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Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Issue to the Post Office of some 4,300 pension books, not 42,000 was delayed by a recent change to the income support computer system. Immediate action was taken to ensure that all affected beneficiaries received payments before Christmas. A total of 112 man days' effort was spent in preparing interim payments, at a cost of approximately £7,000.

The cost of any duplicate payments is not yet known, but is not expected to be significant. We have taken action to ensure that there will be no recurrence of this incident.

Attendance Allowance

Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for attendance allowance are awaiting a decision by the attendance allowance board.

Mr. Scott : At 30 November there were about 49,000 claims awaiting a decision by the attendance allowance board and its delegated medical practitioners.

Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to expedite consideration of the case of Natasha Greig who has been waiting for two and a half years for a decision on the review of her claim for attendance allowance.

Mr. Scott : I understand that the attendance allowance board has concluded its review of Miss Greig's case. The board's written decision will be sent to her mother as soon as possible.

Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time taken to review claims for attendance allowance.

Mr. Scott : The average time taken to process an application for review of a determination made by the attendance allowance board or one of its delegated medical practitioners is about 12.3 weeks where the outcome of the review is in the claimant's favour, and about 29.9 weeks when the result is not in the claimant's favour.

Income Support and Housing Benefit

Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what basket of specific items is accounted for in each of the disablement- related premiums for income support and housing benefit ;

(2) what basket of specific items is accounted for in the weekly personal allowance of the applicable amount for income support and for housing benefit.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : There are no specific amounts included in income-related benefit levels to cover particular items of expenditure apart from the amounts included last April to help towards the minimum contribution to the community charge.


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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Romania

Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the ambassador and his staff played in the recent events in Romania.

Mr. Maude : None. The embassy did, of course, fulfil its usual task of observing and assessing events and reporting on them.

Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government provided any assistance or encouragement to the revolutionary forces in Romania prior to, or during, the civil unrest leading to the fall of Mr. Ceausescu.

Mr. Maude : None.

Treaties and Directives

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) directives and (b) treaties, have been agreed or ratified by (i) the EEC and (ii) the Council of Europe, since 1960.

Mr. Maude : During the period 1 January 1973 to 15 December 1989, a total of 1,209 directives were adopted and published by the European Community. In the same period, there have been nine treaties revising earlier treaties and Acts relating to the Communities, and the Community has become party to a large number of bilateral and multilateral treaties with third countries and international organisations ; these could be quantified only at disproportionate cost. All of these legislative Acts have been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

The Council of Europe does not issue directives or ratify treaties itself. Since 1960, a total of 73 conventions and agreements have opened for signature and ratification by member states of the Council of Europe.

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list, by name and in chronological order (a) the directives and (b) the treaties that Her Majesty's Government have initiated and which have been ratified by (i) the EEC and (ii) the Council of Europe since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maude : Under the Community treaties it is for the Commission to initiate proposals for directives and for the ratification of treaties by the Community, and for the Council of Ministers, made up of the representatives of the member states, to decide on those proposals. Nineteen Council of Europe conventions and agreements, set out in the table, have opened for signature by member states. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible with details of those initiated by the Government.

European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter (1979)

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979)

European Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children (1980)

European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co- operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities (1980)


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European Agreement on Transfer of Responsibility for Refugees (1980)

Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (1981)

Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (1983)

European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes (1983)

European Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property (1985)

European Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in particular at Football Matches (1985) Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (1985)

European Charter of Local Self-Government (1985)

European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes (1986)

European Convention on the Recognition of the Legal Personality of International Non-Governmental Organisations (1986)

European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals (1987) European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987)

Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (1988)

European Convention on Transfrontier Television (1989)

Convention on Insider Trading (1989)

South Africa

Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Basayi Maqoko and Zwelinkosi Mjo currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken on these cases.

Mr. Maude : We have received no specific representations about these cases. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism.

Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Dilizintaba Lucky Nomgana, Mandla Mngomezulu and Sibusion Sindane currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken on these cases.

Mr. Maude : We have received a number of representations on behalf of Mr. Dilizintaba Lucky Nomgana. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. With legal avenues yet to be exhausted we have not intervened with the South African Government in this case. We have received no specific representations on behalf of Mr. Mandla Mngomezulu or Sibusion Sindane.


Column 164

Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Israel Machasa, Jerry Molebeng and Johannes Mono currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken with regard to these cases ; (2) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Jabu Obed Masina, Frans Ting Ting Masango and Neo Griffith Potsane current under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken about these cases ;

(3) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Leonard Natange Sheehama and Nkosinathi Zuma currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken about these cases ;

(4) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Mthetheleli Zephania Mncube and Mzondeleli Euclid Nondula, currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken about these cases ;

(5) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Mtutuzeli Bottoman Ngqandu, Abraham Zeyo and Gilindoda Norman Gxekwa currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken about these cases ;

(6) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Mxolisie Ncaphayi, Vuzumsi Jack, Samson Booysen and Bennet Sonamzi currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken with regard to these cases ;

(7) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Ndibulele Ndzamela and Pumzile Mayapi currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken about these cases ;

(8) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Ringo Farland, Sipho Gonya and Phutumile Dlabathi currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken on these cases ;

(9) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Sibusiso Senele Masuku and Oupa Josias Mbonane currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken about these cases ;

(10) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Vuyani Petrus Jacobs, Mthetheleli Lucas and Tozamile Mooi currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken with regard to these cases ;

Mr. Maude : We have received no specific representations about these cases. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong


Column 165

extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism.

Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Joseph Chidi, Robert John McBride and Nico Ledube Mnyamana currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action has been taken about these cases.

Mr. Maude : We have received a number of representations on behalf of Mr. Robert McBride. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. We have not intervened with the South African Government in this case. We have received no specific representations on behalf of Mr. Chidi or Mr. Mnyamana.

Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Patrick Manginda, Desmond Majola, and Dickson Madikane, currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action has been taken about these cases.

Mr. Maude : We have received a number of representations about Mr. Patrick Manginda, Desmond Majola and Dickson Madikane. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. With legal avenues yet to be exhausted, we have not intervened with the South African Government in these cases.

Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Rodney Moloi and Stanford Lebepe, currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken with regard to their cases.

Mr. Maude : We received representations from the mother of Mr. Rodney Moloi which were forwarded to the South African authorities. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. We have received no specific representations on behalf of Mr. Lebepe.

Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether any representations have been received on behalf of the Upington 14


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currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken about this case ;

(2) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Wilson Matshili, Patrick Molefe, Takalani David Mamphanga and George Maugedzo currently under sentance of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest ; and what action he has taken on these cases.

Mr. Maude : We have received a number of representations about the Upington 14. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. With legal avenues yet to be exhausted, we have not intervened with the South African Government in these cases.

Afghanistan

Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic arrangements are in hand for the protection of British citizens in Afghanistan.

Mr. Maude : As I explained in answer to a similar question on 13 November 1989, we have temporarily withdrawn our embassy staff from Kabul, and, therefore, we are not able to offer consular assistance to British nationals in Afghanistan.

Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to re-establish Her Majesty's ambassador in Afghanistan.

Mr. Maude : Her Majesty's ambassador was withdrawn in 1980 following the Soviet invasion. There are no plans to appoint a new ambassador.

Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have reopened their embassies in Afghanistan.

Mr. Maude : None of the Western Governments who withdrew their diplomatic staff from Kabul early last year has returned them, although we understand that the French Government have now decided in principle to do so.

Cameroon

Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers have made visits to Cameroon in the past five years.

Mr. Maude : The following list gives details of ministerial visits to Cameroon in the last five years :

Mr. Channon (Department of Trade and Industry--13 to 17 February 1985

Mrs. Chalker (Department of Transport)--28 November to 1 December 1985

Mr. Gummer (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)--5 to 8 April 1987

Mr. Bottomley (Department of Transport)--2 to 5 October 1987 Mrs. Chalker (Foreign and Commonwealth Office)--12 to 14 July 1988


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Vietnamese Boat People

Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received the report to which he referred in his statement of 12 December 1989 on the mandatory return of boat people to Vietnam from Hong Kong ; and whether he will make it public.

Mr. Maude : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received the report to which he referred on 12 December and it has been placed in the Libraries of this House and another place. It is also being made available publicly.


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HOME DEPARTMENT

Women Police Officers

Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women are employed as police officers in each police authority area ; and what rank they hold.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information as at 31 October 1989 is set out in the table.


Column 167


                   |Assistant     |Chief         |Superintendent|Chief         |Inspector     |Sergeant      |Constable     |Total                        

                   |Chief         |Super-        |intendent     |Inspector                                                                                

                   |Constable     |intendent                                                                                                              

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Avon and Somerset  |-             |1             |-             |1             |3             |16            |243           |264                          

Bedfordshire       |-             |-             |-             |2             |2             |8             |120           |132                          

Cambridgeshire     |-             |-             |-             |2                            |5             |114           |121                          

Cheshire           |-             |1             |-             |2             |1             |21            |197           |222                          

Cleveland          |-             |-             |1             |1             |8             |7             |131           |148                          

Cumbria            |-             |-             |-             |-             |-             |4             |100           |104                          

Derbyshire         |-             |1             |1             |2             |8             |9             |170           |191                          

Devon and Cornwall |-             |-             |-             |-             |4             |14            |255           |273                          

Dorset             |-             |1             |1             |-             |1             |7             |131           |141                          

Durham             |-             |1             |-             |1             |1             |3             |102           |108                          

Dyfed Powys        |-             |-             |-             |-             |-             |4             |82            |86                           

Essex              |-             |-             |1             |-             |6             |20            |244           |271                          

Gloucestershire    |-             |-             |-             |-             |-             |3             |101           |104                          

Greater Manchester |-             |1             |-             |3             |11            |41            |811           |867                          

Gwent              |-             |-             |-             |-             |2             |5             |85            |92                           

Hampshire          |-             |-             |-             |-             |5             |11            |272           |288                          

Hertfordshire      |-             |-             |1             |-             |1             |11            |205           |218                          

Humberside         |-             |-             |1             |1             |2             |4             |144           |152                          

Kent               |-             |-             |1             |-             |4             |18            |320           |343                          

Lancashire         |-             |-             |1             |1             |3             |17            |282           |304                          

Leicestershire     |-             |-             |-             |1             |5             |14            |174           |194                          

Lincolnshire       |-             |-             |1             |1             |4             |4             |90            |100                          

Merseyside         |1             |-             |2             |2             |5             |37            |528           |575                          

Norfolk            |-             |-             |-             |-             |2             |7             |92            |101                          

Northamptonshire   |-             |-             |-             |1             |1             |2             |107           |111                          

Northumbria        |-             |-             |1             |1             |5             |15            |305           |327                          

North Wales        |-             |-             |-             |-             |2             |6             |122           |130                          

North Yorkshire    |-             |-             |-             |1             |-             |8             |107           |116                          

Nottinghamshire    |-             |-             |-             |-             |2             |8             |184           |194                          

South Wales        |-             |-             |1             |-             |3             |12            |241           |257                          

South Yorkshire    |-             |-             |-             |1             |5             |16            |277           |299                          

Staffordshire      |-             |-             |-             |1             |1             |13            |255           |270                          

Suffolk            |-             |-             |1             |1             |1             |2             |117           |122                          

Surrey             |-             |-             |-             |-             |2             |8             |212           |222                          

Thames Valley      |-             |1             |3             |2             |4             |17            |430           |457                          

Warwickshire       |-             |-             |-             |1             |3             |3             |91            |98                           

West Mercia        |-             |-             |-             |-             |4             |10            |225           |239                          

West Midlands      |-             |1             |-             |2             |12            |55            |926           |996                          

West Yorkshire     |-             |1                            |2             |9             |24            |524           |560                          

Wiltshire          |-             |-             |-             |-             |2             |6             |94            |102                          

City of London     |-             |-             |-             |-             |4             |10            |76            |90                           

Metropolitan       |<1>1          |3             |6             |8             |27            |230           |3,112         |3,387                        

                   |------        |------        |------        |------        |------        |------        |------        |------                       

Total              |2             |12            |23            |43            |166           |751           |12,661        |13,658                       

<1>Commander                                                                                                                                              

Visas

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to require nationals of (a) Morocco (b) Algeria and (c) Jamaica to obtain visas to enter the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn) on 7 December 1989 at column 378.


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War Crimes

Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will accept the recommendation by Sir Thomas Hetherington and Mr. William Chalmers in the war crimes report that, should it be decided to legislate, investigations into those suspected of involvement in Nazi war crimes should commence as soon as possible after the decision to legislate has been taken.


Column 169

Mr. John Patten : The Government are considering the views expressed in the recent war crimes debates in each House of Parliament, and we shall announce our conclusions shortly. Investigations could begin once it was clear that any proposed legislation had the general support of Parliament.

Gamma Radiation Accidents

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for south and west Yorkshire, the comprehensive plans and programmes for implementation of procedures that have been made for the fire and ambulance services to deal with accidents on railways or road involving external emissions of gamma radiation, and for police officers and other workers immediately affected.

Mr. Atkins : I have been asked to reply.

The provision of emergency plans is the responsibility of the consignors of radioactive material. These plans are exercised regularly with the emergency services, which have the relevant operational responsibilities.

Terrorism and Drug Trafficking

Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been made into the links between international terrorist groups and drug trafficking ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waddington : Investigation of the links between terrorism and other forms of crime has not so far indicated any significant involvement in drug trafficking by terrorist groups threatening the United Kingdom.

Broadcasting Ban

Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to remove the broadcasting ban introduced in October 1988.

Mr. Mellor : We have no plans at present to remove the broadcasting restrictions, but we are keeping the operation of them under review.

Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the broadcasting ban introduced on 19 October 1988.

Mr. Mellor : We have received representations about the broadcasting restrictions from right hon. and hon. Members, members of the public and interested organisations.

Tobacco Sales

Mr. Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been initiated against cigarette retailers in alleged breach of the Protection of Children (Tobacco) Act 1986 each year since the Act became effective.

Mr. John Patten : The information requested is given in the table. The Protection of Children (Tobacco) Act 1986 came into force on 8 October 1986.


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Prosecutions for the 

sale of tobacco to   

persons under 16     

under the            

Protection of        

Children (Tobacco)   

Act 1986             

England and Wales    

Year   |Number       

---------------------

1986   |<1>17        

1987   |18           

1988   |29           

<1>Includes          

prosecutions before  

October 1986 under   

earlier legislation. 


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