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The Training Agency provided more than 1,100 places in the Cynon Valley in 1988-89 under the youth training scheme, employment training, adult training and wider opportunities for women. Urban ProgrammeWelsh Office urban programme allocations made in 1988-89 and for 1989-90 include the following projects in the Cynon valley : Appointment of field development officer for the hearing impaired.
Aberdare craft and youth enterprise centre
An integrated approach to children in trouble
Access road, Ynysboeth industrial estate, Abercynon. phase 2 Conversion of Gadlys/SWEB buildings into youth enterprise centre. Cynon valley women's aid
Litter abatement scheme
Housebound library scheme
Aberdare pedestrianisation scheme
Interpretation and tourism project, Dare valley country park Business centre/enterprise centre Aberdare
Home improvement agency service
Library service scheme for Fernhill and Penywaun
Enterprise development workshop scheme--Cwmbach
Provision of community alarm system for elderly
Provision of grants and loans within industrial and commercial improvement areas
Provision of a community centre at Penywaun
Repairs to Coliseum theatre, Trecynon, Aberdare
Seed capital for new businesses
Cynon Valley MIND support and development project
Pedestrianisation of main shopping areas in town centre Landscaping around by-pass and major roads
Development of respite care and family link scheme
Cynon valley community support unit
Environmental improvements to adjoining highways in Aberdare Conversion to business units of the former station buildings, Aberdare
Provision of community centre, Fernhill, Mountain Ash
Salaries and running costs for the MADE business centre, Aberdare Three nursery factory units at Aberaman
Refurbishment of Cwmamman public hall and institute
Establishment of Cynon valley groundwork trust
Purchase of equipment for Cynon valley Disabled Alliance sports section
Urban Development Grant
Welsh Office gave final approval of two projects for Urban Development Grant support in 1988-89 :
Development of 19 low-cost houses at Aberaman.
Redevelopment of Park Cinema, Aberdare for shop and office premises.
Welsh Office support for housing
In 1988-89 the Welsh Office approved special allocations for the following enveloping schemes :
Wyndham crescent, Aberaman--114 houses
John street, Abercwmboi--71 houses
Glanlay street, Penrhiwceiber--82 houses
Carnetown, Abercynon--191 houses
King street/Queen street, Cwmdae--88 houses
Approval in principle has been given for a further three schemes to be undertaken for renovation of some 160 dwellings in 1989-90. Welsh Office support for health and social services
A 40-bed unit for elderly people at Aberdare general hospital is programmed to start in July 1989 with completion anticipated in early 1991 with the assistance of 50 per cent. Welsh Office funding.
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Diabetic liaison nurse care of the elderly in Merthyr Tydfil and Cynon valley was approved under the elderly initiative grant scheme in 1988-89.Prince of Wales Committee tree and bulb planting campaign With the assistance of Welsh Office support under the special grants (environmental) programme the Prince of Wales Committee organised the following schemes in 1988-89 :
Railway Halt, Aberdare (Aberdare and District Civic Society) Cwmbach church school
Cwmbach infant school
Hirwaun junior school
This is not a comprehensive list of activities. Further projects are being considered under the headings listed above. In addition the area stands to benefit from initiatives which have a wider geographical coverage and from other ongoing main programmes.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Horse Racing
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will supply a detailed breakdown of all financial grants made to individual horse racecourses in Britain by the Horserace Betting Levy Board since 1987.
Mr. John Patten : I understand from the board that its records are of annual totals of financial grants for direct expenditure by horse racecourses for particular purposes, not of grants to individual racecourses. For example, the annual grant of prize money is apportioned to individual racecourses by the Jockey Club. Following is the information as to totals of grants for racecourses which is held by the board, for the financial years 1987-88 and 1988-89 :
£'000s
|1987-88|1988-89
---------------------------------------------
Prize money |12,000 |12,850
Seventh race scheme |- |100
Daily grant |1,612 |1,612
|-------|-------
Sub Total |13,612 |14,562
Fixture fees |1,397 |1,541
Fire and safety |115 |323
Plastic running rail |187 |275
Track ambulance |- |225
|-------|-------
Total |15,311 |16,926
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will provided a list of the levels of prize moneys at each registered horse racing course in Britain for each year since 1987 ; (2) if he will provide a list of all horse racing courses in Britain, by region, showing the level of attendances at each course since 1987.
Mr. John Patten : I understand that the "Racing Industry Statistical Bureau Statistics", which are published by the Jockey Club, provide information on the annual totals of prize money and attendances at each approved horse race course in Britain over a period of five calendar years. The next edition of the statistics, to be published at the end of April, will therefore provide this information for 1984-88 inclusive.
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Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will supply a list of all financial grants made by the Horserace Betting Levy Board to other horseracing bodies in Britain during 1987.
Mr. John Patten : Following is the information requested, for the financial years 1987-88 and 1988-89 :
|1987-88 |1988-89
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Field Force Grant |1,425,000|1,132,000
Racehorse Publicity Agency |120,000 |89,000
Horseracing Advisory Council |116,000 |139,000
Apprentice School Charitable Trust |70,000 |100,000
South Yorkshire Apprentice Training
School |12,000 |90,000
Farriers Apprentice Scheme |27,000 |29,000
The Shire Horse Society |28,000 |38,000
The National Pony Society |26,000 |26,000
National Light Horse Breeding Society |110,000 |110,000
The Arab Horse Society |8,000 |12,000
The Welsh Pony and Cob Society |6,000 |6,000
Irish Draught and Horse Society
(Great Britain) |5,000 |5,000
The Clevelant Bay Horse Society |5,000 |7,000
The British Percheron Horse Society |5,000 |5,000
The Clydesdale Horse Society |5,000 |7,000
The Suffolk Horse Society |7,000 |7,000
The Hackney Horse Society |7,000 |7,000
Animal Health Trust |278,000 |303,000
Equine Virology Research Foundation |58,000 |50,000
Point to Point |144,000 |151,000
Racing Industry Accident Benefit Scheme |- |25,000
Statistical Bureau |6,000 |2,000
Horseracing Scientific Advisory Committee |5,000 |5,000
Horseracing Forensic Laboratory Limited |1,117,000|1,613,000
Racecourse Technical Services Limited |4,493,000|4,716,000
Research Projects, Scholarships,
Residentship and Travel Grants |645,000 |665,000
Veterinary Advisory Committee |10,000 |12,000
Bookmakers Committee |67,000 |121,000
|----- |-----
Totals |8,805,000|9,472,000
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown of the distribution of the finances raised by the Horserace Betting Levy Board in each year since 1983.
Mr. John Patten : The information requested, for each financial year from 1983-84 to 1987-88 inclusive, is given in the respective annual reports of the board, copies of which are in the Library. My right hon. Friend envisages laying the board's report for 1988-89 before the House in July this year.
Depot Site (Pyrton)
Mr. Heseltine : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of any documents held by his Department relating to the acquisition, planning status, construction, rating and occupancy of the depot site in the parish of Pyrton in the county of Oxfordshire which have not been released to the Public Record Office.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The supply and transport branch of the Home Office occupied this depot between 10 November 1978 and 20 July 1987 under standing arrangements with the Property Services Agency. Home Office papers relate only to the administration of the depot
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during this period and are of a routine nature : they will in due course be disposed of under the Public Record Acts of 1958 and 1967. I understand that copies of relevant papers are being placed in the Library by the Property Services Agency.Asylum
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute procedures within the immigration service to ensure that persons applying for asylum on entry to the United Kingdom are dealt with in accordance with procedures laid down in the immigration rules and the obligations of the United Kingdom under international law.
Mr. Renton : Such procedures are already in place.
Electoral Register
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the reasons why the sale of the electoral register is allowed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Representation of the People Regulations 1986 provide for the publication and supply of the electoral register, including supply of copies at a prescribed fee. These provisions reflect the fact that the electoral register is a public document which needs to be in wide circulation for electoral purposes ; and the conclusion that its use by commercial organisations could not effectively be prevented.
Citizenship
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each year since 1978, the number of citizens of the United Kingdom whose citizenship was revoked, providing the following information in each case (a) the reasons for which citizenship was revoked, (b) the country to which each individual was deported, and (c) the length of time between the granting of citizenship and its removal.
Mr. Renton : No order to deprive a person of citizenship has been made since 1973.
Holloway Prison
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts are being made to recruit permanent nursing staff to Her Majesty's prison, Holloway ; and what plans there are to improve C2 psychiatric unit.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Campaigns to recruit permanent nursing staff are undertaken regularly. Arrangements for the next campaign are in hand. Plans to replace the present facilities for psychiatric assessment with a purpose -built unit are being pursued.
Mr. Corbyn (Islington North) : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the approved complement for medical units at Her Majesty's prison, Holloway ; what is the current shortfall in permanent staff ; and how often agency nurses are used to make up the numbers.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The approved complement of nursing staff is 84. On 17 April 1989 a total of 47 of the
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posts were filled and 17 others were covered by agency nurses. Agency staff have been used for some years as a consequence of recruitment difficulties in London.Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long the position of health care manager/chief medical officer has been vacant at Her Majesty's prison, Holloway ; and when this vacancy will be filled.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The decision to create a post of health care manager was taken in September 1987. The post has been vacant since then. An appointment has now been made and takes effect on 1 May 1989.
Guildford Four
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to facilitate ease of legal access for solicitors acting for the Guildford Four ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The inmates may be visited by their legal representatives at their current prison locations. Any request for alternative facilities would be carefully considered.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will allow independent medical assessors to examine the Guildford Four prisoners ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The physical and mental health of these prisoners is the responsibility of the prison medical officers of their respective establishments. Prison medical officers can arrange for a second opinion when this is clinically indicated.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments have been made by his Department to the Somerset and Avon constabulary in respect of their costs in inquiring into new evidence surrounding the conviction of the Guildford Four ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) yesterday.
Traffic Police
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state for police authorities in England and Wales the number of traffic officers employed in traffic branches in each force for the years 1980, 1985 and 1988.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Information for 1980 is not readily available. That for 1985 and 1988 is as follows :
|c|Police forces in England and Wales|c|
Traffic division
strengths
31 December |1985 |1988
-------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |295 |251
Bedfordshire |99 |95
Cambridgeshire |132 |127
Cheshire |229 |231
City of London |74 |34
Cleveland |98 |90
Cumbria |138 |123
Derbyshire |155 |156
Devon and Cornwall |239 |231
Dorset |136 |114
Durham |132 |132
Dyfed-Powys |120 |103
Essex |277 |257
Gloucestershire |142 |84
Greater Manchester |496 |448
Gwent |102 |109
Hampshire |304 |259
Hertfordshire |143 |155
Humberside |167 |166
Kent |265 |159
Lancashire |283 |294
Leicestershire |157 |77
Lincolnshire |81 |81
Merseyside |340 |350
Metropolitan |896 |906
Norfolk |103 |112
Northamptonshire |75 |76
Northumbria |258 |247
North Wales |131 |140
North Yorkshire |141 |156
Nottinghamshire |181 |183
South Wales |259 |262
South Yorkshire |203 |201
Staffordshire |242 |239
Suffolk |106 |101
Surrey |195 |226
Sussex |264 |246
Thames Valley |305 |318
Warwickshire |101 |112
West Mercia |113 |216
West Midlands |540 |452
West Yorkshire |427 |381
Wiltshire |116 |104
|--- |---
Total |9,260 |8,804
Publicity Campaigns
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all current publicity campaigns being conducted by or for his Department or ones planned for the first three months of 1989-90, indicating those which involve television advertising and the starting and finishing dates of each campaign.
Mr. Hurd : The Home Office's crime and fire prevention campaigns continue, although there is no current press or television advertising. The only other publicity campaign planned for the three month period from April to June 1989 is a small probation officer recruitment campaign, starting 17 May and finishing 31 May.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Housing Benefit
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assistance is being given to local authorities to enable them to cope with the influx of cases being referred to them for housing benefit from April ; if his Department intends to carry out a review of delays due to the change over ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The only category of claimant who became entitled to housing benefit for the first time from April were people in board and lodging accommodation whose housing costs were formerly met from income
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support. This change was part of the April 1988 reforms of social security but implementation was postponed at the request of the local authority associations. The administrative arrangements for the transfer were discussed with the local authority associations and individual timetables for implementation were agreed locally between the Department's local office and local authorities. The Government made £1 million available to local authorities for their costs in preparing for this change. In addition, the overall level of provision for local authorities' housing benefit administration costs in 1989-90 has been increased by more than £7 million because of the expected increase in work load. There is thus no reason for the changeover to result in delays. Delay in general is kept under review as part of the Department's monitoring of the social security reforms.Pensioners
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in the borough of Walsall will receive no actual increase in total benefit in April ; and what is the number who will receive a sum less than the increase paid in the retirement pension.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 6 March at column 445.
Publicity Campaigns
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all current publicity campaigns being conducted by or for his Department or ones planned for the first three months of 1989-90, indicating those which involve television advertising and the starting and finishing dates of each campaign.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Department is running one publicity campaign involving television advertising in the first three months of 1989-90. The campaign is to promote the take-up of family credit. Paid advertising started on 13 April and is currently planned to run until 30 June.
Women's Help Centres
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women's help centres are in operation in the United Kingdom ; and what percentage of their operating costs are funded by Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Mellor : No figures are collected centrally on the numbers of refuges for battered women. However, the national voluntary organisation, Women's Aid Federation (England), estimates that there are some 256 refuges in the United Kingdom. None of these refuges receives central Government funding.
DEFENCE
Territorial Army
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reply to the letter of 16 January 1989 from the hon. Member for Woolwich about the release of local education authorities' employees for Territorial Army training.
Mr. Neubert : I have now written to the hon. Member about this matter.
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F111 Aircraft (Upper Heyford)
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many F111 aircraft of the United States Government are currently stationed at Upper Heyford.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I understand that 78 F111 aircraft are assigned to RAF Upper Heyford.
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he has given permission for an increase in the number of F1-11 aircraft of the United States Government stationed at Upper Heyford ;
(2) what requests he has received from the United States Government for the extension of facilities for F1-11 aircraft at Upper Heyford ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he has had any discussions with the Secretary of Defense of the United States in relation to an increase in the number of F1-11 aircraft to be stationed at Upper Heyford.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 18 April 1989 to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen).
Dual-capable Artillery
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what number of dual-capable artillery pieces was held by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in 1986, 1987 and 1988 ; and what proportion in each year have been assigned a nuclear role.
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