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AdministrationDisposal of confidential waste
Security services--collection of cash
Telephone operators
Transport
Conveyance of goods and farm produce
Conveyance of prisoners
Maintenance of vehicles
Prison estate
Maintenance and improvement to prison buildings and quarters Maintenance of plant and equipment
New construction
Risley Remand Centre
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of apparent suicide, self injury, and self injury with apparent suicidal intent, have been recorded at Risley remand centre since 1 June 1988.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : There have been two apparent suicides at Risley since 1 June 1988 (one was subsequently confirmed as such at the inquest, and the other inquest has yet to be held). During the same period seven apparent attempts at suicide and one incident of self-injury which was not thought to be a suicide attempt have been reported.
Women Prisoners (Injuries)
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide the latest figures on the number of self injuries inflicted by prisoners in each of the women's prisons in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The following table gives the reported number of incidents of self-injury inflicted by female prisoners in the establishments concerned between 1 April 1987 and 31 March 1988, the most recent period for which figures are available :
|Number
---------------------------------
Adults
Askham Grange |65
Bullwood Hall |33
Cookham Wood |5
Drake Hall |Nil
Durham |5
East Sutton Park |Nil
Exeter |Nil
Holloway |209
Low Newton |1
New Hall |19
Pucklechurch |43
Risley |3
Styal |46
Young Offenders
Bullwood Hall |67
Drake Hall |Nil
East Sutton Park |Nil
New Hall |6
Styal |34
Women's Prisons (Sanitation)
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the women's prisons which do not have integral sanitation.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : The majority of women's establishments have access to night sanitation, but the following have neither integral sanitation nor access to night sanitation :
Bullwood Hall
New Hall
Pucklechurch
Risley (one unit)
Durham (one unit)
Low Newton (one cell block only)
As stated in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis) on 20 February at columns 506-8, plans are in hand to introduce integral sanitation at Durham and Pucklechurch and to provide access to night sanitation by electronic unlocking at Bullwood Hall and New Hall. The possibility of providing access to night sanitation at the two remaining establishments is under consideration.
Prison Building
Mr. Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken for building a prison from initial plans to completion.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The time between initial plans and completion varies so greatly that an average would be meaningless. The greatest variable is the time taken to obtain the necessary planning clearance, which can be anything from three months to two or three years. In the past, design has also taken up to three years and preparing the prison for use on completion, that is, commissioning, has taken up to one year. Taken with the average period of construction, which has been at least three years, this has meant that the minimum period between initial plans and completion has been about seven years. We have made substantial improvements. The use of repeat designs at six prisons has reduced the design period by at least two years and should reduce the construction period by at least six months. The commissioning period has also been reduced to three months, so that, subject to planning clearance and the ability of the construction industry to keep to agreed contract times, a new prison can now be provided in about three and a half years from initial planning to completion. In addition, a new design brief for prisons will shortly be published which will form the basis for all future new prisons, greatly reducing both the time and cost of design in each case.
Naturalisation Applications
Mrs. Wise : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many naturalisation applications made (a) two or more years ago and (b) three or more years ago are still outstanding.
Mr. Renton : On 16 February 1989, 3,447 applications for naturalisation made two or more years ago were still outstanding, of which 801 were made three or more years ago.
Mrs. Wise : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will increase the number of staff employed to handle naturalisation applications.
Mr. Renton : This has already been done, and will continue. The Liverpool nationality office (LNO) which opened last August now has 111 caseworking staff processing registrations. This has allowed nationality
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division staff in Croydon to concentrate almost exclusively on naturalisations. When the LNO has completed the registrations, it too will work on naturalisations, representing an additional increase of almost 65 per cent. in naturalisation caseworking capacity.New Prison Facility, Everthorpe
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) who (a) designed, (b) will carry out the construction and (c) are the civil engineers for the new prison facility to be built alongside Her Majesty's youth custody centre, Everthorpe ;
(2) who will staff the new prison facility to be built alongside Her Majesty's youth custody centre, Everthorpe ;
(3) what will be the completed size, function and predicted cost of the new prison facility to be built alongside Her Majesty's youth custody centre, Everthorpe ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Tenders have recently been received for the design and construction of a remand centre for 300 inmates next to Her Majesty's young offenders institution Everthorpe, and are being considered. Pending decisions on these tenders it is not possible to say what might be the cost of the centre, or who might design and build it. The scheme has been developed so that the centre could form an addition to the prison estate, and as such it would be staffed by members of the prison service.
Mr. Salman Rushdie
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that full and adequate police protection is being given to Mr. Salman Rushdie ; and whether such protection will continue so long as Mr. Rushdie considers it necessary to safeguard his life.
Mr. Hurd : Mr. Rushdie is receiving police protection, but it would not be sensible to give further details. The protection will continue for as long as it is considered necessary, having regard to all the circumstances.
Incitement to Murder
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the maximum penalties in United Kingdom law for those convicted of incitement to murder.
Mr. Hurd : The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.
Private Security Firms
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will seek to introduce legislation to control the activities of private security firms ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what plans he has to improve the vetting and training procedures of private security firms.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 23 February 1989] : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to questions by the hon. Members for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) and for Walsall, South (Mr. George) on 15 December at column 716 .
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Electronic Tagging
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list those companies who have tendered to monitor the pilot electronic surveillance system to be introduced for persons remanded on bail this summer ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what is the estimated cost per week of supervising a person remanded on bail but subject to electronic surveillance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 23 February 1989] : Tenders have not yet been received, and are not expected until April. It will not be possible before then to estimate the weekly costs involved.
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to expand the use of electronic surveillance to sentenced prisoners, or as a condition of a probation or community service order ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 23 February 1989] : We shall consider the case for changes in the law to provide for the use of electronic monitoring in the case of convicted offenders in the light of the outcome of the forthcoming trials and in the light of comments on the Green Paper, "Punishment, Custody and the Community".
Bail Hostels
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received since April 1988 about the need for more secure conditions in bail hostels in England and Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 23 February 1989] : Probation service organisations have made representations that staffing levels at approved probation bail hostels should be increased to ensure the safety of hostel staff. A working party, set up to look into this matter, is due to report shortly. We look forward to receiving the report.
A consultation paper, "Bail Accommodation and Secure Bail Hostels", was issued on 13 February 1989. The paper discusses the purpose and use of existing accommodation for bailees and possible changes in hostel admission policies, rules and regimes. It also examines the concept of secure bail hostels for defendants who may be remanded in custody because of lack of suitable bail places. The closing date for responses is 9 May 1989.
Bolton Magistrates Court
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the revenue collected from fines imposed by the magistrates court in Bolton during each of the last five years.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 23 February 1989] : The available information relates to fines and fees collected by the magistrates court in Bolton for the last five years as follows :
|£
---------------------------------
1983-84 |478,070.66
1984-85 |447,050.88
1985-86 |474,813.25
1986-87 |528,324.77
1987-88 |665,860.03
Juvenile Offenders
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of re-offences committed by juveniles since the introduction of the intermediate treatment projects as an alternative to custodial sentences ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 23 February 1989] : Reliable information is not available. On behalf of the Government, the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders has been monitoring the Department of Health's intensive intermediate treatment initiative. Its final report, which should contain information about reconvictions, is expected later this year.
DEFENCE
Nuclear Explosions
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if his Department has made any estimates of the ionisation effects of a nuclear explosion on (a) the Backbone and (b) the Boxer microwave communication system ;
(2) if (a) the Backbone and (b) the Boxer microwave communication system has been hardened against the ionisation effects of a nuclear explosion ;
(3) if his Department has made any estimates of the electromagnetic pulse effect of a high-altitude nuclear explosion on the land-line elements of project UNITER ;
(4) if his Department has made any estimates of the electromagnetic pulse effect of a high-altitude nuclear explosion on the defence communication network telephone circuits ;
(5) if his Department has made any estimates of the electromagnetic pulse effect of a high-altitude nuclear explosion on the missile impact prediction computer system at Fylingdales BMEWS site ; (6) if his Department has made any estimates of the electromagnetic pulse effects of a high-altitude nuclear explosion on the VAX computers installed as part of the UKADGE air defence system ; (7) if the defence communication network, telephone circuits have been hardened against the electromagnetic pulse effects of a high-altitude nuclear explosion ;
(8) if the VAX computers installed as part of the UKADGE air defence system are hardened against the electromagnetic pulse effects of a high-altitude nuclear explosion ;
(9) if the land-line elements of project UNITER have been hardened against the electromagnetic pulse effects of a high-altitude nuclear explosion ;
(10) if the missile impact prediction computer system at the Fylingdales BMEWS site is hardened against the electromagnetic pulse effects of a high- altitude nuclear explosion.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is not our practice to comment on operational matters of this kind.
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Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any studies have been carried out by his Department regarding the hardening of (a) the BBC low frequency transmitter at Droitwich, (b) the Inskip low frequency transmitter, (c) the Rugby very low frequency transmitter, (d) the Criggon very low frequency transmitter, (e) the Crimond low frequency transmitter and (f) the Anthorn very low frequency transmitter to resist the electromagnetic pulse effects of a high-altitude nuclear explosion.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : So far as the transmitters referred to in (b) to (f) are concerned, I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave the hon. Member on 10 February at columns 859-60 . The transmitter at Droitwich is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Home Affairs.
US Communications Facilities
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton on 20 June 1985, Official Report , columns 431-32, if the United States communications facilities listed at Fort Murkle and RAF Thurso are two separate installations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : The United States communications facility at Thurso is a high frequency transmitter station. That at Fort Murkle is an associated high frequency receiver and satellite communications station, which has to be sited separately for technical reasons.
US Forces
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the royal aircraft establishment Oakhanger was first made available for use by United States forces.
Mr. Neubert : The telemetry and command station at Oakhanger, which is controlled and managed by the Royal aircraft establishment at Farnborough, has been part of the continuing co-operation between the United Kingdom and the United States in the field of satellite communications since operations there began in 1969. I also refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my predecessor on 28 June 1984 at column 488 and on 9 December 1985 at column 544 .
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the microwave communications relay at Leafield was first made available for use by United States forces.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the microwave communications relay at RAF Uxbridge was first made available for use by United States forces.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date warehousing at Dunstable was made available for use by the United States Navy exchange.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date planning permission for the proposed second
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echelon medical storage facility for United States forces to be constructed at Ridgewell was refused ; and what information he has about the reasons for refusal.Mr. Neubert : The Ministry of Defence was notified that planning clearance for the proposed second echelon medical facility at Ridgewell had not been given in June 1986. I understand that clearance was given on the grounds that the proposed development was contrary to the Essex structure plan, was an inappropriate development in a special landscape area and that road access was inadequate.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date (i) the Royal Aircraft Establishment airfield at Bedford, (ii) RAE Brawdy, (iii) RAF Cottesmore and (iv) RAF Scampton were allocated for use as collocated operating bases in support of United States forces.
Mr. Neubert : Formal agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States for the designation of RAF Bedford as a collocated operating base was reached in February 1982 and for the designation of RAF Brawdy, RAF Cottesmore and RAF Scampton in May 1987.
Luftwaffe
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any recent agreement has been reached concerning flying over Britain by the Luftwaffe ; and if he will make a statement.
Services (Statutory Provisions)
Mr. Sayeed : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer of 9 February, Official Report, column 766, if he will give the reasons why it is necessary to preserve differences in the statutory provisions for the different services ; and what consideration he has given as to whether joint service headquarters and organisations will make a policy of separate disciplinary acts for each service difficult to administer.
Mr. Neubert : While there are considerable areas of similarity in the service discipline Acts, the differences in the provisions are in the main a reflection of operational requirements. These requirements need to be taken into account in the interests of the timely administration of justice and the resolution of disciplinary problems. Where necessary, suitable arrangements can be made for joint service headquarters and organisations within the framework of the current legislation.
Nuclear Missiles
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, at the next North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in May, when the modernisation and replacement of the Lance short-range nuclear weapons capable missiles is discussed, he intends to raise the matter of the lack of fully interoperable communications systems between the British Army units providing these delivery systems and the United States units with custody of nuclear warheads for these missiles.
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, at the next North Atlantic Treaty
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Organisation summit in May, when the modernisation of short-range nuclear forces is discussed, he intends to raise the matter of the absence of fully interoperable communications systems between the British Army units providing 155 mm and 203 mm artillery systems and the United States' units with custody of nuclear shells for these systems.Ethnic Minorities
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what percentage of candidates for recruitment to the armed forces during the past 12 months have come from minority ethnic groups ; and what number and what percentage of successful recruits came from those groups ;
(2) whether he has any proposals to increase the number and percentage of ethnic minorities in armed forces.
Mr. Neubert : I refer the hon. Member to the results of the first year of the ethnic monitoring of applicants and recruits to the armed forces which my predecessor reported to the House on 15 November 1988 at columns 621-22 . It is our aim to increase the number of recruits from the ethnic minorities. We already try to direct our recruiting effort to all ethnic groups and we are considering what more can be done. To that end discussions have taken place with the Commission for Racial Equality and in the Home Secretary's advisory council on race relations and a contract has been placed with independent consultants to survey the attitudes of young people from the ethnic minorities towards the services, to examine the services' recruitment criteria and practices and to consider the effectiveness and value for money of a range of measures designed to increase recruiting from the ethnic minorities.
Recruitment
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will place in the Library a copy of the report concerning the enlistment of recruits, codenamed Marilyn. "Management and Recruitment in the Lean Years of the 90s".
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The handling of the internal, classified report on "Manning and Recruiting in the Lean Years of the 90s," which has been given the acronym Marilyn, is still under discussion. But in due course we should be in a position to publish a document summarising the steps that we shall be taking to improve recruitment and retention. A copy of that document will be placed in the Library of this House.
Seismology
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts and agreements currently exist between his Department and universities and other institutions of higher education for research related to the verification of arms control treaties by seismology.
Mr. Sainsbury : The MOD has no contracts or agreements for seismology research. There are arrangements for the acquisition of seismological data for research purposes.
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