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HOME DEPARTMENT
Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been removed from the United Kingdom at the expense of the carriers under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987, by country of destination.
Mr. Renton : None. The Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 does not contain powers to remove people from the United Kingdom.
Rape and Child Abuse
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department towards encouraging courts in England and Wales to allow rape or
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child abuse victims to give their evidence behind screens to try to stop intimidation of such people ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. John Patten : It is for the courts to decide in the circumstances of each case whether or not to use screens. In addition, section 32 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 enables children under the age of 14 to give evidence by live television link from outside the courtroom in trials on indictment for violent and sexual offences. An advisory group chaired by his honour Judge Thomas Pigot QC is considering whether video- recorded evidence by children and other vulnerable witnesses should be admissible in criminal proceedings, and we look forward to receiving its report in the summer. We will examine any proposals for further protecting witnesses from courtroom intimidation in the light of group's findings.
Human Rights
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received about the denial of human rights in England ; and which organisations made these representations.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Representations are regularly received, both from individuals and organisations, which might be interpreted as alleging violations or denials of human rights in relation to specific cases or generally. No central record is kept of such representations or of the organisations making them.
Police Sporting Schemes
Mr. Sayeed : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of whether police schemes for providing young people with purposeful activity of a sporting nature during their leisure time or vacation provided any evidence of a reduction in criminal referrals ; how many such schemes are in operation ; and what assessment has been made as to the costs of these schemes compared with the cost of referrals.
Mr. John Patten : There are no central records of schemes of this kind, although we are aware of many being run throughout the country, most of which draw local sponsorship and voluntary effort. It is for chief officers to decide whether to establish such schemes and to assess their value within the general cost-effective management of each force. One scheme, the Staffordshire police activity and community enterprise programme, (SPACE) in Staffordshire, has been the subject of a Home Office crime prevention unit paper which concluded that there was a possible link between SPACE and changes in the local crime pattern, but that other factors could also be involved. In Avon and Somerset, police schools liaison officers run over 100 different schemes and activities.
Homosexuality
Mr. Squire : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hornchurch, Official Report, 1 December 1988, column 396, what response he has had from the Law Officers in Jersey and the Isle of Man in respect of amending their laws on consensual homosexual acts between males.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The island authorities in Jersey and the Isle of Man have indicated that they have under
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consideration the question of legislation on this matter in order to enable them to conform with the European convention on human rights.Women Prisoners
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking on the recommendations of the National Association of Probation Officers recent report on the imprisonment of women with dependent children, a copy of which he has been sent.
Mr. John Patten : We published last year proposals for the development of non-custodial sentences. The national standards for community service orders, introduced on 1 April, ask probation areas to ensure that community service placements are available for women offenders, including those who are pregnant and those with young children. A review is taking place of policies on mothers and babies in prison.
Guildford and Woolwich Pub Bombings
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost hitherto of the current investigation into the Guildford and Woolwich pub bombings ; how far this is apportioned between (a) the Home Office, (b) Avon and Somerset policy authority ; how many officers are absent from duties in Avon and Somerset and whether full account is taken of this ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The inquiries by the Avon and Somerset constabulary into the new evidence which had been made available to my right hon. Friend in this case have been concluded. Following the issue of a writ the matter of costs is sub judice.
The case was referred to the Court of Appeal on 16 January and the conduct of the prosecution case now rests with the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Murders (Chinatown)
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the progress of investigations into the recent murders in London's Chinatown.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : No. The conduct of the investigation is a matter for the commissioner.
Single Market (Immigration)
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect the single European market in 1992 will have on immigration arrangements for people from (a) Montserrat and (b) other British dependencies ; and if he will make a statement.
Drunkenness (Wiltshire)
Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Wiltshire as to the number of (i) soldiers and (ii) civilians arrested by Wiltshire constabulary in (a)
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Salisbury and (b) Amesbury and subsequently charged with being drunk and disorderly or causing a breach of the peace in each of the past 12 months.Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information available centrally relates to the number of persons found guilty or cautioned for offences of drunkenness in the Wiltshire police force area in 1987. This information was published in Home Office statistical bulletin 31/88, a copy of which is in the Library.
To produce such information for each month of 1987 would involve disproportionate cost. Information is not collected centrally on the occupation of persons found guilty or cautioned nor can the area breakdown requested be given. Information for 1988 is not yet available.
Immigration
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the number of (a) fiance s and (b) male spouses who have been refused entry clearance and had an appeal against that refusal turned down on more than one occasion over the last five years.
Mr. Renton : The information requested is not available ; the information available centrally does not separately identify re-applicants.
Prisons (Overcrowding)
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what positive practical proposals are being considered by his Department for continued or future support for schemes including bail support provision and other measures as a means of tackling overcrowding in (a) Her Majesty's prison Armley and (b) other prisons with a view to reducing the number of unconvicted young prisoners on remand ; and what further measures he proposes.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Government continue to demonstrate their commitment to reducing the number of young people remanded in custody and to relieving prison overcrowding.
An extensive development programme is under way to provide 500 extra bail places at approved hostels by April 1991. The first two hostels in this programme are due to open shortly and one of these is in Bradford. We are considering proposals of establish further approved bail hostels in West Yorkshire.
My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is preparing improved training on bail decisions for magistrates. We are encouraging the development of bail information schemes which give courts better information on which to base decisions about bail. A scheme is proposed for Leeds and is now subject only to final approval.
By the mid-1990s over 25,000 new prison places will have been delivered by the prison building programme. The programme is frequently enhanced. We are now considering proposals to build two 300-place remand centres by 1991. One of these is at Everthorpe on Humberside. The building programme includes a refurbishment project at Her Majesty's prison Leeds which will increase its certified normal accommodation by 226 in 1992 and by 500 in 1997.
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At the end of February this year there were over 600 fewer young prisoners on remand than 12 months previously.Immigrants (Literacy Test)
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce a language or literacy test for immigrants seeking to settle in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Renton : We have no plans to apply such a test to those who wish to come to this country for settlement. But anyone wishing to acquire British citizenship by naturalisation is already subject to a language requirement.
Television Licence Fee
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what prior notice and publicity of the recent increase in TV licence fee charges was given (a) in Stoke on Trent North and (b) nationally.
Mr. Renton : The increase from 1 April 1989 was announced to the House by my right hon. Friend on 27 October 1988, and was widely reported. Counter grille notices were displayed at Post Offices from 20 March. Reminders were also enclosed with renewal notices for licences expiring on 31 March ; though I understand that in some areas these were delayed in the post. The Post Office is inquiring into the reasons for this.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the level of TV licence fees (a) generally, (b) for the elderly and (c) for those in sheltered accommodation.
Mr. Renton : Increases in the standard licence fee will remain linked to RPI increases until April 1991. There are no plans to alter these arrangements before then. Licence fees for the elderly and those in sheltered accommodation have been discussed on a number of occasions, and we are not persuaded of the need for further review.
Vehicles
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vehicles and at what value were purchased by (a) his Department, (b) the police and fire services and (c) other public sector agencies for which he is responsible, in 1988 ; and how many of these vehicles were British-made within the definition of British as set out by the Department of Trade and Industry in its arrangements on content with the European Community.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 17 April 1989] : A total of 181 vehicles was purchased by the Home Office in 1988, at a cost of £1.95 million. Of these, 173 were described by the manufacturers as United Kingdom-produced, on the definition employed by the Department of Trade and Industry for statistical purposes, under which a vehicle is classified as United Kingdom-produced if the United Kingdom content exceeds 50 per cent. of the ex-works value.
Information on the country of origin of vehicles purchased by individual police forces and fire brigades and by public sector agencies is not held centrally. However, about 80 per cent. of the vehicles in use in the police service in 1988 are reported to be United Kingdom-produced.
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War Crimes Inquiry
Mr. Gorst : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to publish the forthcoming report of the war crimes inquiry, which is currently investigating persons suspected of involvement in Nazi crimes and now resident in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Hurd [holding answer 17 April 1989] : As I indicated to the House in exchanges following my statement on 8 February 1988 announcing the establishment of the inquiry, publication of its report will depend on the nature of its contents. I shall consider this matter carefully when I have received the report.
Amusement Machines
Sir Charles Morrison : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the law governing licences for the installation of amusement machines ; and whether the Government proposes to review the law in this area.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 17 April 1989] : We have received representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals concerning the provisions of the Gaming Act 1968 as they apply to amusement -with-prizes machines, in particular on the question of possible excessive involvement of children and young people in playing such machines. As a result we undertook a review, including research by the Home Office research and planning unit, during 1987-88 and we announced our conclusions on 28 July 1988 at columns 423-24 . The results of the research showed that, while for a small minority of young people public concern is well- founded, the scale of the problem does not justify legislation. We have, however, initiated various steps, including consultation with all interested parties, to deal with problems identified in the review.
We have also received representations to allow
amusement-with-prizes machines in licensed betting offices, but have no current plans to do so.
Mr. K. Vinayagamoorthy and Mr. A. Anapatan
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the immigration and work permit status of the late Mr. Kandiahkanapathy Vinayagamoorthy and the late Mr. Ambikaipahan Anapatan.
Mr. Renton [holding answer 17 April 1989] : Both men had been granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom, which entitled them to take employment.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Equal Opportunities
Mr. Janner : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what percentage of officers in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively, and overall in the Department of Trade and Industry are (a) women and (b) members of ethnic minorities.
Mr. Forth : The figures as at 13 April 1989 are :
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|Number |Percentage
----------------------------------------------------------
(a) Women
G1 |Nil |-
G2 |1 |8.3
G3 |3 |5.4
G4 |Nil |-
G5 |24 |10.9
G6 |14 |8.0
G7 |110 |11.4
All staff |5,974 |43.4
(b) Ethnic minorities<1>
G1-4 |Nil |-
G5 |2 |0.9
G6 |4 |2.3
G7 |16 |1.7
All staff |1,147 |8.3
<1> From 86 per cent. response to survey.
Mr. Janner : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Department of Trade and Industry last conducted a survey of the ethnic origin of its employees ; when it next plans to do so ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : An ethnic survey of DTI staff was completed in April 1988. The resulting data base is continuously updated.
Mr. Janner : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at the Department of Trade and Industry.
Mr. Forth : Recruitment to senior grades is normally conducted on the Department's behalf by the Civil Service Commission. On those few occasions when DTI recruits directly, the Department makes clear in its advertisements that it is an equal opportunity employer.
National Weights and Measures Laboratory
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the future status of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory.
Mr. Forth : Today the National Weights and Measures Laboratory has been established as a next steps agency. The laboratory is responsible for ensuring that the measurement aspects of retail and wholesale trade are accurate and fair through its work to approve designs of equipment such as scales, petrol pumps and weighbridges. It will play an important role as the EC becomes a single market in 1992.
As an agency, the NWML will have increased financial and management freedoms to enable it to operate more effectively and efficiently. The change to agency status will give Dr. Peter Clapham, the chief executive, and the laboratory greater freedom to meet the challenges arising from the rapid development of technology as well as from the single European market.
The NWML remains part of the DTI and its 50 employees will continue to be civil servants. It will continue to serve both local authority customers and industry, as well as advising on technical matters relating to measurement and trade.
Details are set out in the laboratory's policy and resources framework document, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
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Single Market
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what effect the single European market in 1992 will have on trade arrangements with (a) Montserrat and (b) other British dependencies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Clark : Removal of remaining internal trade barriers after 1992 will make it easier for everyone to do business throughout the Community. The Community will undoubtedly continue to offer preferential access to developing country products under the ACP/Lome and other arrangements.
New Companies (Share Capital)
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of new companies formed in 1987 and 1988 had a nominal share capital of £100 and £100 to £1,000.
Mr. Maude : In 1987-88 a total of 38.3 per cent. of new companies in Great Britain were incorporated with nominal share capital of up to and including £100, and 0.5 per cent. with nominal share capital of over £100 and under £1,000. This and other information about companies is available from "Companies in 1987-88" a copy of which is in the Library.
Accounting Standards (Stock Exchange Letter)
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the text of his Department's letter to the stock exchange complaining about the exchange's publicly expressed hostility to the proposals of Sir Ronald Dearing in his report on the future making of accounting standards.
Mr. Maude : No. The hon. Member may have seen a further press release from the international Stock Exchange, which the Government welcome.
Arms Contracts (Losses)
Mr. Chris Mullin : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on how many arms contracts losses have been incurred under the export credits guarantee scheme for each year since 1979 ; and what has been the total involved for each year.
Mr. Alan Clark [holding answer 13 April 1989] : Separate figures are only available for arms business underwritten on ECGD's section 2 (national interest) account. On this basis, total figures for premium, claims and recoveries are as follows :
Financial Year |Premium £000's |Percentage of Total |Claims £000's |Percentage of Total |Recoveries £000's
|Premium received by ECGD |Claims paid by ECGD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |13,192 |8.7 |26,162 |9.9 |4,011
1980-81 |6,357 |4.2 |31,684 |10.9 |3,847
1981-82 |9,238 |3.9 |7,471 |2.5 |10,701
1982-83 |12,196 |3.5 |5,183 |0.9 |4,012
1983-84 |17,465 |10.7 |18,502 |2.7 |5,747
1984-85 |10,754 |6.7 |10,445 |1.2 |924
1985-86 |22,375 |13.1 |8,212 |1.1 |447
1986-87 |20,667 |13.0 |29,909 |3.8 |594
1987-88 |15,013 |10.7 |46,000 |4.7 |154
The figures relate to cash flows in the relevant financial year. Claims figures should not be equated with losses ; in particular, substantial recoveries can be expected from the proceeds of on-going rescheduling agreements. The figures indicate that ECGD's general experience on this arms business has been better than on other trade sectors.
Vehicles
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many vehicles and at what value were purchased by (a) his Department, (b) the Post Office and (c) other public sector agencies for which he is responsible, in 1988 ; and how many of these vehicles were British-made within the definition of British as set out by the Department of Trade and Industry in its arrangement on content with the European Community.
Mr. Forth [holding answer 17 April 1989] : My Department purchased 77 vehicles in 1988 at a total cost (including VAT) of £583,000. Seventy-six of these vehicles were produced in the United Kingdom on the basis of the definition employed by my Department for statistical purposes, under which a vehicle is classified as United Kingdom produced if the United Kingdom content exceeds 50 per cent. of the ex-works value. Vehicle purchases by the Post Office are a matter for the board, and information relating to public bodies for which my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State is responsible is not available centrally.
PRIME MINISTER
Transport and Energy Planning
Q28. Mr. Adley : To ask the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Departments of Transport, Environment and Energy, relating to transport planning and energy use matters ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Wakeham : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Departments of Transport, Environment and Energy, relating to transport planning and energy use matters.
Q40. Mr. Marland : To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding her recent visit to Africa.
Q46. Mr. John Browne : To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding her recent visit to Africa.
Mr. Wakeham : I refer my hon. Friends to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Sir H. Rossi) earlier today.
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NATO
Q59. Mr. Alexander : To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the 40th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Q77. Sir Anthony Grant : To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the 40th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Q100. Mr. Cash : To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the 40th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Mr. Wakeham : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has not received any recent representations on NATO's anniversary, although she is regularly involved in a range of matters regarding the United Kingdom's relationship with the allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Rastafarians
Q124. Mr. Cox : To ask the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the employment of Rastafarians in the public service.
Mr. Wakeham : I have been asked to reply.
The policy of Her Majesty's Government is to afford equal opportunity for employment within the public service to all eligible persons. This requires that employees are selected on the basis of their ability, qualifications and fitness for work and that there is no discrimination on racial grounds. This policy applies to all ethnic groups.
United States President
Q182. Mr. Latham : To ask the Prime Minister when she next intends to meet the President of the United States of America.
Mr. Wakeham : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will see President Bush when he is in Europe for the NATO summit meeting at the end of May.
Namibia
Q195. Mr. Hunter : To ask the Prime Minister what is her assessment of the prospects of a peaceful solution to the political problems of Namibia.
Mr. Wakeham : I have been asked to reply.
We very much regret the early difficulties encountered in the implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibian independence and deplore the incursion which led to these. We welcome the agreement on the return of SWAPO forces to positions north of the 16th parallel in Angola. It is essential that this is put into effect and that henceforth all sides abide by their undertakings in the United Nations plan.
Eastlands
Q236. Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Eastlands in Rugby.
Mr. Wakeham : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has no plans at present to do so.
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