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Local Government Boundaries
Mr. Franks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has under section 61 of the Local Government Act 1972 ; and if he has ever called a local inquiry under this section of the Act.
Mr. David Hunt [holding answer 4 April 1990] : Section 61 of the Local Government Act 1972 empowers the Local Government Boundary Commissions for England and for Wales and district councils to hold public local inquiries as part of their reviews of local government areas. The section confers no powers on the Secretary of State. It follows that the Secretary of State has held no inquiries under this section.
Nuclear Dust Storm, Towyn
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement in respect of the nuclear dust storm warning issued on 27 March for the Towyn area.
Mr. Grist : I have been asked to reply.
A mini instrument environmental radiation meter type 6-80 was used to measure external radiation in Towyn and samples of sediment were analysed using a nuclear data high resolution germanium gamma spectrometer. The NRPB's assessment of the impact of the radioactivity in the sediment on the public took into consideration the inhalation of windblown dust and concluded that the resulting doses were only a small fraction of natural background radiation.
Column 786
SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensions
Sir Peter Hordern : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would have been the cost to public funds if the state retirement pension had been paid in line with increases in average earnings, rather than prices, in each of the last 10 years.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information requested is contained in the reply given to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 20 March at column 595.
Sir Peter Hordern : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are dependent upon the state retirement pension alone ; and what proportion they bear to the total number of pensioners, in each of the last 10 years.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The most recent figures available are set out in the table. The family expenditure survey does not identify state retirement pension separately from income support and housing benefits. However, few pensioners rely solely on their state pension as their only income as the vast majority would be entitled to extra help from income- related benefits.
Proportion of pensioner tax
units
|per cent.
------------------------------
1979 |20.2
1980 |19.8
1981 |18.6
1982 |17.6
1983 |16.7
1984 |18.0
1985 |14.5
1986 |15.9
1987 |13.5
Notes:
1. Source: Family Expenditure
Survey.
2. A pensioner tax unit is
the unit on which a tax
assessment is made.
One-Parent Families
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many one-parent families have applied for and been awarded Department of Social Security financial help during each of the last five years as a result of marriage break-up ; and what is the total cost to the Department of Social Security of maintaining such families.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information requested is available only for supplementary benefit/income support and is set out in the table :
Supplementary Benefit/Income Support paid to lone parents who are
divorced or separated: numbers and expenditure
Annual equivalent
Year |Number of lone |Cash |Real terms
| parent claimants|(£ million) |(1988-89 prices
|(£ million)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983 |304,000 |606 |837
1984 |319,000 |680 |895
1986 |364,000 |833 |1,041
1987 |381,000 |902 |1,035
1988 |400,000 |1,072 |1,072
Notes:
1. Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries for the relevant years. There was no Enquiry in
1985.
2. Information is for divorced and separated lone parents, men and women.
3. Annual Equivalent: This is derived from the average amounts in payment to these
categories of lone parents at the time of the Enquiries.
Community Charge
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his best estimate of the total amount of central Government support required to cover community charge rebates in Scotland in 1989-90 and 1990- 91 ; and if he will express this as a percentage of total expected income from the community charge in Scotland.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information requested is in the table :
Scotland
|1989-90|1990-91
------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Government Grant for Community
Charge rebates/Benefit. (£ million) |214 |225
Rebates as a percentage of total expected
Community Charge income (per cent.) |21 |20
Note: The figures for 1990-91 reflect the increase in the upper
capital limit announced in the Budget statement.
Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to the answer given to the hon. Member for Colne Valley of 12 March, Official Report, column 66 , concerning the cost of abolishing savings thresholds above which no community charge rebate is payable, what would be the estimated cost to the Exchequer of abolishing the capital limit (a) altogether and (b) for pensioners only, presuming that those people were receiving income amounting to 10 per cent. per annum from their savings.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The cost of abolishing both the upper and lower capital thresholds and the tariff income, and assuming instead an income from capital of 10 per cent. per annum, would be (a) £20 million for all claimants and (b) £15 million for pensioners only. A total of 590,000 benefit units would gain by these changes (by becoming entitled or by increasing their benefit). A total of 2,330, 000 benefit units would lose (by losing all or part of their benefit).
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of people within the district of Easington who will qualify for community charge rebate following the rise in the capital disregard to £16,000.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information requested is not available. Data are not available to provide reliable estimates on such a detailed regional basis.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the people in Scotland estimated by the Government to be eligible for poll tax rebate are now in receipt of a rebate.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : For 1989-90 the latest estimate of the number of community charge rebates in payment in Scotland is 930,000. Rebates to couples are counted as one rebate.
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Benefit Claims
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has about the length of time taken to process different types of benefit claims (a) now and (b) prior to implementation of the new social security system.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Since the Government reforms were introduced in 1988, the social security system has become simpler for claimants to understand and easier for staff to operate. As a result there have been very real all-round improvements in the clearance times of claims. The table shows comparable performance in key benefit areas.
Average clearance time for benefit claims
Days
|1987-88 |<1>1989-90
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Income support |6.3 |4.7
Retirement pension |26.7 |21.2
Sickness benefit/invalidity benefit |11.3 |9.8
Attendance allowance |40.5 |<2>42.5
Mobility allowance |40.0 |37.0
<1>April to February.
<2>Provisional figure.
Widows' Pensions
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time that is taken to deal with applications for widows' pensions.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I regret that this information is not available. However, if the hon. Member had a particular case in mind perhaps he would write to me.
Benefits
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the additional administrative cost, for each benefit where applicable, of paying half the appropriate benefit rate for couples to each partner and paying any child addition to the partner taking the major responsibility for the child.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, for community charge benefit, couples are already assessed jointly ; entitlement is divided between them, and their community charge bills are individually rebated.
Pensions (Additional Component)
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the average additional component payable each year since 1978 on top of the basic retirement pension for persons who retired each year since then on average earnings ; and what he estimates the additional component will be each year from now until 1998 if prices rise 5 per cent. per year and average earnings rise 7 per cent. per year ;
(2) if he will give his latest estimate of the average additional component from the state earnings-related pension scheme on top of the basic retirement pension payable each year since 1978 for persons who retired each year since then on average earnings ; and what he estimates the additional component will be to 1998 on the basis of the Treasury forecasts of rises in prices and earnings.
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Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answers 13 February and 26 February 1990] : Information as available is set out in the table. The amounts apply to a person in full-time employment who has been paid average earnings since April 1978, has never contracted out of the state earnings-related pension scheme and retires on 6 April in each year, assuming price rises of 5 per cent. per year and average earnings increase by 7 per cent. per year effective from April 1991.
Year of |Additional
retirement | pension at
|retirement
|(£ per week)
---------------------------------------
1978 |nil
1979 |0.95
1980 |2.20
1981 |3.95
1982 |6.20
1983 |8.45
1984 |10.80
1985 |13.55
1986 |16.50
1987 |20.20
1988 |24.35
1989 |29.25
1990 |35.65
1991 |41.30
1992 |47.55
1993 |54.50
1994 |62.45
1995 |71.10
1996 |80.70
1997 |91.35
1998 |103.15
Pensioners
Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures for the latest year available showing the number of (a) single and (b) married retirement pensioners with gross weekly incomes excluding state pension benefits of any category, at the following levels : less than £5, £5 to £10, £10 to £15, £15 to £20, £20 to £30, £30 to £40, £40 to £50, £50 to £60, £60 to £70, £70 to £80, £80 to £90, £90 to £100, £100 to £150, £150 to £200, £200 to £250, £250 to £300, £300 to £350, £350 to £400, £400 to £450, £450 to £500 and over £500.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 22 February 1990] : The latest information, as available, is set out in the table :
Table file CW900405.071 not available
Marginal Tax Rates
Mr. Squire : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the numbers of lower-paid families with and without children, whose marginal tax rates including benefit withdrawal will be (a) 90 to 100 per cent., (b) 80 to 90 per cent., (c) 70 to 80 per cent., (d) 60 to 70 per cent., (e) 50 to 60 per cent. and (f) 40 to 50 per cent., taking into account the tax changes for 1990-91.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 26 March 1990] : The information requested is set out in the table :
Marginal deduction rates-working heads of
tax units
Numbers with marginal deduction rates at
or above certain levels
1990-91
|Thousands
-------------------------------------------
100 per cent. and over |0
90 per cent. and over |40
80 per cent. and over |220
70 per cent. and over |410
60 per cent. and over |420
50 per cent. and over |420
40 per cent. and over |550
Notes:
1. These estimates are not comparable with
the figures in Table 14.19 of the Public
Expenditure White Paper because of
sampling and grossing factors, the
incorporation of Community Charge Benefit,
independent taxation, and the effects of
earnings growth.
2. Marginal Deduction Rates shown are for
heads of benefit units in receipt of
Family Credit, rent rebate or Community
Charge Benefit when at least one partner
works 24 hours or more a week.
3. Estimates are based on 1985, 1986 and
1987 Family Expenditure Surveys uprated to
1990-91 levels.
4. Estimates are rounded to nearest 10,
000.
5. Estimates incorporate the Department of
the Environment guideline Community
Charges announced in January.
Family Incomes
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the level of gross earnings in April 1990 at which (a) a single householder, (b) a married couple, (c) a married couple with two children aged four and six years and (d) a single parent with one child, aged three years, will lose in housing benefit, assuming full take-up of family credit, average rent and rates and other assumptions, as in his reply to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Clay), Official Report, 1 December 1987, c. 565-66.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [pursuant to her reply, 2 March 1990, c. 366] : The information requested is given in the table
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Level of gross earnings at which housing benefit ceases Family type |£ per week -------------------------------------------------------------------------- (a) Single householder |81.20 (b) Married couple |108.00 (c) Married couple with two children aged 4 and 6 |98.76 (d) Single parent with one child aged 3 |57.58 Notes: 1. The examples assume child benefit is in payment for examples (c) and ( d) and family credit is in payment for example (d). 2. The rent is assumed to be £19.71 for examples (a) and (b), £23.48 for example (c) and £21.86 for example (d). 3. Community charge is assumed to be £350.00.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Vagrancy
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of those (a) arrested, (b) prosecuted and (c) convicted of (i) begging and (ii) sleeping out in 1987, 1988 and 1989 were aged (1) under 18 years, (2) 18 to 25 years (3) 25 to 55 years and (4) over 55 years ;
(2) how many of those prosecutions undertaken under the provisions of the Vagrancy Act 1824 in (a) the Metropolitan police district and (b) England and Wales were dealt with by way of (i) summons and (ii) arrest ;
(3) how many people were convicted of (a) sleeping out, (b) begging and (c) being found on enclosed premises in the years 1988 and 1989 in (i) the Metropolitan police district and (ii) England and Wales ;
(4) how many people were prosecuted under the provisions of the Vagrancy Act 1824 in the years 1988 and 1989 in (a) the Metropolitan police district and (b) England and Wales ; (5) what figures he has as to the numbers of people prosecuted for (a) begging, (b) sleeping out and (c) being found on enclosed premises who (i) have been discharged from psychiatric care and (ii) have been discharged from local authority care.
Mr. John Patten : Information is not held centrally on the number of arrests under the Vagrancy Act 1824. Neither is it collected on people who have been prosecuted for offences under the Act who have been discharged from either psychiatric or local authority care. Information on the number of prosecutions and convictions under the Vagrancy Act 1824 is given in the tables.
Data for 1989 will not be available until autumn 1990.
Table C. Persons convicted of sleeping out, begging and being on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose under the Vagrancy Act 1824 in the Metropolitan Police District<1> and England and Wales 1988 Offence |Metropolitan |England and Police District |Wales -------------------------------------------------------------------- Sleeping out |10 |13 Begging |455 |512 Being on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose |83 |374 <1> Including the City of London.
Table C. Persons convicted of sleeping out, begging and being on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose under the Vagrancy Act 1824 in the Metropolitan Police District<1> and England and Wales 1988 Offence |Metropolitan |England and Police District |Wales -------------------------------------------------------------------- Sleeping out |10 |13 Begging |455 |512 Being on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose |83 |374 <1> Including the City of London.
Table C. Persons convicted of sleeping out, begging and being on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose under the Vagrancy Act 1824 in the Metropolitan Police District<1> and England and Wales 1988 Offence |Metropolitan |England and Police District |Wales -------------------------------------------------------------------- Sleeping out |10 |13 Begging |455 |512 Being on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose |83 |374 <1> Including the City of London.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of detaining someone overnight in police cells following their arrest under the Vagrancy Act 1824 ; and what is the cost of the processing, conveyance and prosecution in a magistrates court of a person so arrested.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Most of the information requested is not available and would be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The average cost of a prosecution in the magistrates court is £21 (1988 prices).
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the Vagrancy Act 1824 ; and if he has any plans to abolish it.
Mr John Patten : In the past 12 months we have received seven written representations from hon. Members about the Vagrancy Act 1824, and written and oral representations from the National Association of Probation Officers, the End Vagrancy Act Campaign and the Children's Society. We have noted several observations on the subject in proceedings in both Houses. My Department has also received a few letters from members of the public.
We have no present plans to repeal the Act, which covers a wide range of offences including indecent exposure.
Pentonville Prison
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of convicted and unconvicted prisoners intended to be held in Pentonville prison ; what is the current number of prisoners held in Pentonville prison ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : The certified normal accommodation (CNA) of HMP Pentonville is 641 . A programme of
Column 793
major refurbishment currently in hand there will increase its CNA by more than 200 places over the next two years. The population of the prison on 30 March was 941 (including 194 unconvicted). On 11 February 1990.Lorrain Osman
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what nationality is Lorrain Osman ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : Mr. Lorrain Osman is a Malaysian citizen. He is also qualified for the right of abode in the United Kingdom under section 2(1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1971 by virtue of his birth in Penang and five years' residence in this country, and he became a British citizen on 1 January 1983 when the British Nationality Act 1981 came into force.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has examined documents in the matter of a request by the Government of Hong Kong for the extradition of Mr. Lorrain Osman which were prepared and sworn by Mr. Warwick Reid of the Hong Kong Government, and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : No documents prepared and sworn by Mr. Warwick Reid have been submitted by the Hong Kong Government in the matter of Mr. Osman's extradition.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on who laid the complaint against Mr. Lorrain Osman in Hong Kong for which his return to Hong Kong is requested by the Hong Kong authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : The complaint against Mr. Osman was laid in Hong Kong by Mr. Anthony Edmund Robey, a senior officer in the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Immigration
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports are currently held at (a) Lunar house, Croydon, (b) Liverpool nationality office and (c) Queen Anne's Gate.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Liverpool Nationality Department
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reasons for the industrial action taken by officers of the Liverpool nationality department on Friday 23 March and Monday 26 March.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 31 January, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) at column 205, my right hon. and learned Friend announced that the nationality work of the immigration and nationality department would be concentrated in the existing Liverpool nationality office. On 2 March, following initial discussions with the trade
Column 794
union side of the immigration and nationality department Whitley council, a letter was sent to the trade union side setting out the Department's detailed proposals for the transfer of work from Lunar house, Croydon to the Liverpool nationality office and for the consequential staffing arrangements. A response to that letter is awaited.In the week beginning 19 March, some problems arose over the transfer of work and some members of staff of the Liverpool office did not attend for duty during the afternoon of 23 March or on 26 March. A meeting was held between management and the trade union side on 26 March, following which a joint statement on the future handling of the relocation was agreed. The staff who had been taking industrial action returned to work the following day.
Extradition
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what provisions the courts examine any requests for bail in extradition cases ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : The Bail Act does not apply to extradition cases, and there is therefore no presumption in favour of bail, as with cases for trial in this country. Under section 9 of the Extradition Act 1989, however, the court of committal may grant bail if it considers that it would be appropriate to do so.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the return of a person to any requesting country under the Extradition Act 1989 if the person requested might be prejudiced at any trial by reason of his race, nationality or political opinions.
Mr. John Patten : Section 6(1)(d) of the Extradition Act 1989 provides that a person shall not be extradited if it appears that he might, if returned, be prejudiced at his trial or punished, detained, or restricted in his personal liberty by reason of his race, religion, nationality or political opinions.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on whether any period of remand suffered in the United Kingdom by an offender held for the purposes of extradition should be counted against any sentence that offender may incur in the requesting country ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : This is a matter for the requesting state. The general practice in most countries with which we have extradition arrangements is for time spent on remand in the requested state to be taken into account when calculating sentence, and to facilitate this we provide information about such periods from our records.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the case of prisoners held on remand for the purposes of extradition, the requesting country pays the costs so incurred should it oppose bail ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : It is a general principle of extradition arrangements between countries that the requested state meets the costs of a fugitive's detention.
Column 795
Durham Prison (Staffing)
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was (a) the complement of officers and staff working within HMP Durham and (b) the prison population within HMP Durham for each year since 1979.
Mr. Mellor : The target staff in post for officers (including principal and senior officers) in HMP Durham is 387 for 1990-91 and the complement for other staff is 138.5. The number of officers in post dating back to just before the introduction of "fresh start" is :
|Number
---------------------------
1 April 1986 |326
1 April 1987 |330
1 April 1988 |368
1 April 1989 |377
Other historical data are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Moreover, comparisons with staffing levels pre- "fresh start" are inevitably misleading because of differences in calculation methods, in particular the heavy reliance on officer overtime.
The population at HMP Durham since 1 April 1979 was as follows :
|Number
---------------------------
1 April 1979 |1,095
1 April 1980 |1,123
1 April 1981 |1,072
1 April 1982 |1,013
1 April 1983 |1,004
1 April 1984 |934
1 April 1985 |1,211
1 April 1986 |942
1 April 1987 |1,161
1 April 1988 |1,232
1 April 1989 |1,058
1 April 1990 |992
Column 796
Asylum
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give, by nationality, the number of asylum seekers who have applied for asylum in the United Kingdom (a) at the ports of entry and (b) after entry during 1989 and 1990 ; and if he will state for each of the above categories and by nationality (i) the number refused, (ii) the number granted refugee status and (iii) the number granted exceptional leave to remain.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Provisional information on the numbers of applications for refugee status in the United Kingdom, and of grants and other decisions, in 1989, is shown in the table. Final information for 1989 will be published in the Home Office statistical bulletin, "Refugee Statistics United Kingdom 1989", in the summer. Information for 1990 to date is not yet available. Provisional figures for refugee applications and decisions, by nationality, are provided quarterly to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and copies are in the Library.
Column 795
Applications recieved for refugee status in the United Kingdom, and decisions<1>, by nationality and place of application, 1989
Nationality Applications received Decisions<2>
Nationality Applications received Decisions<2>
At ports After entry<3> Granted refugee status Granted exceptional leave Refused refugee status
|Following |Following |Following |Following |Following |Following
|port |after-entry |port |after-entry |port |after-entry
|applicatio |applica- |applicatio |applica- |applicatio |applica-
|tion<3> |tion<3> |tion<3>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Europe
Czechoslovakia |6 |46 |- |11 |- |19 |- |12
Hungary |1 |17 |- |2 |- |12 |- |3
Poland |3 |32 |- |7 |- |17 |1 |14
Romania |1 |12 |- |6 |- |8 |- |6
Turkey |3,656 |697 |193 |134 |1,010 |400 |2 |26
Yugoslavia |6 |7 |- |- |- |2 |- |6
Others |12 |25 |- |1 |- |9 |- |4
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |3,685 |836 |193 |161 |1,010 |467 |3 |71
Americas
Chile |2 |14 |- |6 |- |6 |- |10
Colombia |47 |30 |5 |16 |- |13 |- |1
Others |- |7 |- |5 |1 |4 |- |4
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |49 |51 |5 |27 |1 |23 |- |15
Africa
Angola |80 |43 |1 |9 |5 |4 |3 |-
Ethiopia |271 |76 |22 |182 |7 |12 |- |-
Ghana |30 |67 |1 |12 |3 |54 |1 |6
Seychelles |19 |6 |- |58 |11 |30 |- |-
Somalia |2,092 |204 |77 |317 |108 |31 |3 |-
South Africa |12 |11 |- |23 |- |2 |1 |-
Sudan |7 |33 |- |22 |- |1 |- |-
Uganda |1,068 |141 |6 |35 |122 |115 |1 |6
Zaire |58 |136 |- |28 |1 |2 |2 |3
Others |13 |35 |1 |9 |4 |7 |3 |16
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |3,650 |752 |131 |695 |261 |258 |14 |31
Middle East
Iran |133 |291 |23 |119 |110 |554 |- |19
Iraq |243 |116 |33 |52 |108 |227 |- |8
Lebanon |86 |71 |- |3 |19 |206 |2 |6
Libya |- |16 |5 |4 |- |15 |1 |6
Syria |- |5 |- |6 |- |3 |- |5
Others |5 |37 |- |1 |- |9 |1 |10
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |467 |536 |61 |185 |237 |1,014 |4 |54
Asia
Afghanistan |67 |52 |- |28 |45 |36 |4 |1
Bangladesh |5 |2 |- |- |- |1 |- |-
India |9 |380 |- |- |- |2 |6 |33
Pakistan |2 |232 |- |7 |44 |63 |42 |519
Sri Lanka |1,325 |190 |1 |1 |278 |261 |8 |24
Others |9 |59 |- |10 |- |9 |- |-
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |1,417 |915 |1 |46 |367 |372 |60 |577
Other and unknown nationality |101 |114 |12 |57 |16 |37 |- |18
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Grand total |9,369 |3,204 |380 |1,171 |1,892 |2,171 |81 |766
Fire Service (Lancashire)
Mr. Lee : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he expects to receive any proposals from Lancashire county fire brigade on fire cover in Lancashire ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : I understand that the chief fire officer of Lancashire fire brigade has recently completed a review of fire risk categorisation and standards of fire cover ; and that he has presented his report and findings to the public protection committee of Lancashire county council.
The fire authority has decided to consult widely within the county. This exercise, which will include district and town councils, local Members of Parliament and the fire service trade unions, is not expected to be completed until the end of August at the earliest. A fire authority which proposes to reduce the operational establishment of its brigade is required to seek the approval of my right hon. and learned Friend to the reductions under the terms of section 19 of the Fire Service Act 1947. My right hon. and learned Friend is committed to maintaining nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover and to the maintenance of an effective fire service.
Mr. Lee : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current strength of the retained fire service in Pendle ; and what is its annual cost and the cost per call-out.
Mr. John Patten : The combined retained strength of the four fire stations in Pendle is 55 firefighters operating six retained fire appliances.
I understand from Lancashire county fire brigade that it does not hold information on the specific cost of the retained service in Pendle and it is not, therefore, possible to produce the costings requested.
Column 798
Hong Kong
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from police officers born in the United Kingdom who are serving in the Hong Kong police and who have married Hong Kong citizens, concerning the right of abode for their spouse in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Government have received a number of representations on behalf of police officers in Hong Kong about the immigration and nationality status of their spouses. Under the British Citizenship (Designated Service) Order 1982 the normal residential requirements in the British Nationality Act 1981 may be waived if an application for naturalisation as a British citizen is made by the spouse of a member of the Royal Hong Kong police force who is a British citizen and was recruited in the United Kingdom. In addition the spouses of British citizens living abroad have the assurance that subject to the provisions in the immigration rules they may at any time come to live in the United Kingdom with their husbands and wives. We are considering whether any further arrangements are necessary under immigration provisions to protect the position of British citizen spouses in the special circumstances of Hong Kong and we will make an announcement in due course.
Forensic Scientists
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forensic scientists of (a) up to three, (b) three to six, (c) six to nine, (d) nine to 12 and (e) 12 to 15 years' experience, respectively, left the employment of the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory in 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 799
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is listed in the table :
|Number
---------------------------------------------
Up to three years' experience |6
Three to six years' experience |1
Six to nine years' experience |5
Nine to 12 years' experience |4
Twelve to 15 years' experience |1
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forensic scientists were employed at the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory as specialists in fires on 1 January of each year from 1986 to 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The number of forensic scientists employed at the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory as specialists in fire investigation on the dates in question was as follows :
|Number
-----------------------------
1 January 1986 |4
1 January 1987 |3
1 January 1988 |2
1 January 1989 |4
1 January 1990 |4
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to introduce a supplement to the salaries of scientists employed at the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are discussing with the receiver a case for pay improvements for scientists at the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory.
Deportation
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the numbers of people removed from the United Kingdom pursuant to a decision to deport them for each year since 1979 for the following nationalities : (a) Indian, (b) Nigerian, (c) Australian and (d) all Commonwealth Caribbean countries.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is given in the table :
Number of persons removed from the United Kingdom under the
deportation process for certain nationalities, 1979 to 1989
Nationality
Year |India |Nigeria |Australia |Commonwealth
|Caribbean
|countries
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |45 |97 |11 |14
1980 |59 |119 |11 |14
1981 |62 |117 |4 |25
1982 |52 |122 |7 |25
1983 |45 |149 |3 |21
1984 |45 |214 |6 |20
1985 |52 |224 |5 |12
1986 |37 |181 |3 |28
1987 |64 |213 |8 |25
1988 |102 |382 |5 |65
1989 |125 |548 |4 |80
Column 800
Birmingham Six
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 March, Official Report, column 633, what are the terms of reference of the Devon and Cornwall police inquiry into the new evidence submitted on behalf of the Birmingham Six ; when he expects the inquiry to report ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. and learned Friend has sent to the chief constable of the West Midlands police a copy of representations from the solicitor acting on behalf of the Birmingham Six, and has asked him for a report on matters arising out of those
representations. The chief constable has asked the Devon and Cornwall constabulary to undertake inquiries on his behalf. It is too early to form a view on the length of time those inquiries are likely to take.
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