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Police (Operational Duties)
70. Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the additional police posts announced for 1990-91 will be deployed on operational duties.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for chief officers of police. Of the 1,008 extra police posts for provincial forces announced for 1990-91, however, 953 were intended for deployment to operational duties.
The deployment of the 150 posts approved for the Metropolitan police has yet to be decided, although the great majority will go on operational duties.
Coach Parking
72. Mr. Adley : 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 level of observance of "no coach parking" signs.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Commissioner that no separate figures are recorded for non-compliance with "no coach parking" signs. Police and traffic wardens take action against instances of illegal coach parking whenever possible, which may include the removal of offending coaches to police car pounds. The Metropolitan police will be conducting a special coach parking advice and enforcement campaign during the summer months in the central London area.
Disturbances, Granby
77. Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received a report from the chief constable of Merseyside police concerning the recent disturbances in the Granby area of Liverpool ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are informed by the Merseyside police that at about 8.20 pm on 5 February a police inspector and a sergeant responded to a report of youths, armed with bricks, gathering in Granby street, Liverpool 8. The officers were driving along Granby street when their car was rammed by a stolen vehicle. Bricks were thrown at the police vehicle. The sergeant suffered minor facial injuries.
Two police vehicles summoned to assist the two officers were also attacked.
Three other vehicles were later set on fire. When the Merseyside fire service arrived they were attacked with missiles and withdrew. Police reinforcements and a police helicopter were then deployed. The youths dispersed and order was restored by 11 pm. The police estimate that about 200 people were involved in the disturbances. Following the disturbances one person was arrested and charged with violent disorder and criminal damage to a police vehicle.
Prisons (Education and Training)
78. Mrs. Currie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for increasing the educational and training opportunities for prison inmates.
Mr. Mellor : It is estimated that between 1989-90 and 1992-93 expenditure through LEAs for educational provision in prison service establishments will rise from £19.152 million to £27.387 million. Between 1987-88 and 1988-89 student hours rose by 23 per cent. and attention will continue to be paid to both efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of education in prisons. The prison service is exploring the implications of the national vocational
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qualifications initiative and progress on this and other developments will be contained in the annual reports of the prison service.Immigration and Nationality Department
79. Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to further disperse the immigration and nationality department to the regions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 31 January at column 205.
NACRO
80. Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives from the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders ; and what was discussed.
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. and learned Friend and I met the chairman, director and an assistant director from the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders on 23 January. The meeting provided an opportunity for the representatives of NACRO to give a presentation of their work and to discuss their ideas about criminal justice issues.
Visas
76. Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in respect of implementing a common visa regime for the European Economic Community after 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to questions from the hon. Members for Ashfield (Mr. Haynes) and for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 25 January 1990 at columns 1037-39.
Football Hooliganism
82. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his decision on whether to implement the recommendations of Lord Justice Taylor to create three new specific offences to tackle football hooliganism.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) earlier today.
Crime (Devon and Cornwall)
83. Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest figure for recorded crime in Devon and Cornwall.
Mr. John Patten : Information for 1988 was published in tables 2.5 and 2.7 of "Criminal statistics England and Wales, 1988", Cm. 847, a copy of which is available in the Library. Further detailed figures for the 12 months to the end of September 1989 for local police areas have also been placed in the Library. In the 12 months to September 1989, Devon and Cornwall police recorded 74,905 offences, 1,046 more than in the previous 12 months.
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Mr. Kenneth Carter
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now reply to the questions tabled by the hon. Member for Stockton, South about Mr. Kenneth Carter, a prisoner in Durham prison.
Mr. Mellor : I have today replied to the questions tabled by my hon. Friend.
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why deductions are being made from Mr. Kenneth Carter for association expenses in Durham prison.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 8 February 1990] : It has been common practice in all Her Majesty's prisons for a small deduction to be made from inmates' earnings as a contribution to the establishment's general purposes fund. This practice has been reviewed and instructions are to be issued for it to cease.
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will arrange for Mr. Kenneth Carter, prisoner No. AD3434, to be transferred from Durham to another prison ;
(2) on how many occasions Mr. Kenneth Carter, prisoner No. AD3434, has moved cell in Durham prison ; and what was the reason in each case ;
(3) what complaints he has received concerning harassment of Mr. Kenneth Carter, a prisoner in Durham prison, following the death of his former cellmate ; and if he will make a statement ;
(4) when a representative of the board of visitors of Durham prison last met Mr. Kenneth Carter, prisoner No. AD3434 ;
(5) why Mr. Kenneth Carter, prisoner No. AD3434, has been recategorised as category A in Durham prison.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 8 February 1990] : Mr. Kenneth Carter has been charged with the murder of a former cellmate at Durham prison on 5-6 January 1990. For this reason his prison security status is now category A and he will stay at Her Majesty's prison Durham until his trial.
No record is kept of cell movements, but immediately after the death of his former cellmate, Mr. Carter was moved to the prison hospital to which members of the board of visitors make regular visits. Mr. Carter saw a member of the board of visitors on 11 February 1990.
Other than a letter which my hon. Friend forwarded to me on 16 January 1990, no complaints about harassment of Mr. Carter have been received.
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement about the allocation of shoes to Mr. Kenneth Carter, a prisoner in Durham prison ;
(2) why Mr. Kenneth Carter, a prisoner in Durham prison, was denied an exercise period on 29 and 30 January ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : On 29 January 1990, inclement weather prevented Mr. Carter from taking exercise. On 30 January 1990 he took no exercise as he had been refused a request to wear slippers while on exercise. There are no medical reasons why Mr. Carter should not wear the prison shoes with which he has been issued.
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Rottweiler Dogs
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps he is taking to prevent further attacks in the light of recent attacks by rottweiler dogs on children ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) whether he has any proposals to restrict the domestic ownership of rottweiler dogs ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of recent incidents involving rottweiler dogs, he will seek powers to introduce a total ban on such breeds of animal.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I have been asked to reply.
The law concerning attacks by dogs was strengthened only last year by the Dangerous Dogs Act 1989. We are studying recent incidents closely and will consider whether the law would benefit from further revision.
Police Rent and Rates Allowances
Mr. Ian Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in police rent and rates allowances have been made to coincide with the abolition of domestic rates.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. and learned Friend expects shortly to lay regulations changing the police rent allowance arrangements with effect from 1 April. The main changes will be that the new housing allowance for each force will not include an element for the reimbursement of rates ; the community charge will not be reimbursed ; the new housing allowance will be updated biennially in line with movements in the retail pricesindex ; and compensatory grant will be abolished. Special arrangements will, however, be made to ensure that police officers who are in receipt of rent allowance and compensatory grant on 31 March will receive no less than they were receiving on that date.
Immigration (Domestic Servants)
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many Kuwaitis entering the United Kingdom in 1989 were permitted to bring with them domestic servants ;
(2) how many Saudi Arabians entering the United Kingdom in 1989 were permitted to bring with them domestic servants.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is not available.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if all persons described as domestic servants brought into the United Kingdom by foreigners require entry visas ; and what steps are taken to ensure that such persons are treated in accordance with United Kingdom law ;
(2) if all persons described as domestic servants brought into the United Kingdom by foreigners require work permits ; and what steps are taken to make sure such people are treated in accordance with United Kingdom law.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Under exceptional arrangements outside the immigration rules and the work permit scheme
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a domestic servant who has worked abroad for at least the previous 12 months for an employer who comes to the United Kingdom will normally be admitted to continue working for that employer here. Prior entry clearance is necessary if the servant is a visa national or if the employer is coming in a capacity for which he needs an entry clearance. While in the United Kingdom domestic servants are entitled to the normal protection of our law.Homosexuality
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is held centrally relating to discrimination against lesbians and homosexual men ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : I will write to the hon. Member.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proposals he has to deal with discrimination against lesbians and homosexual men with regard to (a) the age of sexual consent, (b) the right to serve in the armed forces and (c) legal recognition of long-term homosexual partnerships ;
(2) what proposals he has to improve the legal rights of lesbians and homosexual men ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) what provision exists in the European social charter on the rights of homosexuals ; whether he has any proposals for legislation arising from Britain's obligations under the charter ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) on 1 February 1990 at columns 304-06.
Drug Command Informant Scheme
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the drug command informant scheme ;
(2) if he will require the drug command informant scheme to publish an annual report describing the general nature of cases handled and the level of reward given ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : I understand that the Community Action Trust, a registered charity, intends to launch in the near future an informant reward scheme entitled drug command. The scheme will be funded entirely by the trust but will be operated in close consultation with the enforcement agencies. Publication of reports about the operation of the scheme is a matter for the Community Action Trust.
Prisons
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the minimum permitted space per prisoner.
Mr. Mellor : The prison design brief for training establishments published in 1989, which will form the basis for the design of other categories of establishments, lays down the standards for new prison buildings. The brief requires an area of 6.8m to be provided for a single- person cell with integral sanitation. The area of a cell without integral sanitation in existing establishments built to earlier standards varies.
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Armley Prison, Leeds
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the prison officers' dispute at Armley prison, Leeds.
Mr. Mellor : Officials of the local branch of the Prison Officers Association at Armley prison, Leeds have advised the governor that they are in dispute over staffing arrangements. A meeting between management and union representatives under the agreed disputes procedure has been arranged for 23 February.
Ambulance Dispute
16. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has issued guidelines to police authorities on charging for cover during the ambulance dispute ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waddington : Guidance was issued in October to chief officers and police authorities on the arrangements which might be made for reimbursement by regional health authorities when the police were called upon to assist in providing an ambulance service.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total man hours performed by police personnel involved in ambulance duties in the United Kingdom during the current ambulance workers' dispute.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand that the total number of man hours which forces have provided in assisting ambulance services in England and Wales up to and including 13 February has been about 1.1 million.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total number of man hours performed by police personnel during the current ambulance workers' dispute in (i) Nottingham, (ii) Manchester, (iii) Essex, (iv) West Yorkshire and (v) Northumbria ; and how many of those man hours were paid at overtime rates.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested readily available up to 13 February is shown in the table :
Approximate number of man hours
|Number
---------------------------------
Nottinghamshire |1,130
Greater Manchester |14,930
Essex |28,930
West Yorkshire |53,300
Northumbria |66,000
All these man hours were paid at
overtime rates.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average hourly rate of pay for police personnel employed on ambulance duties during the current ambulance workers' dispute ;
(2) what is the hourly overtime rate of pay for police constables involved in ambulance duties in (i) Nottingham, (ii) Manchester, (iii) Essex, (iv) west Yorkshire and (v) Northumbria ;
(3) what is the hourly overtime rate of pay for police personnel of ranks other than constable involved in ambulance duties in (i) Nottingham, (ii) Manchester, (iii) Essex, (iv) west Yorkshire and (v) Northumbria ;
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(4) what is the hourly rate of pay for police constables involved in ambulance duties in (a) Nottingham, (b) Manchester, (c) Essex, (d) west Yorkshire and (e) Northumbria ;(5) what is the hourly rate of pay for police personnel of ranks other than constable involved in ambulance duties in (a) Nottingham, (b) Manchester, (c) Essex, (d) west Yorkshire and (e) Northumbria.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Police pay for each rank is on a scale connected to number of years' service. It is not, therefore, possible to give an hourly or overtime rate per officer for each force or nationally.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of (a) converting a police van for use in ambulance duties and (b) reconverting a police van after use in ambulance duties.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand that in converting vehicles some forces have simply removed seats but others have done more work including the installation of some special equipment. The costs range, therefore, from minimal to several hundred pounds per van. No vans have yet been reconverted.
Art Galleries (Thefts)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of theft have been reported to the Metropolitan police by museums and art galleries in each of the last three years.
Mr. John Patten : Information in the detail requested is not collected.
Metropolitan Police (Damages)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much in compensation, both in court and in out-of-court settlements, the Metropolitan police has paid to members of the public who have brought civil cases for damages since 15 December 1988.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the amounts paid by the Metropolitan police under awards made by the courts and in settlements out of court arising from allegations of wrongful acts by Metropolitan police officers are as follows :
|Awards made |Settlements
|by the courts|out of court
|£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------
1988 (16-31 December) |5,500 |18,831
1989 |252,904 |266,850
1990 (to 21 February) |65,000 |160,050
Downing Street
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost in each year since 1979 arising from the presence in Downing street of police officers from the Metropolitan police.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : It is not the practice to give details of security costs.
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Community Penalties
Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the development of community penalties for offenders.
Mr. John Patten : The White Paper "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public" (Cm 965) sets out our proposals for providing a wider and more flexible range of strengthened community penalties to reduce reliance on custody for less serious offenders.
Sentencing
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on his proposals to enable sentencers to sentence above the normal for the particular crime where the offender's record is such that he is a danger to the public.
Mr. John Patten : The White Paper "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public" sets out our proposals for empowering the Crown court to give custodial sentences longer than would be justified by the seriousness of the offence alone to persistent violent and sexual offenders, if this is necessary to protect the public.
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Durham Prison
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the number of suicides in Durham prison in each of the last 15 years.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 8 February 1990] : The table gives the numbers of deaths at Durham prison since 1975 for which a suicide verdict was returned at the inquest :
|Number
----------------------
1975 |-
1976 |-
1977 |-
1978 |2
1979 |-
1980 |-
1981 |-
1982 |1
1983 |-
1984 |1
1985 |2
1986 |-
1987 |3
1988 |1
1989 |2
<1>1990 |-
<1>To 8 February
1990.
An inquest has yet to take place on a death in Durham prison in January 1990.
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