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Local Government Finance
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will inform local authorities about the introduction of the method of compensating applicants who did not qualify for poll tax rebate in the year 1989-90 because they had capital between £8,000 and £16,000 ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Detailed draft proposals were sent to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities for comment on 14 June. I hope to receive the convention's response shortly so that regulations can be laid before the House.
Council Rents
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the average council rent level as a percentage of (a) average male earnings, (b) average female earnings and (c) the national insurance retirement pension for a single pensioner and a pensioner couple in each of the years since 1984 for which figures are available.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 25 June 1990] : The information requested is set out in the table.
Average council rent<1> expressed as a percentage of
|Average |Average |Retirement |Retirement
|male |female |pension for|pension for
|earnings<2>|earnings<2>|single |married
|person<3> |couple<3>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |5.9 |9.4 |30.7 |19.2
1985-86 |6.1 |9.7 |32.3 |20.3
1986-87 |6.5 |10.0 |33.6 |21.0
1987-88 |6.8 |10.4 |36.9 |23.1
1988-89 |6.9 |10.6 |39.4 |24.6
1989-90 |7.5 |11.1 |43.1 |26.9
1990-91 |n/a |n/a |44.6 |27.8
<1> Average standard unrebated local authority rent in Scotland.
<2> Average earnings of full-time employees in Scotland on adult rates
whose pay was not affected by absence, as recorded in April of each
year.
<3> Basic national insurance pension payable in April of each year.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Electronic Tagging
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to consult with the first individual to be electronically tagged on the efficacy of the scheme : and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : As part of the evaluation of the trials of electronic monitoring a sample of those monitored have already been interviewed about their experiences and views. The results of the evaluation will be published, but the defendants interviewed will not be identified.
Prisoners (Suicides)
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the trend in the number of suicides among prisoners on remand over the last 10 years.
Mr. Mellor : The table gives the figures for the number of suicides by remand prisoners during the last 10 years :
|Number
-------------------------
1980 |12
1981 |7
1982 |8
1983 |9
1984 |12
1985 |14
1986 |12
1987 |27
1988 |19
<1>1989 |15
<1><2>1990 |1
<1> Inquests have yet to
be held on one other
inmate on remand who
died in 1989 and on nine
inmates on remand who
have died this year and
whose deaths are thought
to have been suicides.
<2> To 25 June 1990.
Suicides (Police Custody)
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the trend in the number of suicides in police custody over the last 10 years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The number of persons who committed suicide while in police custody has been published, since 1980, in the annual reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The information is as follows :
|Number
---------------------
1980 |6
1981 |4
1982 |8
1983 |5
1984 |3
1985 |2
1986 |3
1987 |2
1988 |5
1989 |5
Information prior to 1980 is not available.
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Security, Palace of Westminster
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans exist to replace regular Metropolitan police officers employed in the House of Parliament by security officers ;
(2) what are the educational qualifications demanded of Metropolitan police security officers employed in the Houses of Parliament ;
(3) what is the average length of service of the Metropolitan police security officers employed in the Houses of Parliament ; (4) what is the level of pay of the Metropolitan police security officers employed in the Houses of Parliament, including starting salary and average earnings ;
(5) what is the length of the training period of the Metropolitan police security officers employed in the Houses of Parliament ; (6) how many Metropolitan police security officers have been employed in the Houses of Parliament in each year since their introduction ; and how many are presently employed ;
(7) what plans exist to increase the numbers of Metropolitan police security officers employed in the Houses of Parliament.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : While my right hon. and learned Friend formally approves changes in the number of posts at the Palace of Westminster, security arrangements are primarily matters for the Palace authorities, who take their decisions on the basis of advice provided by the Metropolitan police.
I understand that an inspection of the security force at the Palace of Westminster was carried out by the Metropolitan police at the beginning of the year to assess the changes needed as a result of the opening of the Norman Shaw complex. They recommended changes, including civilianisation of seven police posts, which, if accepted, would increase the number of police officers by three and the number of security officers by 22. The proposals are being considered by the Joint Committee on Security.
The Metropolitan police took over responsibility for security officers at the Palace of Westminster in October 1977. The total number of security officers employed at the end of each calendar year since that date is as follows :
|Number
---------------------
1977 |93
1978 |95
1979 |105
1980 |110
1981 |113
1982 |112
1983 |104
1984 |102
1985 |114
1986 |131
1987 |129
1988 |134
1989 |<1>183
<1> Includes Norman
Shaw building.
A total of 180 security officers are currently employed at the Palace of Westminster.
Information relating to the average length of service of Metropolitan police security officers could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
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Although there are no rigid requirements for educational qualifications, security officers employed at the Palace undergo a recruitment process which looks for good communication skills, reliability and common sense.On joining, all security officers undergo a six-week intensive training course which covers first aid, basic law, powers of arrest, fire appliance training, House regulations and passes. New officers then work alongside experiencd officers for a further six weeks. Additional courses covering explosives, car searches and respirator training are also arranged.
The starting salary of a security officer is £9,594 per annum. This is inclusive of shift allowance but exclusive of overtime and premium payments for work on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. After six months a security officer becomes eligible for promotion and the starting salary for the higher grade is £11,381 per annum. Information about average earnings could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Criminal Offences, Basildon
Mr. Amess : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were (a) charged and (b) convicted of (i) public order offences and (ii) offences against the person in the Basildon area for each of the last seven years.
Mr. John Patten : Information for the Basildon area is not available, but the table gives information for Billericay petty sessional division and Chelmsford Crown court for 1986, 1987 and 1988. Comparable data for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The 1989 data will not be available until autumn 1990.
Persons proceeded against and found guilty of offences
against the
person (1) and public order offences
Number of persons (
----------------------------------------------------------
|1986|1987|1988
Billericay PSD:
Offences against the person Proceeded
against<3> |181 |240 |296
Found guilty |68 |84 |129
Public order offences
Proceeded against |35 |56 |135
Found guilty |23 |33 |77
Chelmsford Crown Court:
Offences against the person
For trial |371 |478 |523
Found guilty |290 |370 |416
Public order offences
For trial |47 |24 |95
Found guilty |38 |22 |45
<1> Violence against the person, sexual offences and
robbery.
<2> As shown by the records held centrally, which are
approximate.
<3> Including those committed to the Crown Court for
trial.
Chief Police Officers
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serving police officers of Association of Chief Police Officers rank joined the service under the graduate entry scheme, or otherwise benefited from the special course at Bramshill ; how many possess university degrees ; how many achieved them through the Bramshill scholarship scheme ; and how many hold other qualifications relevant to their responsibilities as chief officers.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : The graduate entry scheme was introduced in 1968 to attract recruits with higher educational qualifications to the police service and give them the opportunity of accelerated promotion through the Bramshill special course. Most serving members of the Association of Chief Police Officers had joined the police service before this date, but two officers now of assistant chief constable rank were recruited to the service under this scheme. A further 80 officers of ACPO rank were selected for and attended the special course through the service's internal competition. The information held centrally is not comprehensive, and I shall write to my hon. Friend once I have been able to review and update all senior officers' personal records. In the meantime, the information currently available shows that 103 of the 241 members of the Association of Chief Police Officers hold degrees. (Our records do not distinguish between degrees awarded by universities, polytechnics and other institutions). Of these 103 officers, 50 gained their degrees through the Bramshill scholarship scheme. Nineteen current members of ACPO are companions, members or fellows of the British Institute of Management. Nineteen hold other management qualifications (such as the diploma in management studies and certificate in personnel management) or have completed senior management courses such as the top management programme at the civil service college or the Royal College of Defence Studies course. There is some overlap between these groups.Stone Roses Concert
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were injured at the Stone Roses concert at Spike island, Widnes, on 3 June ; how many of the injured were treated in hospital ; and how many were detained in hospital.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand that, in addition to those people (number unknown) who received minimal first aid treatment at the concert itself, two people, who sustained injuries when attempting to get into the event without tickets by climbing over a high fence, were taken to hospital, treated and discharged the same day.
Immigration
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what categories of non-United Kingdom spouses of United Kingdom citizens resident in Hong Kong will have their United Kingdom residential qualifications for naturalisation waived or modified under schedule 1, paragraph 4(d) of the British Nationality Act 1981.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Paragraph 4(d) of schedule 1 to the British Nationality Act 1981 enables the Secretary of State, if he thinks fit in the special circumstances of a particular case, to waive the three-year United Kingdom residence requirement for naturalisation in respect of the spouse of a British citizen serving abroad in Crown or designated service for which he was recruited in the United Kingdom. In practice we would not normally expect to waive the United Kingdom residence requirement unless the marriage had subsisted for three years ; the spouse was unable to meet the United Kingdom residence requirements for the foreseeable future ; and the employing
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organisation was able to show that naturalising the spouse would be in the interests of the organisation and its service to United Kingdom interests.Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a decision is to be taken on the applications of Mrs. Aswat Jan and Atlas Khan to enter the United Kingdom, referred to him on 26 November last by our post in Islamabad Refs : K157032 and K147580 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The entry clearance officer in Islamabad has now been authorised to issue entry clearance to Mrs. Aswat Jan. Atlas Khan's application is being considered under the terms of the concession announced by my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary on 14 June 1989 at columns 461-62. A decision will be taken as soon as possible.
Homelessness
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has had any communication with representatives of the Metropolitan police force in connection with the number of homeless young persons being arrested and convicted under the Vagrancy Act 1824.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Decisions about the deployment of resources to tackle crime are an operational matter for the Commissioner. However, we are conducting a study together with the Metropolitan police to establish recent trends in arrests and how the police might be helped to identify accommodation and other services to which homeless people can be referred.
Channel 5
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his current estimate of the number of video recorders likely to require retuning to achieve Channel 5 output ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : We estimate that something over 750,000 video cassette recorders will need to be retuned or modified in order to prevent interference between the VCR output and the Channel 5 broadcast signal. The Broadcasting Bill provides that the cost of this work should be met by the Channel 5 licensee.
Telecommunications Act 1984
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total number of prosecutions under any section of the Telecommunications Act 1984.
Mr. John Patten : The information available centrally, which may be incomplete, indicates that there were 630 prosecutions in 1988 under the Telecommunications Act 1984.
The 1989 data will not be available until the autumn.
Forensic Science
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to increase the level of funding of the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory and for the Home Office laboratory at Aldermaston in the next financial year ; and if he will make a statement ;
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(2) what is the current level of staffing at the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory ; and what was the level (a) five and (b) 10 years ago ;(3) what has been the number of individual cases handled annually by the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory for each of the past five years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Commissioner has told me that the number of cases handled by the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory in each of the last five years was as follows :
|Number
---------------------
1985 |27,720
1986 |32,406
1987 |27,985
1988 |19,040
1989 |18,053
On 27 June 1990 the strength of the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory was 288. On 31 December 1980 and 31 December 1985 the respective strengths were 271 and 251.
No decisions have yet been taken on the levels of funding for 1991-92 for either the Metropolitan police or the forensic science service.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Fish Processors
8. Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance his Department has given to fish processors to meet new EEC hygiene regulations.
Mr. Curry : Financial assistance is, and will continue to be, available under relevant European Community schemes to help fish processors and others improve their facilities.
Common Agricultural Policy
12. Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met his counterparts in the Council of Ministers to discuss reforming the common agricultural policy.
Mr. Gummer : I last met my Community colleagues in the Agriculture Council earlier this week, when a number of specific reforms to the CAP were discussed.
Information Guides
13. Mr. Andy Stewart : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new guides giving farmers information on the help and advice available from his Department he has published in the last six months.
Mr. Curry : We have recently published a revised and updated version of "At the Farmer's Service". Copies of the booklet have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Dairy Sector
15. Mr. Knox : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next intends to meet the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board to discuss the dairy sector.
Column 326
Mr. Gummer : I have regular meetings with the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board and with other industry leaders to discuss the dairy sector.
Food (Health Dangers)
16. Mr. Adley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those foods which his Department has been advised to be a danger to health.
Mr. Maclean : I can think of no food that someone or other has not suggested is harmful. Nevertheless, my Department has not actually been advised that any type of foods is intrinsically a danger to health providing it has been properly handled and prepared. From time to time it is necessary for central Government or local government to issue warnings in relation to particular brands or batches of foodstuffs, and to take associated action. The chief medical officer has also given advice about the precautions to be taken when preparing and eating certain foods, and about the consumption of certain foods by particular vulnerable groups.
Food (Temperature Controls)
17. Mr. Couchman : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to improve the temperature control standards of the British food industry.
Mr. Maclean : I understand my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Health is intending shortly to lay before Parliament the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulation, which will introduce temperature control standards for certain foods throughout the food chain including manufacture, distribution and retail sale.
Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce
18. Mr. Cousins : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who, under the terms of the framework agreement for the agricultural intervention board agency, will decide on the future location of the board's premises.
Mr. Curry : The future location of the agency will be decided by Agriculture Ministers after considering recommendations submitted to them by the board of the agency.
Food Safety
19. Mr. Marland : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what weight he gives to scientific research in determining the development of his Department's approach towards food safety.
Mr. Maclean : All the Government's measures towards greater food safety are based on the best available expert scientific advice, as we made clear in the White Paper "Food Safety--Protecting the Consumer". In addition to professional advice available within my Ministry and other Government Departments, objective, independent advice is provided by a number of committees including the Food Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, the Veterinary Products Committee, the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food,
Column 327
Consumer Products and the Environment and the steering group on food surveillance--which works through 10 working parties each of which carries out detailed work in specialist fields. We announced on 12 June that we shall be adding to these committees by creating a new advisory committee and a steering group on the microbiological safety of food, a development recommended by the Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food chaired by Sir Mark Richmond. The full scope of the extensive research and development programme on food safety can be gauged from the "Food Sense" booklet on the Government's food surveillance programme, issued at the beginning of this year. There are now 28 food surveillance papers available and the most recent, on "Programmes to Monitor Radioactivity in Food", contains some 48 pages setting out the major programme in this one area alone. A further paper in this series is to be issued shortly. Besides the Government laboratories involved, industry, research associations, academic institutions, consultants and professional organisations all contribute to the work on food surveillance. In addition to its role in providing advice to the Government and the basis it provides for effective legislative control and the harmonisation of trade in food and food raw materials, the programme is also becoming increasingly recognised at an international level as an important source of information and advice.National Farmers Union
20. Sir Hal Miller : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the president of the National Farmers Union ; and what was discussed.
Mr. Gummer : I meet the president of the National Farmers Union frequently to discuss a wide range of topics.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
21. Mr. Key : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on BSE and British beef.
Mr. Gummer : I can do no better than quote the Department of Health's chief medical officer, who said that beef can be eaten safely by everyone. This view has been endorsed by Europe's top scientists.
25. Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the Meat and Livestock Commission to discuss BSE.
40. Mr. Murphy : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the Meat and Livestock Commission to discuss BSE.
51. Mr. Patchett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the Meat and Livestock Commission to discuss BSE.
Mr. Gummer : I met the chairman of the Meat and Livestock Commission on 8 June to discuss BSE.
30. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of the effect on exports from and imports into Britain of the BSE scare.
Mr. Gummer : As yet it is too early to draw any firm conclusions on the effect of the BSE scare on exports from and imports into the United Kingdom.
Column 328
31. Mr. Illsley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his discussions with European Community Agriculture Ministers about BSE.
Mr. Gummer : I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 7 June.
37. Mr. Donald Thompson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the incidence of BSE in other countries.
Mr. Gummer : BSE has been reported in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Oman, where two animals previously exported from Britain were later confirmed as having the disease.
41. Mr. Lewis : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to take further action to control the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Mr. Gummer : The Government have already introduced comprehensive measures to deal with BSE. However, should scientific advice indicate that further action is called for, I will not hesitate to act.
44. Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on progress concerning the incidence of BSE, its notification and elimination ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : It is not expected that there will be significant decline until 1993, after which numbers should fall until its subsequent disappearance.
54. Mr. Latham : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a further statement on Government measures relating to bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Mr. Gummer : The Government have introduced comprehensive measures, based on the very best scientific advice, to tackle all aspects of BSE.
59. Mr. Yeo : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received regarding BSE.
Mr. Gummer : I have received representations about BSE from consumer, producer and other interests.
68. Mr. Gill : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the damage to the industry resulting from the bovine spongiform encephalopathy scare.
Mr. Gummer : It is not possible to isolate the effects of BSE. Clean cattle marketings in England and Wales in the week ending 16 June were higher than those in the week before the import bans were imposed by France and other member states, and prices were also slightly up. Increased support buying of beef under the European Community intervention arrangements coupled with the lifting of the import bans imposed by certain member states should help to sustain the market.
72. Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further representations he has received from the presidents of the farmers unions of Wales on BSE ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 329
Mr. Maclean : I have received representations about BSE from various quarters, including the National Farmers Union of Wales.Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the implication of the Wilding committee's recommendation that basic research should be confined to specialist research institutions for the conducting of research into BSE at the central veterinary laboratory at Weybridge.
Mr. Maclean : I assume that the hon. Member's question relates to the report of the Wildy committee.
The Department funds strategic and applied R and D into animal diseases and I am satisfied that the central veterinary laboratory at Weybridge has the necessary specialist expertise to carry out such research into BSE. The Ministry will continue to commission research at the CVL in an effort to understand, control and eradicate this disease. Basic research is of course currently being funded by the Department of Education and Science at the AFRC's Institute of Animal Health.
Food Advisory Committee
22. Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the chairman of the Food Advisory Committee ; and what was discussed.
Mr. Maclean : I last met the committee's chairman on 7 December 1989 when matters of general interest were discussed.
The committee meets regularly every six weeks and is currently undertaking a major review of food labelling. As a result of recent committee advice I have introduced new regulations prohibiting the use of potassium bromate as a flour improver from 1 April this year ; published and sought comments on the committee's report on old compositional orders and will consider the responses before reaching decisions ; and I am currently preparing proposals for legislation on colours following my acceptance of the committee's recommendations for stricter controls.
The committee's agendas are published in advance of each meeting.
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