| Home Page |
Column 321
Written Answers to Questions
Friday 30 March 1990
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Drink-Driving
Mr. Alton : To ask the Attorney-General what steps he takes to ensure that the Crown prosecution service determines the correct charges to be brought in cases of drink-driving.
The Attorney-General : Prosecution decisions are taken after careful consideration of the police report and evidence submitted to the Crown prosecution service by the relevant police force. The criteria for such decisions are set out in the code for Crown prosecutors promulgated by the Director of Public Prosecutions in accordance with section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. Subject to the requirement that certain categories of case must be submitted to the Crown prosecution service headquarters for consideration, it is the responsibility of the chief Crown prosecutor to establish arrangements within his area to ensure that decisions in particular cases are taken at a level of seniority commensurate with the gravity and difficulty of the particular case.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Organic Farming
Miss Hoey : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many inquiries about organic agriculture his Department has received in the last 12 months.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Over the past year the Department of Agriculture dealt with inquiries and requests for advice on organic agriculture from approximately 40 farmers and growers. We do much to promote more natural food and farming.
Rural Regeneration
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what work has been undertaken by the inter-departmental committee on rural regeneration which was established by the Department of Agriculture in December 1989 ; and when the committee's findings will be publicised.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The inter-departmental committee on rural development has been in operation since January 1990. It continues to work to its general remit of
Column 322
preparing advice for Ministers on how best to carry forward action to tackle the social and economic problems in the most deprived rural areas.Discussions have taken place with district councils, the rural action project and the promoters of rural development projects. Following a recommendation from the committee it was agreed to fund the rural action project for a further year to 31 March 1991. The work of the committee is to provide advice to Ministers on the effective delivery of policies and programmes. Decisions following from the committee's recommendations will be announced.
Extradition
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications relating to terrorist offences have been made for extradition from the Irish Republic to Britain (a) between 1972 and 14 November 1985 and (b) since 15 November 1985 ; how many have been refused ; how many have been granted ; and for how long any outstanding cases have been under consideration.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 23 March 1990] : I have been asked to reply.
In the period covered by the question, so far as England and Wales are concerned, the centrally available information on extradition requests made to the Republic of Ireland, in cases believed to have been related to terrorist offences, is as follows :
1986 One application made and refused ;
1988 Two applications made : one refused and one outstanding as the person cannot be traced ;
1989 One application made and granted, but now subject to appeal. I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that although information about requests made to the Republic of Ireland was not centrally recorded prior to 1987, two such applications are know to have been made in the period from 1972 to the present :
1973 One application made and refused ;
1984 One application made and outstanding because of the failure of the person to appear at an appeal hearing. He remains at large.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Student Grants
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students in each local education authority area received the full mandatory grant for undergraduates in the last year for which figures are available ; and what percentage they formed of all recipients of mandatory awards.
Mr. Jackson : The data requested are listed in the table.
Column 321
|c|England and Wales 1987-88|c|
Local education authority |All mandatory |Mandatory |Percentage in
|award holders<1> |award-holders in |receipt of a full
|receipt of a full |maintenance grant<1>
|maintenance grant
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barking |307 |168 |55
Barnet |3,819 |1,185 |31
Bexley |1,253 |362 |29
Brent |2,626 |1,447 |55
Bromley |2,951 |686 |23
Croydon |2,943 |1,072 |36
Ealing |2,466 |967 |39
Enfield |2,118 |691 |33
Haringey |1,791 |1,113 |62
Harrow |2,433 |791 |33
Havering |1,131 |346 |31
Hillingdon |1,507 |449 |30
Hounslow |1,580 |568 |36
Kingston-upon-Thames |1,355 |419 |31
Merton |1,568 |496 |32
Newham |1,081 |754 |70
Redbridge |1,803 |707 |39
Richmond-upon-Thames |1,963 |473 |24
Sutton |1,358 |384 |28
Waltham Forest |1,085 |648 |60
ILEA |16,875 |9,047 |54
Birmingham |6,959 |4,698 |68
Coventry |2,443 |1,227 |50
Dudley |1,894 |775 |41
Sandwell |1,258 |693 |55
Solihull |2,114 |468 |22
Walsall |1,742 |780 |45
Wolverhampton |1,859 |927 |50
Knowsley |774 |442 |57
Liverpool |3,454 |2,137 |62
St. Helens |1,397 |532 |38
Sefton |3,363 |1,315 |39
Wirral |3,510 |1,385 |39
Bolton |2,224 |975 |44
Bury |1,737 |708 |41
Manchester |2,776 |1,942 |70
Oldham |1,401 |623 |44
Rochdale |1,352 |568 |42
Salford |1,150 |554 |48
Stockport |3,248 |952 |29
Tameside |1,152 |510 |44
Trafford |2,633 |876 |33
Wigan |2,097 |872 |42
Barnsley |1,221 |586 |48
Doncaster |1,823 |841 |46
Rotherham |1,616 |730 |45
Sheffield |3,559 |1,578 |44
Bradford |2,894 |1,724 |60
Calderdale |1,310 |522 |40
Kirklees |2,809 |1,160 |41
Leeds |4,561 |1,880 |38
Wakefield |1,801 |690 |39
Gateshead |1,109 |511 |46
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |2,010 |847 |42
North Tyneside |1,437 |557 |39
South Tyneside |964 |482 |50
Sunderland |1,677 |849 |51
Isles of Scilly |27 |13 |48
Avon |7,643 |2,898 |38
Bedfordshire |3,831 |1,200 |31
Berkshire |6,913 |1,853 |27
Buckinghamshire |6,630 |1,532 |23
Cambridgeshire |5,074 |1,620 |32
Cheshire |9,772 |3,117 |32
Cleveland |4,209 |1,592 |38
Cornwall |3,396 |1,723 |51
Cumbria |3,470 |1,449 |42
Derbyshire |6,201 |2,048 |33
Devon |7,412 |3,153 |43
Dorset |4,456 |1,757 |39
Durham |3,741 |1,402 |37
East Sussex |5,106 |2,168 |42
Essex |9,874 |3,292 |33
Gloucestershire |4,617 |1,623 |35
Hampshire |12,061 |4,097 |34
Hereford and Worcester |5,088 |1,916 |38
Hertfordshire |9,763 |2,520 |26
Humberside |5,623 |2,201 |39
Isle of Wight |807 |371 |46
Kent |11,309 |3,762 |33
Lancashire |12,430 |5,472 |44
Leicestershire |7,099 |2,782 |39
Lincolnshire |4,246 |1,633 |38
Norfolk |4,089 |1,516 |37
North Yorkshire |7,288 |2,276 |31
Northamptonshire |3,364 |1,315 |39
Northumberland |2,390 |707 |30
Nottinghamshire |6,247 |2,318 |37
Oxfordshire |5,291 |1,332 |25
Shropshire |3,297 |1,340 |41
Somerset |3,417 |1,276 |37
Staffordshire |7,443 |2,951 |40
Suffolk |3,849 |1,344 |35
Surrey |11,794 |2,450 |21
Warwickshire |6,736 |1,690 |25
West Sussex |5,561 |1,675 |30
Wiltshire |4,019 |1,391 |35
Clwyd |3,406 |1,433 |42
Dyfed |3,246 |1,603 |49
Gwent |3,551 |1,449 |41
Gwynedd |2,757 |1,370 |50
Mid-Glamorgan |3,434 |1,331 |39
Powys |988 |430 |44
South Glamorgan |3,957 |1,659 |42
West Glamorgan |3,219 |1,239 |38
England and Wales |393,882 |150,978 |38
<1> Excluding award-holders on postgraduate courses.
School Building
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his proposals to ensure that all schools comply with the school building regulations due to come into force in April.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The current standards for school premises are set out in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981. No changes to these regulations are due to come into effect in April. Responsibility for meeting the requirements of the school premises regulations rests with the local education authorities and governing bodies.
Non-teaching Time
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to provide non-teaching time for teachers in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools to enable them to implement (i) the teaching, testing and assessment provisions of the national curriculum and (ii) the proposals of the Elton report on discipline in schools.
Mrs. Rumbold : The use of teachers' directed time, and in particular its division between teaching and non-teaching duties, is a matter for head teachers to decide.
Teachers' Pay
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what policy considerations determined his decision to accept the recommendations of
Column 326
the IAC on teachers' pay and conditions report in respect of the awards to main scale teachers on scale points 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9.Mrs. Rumbold : The IAC has produced an outstanding report, which sets out the thinking underlying its recommendations. My right hon. Friend has welcomed the report and proposes to accept its recommendations in full.
Workers Educational Association
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what allocations will be made to local education authorities to support the activities of the Workers Educational Association under the education support grant programme for 1990-91 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : My Department is today writing to local education authorities in England to inform them of the level of expenditure which I have approved for the WEA activity in the education support grants (ESG) programme for 1990-91. The information is shown in the table.
A total of 102 authorities have submitted bids for this ESG, out of a total of 107 that were invited to do so. This is a most encouraging result, which demonstrates the support of the local education authorities for the Workers Educational Association. It confirms the willingness of statutory and voluntary providers to work in partnership to assist the better overall planning of adult education locally.
Column 327
Local education authorities |Expenditure
|(£)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barking |690
Barnet |9,445
Bexley |6,920
Brent |1,125
Bromley |6,920
Croydon |1,210
Ealing |1,820
Enfield |1,905
Haringey |695
Harrow |7,555
Havering |810
Hillingdon |3,645
Hounslow |1,125
Kingston upon Thames |1,905
Merton |1,210
Newham |1,125
Redbridge |2,020
Richmond upon Thames |3,035
Sutton |1,125
Waltham Forest |605
Camden |17,810
Greenwich |430
Hackney |1,735
Hammersmith and Fulham |430
Islington |430
Lambeth |650
Lewisham |430
Southwark |1,515
Tower Hamlets |865
Birmingham |9,415
Coventry |15,695
Dudley |3,135
Sandwell |3,135
Walsall |6,280
Wolverhampton |5,480
Knowsley |3,255
Liverpool |29,340
St. Helens |3,255
Sefton |4,070
Wirral |7,330
Bolton |9,375
Bury |1,485
Manchester |12,550
Oldham |3,720
Rochdale |3,500
Salford |3,060
Stockport |7,470
Tameside |3,000
Trafford |9,625
Wigan |2,922
Barnsley |4,450
Doncaster |3,505
Rotherham |9,680
Sheffield |18,455
Bradford |6,505
Calderdale |2,395
Kirklees |3,990
Leeds |16,500
Wakefield |4,070
Gateshead |3,290
Newcastle upon Tyne |9,870
North Tyneside |3,375
South Tyneside |2,665
Sunderland |10,615
Avon |24,345
Bedfordshire |5,305
Berkshire |20,025
Buckinghamshire |21,455
Cambridgeshire |11,375
Cheshire |23,405
Cleveland |11,630
Cornwall |17,355
Cumbria |23,925
Derbyshire |27,753
Devon |40,500
Dorset |12,340
Durham |16,445
East Sussex |10,835
Essex |26,980
Gloucestershire |11,830
Hampshire |31,000
Hereford and Worcester |12,555
Hertfordshire |16,760
Humberside |18,125
Isle of Wight |1,075
Kent |24,500
Lancashire |21,320
Leicestershire |19,840
Lincolnshire |18,845
Norfolk |10,615
North Yorkshire |27,580
Northamptonshire |6,065
Northumberland |6,545
Nottinghamshire |40,215
Oxfordshire |30,040
Somerset |7,610
Staffordshire |13,340
Suffolk |12,890
Surrey |6,340
Warwickshire |5,180
West Sussex |18,665
Wiltshire |19,720
DEFENCE
Radar Base, Brawdy
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to make any financial contribution to the proposed building of a radar base at Brawdy for the United States navy.
Mr. Alan Clark : A decision in principle has been taken to embark, in collaboration with the United States, on a two-year joint trial of a United States navy over the horizon radar (OTHR) in the United Kingdom. This equipment is a high-frequency radar which uses the ionosphere to refract beyond the normal radar horizon. It can therefore supplement the coverage obtained by conventional microwave radars and enhance the effectiveness of airborne early warning and air defence resources.
The trial is planned to start in 1993, and the information obtained from it will be fully shared between ourselves and the United States. The United States Government will supply the radar ; the United Kingdom Government will provide and prepare the operational sites ; and the running costs of the trial will be shared. Once the results of the trial have been fully assessed, further consideration will be given whether to retain the OTHR as a permanent operational facility.
To be effective, the system needs separate transmitter and receiver sites. After extensive studies and assessment of possible locations, we have concluded that the most suitable site for the transmitter is St. David's airfield, Pembrokeshire, and that that for the receiver is Blakehill radio station, near Cricklade, Wiltshire. Both sites are MOD owned. We will shortly be submitting formal notices of proposed development to the appropriate planning authorities in accordance with normal planning procedures. These will be supported by full environmental impact assessments. No construction work will be carried out at either site before the necessary approvals have been obtained.
Column 329
When installing the transmitter, we will ensure that there is no danger of any radio frequency or other environmental hazard to any member of the public outside the MOD boundary of the site. The receiver site will present no environmental hazard.War Widows
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the financing of the special payments to be made to pre-1973 war widows.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 11 December 1989 at columns 677-78, the special payments to pre-1973 war widows will be paid from the beginning of the financial year 1990-91 by the Department of Social Security on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. The necessary provision is being sought in the 1990-91 main estimate for class I vote 3. Pending parliamentary approval of that estimate, urgent expenditure estimated at £55 million will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.
Greenham Common
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received concerning the future of RAF Greenham Common.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave at column 615 of Hansard , dated 6 March.
Chemical and Biological Weapons
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence his Department has that the Soviet Union is reducing its capacity to produce chemical and biological weapons.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Soviet Union declared in 1987 that it had ceased production of chemical weapons. We are, however, not aware of any change in Soviet capacity to produce them since then. The Soviet Union is a signatory of the 1972 biological warfare convention and has stated it is in compliance with its obligations. Any production of biological weapons would be in breach of the convention.
US Defence Secretary
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next plans to meet the United States of America Defence Secretary ; and what he expects to discuss.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Wallace) on 6 February 1990 at column 597.
Mallet Blow Exercises
Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for the years 1975 to 1989 (a) the number of Mallet Blow exercises, (b) the number of missions in each exercise, (c) the types of aircraft involved in each and (d) the accidents involving low flying in each exercise.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Exercise Mallet Blow was not introduced until 1980. Records of exercises since that date
Column 330
have not been retained in their entirety. I am able, however, to supply the following details of Mallet Blow exercises since 1984 :
Exercise |Missions |Offensive aircraft types<1>
|flown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mallet Blow 84/1 |66 |A-10, Harrier, Jaguar, Tornado,
| F-111
Mallet Blow 84/2 |42 |A-10, Jaguar, Harrier, Tornado,
| F-111
Mallet Blow 84/3 |139 |A-10, F-111, Draken, Tornado,
| Jaguar, Harrier
Mallet Blow 84/4 |83 |Draken, Tornado, A-10, F-111,
| Harrier, Jaguar
Mallet Blow 85/1 |77 |Harrier, Tornado, Jaguar, F16,
| A-10, F-111, Dracken,
| Buccaneer
Mallet Blow 85/2 |88 |Jaguar, Tornado, Harrier, F-16,
| Draken, RF-4, F-111
Mallet Blow 85/3 |73 |Tornado, Jaguar, Draken, F-111,
| Harrier, A-10
Mallet Blow 86/1 |42 |Harrier, Tornado, Jaguar, Draken,
| F-111
Mallet Blow 86/2 |123 |Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, F-16,
| F-111, Buccaneer
Mallet Blow 86/3 |63 |Jaguar, Harrier, Tornado, Draken,
| F-5, F-16, F-111, Mirage, F-18
Mallet Blow 86/4 |85 |Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier
Mallet Blow 87/1 |60 |Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, Draken,
| F-111
Mallet Blow 87/2 |133 |Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier,
| F-16, F-111
Mallet Blow 87/3 |12 |Harrier, F-111, Tornado, Jaguar
Mallet Blow 88/1 |86 |Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, Draken,
| F-111
Mallet Blow 88/2 |100 |Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, F-111
Mallet Blow 89/1 |74 |Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, Draken,
| A-10
Mallet Blow 89/2 |193 |Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, F-111,
| F-16, F-18
<1> A number of other support aircraft (tankers, air defence fighters and airborne early-warning aircraft) participate in Mallet Blow
exercises but these do not take part in low-level flying in the Otterburn area.
There have been two major accidents to low-flying aircraft involved in Mallet Blow exercises : a German air force Tornado aircraft crashed during Mallet Blow 86/4, and two RAF Harrier aircraft collided in mid-air during Mallet Blow 87/3.
Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bases where aircraft involved in the Mallet Blow exercise from 26 to 31 March will fly from.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Aircraft participating in Exercise Mallet Blow 90/1 from 26 to 30 March 1990 will fly from the following bases :
RAF Brize Norton
RAF Coltishall
RAF Coningsby
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Honington
RAF Leeming
RAF Leuchars
RAF Linton-on-Ouse
RAF Marham
RAF Waddington
RAF Wattisham
RAF Wittering
A & AEE Boscombe Down
RAF Alconbury
RAF Bentwaters
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Bruggen
RAF Laarbruch
Column 331
RAF GuterslohGAF Bu"chel
GAF Bremgarten
GAF Leck
GAF Norvenich
NAEWF Geilenkirchen
Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of the Mallet Blow exercise from 26 to 31 March.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The full costs of individual exercises are not kept centrally and their calculation would involve
disproportionate cost and effort.
Service Accommodation
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent in each year since 1979 on improving grade 4 service accommodation.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Figures for works expenditure are not kept in the format requested and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate expense.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent in each year since 1979 on the improvement of service accommodation.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Department places a high priority on the improvement of service accommodation and consequently expenditure on improving this type of accommodation has increased substantially over the past two or three years. Figures for works expenditure are not, however, kept in the format requested and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate expense.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans exist for bringing grade 4 service accommodation up to standard with civilian housing.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Service accommodation is graded according to amenity, locational and environmental factors as well as physical condition and facilities, so that the grading of properties has only an indirect bearing on whether they require modernisation. It is not clear on what basis the standard of a property such as a barracks could be compared with that for civilian housing. However, all three services have extensive rolling modernisation programmes for married quarters and single living accommodation, regardless of grading. They plan to complete the modernisation of the former within 10 to 15 years. Single living accommodation will take longer.
Chieftain Tank
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the industrial implications of a reduction in the planned order for the replacement of the Chieftain tank.
Mr. Alan Clark : No decision has yet been made on tank numbers.
Fire Standard
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what criteria govern the application of the Government fire standards code to the major refurbishment of Ministry of Defence storage facilities ;
Column 332
(2) what is the status of the Government fire standards code ; (3) what regulations govern the liaison between the various military fire services and local civilian fire services in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) abroad ;(4) what was the annual amount of expenditure on improving fire safety standards in Ministry of Defence storage depots for each year since 1979 ;
(5) whether the Government fire standards code applies to Ministry of Defence storage facilities in other countries.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on Wednesday 28 March 1990.
Community Charge
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total amount of expenditure spent to date on reimbursing service personnel in Scotland in compensation for community charges that are above the average.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The estimated total expenditure for 1989-90 is £146,426.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average service community charge in Scotland, as calculated for the purposes of reimbursement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is £291 for 1989-90.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated average service community charge in England and Wales, as calculated for the purposes of reimbursement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : For the purposes of accommodation charge refunds after 1 April 1990, the average service community charge for England, Scotland and Wales will be used. The actual figure will be available shortly. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the percentage of service personnel in Scotland who are liable for community charges (a) below and (b) above the average, as calculated for the purposes of reimbursement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Some 35 per cent. of personnel in service accommodation in Scotland in 1989-90 are paying community charge below the service average, and 65 per cent. are paying above the average. I have no information on the community charge liability of service personnel living in their own homes, who are not eligible for accommodation charge refunds.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the percentage of service personnel in Scotland who will be responsible for community charges above the average, as calculated for the purposes of reimbursement, but are not eligible for reimbursement of accommodation charges.
| Next Section
| Home Page |