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Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 5 July 1990] : My reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye (Mr. Warren) today sets out EC legislation within the Secretary of State's responsibility which gives the Commission power to inspect business premises. Companies should consult their legal advisers on Community powers in individual cases.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement setting out the difference in the powers of United Kingdom-based company inspectors and European Community inspectors in relation to the entering of business premises and the seizure of documents.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 5 July 1990] : In the competition area, where we can give a reasonable comparison, the main difference is that under both United Kingdom and EC law authorities can require the
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production of documents and the giving of oral evidence, but only under EC law can authorities demand entry to premises.Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who supervises office searches in the United Kingdom by European Community inspectors ; and if any limits are in general placed on the extent of the papers and documents which may be seized or studied.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 5 July 1990] : Detailed working rules on office searches by European Community inspectors will be set by the Commission within the framework of the Community regulations which permit such searches. It is the practice for an official of the Office of Fair Trading to accompany Commission officials conducting investigations in the United Kingdom whenever possible.
Multi-fibre Arrangement
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the quotas covered by the multi-fibre arrangement and indicate the proportion of each quota used.
Mr. Redwood [pursuant to his reply, 14 March 1990, c. 306] : The Department of Trade and Industry is now able to provide a list of quotas covered by the multi-fibre arrangement together with relevant data on utilisation for 1988. This has been placed in the Library of the House.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Prison Canteens
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis prices in prison canteens are calculated ; and what progress has been made in reducing differences between prices in different prisons.
Mr. Mellor : To reduce differences in prices of goods sold in different prison canteens, governors will be reminded in a circular instruction to be issued on 26 July that selling prices should be at the manufacturer's recommended retail price. Where such a price is not set the selling price should be that which members of the public normally pay in retail transactions.
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Elderly Prisoners
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special rules or arrangements are made for prisoners over pensionable age.
Mr. Mellor : None formally, but prison staff naturally have regard to the age and physical condition of prisoners in their care.
Prison Clothing Supplies
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the scale holding of prisoners' pyjamas in each London prison.
Mr. Mellor : Pyjamas are an optional item, and the quantity held in any one establishment will vary depending on the number of prisoners wishing to wear them. Information on the total holding at each male London prison, including articles in use, could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Stocks currently held in store are as follows :
|pairs
--------------------------------------
HM Prison Brixton |1,000
HM Prison Pentonville |210
HM Prison Wandsworth |800
HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs |250
Immigration
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British citizenship under section 4(5) of the British Nationality Act 1981 have been (a) made, (b) granted and (c) refused in each quarter since January 1989 ; and how many of those granted have been on the grounds of service in the armed forces.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information is not readily available in the form requested. The total number of applications to date in each category, with equivalent figures up to July 1989 in brackets, is as follows :
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D
Servicemen Others Total
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Received |57 |(53) |540 |(499)|597 |(552)
Granted |56 |(52) |11 |(9) |67 |(61)
Refused |- |(-) |487 |(487)|487 |(487)
Withdrawn |1 |(1) |- |(-) |1 |(1)
Still under consideration |- |(-) |42 |(3) |42 |(3)
Note:-The numbers in the first column are former service men in
Hong Kong who served under the Government of that territory in its
defence during the second world war.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance as (a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiance s and (d) fiance es in each British post in all countries apart from those of the Indian subcontinent were (a) granted and (b) refused in each quarter since January 1989 ; how many such applications in each category, at each post and in each quarter were refused (1) wholly and (2) partly because of the primary purpose rule ; what was the refusal rate at each post ; and what percentage of those refusals were (x) wholly and (y) partly on primary purpose grounds.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : The only information requested which is available centrally is that on applications granted and refused in Hong Kong, and is given in the table.
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D
Servicemen Others Total
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Received |57 |(53) |540 |(499)|597 |(552)
Granted |56 |(52) |11 |(9) |67 |(61)
Refused |- |(-) |487 |(487)|487 |(487)
Withdrawn |1 |(1) |- |(-) |1 |(1)
Still under consideration |- |(-) |42 |(3) |42 |(3)
Note:-The numbers in the first column are former service men in
Hong Kong who served under the Government of that territory in its
defence during the second world war.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of passengers detained overnight under Immigration Act powers during 1989, by nationality ; and how many of these were under 18 years old ;
(2) how many people, by nationality, were detained (a) overnight and (b) for a period of more than one month in (i) Harmondsworth detention centre, (ii) the Queen's building, Heathrow, (iii) the Beehive, Gatwick, and (iv) Her Majesty's prison, Haslar, during 1989.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Most of the readily available information relates to the number of passengers whose detention spanned at least one night pending further examination of their application for admission to, or their removal from, the United Kingdom and is given in the tables. The remaining information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Table 2-Passengers<1> detained overnight in certain locations, 1989 Location |Number --------------------------------------------------------------- Harmondsworth |<2>3,419 Queen's Building |2,574 Gatwick South (virtually all at the Beehive) |2,822 Haslar |547 <1> All figures, except for the Queen's Building and Haslar, exclude illegal entrants and deportees. <2> Some passengers who were detained elsewhere prior to being detained at Harmondsworth are excluded.
Table 2-Passengers<1> detained overnight in certain locations, 1989 Location |Number --------------------------------------------------------------- Harmondsworth |<2>3,419 Queen's Building |2,574 Gatwick South (virtually all at the Beehive) |2,822 Haslar |547 <1> All figures, except for the Queen's Building and Haslar, exclude illegal entrants and deportees. <2> Some passengers who were detained elsewhere prior to being detained at Harmondsworth are excluded.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the (a) passengers in total and (b) persons treated as illegal entrants who were granted temporary admission in 1989 subsequently absconded ; and how many subsequently (i) contacted the immigration authorities themselves or (ii) were traced.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The available information relates to the number of persons who absconded, either from detention or by failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission/release, and is as follows :
Absconders in 1989 Category of person |Number --------------------------------------------------------- Passengers |<1>475 Illegal entrants |<2>184 <1> Includes some illegal entrants. <2> Includes those illegal entrants included in "passenger absconders".
The distinction between those absconding from detention and those failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission/release as well as information
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regarding those who either contacted the immigration authorities or were traced is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed in the nationality division to process nationality applications in each month since April 1989.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The numbers of staff in caseworking groups in the nationality division, including the Liverpool nationality office, involved in processing applications for citizenship were as follows :
|Receipts £
-----------------------------------
1989
April |223,717
May |230.949
June |246,146
July |158,471
August |207,716
September |283.920
October |200,794
November |245,589
December |135,075
1990
January |181,841
February |207,181
March |245,521
April |148,912
May |151,211
June |142,463
Part-time staff are counted as 0.5.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what income the nationality division received in nationality fees, in each month from April 1989 to the nearest available date.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Fees received for applications for citizenship, net of refunds to unsuccessful applicants, were as follows : \TCW90007012B
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notices have been issued to each airline under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 in each quarter since January 1989 ; how much money has accrued as a result ; and how many such notices have been contested by each airline.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : It is not the practice to disclose information on the record of individual airlines under the
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Act. The total number of notices issued to carriers--airlines and sea operators--in each quarter since January 1989 was as follows :
0
Quarter Ending |Number of
| Notices
------------------------------------------------
31 March 1989 |1,345
30 June 1989 |1,616
30 September 1989 |2,208
31 December 1989 |2,694
31 March 1990 |1,912
|-------
Total |9,775
A total of £2.476 million was received during this period and representations were made by carriers in 2,698 cases.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications from over-age reapplicants from the Indian subcontinent, by country, seeking to join a sponsor settled in the United Kingdom have been (a) made, (b) deferred, (c) refused and (d) granted since 1988 ; and how many such reapplicants in each category had undergone successful DNA tests.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The only available information is that a total of 142 applications to join parents in the United Kingdom made by reapplicants who have established their relationship by means of DNA evidence, but who do not qualify for admission under the immigration rules, have now been decided under the terms of the concession
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announced by my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary on 14 June 1989 at columns 461-62. Entry clearance has been authorised in 38 of these cases.Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wives and dependent children applying for entry clearance in the Indian subcontinent in each quarter since January 1989 were refused (a) on first application and (b) on second or subsequent application.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Quarterly information up to the end of 1989 on the total numbers of wives and children in the Indian subcontinent refused entry clearance to the United Kingdom is published in table 24 of Cm 1124, "Control of Immigration : Statistics, United Kingdom, 1989", a copy of which is in the Library. In the first quarter of 1990, 240 wives and 360 children were initially refused entry clearance. Separate information on first-time applicants and reapplicants is not available centrally.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for settlement by wives and children in (i) Dhaka, (ii) Islamabad and (iii) Karachi were (a) received, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) deferred at first interview, (e) lapsed and (f) outstanding and awaiting first interview for each quarter since the beginning of 1989.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is given in the table.
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Wives and children applying for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom<1>
Number of persons
Applications
Post |Newly received<2>|Granted<3> |Refused |Referred or |Withdrawn or |Awaiting first
|initially<4> |deferred<5> | lapsed<4> | interview at end
| of quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dhaka
1989
1st quarter |1,410 |2,220 |470 |780 |470 |2,600
2nd quarter |1,390 |2,070 |450 |620 |420 |2,200
3rd quarter |1,460 |1,810 |290 |570 |390 |1,700
4th quarter |1,490 |1,510 |510 |490 |350 |1,500
1990
1st quarter |1,320 |1,570 |520 |470 |280 |1,600
Islamabad
1989
1st quarter |1,200 |1,110 |90 |840 |170 |2,100
2nd quarter |1,020 |1,260 |60 |800 |120 |1,900
3rd quarter |1,010 |1,020 |60 |710 |100 |1,800
4th quarter |920 |790 |50 |530 |90 |1,800
1990
1st quarter |1,190 |990 |250 |640 |100 |1,700
Karachi
1989
1st quarter |90 |60 |<6> |20 |<6> |100
2nd quarter |60 |80 |<6> |30 |30 |50
3rd quarter |60 |80 |10 |40 |- |10
4th quarter |40 |40 |10 |10 |<6> |30
1990
1st quarter |100 |60 |10 |10 |<6> |70
<1> Including persons applying for a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the United Kingdom.
<2> Data include some double counting in respect of applications recorded initially for entry clearance and then subsequently for a certificate
of entitlement.
<3> Granted initially or on appeal.
<4> Since about the end of 1989, settlement applications have been refused in those circumstances where previously they would have been lapsed.
<5> Referred to the Home Office for decision or deferred for further inquiries.
<6> Five or fewer.
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Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for registration under section 7(6)(a) of the British Nationality Act 1981 made after 31 December 1987 have been (a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused ; and what criteria he uses to decide on the special circumstances of a case.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information about the number of applications for registration under section 7 of the British Nationality Act 1981 made after 31 December 1987 which were received and granted is not available. Between January 1988 and June 1990, 454 applications made under section 7 of the Act are recorded as having been refused as late applications. During the passage of the 1981 Act it was made clear that the discretion to accept a late registration application would be used sparingly in cases of hardship where an applicant could show good reasons why he or she could not apply in time.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for (a) adult registration, (b) registration of minors and (c) naturalisation were (i) received and (ii) granted by the nationality division, for each month from January 1989 to the nearest available date.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The numbers of applications for citizenship received in caseworking groups are set out in table 1. The figures in the table do not include applications received but not yet recorded on the nationality division's computer, of which there were approximately 3,000 at the end of June 1990. The numbers of applications granted are set out in table 2.
Table 2
------------------------------------
1989
January |8,263|743 |1,226
February |7,707|708 |1,361
March |8,453|795 |1,639
April |7,508|736 |1,683
May |6,013|790 |1,591
June |6,690|1,237|1,925
July |6,349|1,173|1,623
August |8,399|1,393|1,612
September |6,979|1,310|1,551
October |8,023|1,349|2,193
November |7,088|1,419|2,003
December |4,105|905 |1,296
1990
January |6,994|1,190|2,037
February |4,160|907 |1,688
March |3,127|996 |2,021
April |2,403|944 |1,861
May |1,038|394 |953
June |1,284|915 |1,765
Table 2
------------------------------------
1989
January |8,263|743 |1,226
February |7,707|708 |1,361
March |8,453|795 |1,639
April |7,508|736 |1,683
May |6,013|790 |1,591
June |6,690|1,237|1,925
July |6,349|1,173|1,623
August |8,399|1,393|1,612
September |6,979|1,310|1,551
October |8,023|1,349|2,193
November |7,088|1,419|2,003
December |4,105|905 |1,296
1990
January |6,994|1,190|2,037
February |4,160|907 |1,688
March |3,127|996 |2,021
April |2,403|944 |1,861
May |1,038|394 |953
June |1,284|915 |1,765
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) husbands, (b) wives and (c) dependent children have been refused (i) extension of stay and (ii) settlement in the United Kingdom on the grounds that he is not satisfied that they can be maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds, in each quarter since January 1989 to the nearest available date.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The available information relating to after-entry cases is given in the following table. Information on dependent children is not readily available.
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Refusals, on grounds of maintenance and accommodation, of after-entry applications by husbands
and wives
Number of persons
Refusals to grant probationary year Refusals
on grounds of:-
|Accommodation |Maintenance |Maintenance and
| accommodation
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989
Quarter 1
Husbands |1 |- |1 |5
Wives |2 |- |- |-
Quarter 2
Husbands |- |2 |2 |8
Wives |- |- |- |3
Quarter 3
Husbands |3 |- |- |7
Wives |1 |1 |- |6
Quarter 4
Husbands |4 |- |2 |5
Wives |1 |- |- |3
1990
Quarter 1
Husbands |1 |- |- |3
Wives |- |- |1 |4
<1> After probationary year on general considerations, including recourse to public funds.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) British nationals and (b) holders of certificates of identity from Hong Kong have been admitted to the United Kingdom in each quarter since January 1989 as (i) persons on independent
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means, (ii) self-employed persons, (iii) business people, (iv) visitors, (v) students, (vi) husbands and fiance s, (vii) wives and fiance es and (viii) other dependent relatives.Mr. Peter Lloyd : The available information for BDTCs and BN(O)s from Hong Kong is given in the table. Figures on admissions of holders of certificates of identity from Hong Kong are not available.
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Admissions to the United Kingdom of British Dependent Territories Citizens and British Nationals ( Overseas) from Hong Kong Number of persons Admission 1989 Total <1>1990 category |1st quarter|2nd quarter|3rd quarter|4th quarter|1989 |1st quarter --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visitors |6,260 |7,740 |13,700 |6,040 |33,800 |5,980 Business visitors |1,400 |1,320 |1,450 |1,250 |5,420 |1,430 Students |360 |290 |5,490 |1,090 |7,230 |430 Husbands and fiances |10 |10 |20 |10 |50 |10 Wives and fiancees |30 |40 |40 |30 |150 |40 <1>Provisional figures.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was (i) the budgeted cost and (ii) the actual cost of processing nationality applications in the nationality division during 1989-90.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The budgeted cost of processing applications for citizenship during 1989-90 was £7,922,000. Final outturn costs are not yet available but are expected to be in the region of £7.1 million.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will produce a table to show, for 1989 and the first quarter of 1990, the number of settlement applications at the post in Dhaka which were (a) received, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) deferred at first interview, (e) lapsed, (f) outstanding and (g) outstanding and awaiting first interview.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is given in the table.
Applications in Bangladesh for entry clearance for settlement in the
United Kingdom<1>
Number of persons
Applications |1989 |1990
|1st quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newly received<2> |6,910 |1,730
Granted<3> |7,960 |1,640
Refused initially<4> |2,450 |750
Referred or deferred<5> |2,920 |580
Withdrawn or lapsed<4> |1,840 |350
Outstanding at end of period |5,800 |4,500
Of which, awaiting first interview |2,100 |2,200
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men, (b) women and (c) children were waiting in each queue at each post in the Indian subcontinent on 31 March.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information on the estimated total numbers in each queue is given in the table ; separate information on men, women and children is not available centrally.
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Estimated numbers of applicants in the Indian sub-continent on 31 March 1990
awaiting their first interview for entry to the
United Kingdom
Number of persons
Post Category<1>
|Queue 1|Queue 2|Queue 3|Queue 4|Queue 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dhaka |370 |900 |130 |830 |-
New Delhi<2> |<3>- |250 |170 |60 |160
Bombay |- |630 |380 |120 |140
Calcutta |- |- |- |- |-
Madras |- |50 |10 |- |10
Islamabad |100 |2,200 |440 |320 |890
Karachi |<3>- |100 |20 |10 |<3>-
Total Indian sub-continent |480 |4,100 |1,100 |1,300 |1,200
<1> Queue 1: Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependent relatives
over 70 years old, and special compassionate cases (first-time applicants
for settlement).
Queue 2: Spouses, and children under 18 years old (first-time applicants for
settlement).
Queue 3: Fiance(e)s, and other applicants (first-time applicants for
settlement).
Queue 4: Re-applicants for settlement.
Queue 5: Other applicants (not for settlement).
<2> Data exclude Afghans seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom.
<3> Five or fewer.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were waiting for special quota vouchers in (i) India and (ii) east Africa in (a) May 1989, (b) December 1989 and (c) May 1990 ; when those issued with vouchers on those dates had applied ; how many vouchers were issued in (1) India and (2) east Africa in (i)
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1989 and (ii) the first quarter of 1990 ; when those applying now can expect to receive vouchers ; and how many applicants there were for vouchers in (x) India and (y) east Africa in (a) 1989 and (b) the first half of 1990.Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information which is currently available is given in the tables.
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Table 2: Waiting times for persons applying for a special voucher
Months
Waiting time to main interview for:
Persons interviewed at end of month Persons
|applying at end
| of month<1>
|May 1989 |December 1989 |March 1990 |March 1990
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India<2> |72.0 |48.0 |36.0 |<3>18.0
Kenya |2.0 |1.5 |<4>- |<4>-
Tanzania |1.5 |1.5 |1.5 |1.5
Malawi |- |- |0.5 |0.5
Zambia |1.0 |1.0 |1.0 |1.0
<1> Data relate to expected waiting time.
<2> Data relate to non-priority applicants. Priority applicants (ie. widows with a child in the
United Kingdom, heads of household aged 65 or over, and special compassionate cases) are
interviewed within three months.
<3> Provisional estimate.
<4>- within a week.
Table 2: Waiting times for persons applying for a special voucher
Months
Waiting time to main interview for:
Persons interviewed at end of month Persons
|applying at end
| of month<1>
|May 1989 |December 1989 |March 1990 |March 1990
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India<2> |72.0 |48.0 |36.0 |<3>18.0
Kenya |2.0 |1.5 |<4>- |<4>-
Tanzania |1.5 |1.5 |1.5 |1.5
Malawi |- |- |0.5 |0.5
Zambia |1.0 |1.0 |1.0 |1.0
<1> Data relate to expected waiting time.
<2> Data relate to non-priority applicants. Priority applicants (ie. widows with a child in the
United Kingdom, heads of household aged 65 or over, and special compassionate cases) are
interviewed within three months.
<3> Provisional estimate.
<4>- within a week.
Correspondence
Mr. Mudd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne may expect a response to his communication of 26 April on behalf of Maria Giles of 74 Rosemellin, Camborne, Cornwall, on an issue involving experiments on animals.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I replied to my hon. Friend on 21 May.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter from the
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hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde sent to his Department on 25 June regarding the establishment of the Football Licensing Authority.Mr. John Patten : My right hon. and noble Friend replied to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde on 12 July.
AIDS Videos
Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the showing of his Department's two videos on AIDS to (a) prison officers and (b) prisoners ; and if he will make a statement on progress towards his objectives.
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Mr. Mellor : The staff training film "AIDS Inside" is shown to all new entrant prison officers as part of their initial training. Since the film was introduced in August 1987 governors have been set annual training targets designed to enable all other operational staff to receive a showing of the film. We have recently asked governors to report the progress made towards meeting that objective."AIDS Inside and Out", a film for prisoners, was introduced in March 1989. Governors were set a target of showing the film at least once to every willing prisoner expected to be in custody for four weeks or longer. They were asked to include a progress report in their annual report for 1990-91. The target will be reviewed in the light of their reports.
Football Licensing Authority
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 15 June, Official Report, column 360, what stage has now been reached in making appointments to the Football Licensing Authority ; and when he expects the authority to be in place.
Mr. John Patten : Following the appointment of Mr. Norman Jacobs as chairman of the Football Licensing Authority, announced on 12 July, the other members and staff of the authority will now be appointed as soon as possible. It will nevertheless be some months before the authority is fully operational.
Trafalgar Square (Incident)
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of providing the answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East, Official Report, 13 June, columns 191-94.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The reply given to the hon. Member on 13 June contained information which was readily available from police records. No estimate of the cost of the reply was therefore made.
Football Supporters Association
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet officials of the Football Supporters Association.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. and learned Friend has no such plans at present.
Forensic Science
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to recruit extra staff to replace the 24 police liaison officers in the forensic science laboratories, who are being shed as a result of the current forensic science service reorganisation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Police liaison officer attachments to the FSS will be phased out by April 1991 as part of the Government's programme of civilianisation of non-operational posts. Replacement is planned over this year and next.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated effect on (a) the
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existing backlog of case work and (b) in- house work in the forensic science service, of scientists being taken off existing work to participate in project work and implementation teams, for the current reorganisation of the service ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Peter Lloyd : I am pleased to say that the staff of the forensic science service have been fully involved in all the work and changes necessary to introduce direct charging and become an executive agency in April 1991. This has been to the benefit of in-house work. The number of cases waiting to be examined has grown recently for a number of reasons including this one. We expect this position to be remedied with the changes now in place.
Police (Complaints)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used by the Police Complaints Authority to determine which complaint cases will be supervised.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : These are set out in section 89(2) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
WALES
NHS Trusts
4. Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met with the chairman of the Mid Glamorgan health authority to discuss the formation of hospital trusts.
Mr. Grist : My right hon. Friend has not discussed the formation of hospital trusts with the chairman of Mid Glamorgan health authority.
Inward Investment
14. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many inward investment projects have been received in Wales over the last five years for which figures are available ; and what has been the total worth of such investment.
Mr. David Hunt : During the five years to 31 March, Wales secured a total of 488 inward investment projects--a rate of almost two every week. The companies involved estimated the capital investment at some £2.5 billion. Since March a further 32 projects have been secured with an estimated capital investment of £263 million.
Housing
15. Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to meet district council leaders in Wales to discuss housing provision.
Mr. Grist : The Department regularly meets all housing authorities in Wales to discuss a wide range of issues.
19. Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of owner-occupation in Wales.
Mr. Grist : It is estimated that at December 1989, a total of 71 per cent. of the housing stock in Wales was owner-occupied.
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Welsh Language
16. Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of consultations on the introduction of a new Welsh Language Act.
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