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Mr. Peter Lloyd : Authority was given for a lamp to be used as a heat source, but the type of lamp was not specified.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions over the past two years the Home Office inspectorate visited Mill Hill laboratories ; and what were the dates of such visits.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Twelve visits were made to this establishment in 1988, 11 in 1989 and five this year. Many of these visits were announced. The dates were as follows : in 1988, 13 January, 10 June, 22 June, 11 July, 19 July, 24 August, 5 September, 26 September, 20 October, 7 November, 28 November and 19 December ; in 1989, 6 February, 22 February, 21 March, 21 April, 8 June, 21 July, 3 August, 23 August, 18 October, 28 November and 14 December ; in 1990, 10 January, 8 February, 29 March, 9 April and 3 May.
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether any complaints or observations were received from people within the National Institute of Medical Research regarding Professor Wilhelm Feldberg's state of competence while he held a licence to perform animal experiments ;
(2) how many animals by species were used by Professor Wilhelm Feldberg at the National Institute for Medical Research, London in (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) the current year.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 19 June 1990] : Professor Feldberg is a very distinguished scientist who for over 50 years held licences issued under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 and subsequently the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Over this time, there is no record of any complaints or observations from within the establishment having been made about the professor's state of competence. It is not our practice to provide details of the numbers or species of animals used by individual licence holders.Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps were taken to ensure that the holder of the certificate of designation within the National Institute of Medical Research ensured that all checks and monitoring were undertaken.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Inspectors routinely seek interviews with the holders of certificates of designation, or their representatives, to discuss their visits and any issues which may have arisen. A number of such interviews have taken place with the director of the National Institute of Medical Research.
Chief Officers of Police
Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report details of the guidance he gives to chief officers of police in dealing with correspondence from Members of Parliament, when a constituent has alleged assault.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No general guidance is given to chief officers of police on handling correspondence from Members of Parliament. Guidance on complaints and discipline procedures refers to correspondence from Members of Parliament with respect to the interpretation of section 84(4) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, which provides that a complaint may be made on behalf of a member of the public with his written consent. The guidance advises chief officers that, when a complaint is referred to the force by a third party, such as a Member of Parliament, any words which may reasonably be taken as indicating the complainant's willingness for his complaint to be so passed on should be taken as sufficient to indicate his consent for the purposes of section 84(4).
Police Rent Allowances
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make further changes to the regulations on police rent allowances in the light of the representations which he has received.
Mr. Waddington : I have already announced substantial amendments to the original draft regulations which will be of significant benefit to officers who were serving on 31 March 1990. In the course, however, of implementing the new arrangements, the need has been identified for further changes, which will be made as soon as possible after consultation with the police negotiating board. They are as follows :
(i) provisions for transitional rent allowance for officers serving on 31 March 1990 to include any compensatory grant which would have been due to them in 1990-91 on tax paid in previous years. (
(ii) provision for police officers serving on 31 March 1990 whose wives, if also police officers, go on unpaid maternity leave, to move from flat rate to maximum transitional rent allowance ; and (
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(iii) provision for police officer wives living in police houses or quarters on 31 March 1990 who go on unpaid maternity leave to recover their entitlement to provided accommodation allowance from the date on which they return from that leave.Prison Officer Training
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the expected financial savings in respect of the anticipated downgrading of training tutors from principal officer to senior officer level following the recommendations of the staff inspection report on new entrant prison officer training.
Mr. Mellor : The staff inspectors estimated that the savings from regrading tutor posts from principal officer to senior officer level would be around £73,000, although part of this would be used to finance other recommendations in the report which would involve increased expenditure.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when policy decisions are expected on the recommendations received by his Department in respect of new entrant prison officer training ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : Under the normal arrangements for handling staff inspection reports, comments on the report on new entrant prison officer training, which was issued in April, have been sought from all those with an interest. These have just been received and are now being considered. It is likely to be several weeks before any decisions are taken on the inspectors' recommendations.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any further discussions are planned with the Prison Officers Association in respect of probable future decisions in respect of new entrant prison officer training.
Mr. Mellor : At the meeting between members of the national executive committee of the Prison Officers Association and senior prison service officials on 16 May, the Prison Officers Association representatives gave a full account of their position. No further meetings on the subject are currently planned, although there will be the opportunity for further discussion at the next regular meeting of the relevant national Whitley sub-committee.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place with the Prison Officers Association on a local and national basis in relation to new entrant prison officer training.
Mr. Mellor : There are regular opportunities, both nationally and locally, for discussions between management and the Prison Officers Association about new entrant prison officer training generally. In the case of the recent staff inspection of new entrant prison officer training the inspectors gave local representatives of the Prison Officers Association the opportunity to comment on their emerging findings before completing their report. The full report was issued in April and the views of all those with an interest, including the Prison Officers Association, were sought. Members of the national executive committee of the Prison Officers Association attended a meeting with senior prison service officials on 16 May at which the staff inspection report was discussed.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what exercises have been conducted to
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evaluate the possible consequences of downgrading training tutors in new entrant prison officer training establishments from principal to senior officer rank.Mr. Mellor : The staff inspection team, which was led by an experienced prison governor, considered carefully the qualities, experience and expertise required of the tutorial staff. It was their considered judgment that the quality of training given to new prison officers would not suffer if their recommendation to regrade tutor posts to senior officer level were implemented.
Prisons (Crown Immunity)
Sir Charles Irving : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the effect of the Food Safety Bill on Crown immunity in prisons and on the inspection of prisons by local authority environmental health officers ; and when the relevant provisions will come into effect.
Mr. Mellor : The provisions of the Bill will allow local authority environmental health officers the right of entry to prison establishments to carry out inspections of the catering facilities and make recommendations for improvement by way of Crown notices. When a decision is taken on the date of introduction of the relevant provisions a formal announcement will be made.
Traffic Wardens
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what period of training traffic wardens undergo before starting work in the Metropolitan police area ;
(2) how many traffic wardens are employed by the Metropolitan police ; and how many of them are women ;
(3) what are the main educational qualifications required for people joining the Metropolitan police area traffic warden force ; (4) what is the level of payment received by Metropolitan police area traffic wardens, giving (a) starting salaries and (b) average earnings.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 30 April 1990 there were 1,312 traffic wardens employed in the Metropolitan police district. The Commissioner does not collect statistics about what sex wardens are but he estimates that there are more women than men in the service.
While specific qualifications are not sought, entry to the service is by means of a testing selection process aimed at finding candidates with common sense and good communications skills. Once appointed, wardens undergo three weeks and four days training. They are accompanied by an experienced traffic warden for several weeks after being posted to a unit.
The starting salary of the basic grade traffic warden is £7,254 per annum. In addition, the job attracts London weighting of either £1, 750, £1,000 or £725, depending on the work location. A boot allowance of £40.64 per annum and sock allowance of £32.28 per annum (women only) is also payable.
Average gross earnings inclusive of overtime and allowances are as follows :
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|£
-----------------------------------------------------
Traffic Warden (basic grade) |10,490.84
Traffic Warden Supervisor |11,852.80
Traffic Warden Controller |13,150.12
Senior Traffic Warden Controller |14,725.52
Area Traffic Warden Controller |16,405.28
Passports
Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce 0898 numbers to provide information on passport matters to the public, either before or after agency status.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The telephone service provided by passport offices is kept under review and a survey of demand is currently being conducted. There are no present plans for the introduction of an 0898 number.
Merseyside Police Authority
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received about the funding of Merseyside police authority ;
(2) if he will increase the supplementary level of approval for Merseyside police authority for 1990-91 ;
(3) if he will make a statement on the level of central funding for Merseyside police authority and on the funding shortfall faced by Merseyside police authority in 1990 to 1992.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. and noble Friend discussed the funding of capital expenditure with the chief constable and members of the police authority during a recent visit to Merseyside. Under the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Government issue grants and credit approvals for capital expenditure by police authorities. The provision for grant and credit approvals for 1990-91, which is subject to cash limits, has been fully allocated to police authorities. No extra funding will be made available this year. It is, however, open to police authorities to incur capital expenditure above the level implied by allocation, but such expenditure would not attract grant.
Merseyside police authority will receive £1.194 million in capital grant, and credit approvals for £0.336 million in 1990-91. This will support capital expenditure of £2.130 million compared with the police authority's proposals for capital expenditure of £6.324 million.
No decisions have yet been made about the level of funding for 1991-92.
Notting Hill Carnival
Mr. Corbyn : 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 as to what police manpower and financial resources have been used in preparation of the task force report on the Notting Hill carnival.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 12 June 1990] : No. I understand that no police resources have been used in any recent report on Notting Hill carnival prepared by North Kensington task force.
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PRIME MINISTER
Zimbabwe
Q41. Mr. Hunter : To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has made recently to the President of Zimbabwe regarding the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe.
The Prime Minister : None. Our assessment, which is shared by Amnesty International and other independent human rights organisations, is that Zimbabwe's human rights performance has significantly improved in recent years. The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe annual report for 1989 says that the situation in the country was generally good with only a few areas of concern. We take every suitable opportunity to encourage the Zimbabweans to reinforce this improvement.
Local Government Finance
Q50. Mr. Latham : To ask the Prime Minister whether she plans to make a further statement on the progress of the Government's review of the community charge.
The Prime Minister : The Government are continuing their review of the operation of the community charge and will announce the results in due course.
Finchley
Q119. Mr. Spearing : To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to make an official visit to Finchley.
The Prime Minister : I do not visit Finchley in my official capacity but as the local Member of Parliament.
Rainham
Q134. Mr. Squire : To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Rainham in Essex.
The Prime Minister : I have at present no plans to do so.
Bradford
Q138. Mr. Cryer : To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to a Bradford school.
The Prime Minister : I have at present no plans to do so.
Food Prices
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the extra cost per family of food prices caused by the common agricultural policy ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I have frequently raised at the European Council the consequences of the common agricultural policy for the Community's consumers and taxpayers, and have pressed for reforms to be made. I am glad to say that a significant measure of reform has been achieved. I shall certainly continue to stress to my Community partners the importance of continuing this process of reform, particularly in the context of the current GATT negotiations.
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Polaris
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Prime Minister what is the current status of the 1958 Polaris agreement.
The Prime Minister : The 1958 United Kingdom-United States agreement for co-operation in the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes, as contained in Cmnd. 537, and amended by Cmnds. 859, 4119, 4383, 6017, 7976 and 9336, remains extant. The 1963 Polaris sales agreement was adapted in October 1982 to cover the purchase of the Trident-II weapon system, and remains extant.
Overseas Visits
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Prime Minister if, further to her reply to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mr. Grocott) on 14 June, Official Report , column 270 , she will give the cost of each of the trips she has undertaken overseas since 1979 and the number of staff who have accompanied her on each occasion.
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer of 14 June, Official Report , column 270-1 , to the hon. Member for The Wrekin listing her official visits abroad, she will indicate in each case the cost of the visit.
The Prime Minister : This information is not available in the form requested except at disproportionate cost. The total cost of my overseas travel, and of those accompanying me, for each year since 1979 is as follows :
|£
---------------------------
1979-80<1> |151,864
1980-81 |133,206
1981-82 |556,000
1982-83 |523,587
1983-84 |216,146
1984-85 |414,259
1985-86 |457,483
1986-87 |447,066
1987-88 |341,880
1988-89 |637,096
1989-90<2> |387,040
<1> From May 1979.
<2> Expenditure to date.
Billing delays mean that
some of the services used
in 1989-90 have not yet
been paid for.
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer on 14 June to the hon. Member for The Wrekin, Official Report, column 270-71, listing her 74 official visits abroad, she will list the criteria which determine whether or not oral statements are considered appropriate.
The Prime Minister : I have nothing further to add to the reply that I gave the hon. Member on 14 June.
Engagements
Mr. Gill : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.
Mr. Butler : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.
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Mr. Stern : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.
The Prime Minister : This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the mayor of Paris, M. Jacques Chirac, and this evening I shall preside at a dinner in honour of the Crown Prince of Morocco.
EMPLOYMENT
Skill Centres
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how, in each individual case, the 61 potential bidders for the skill centres, who agreed that their identities might be disclosed, were assessed under appendix IV, principal lease terms, of the Deloitte information memorandum issued on his behalf ; which bidders were informed of the possibility of grant being available ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : The 61 organisations that the hon. Member describes as potential bidders were those which had expressed an interest in the sale, and had agreed to have their identities disclosed to STA staff and trade unions. Not all those organisations submitted an initial bid.
Bidders had the choice of acquiring the Government's freehold or long leasehold interest in the properties or of taking a short lease, under the terms referred to in appendix IV of the information memorandum. Whichever option was chosen was up to the bidder and, provided that the main lease terms were met, no other element of assessment attached to appendix IV.
There were no grants available to bidders and none was paid. Most bids involved a negative consideration, which reflected factors such as the nature of leasehold, and estimated costs of turning the business round. All the bids received were evaluated by our professional advisers on a common basis. The Government chose the mix of bids which best met the objectives for the sale, a copy of which was placed in the Vote Office on 13 February 1990.
Employment Training
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to reduce the drop-out rate from his Department's employment training programme.
Mr. Nicholls : My Department is already pursuing a range of initiatives to ensure that those who express an intial interest in training receive appropriate information and help to enable them successfully to take up a training place and complete their agreed training. In addition, the recent efficiency scrutiny of take-up of my Department's programmes has produced its report. My right hon. and learned Friend is presently considering its findings and recommendations and plans to make it publicly available before the recess.
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Technical and Vocational Education Initiative
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the reduction in expenditure on the technical and vocational education initiative extension for Blackburn and Darwen.
Mr. Eggar : I have agreed that Lancashire education authority, which includes Blackburn and Darwen, should start the extension phase of the technical and vocational education initiative (TVEI) in September 1990. The authority will receive its full share of funding over the lifetime of the programme. Lancashire will receive £870,000 for the financial year 1990-91.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table giving the expenditure on the technical and vocational educational initiative and its extension for Blackburn and Darwen for each year since its inception and that planned for future years.
Mr. Eggar : Blackburn and Darwen did not take part in Lancashire preparatory TVEI project. Development funding of £22,000 was spent by the Blackburn and Darwen consortium in 1989-90. Funds allocated to Blackburn and Darwen during the extension phase of TVEI will depend upon resources available and on Lancashire education authority's plan.
Tourism
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment approximately how many people are currently employed in jobs related to tourism within the United Kingdom ; and what was the figure five years ago.
Mr. Nicholls : There were an estimated 1,330,000 employees employed in tourism-related industries in Great Britain in December 1989, the last available date, compared with 1,146,000 in the corresponding month of 1984. Employment in these industries is seasonal and in September 1989 there were 1,390,000 employees compared with 1,205,000 in September 1984.
Local Offices
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his best estimate of the value of the unemployment benefit office network.
Mr. Eggar : The unemployment benefit office network, formerly wholly owned and managed as part of the civil estate by the Property Services Agency, is now divided into two separate estates. These are :
The common user estate--owned and managed by DoE Property Holdings ;
The departmental estate--owned and managed by the Employment Department.
Information as to the value of the unemployment benefit office network is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to rationalise the unemployment benefit network.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployment benefit offices were in operation on 1 April.
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Mr. Eggar : The Employment Service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Gentleman.HEALTH
Immunisation
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that the level of take-up of vaccines is consistent nationally.
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that Britain reaches the World Health Organisation's target of 90 per cent. for Europe for vaccination uptake.
Mr. Dorrell : The Department has funded the Health Education Authority to mount a joint nationwide immunisation campaign later this year which will provide health professionals with advice and training materials and the public with information on the benefits of immunisation. The campaign will include television advertising, posters and leaflets aimed at responding to the questions most frequently raised by parents of 0 to 5- year-olds.
We have accepted the World Health Organisation's90 per cent. target for vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella. Departmental officials hold regular meetings with district immunisation co-ordinators to advise them of national developments, identify areas of difficulty and exchange information on local initiatives.
The new contract for general practitioners which applies from 1 April 1990 provides for bonus payments if 90 per cent. of patients are immunised as recommended.
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