlathen High School
|St. Saviour's High School
|Whitfield High School
Western Isles |Lews Castle Day School
|Nicolson Institute
Forestry
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from landowners, foresters and individuals engaged in wood processing industries about the Government's forestry policy ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 5 December 1988] : In the past two months, my right hon. and learned Friend has received nine letters from organisations and individuals about various aspects of the Government's forestry policy, including the support arrangements and the prospects for forestry. He has taken the opportunity to emphasise the Government's commitment to the continuing expansion of forestry.
PRIME MINISTER
Right Hon and Learned Member for Richmond, Yorks
Q47. Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister why and in what particular respects experience of the Home Office was a factor in the nomination of the right hon. and learned Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Brittan) as a European Commissioner.
The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 1 December 1988, at column 345.
Column 117
Barnsley
Q159. Mr. Nicholas Baker : To ask the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Barnsley, Dorset.
The Prime Minister : I have at present no plans to do so.
Engagements
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the Prime Minister of Iceland. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.
President Gorbachev (Visit)
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop : To ask the Prime Minister whether she will request President Gorbachev, during his forthcoming visit, to return to the national treasuries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania the gold reserves deposited by those countries with the Bank of England for safe keeping when still independent, which national reserves were handed over to the country which had invaded them by the United Kingdom Government in 1969.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 5 December 1988] : The gold of the former central banks of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia held in the Bank of England was not transferred to the USSR but its value was taken into account in the practical settlement of claims arising from the incorporation of these states into the USSR, under the Anglo-Soviet claims agreement of 5 January 1968. The proceeds of the subsequent sale of gold were used to meet the compensation claims of British property holders and investors whose assets had been seized or became worthless. The Anglo- Soviet claims agreement did not, of course, affect our continued non- recognition de jure of the forcible incorporation of the Baltic states into the USSR.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Grain
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost to the European Economic Community for export restitution and other costs of the export of grain for the latest year for which figures are available.
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Mr. Ryder : In the 1987 calendar year the European Community's expenditure on exports of whole and processed cereals other than rice, including food aid but excluding monetary compensatory amounts, was 3,673 million ecu (£2,642 million).
Hedgerows
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the total loss of hedgerows in each year since 1983.
Mr. Ryder : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 1 December to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) at columns 1859-60.
Export Refund System
Mr. Allen : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what European Economic Community revisions to the export refund system have become operative since 1 January ; and what effect this has had in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Ryder : A new integrated Community customs tariff known as the combined nomenclature and based upon the international standard harmonised system came into force on 1 January. At the same time use for customs' purposes of the Community single administrative document started.
The effect of these two changes was to require traders and official bodies to modify databases and systems based on customs tariff nomenclature and to provide and use data in a different format. While the changes applied to all international trade, food and agriculture were particularly affected since a number of nomenclature-based systems, including the export refund system, are utilised under the CAP.
Free Food Scheme
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the total cost of the European Economic Community free food scheme in the United Kingdom in terms of (a) the cost of foodstuffs, (b) the administration and distribution costs incurred by the voluntary sector and (c) any other costs.
Mr. Ryder : A total of £10.4 million was allocated to the United Kingdom to operate the free food scheme in 1988. The figure of 2 per cent. has been set aside to cover distribution costs and to reimburse the administration costs of designated organisations. The remainder has been released or will have been made available by the end of the year to designated organisations in the form of butter and beef. Other costs such as packing and canning will be met by payment in kind arrangements.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will estimate the number of people receiving food stuffs under the European Economic Community free food scheme ; (2) if he will estimate the number of people eligible in the United Kingdom to receive foodstuffs under the free food scheme.
Mr. Ryder : The Government have estimated that about 6 million people in the United Kingdom are eligible to
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receive food under the scheme. The designated organisations are responsible for the distribution arrangements, and they estimated early this year that about 1 million people would benefit.Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much of each of the surplus European Economic Community food products is being made available for distribution in Britain as part of the free food scheme.
Mr. Ryder : In the United Kingdom the designated organisations have been authorised to withdraw 2,463 tonnes of butter and 1,772 tonnes of beef.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the criteria for eligibility to the European Economic Community free food scheme.
Mr. Ryder : The Community legislation enables food from intervention stocks to be distributed to the most deprived persons in the Community. The Government
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have defined such persons as those in receipt of income support or family credit, and those of no fixed abode or living in welfare hostels.Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those voluntary organisations participating in the free food scheme.
Mr. Ryder : There are 127 organisations designated to operate the scheme in the United Kingdom. A list of the organisations was deposited in the Library of the House on 21 April 1988.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to in what respect the British scheme of free food distribution differs from that in other European Economic Community countries.
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