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Mr. Portillo : During 1989-90, British Rail has received nearly £21 million in grants from the European regional development fund. Figures for Spain are not available to my Department.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received from British Rail to convert British freight railways lines to UIC gauge.
Mr. Portillo : None. BR plans to use small wheel bogie wagons for Channel tunnel freight. These will be able to carry larger loads on the existing United Kingdom loading gauge and BR considers that they are likely to be more commercially viable than expensive infrastructure modifications.
A46
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from farmers and other local residents regarding his Department's proposal to close crossings on the A46 trunk road in the vicinity of Thrussington and Seagrave, Leicestershire ; and whether he will outline the consultation procedure which will be followed to take account of the views of residents.
Mr. Atkins : Since December last year, the Department has received 34 letters from 20 local farmers and residents about the proposed closure of crossings on the A46 near Seagrave and Thrussington, including letters from both parish councils. I have also received two letters from my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton. A traffic regulation order will be promoted to close the junction between Seagrave and Thrussington and other nearby crossings on the A46. To prepare this, the Department will consult in advance farmers and residents whose property fronts on to the A46, to establish what use is made of each crossing. A draft traffic regulation order will then be published, taking into account the views of frontagers. It will be open to formal objections which the Department will consider before deciding whether or not to make or modify the order, or to hold a public inquiry.
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Heavy Lorries
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on (a) the increase in the payload of heavy lorries and (b) changes in the average haul length since the legalisation of 38-tonne trucks.
Mr. Atkins : In 1983, the maximum weight limit for five-axle articulated vehicles was increased from 32.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight to 38 tonnes gross vehicle weight.
A comparison with years before 1983 is not possible since statistics of road haulage prior to 1983 are based on unladen weight and not gross vehicle weight categories. However, there were very few 38-tonne trucks operating in 1983, so that comparisons between 1983 and 1988, the most recent year for which data are available, give a reasonable indication of the effect of the change.
The design payload of a vehicle clearly depends on its axle configuration and body type, and it is estimated that, on average, five-axle 38-tonne vehicles can carry up to 30 tonnes, whereas 33-tonne vehicles can carry up to 24 tonnes. The average load carried by vehicles, on loaded journeys, has risen from 14.8 tonnes in 1983 to 18 tonnes in 1988 for large articulated vehicles--ie, over 33 tonnes GVW, and from 8.4 tonnes to 10.9 tonnes for smaller articulated vehicles over the same period.
The corresponding figures for average length of haul are from 154 km in 1983 to 137 km for larger articulated vehicles and 122 km in 1983 to 109 km in 1988 for the smaller vehicles.
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to legislate for the shortening of the average haul length of heavy lorries.
Mr Atkins : No. Operators should be free to decide the length of haul, subject to their customers' requirements.
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average fine for overloading vehicles.
Mr. Atkins : The average fine for offences detected by the Department's traffic examiners is about £155.
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average fine for tachograph violations.
Mr. Atkins : The average fine for offences detected by the Department's traffic examiners is about £80.
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the police role in spot checking vehicles for weight and tachometer offences.
Mr. Atkins : Police assistance is required at Department of Transport roadside checks to stop heavy goods vehicles for checks by enforcement staff. Some police forces also carry out their own spot checks.
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to increase the number of heavy goods vehicles spot checked for tachograph and weight violations ; how many spot check offenders are prosecuted ; and what steps he is taking to increase the number of offenders prosecuted and fined.
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Mr. Atkins : The annual national enforcement plan sets targets for enforcement by Department of Transport traffic examiners. In 1988-89, 52 per cent. more HGVs were weighed and 40 per cent. more tachograph charts checked than in the previous year. In 1988-89 nearly 8,200 prosecutions were brought, including weight and tachograph offences. The police and local authority trading standards officers also check weigh vehicles and the police check tachographs. Where violations are detected, offenders will be liable to prosecution.Railway Inspectorate
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to transfer the railway inspectorate to the Health and Safety Executive.
Mr. Parkinson : I have agreed with the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that officials should discuss the possibility of transferring the inspectorate's staff to the commission and whether an agency agreement can be made under section 13(1) (b) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to enable railway safety work to be undertaken. The discussions should be completed later this year, after which a decision will be made.
Roadworks, Hertfordshire
Dr. Michael Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the forthcoming roadworks on the M1 and M25 motorways in Hertfordshire.
Mr. Atkins : At a media briefing earlier today, I gave details of the major roadworks which are to begin in March on the M1 and M25 motorways in Hertfordshire.
We shall be seeking to make information on these essential works widely available to enable drivers to plan their journeys appropriately. Leaflets are being distributed to the travelling public and the road haulage industry and appropriate signs will be displayed on the affected roads.
Copies of the information leaflet are available in the Library for the benefit of hon. Members who use these motorways.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Paternity Leave
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Cope : At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave for home civil servants. The Department of Finance and Personnel is also considering the implications of this for the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office have made full use of the rules which at present exist for granting special leave and consider applications sympathetically.
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Ambulance Workers
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to meet the wage claims of the ambulance workers in Northern Ireland and to undertake discussions with officials of their trade union about a pay review formula.
Mr. Needham : No. Increases in pay and other improvements agreed at national level are automatically adopted and implemented in Northern Ireland.
Harbours
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the minimum depth of water at low tide in each of the principal fishing harbours in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : At mean low water during spring tides, the design depths at the entrance and landing and berthing areas of Northern Ireland's three main fishing ports of Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie are as follows :
|Entrance |Landing and
|berthing areas
|(feet) |(feet)
------------------------------------------------------------
Kilkeel |6 |6
Ardglass |12 |8
Portavogie |8 |15
The Northern Ireland fishery harbour authority, which has responsibilities for these harbours, has a policy of continuous dredging at Kilkeel to maintain depth. There are no siltation problems at Ardglass and Portavogie.
Extradition
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show for each year since 1971 the number of extradition requests made by the Royal Ulster Constabulary for persons sought for terrorist offences and non-terrorist offences.
Mr. Cope : The information is as follows :
Year |Terrorist |Non-terrorist
|offences |offences
--------------------------------------------------------
1971 |16 |15
1972 |10 |8
1973 |5 |14
1974 |6 |24
1975 |10 |10
1976 |14 |20
1977 |8 |17
1978 |7 |33
1979 |- |14
1980 |5 |18
1981 |11 |20
1982 |3 |34
1983 |5 |22
1984 |1 |13
1985 |5 |33
1986 |6 |-
1987 |30 |-
1988 |5 |1
1989 |7 |-
Household Equipment
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what percentage of households in Northern Ireland have (a) a tumble drier, (b) a washing
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machine, (c) a deep freeze and (d) a refrigerator ; what was the percentage five years and 10 years ago ; and what were the percentages in the United Kingdom as a whole at those times ; (2) what percentage of households in Northern Ireland have (a) central heating, (b) a telephone, (c) a television and (d) a car : what was the percentage five years and 10 years ago : and what were the percentages for the United Kingdom as a whole at those times ;(3) what percentage of households in Northern Ireland have (a) a video, (b) a home computer, (c) a microwave
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oven and (d) a dishwasher and what was the percentage five years and 10 years ago ; and what were the percentages for the United Kingdom as a whole at those times.Mr. Cope [holding answer 20 February 1990] : The table provides available information on the percentage of households in Northern Ireland and in the United Kingdom that possessed the consumer durables about which information is sought. The figures relate to the most recent year for which information is available. The table provides similar data for 1983 and for 1978. As noted in the table, comparisons are in some instances with Great Britain where United Kingdom data are unavailable.
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Ownership of consumer durables Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom 1978-1988
Estimates based on sample surveys
1988 1983 1978
|Northern |United |Northern |United |Northern |United
|Northern Ireland<1> |Ireland<1>Kingdom<2>|Ireland<1>Kingdom<2>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proportion of households owning:
Tumble drier |37 |<3>42 |22 |<3>28 |<4>- |<4>-
Washing machine |84 |85 |73 |81 |64 |75
Deep freezer |58 |75 |33 |<3>57 |<4>- |<4>-
Refrigerator |96 |98 |89 |97 |75 |92
Central heating |75 |77 |55 |64 |36 |54
Telephone |76 |85 |66 |77 |43 |62
Television |97 |98 |95 |97 |87 |96
Car/van |60 |66 |58 |62 |53 |58
Video recorder |42 |50 |15 |<3>18 |<4>- |<4>-
Home computer |13 |17 |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>-
Microwave oven |29 |<3>39 |2 |<4>- |<4>- |<4>-
Dishwasher |9 |<3>10 |6 |<3>5 |<4>- |<4>-
Base=households sampled |3,169 |7,265 |2,940 |6,973 |533 |5,450
<1> Continuous Household Survey.
<2> Family Expenditure Survey.
<3> General Household Survey (Great Britain only).
<4> Item not recorded.
DEFENCE
Empty Properties
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the annual management and maintenance costs of empty residential properties belonging to his Department by region of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence does not keep information on its residential properties in the form requested.
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of properties owned by his Department and suitable for residential accommodation has been empty for (a) up to a year and (b) over a year ; and where these properties are located, by region or local authority area.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Statistics are not collected in the precise form requested. The latest figures available show that on 30 November 1989 there were 76,068 service married quarters, of which 10.9 per cent. had been vacant for under one year and 5.4 per cent. vacant for over one year. At 31 December 1989, of 1,790 civilian houses owned by the MOD, 5.8 per cent had been vacant for under six months and 6.7 per cent. for over six months. The breakdown by region is :
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Percentage of Service Married Quarters vacant by region as at 30 November 1989 Region |Under 1 Year|Over 1 Year ------------------------------------------------------------ Northern |12.1 |5.4 Yorkshire/Humberside |13.7 |7.3 East Midlands |11.9 |18.6 East Anglia |8.5 |3.7 South East |9.8 |4.3 South West |10.5 |4.0 West Midlands |9.6 |8.3 North West |13.3 |0.7 Wales |19.0 |4.7 Scotland |14.2 |7.0 Northern Ireland |11.5 |1.2
Percentage of civilian houses vacant
by region as at 31 December
1989
--------------------------------------
Region |Under 6|Over 6
|months |months
Northern |3.8 |24.5
South West |2.6 |17.3
South East |7.3 |0.8
West Midlands |nil |5.3
Scotland |3.4 |15.4
Wales |6.5 |9.7
Some of these vacant properties are in the process of disposal, others will be undergoing major maintenance or refurbishment, and yet others are allocated and awaiting the arrival of the families to the unit.
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Royal Arsenal West
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the main features of his Department's proposed development of the Royal Arsenal west site as presented to the London borough of Greenwich.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We are pursuing a comprehensive approach to the disposal of the Royal Arsenal west site. Our proposals envisage a mixed development including leisure, retail, business and residential uses, which will be sensitive to the many heritage features of the site.
SOCIAL SECURITY Social Fund
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security why it was decided to freeze the social fund community care grant budget.
Mr. Scott : I announced on 10 November 1989 in reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) at column 812 that the community care grant budget will be increased from £60 million in 1989-90 to £61 million in 1990-91.
Sick Pay
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the factors which caused him to raise the upper limit on the lower earnings band in respect of statutory sick pay from £83.99 to £124.99 ; and what is the expected saving in statutory sick pay as a result.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Raising the earnings band to £124.99 restores the balance between the proportion of employees entitled to the higher rate of statutory sick pay and those entitled to less than this, to about what it was when the statutory sick pay scheme was introduced in April 1983. The saving in public expenditure from this proposal is estimated as just under £30 million. As 91 per cent. of employees are employed by businesses with occupational sick pay schemes, which will make up any difference in statutory sick pay, the great majority of employees will not experience any reduction in the payments made to them when sick.
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 19 January, Official Report , column 479 , (1) he will introduce regulations requiring occupational sick pay schemes to include transfer rights in relation to payments for long-term incapacity where length of service is a factor in the calculation of such payments ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) he will introduce regulations requiring all occupational sick pay schemes to pay benefits in respect of long-term incapacity of equal or greater value than those to which a person would have been entitled under the state earnings-related pension scheme's additional component to invalidity pension ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : No. Decisions on the terms and conditions of individual occupational sick pay schemes are matters for that scheme's trustees in consultation with all relevant parties as appropriate.
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Industrial Injuries and Diseases
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on Monday 19 February, Official Report, columns 549-50, how many of the new claims and review applications were made at his Department's local offices in Greenock and Port Glasgow.
Mr. Scott : The available information is that, up to 12 February 1990, 1,760 new claims and review applications were made at Greenock and Port Glasgow local offices under regulation 13 of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Diseases) Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1986.
Disability
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to "Short Changed By Disability", published by the Disablement Income Group, a copy of which has been sent to him ; if there is any action he will be taking and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : We shall be considering the results of this survey. We shall be interested to compare its findings, based on a sample of 87 people, with the results of the 1985-88 surveys we commissioned from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, based on a sample of over 10,000 disabled people.
Nuclear Test Veterans
Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) ex-service men and (b) widows of ex-service men are receiving benefits arising from their suffering from leukaemia or myeloma which is deemed to be attributable to, or aggravated by, service in the British nuclear test programme.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The war pensions scheme administered by the Department provides for pensions where there is reliable evidence which raises reasonable doubt that a condition is caused or aggravated by service, or that death was due to or substantially hastened by this. It is accepted that the evidence raises such a doubt in the case of participants in the British nuclear test programme who have contracted leukaemia (excluding chronic lymphatic leukaemia) or multiple myeloma. Any claim to a war pension by such service men or their widows is therefore likely to succeed. One war disablement pension and six war widows pensions have been awarded as a result.
Retirement Pension
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to amend the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 so that the retirement pension is paid from the date of retirement rather than the first Monday after retirement ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : We have no plans to do so. Retirement pension is a regular weekly payment and is not paid for part weeks. The current provisions ensure that everyone is entitled to a full week's pension within a week of retirement.
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Community Charge
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what element and how much of an unemployed claimant's income support has been provided to enable them to meet their 20 per cent. liability for the community charge for (a) single claimants, (b) married claimants, (c) those over 25 years and (d) those under 25 years of age ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 5 February 1990 at column 524.
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Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons he estimates are entitled to poll tax benefit rebate ; what is the breakdown of these by claimant group ; and how many of those entitled in each group have been awarded a rebate so far of (a) up to 19 per cent., of their poll tax, (b) 20 to 39 per cent., (c) 40 to 59 per cent., (d) 60 to 79 per cent. and (e) 80 per cent.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 8 February 1990] : Estimates of numbers entitled to community charge benefit can be obtained only when data from the relevant family expenditure survey is published. Estimates of the average number of community charge benefit recipients for 1990-91 are set out in the table:
Estimate of community charge benefit recipients broken down by client group and ratio of community charge benefit to community charge
by individuals (000s)
Proportion of community charge (net of transitional relief) paid for by community charge benefit
Group |(a) |(b) |(c) |(d) |(e) |Total
|<20 per cent. |20-39 per cent.|40-59 per cent.|60-79 per cent.|80 per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pensioners(80+) |20 |40 |80 |140 |440 |720
Pensioners(75-79) |20 |90 |110 |200 |380 |810
Pensioners(70-74) |50 |100 |200 |330 |240 |910
Pensioners(60-69) |120 |190 |250 |310 |570 |1.430
Pensioners(disabled) |40 |60 |50 |70 |250 |470
Disabled under 60 |30 |50 |70 |160 |360 |690
Lone parents |10 |10 |10 |10 |700 |740
Couples with children (counting a couple as
two people |160 |110 |40 |20 |910 |1,240
Others |200 |330 |510 |400 |1,300 |2,740
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |650 |990 |1,320 |1,640 |5,150 |9,750
Note: Sum of columns may not equal totals given because of rounding.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Televised Parliamentary Proceedings
Mr. Page : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange an exhibition illustrating the various techniques available for assisting the deaf and hard of hearing to follow televised parliamentary proceedings.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : In its report setting out the framework for the televising experiment, the Select Committee on Televising of Proceedings of the House expressed in paragraph 59 the hope that the television companies would
"make every effort to meet the needs of the deaf, so far as is consistent with their ability to produce reasonably clear television pictures".
This is a subject of great concern to many Members, as evidenced by the number of petitions and early-day motions on the subject. As part of its monitoring of the progress of the experiment, the Committee has decided to examine the various options available for assisting the deaf community in following televised parliamentary proceedings. Accordingly, with the co- operation of the broadcasters and organisations representing the deaf, the Committee has arranged an exhibition in the Jubilee Room on Monday 5 March. This will consist of a series of short films illustrating the differing techniques for the subtitling of pre-recorded material, semi-live broadcasts (ie news programmes containing some cued and pre-recorded material), and live parliamentary debates, respectively. The effect of incorporating a sign language inset into television pictures of parliamentary proceedings will also be illustrated. In addition, some of the equipment used for
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applying these techniques will be on display and representatives of the broadcasters and of organisations representing the deaf will be available to answer questions.There will be special viewings of the exhibition for Members of the House at 3.30 and 4.30 pm. In addition there will be facilities for the press and broadcasting media to see the exhibition at 2.30 pm and the Select Committee will have a separate private showing at 6 pm.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Tote (Privatisation)
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be publishing the feasibility study on the privatisation of Tote bookmakers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The advice in the report by Lloyds merchant bank on the feasibility of privatising the Tote will not be published because it was made in confidence to my right hon. and learned Friend and contains commercially and managerially sensitive information. The advice is still under consideration and the Government's conclusions will be made known in due course.
Drink-driving
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the total number of persons convicted at the Corby magistrates court of offences of driving whilst under the influence of drink, excess alcohol, refusal to provide a specimen for analysis and being drunk in charge for each year since 1979.
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Mr. John Patten : At Corby magistrates court there were, in 1987 and 1988 respectively, 160 and 227 findings of guilt for offences of driving, etc. after consuming alcohol or drugs. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost ; the figure for 1989 is not yet available.Traffic Lights
Sir Barney Hayhoe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that the Metropolitan police have sufficient manpower resources to deal with traffic problems and dangers arising from the failure of traffic lights at major junctions in Greater London.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : It is for the Commissioner to decide whether it is necessary to deploy officers or other staff where traffic lights fail. This is an operational matter which he will determine against the background of other priorities and the manpower available to him.
Empty Properties
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of properties owned by his Department and suitable for residential accommodation has been empty for (a) up to a year and (b) over a year ; and where these properties are located, by region or local authority area.
Mr. Waddington : The Home Office owns quarters available for members of the prison service. The Department is in the process of selling surplus prison service quarters, and in the last two years more than 3,600 properties have been sold, including 260 vacant quarters. Precise information about empty quarters still owned by the Department is not available on a regional basis, but a
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broad estimate is that 15 per cent. of the 400 quarters now owned by the prison department have been vacant for more than one year. The following information is available about accommodation owned by the Property Services Agency but managed by the Home Office. Four properties in East Anglia managed by the directorate of telecommunications have been vacant for less than a year. One property at the emergency planning college in north Yorkshire has been vacant for over a year. The fire service college in Gloucestershire has four properties which became vacant only recently. These will be reoccupied shortly.Criminal Records Office
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for individuals' criminal records are received by the criminal records office daily.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the national identification bureau, which is responsible for the maintenance of the national collection of criminal records, receives an average of 6,840 requests for individuals' criminal records each working day.
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are employed in the criminal records office ; what are the numbers in each grade ; and how many vacancies currently exist at each grade.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that on 31 January 1990 the complement, staff in post and vacancy figures for the national identification bureau, which is responsible for the maintenance of the national collection of criminal records, were:
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Rank |Complement |Staff in post|Vacancies
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Police officers
Commander |1 |1 |0
Detective Chief Superintendent |1 |1 |0
Detective Superintendent |2 |3 |(-1)
Detective Chief Inspector |3 |2 |1
Detective Inspector |8 |8 |0
Detective Sergeant |20 |16 |4
Detective Constable |48 |39 |9
|------- |------- |-------
Total |83 |70 |13
Civil Staff
Grade 7 |1 |1 |0
Principal Fingerprint Officer |2 |2 |0
Senior Fingerprint Officer |9 |9 |0
Fingerprint Officer Grade 1 |33 |30 |3
Fingerprint Officer Grades 2/3 |133 |127 |6
Senior Executive Officer |1 |1 |0
Higher Executive Officer |4 |4 |0
Executive Officer |36 |25 |11
Administrative Officer |227 |229 |(-2)
Administrative Assistant |74 |66.5 |7.5
Typist |4 |2 |2
Support Manager 3 |1 |1 |0
Support Grade Band 1 |15 |14 |1
Support Grade Band 2 |69 |66 |3
|------- |-------- |-------
Total |609 |577.5 |31.5
|Number
Avon |7,254
Birmingham |6,113
Inner London |5,429
Derbyshire |4,845
Cheshire |4,673
Dorset |3,310
Leeds |3,155
Leicestershire |3,136
Lancashire |3,128
Northamptonshire |3,110
The staff complement of the bureau is under review, following a joint Metropolitan police/Home Office staff inspection carried out in 1989.
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the principal users of the criminal records office.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The following are the principal organisations entitled to direct access to the information held in the national collection of criminal records maintained by the national identification bureau :
United Kingdom Police Forces ;
Foreign Police Forces through Interpol ;
Government Departments and Agencies ;
Members of the public exercising their rights of subject access under the Data Protection Act 1984.
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information technology is in use at the criminal records office ; if there are any proposals to expand it ; and if he will make a statement.
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