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Police (Traffic Activities)
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the percentage of police strength deployed on traffic activities ; and what is the estimated cost of the policing resources which are absorbed by traffic-related tasks.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : In 1989 approximately 8 per cent. of the total police strength in England and Wales was deployed on specialist traffic duties. The proportion of non-specialist officer's time spent on traffic matters is not recorded. The cost of police resources devoted to traffic- related tasks could not therefore be reliably estimated.
Mr. Ward : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Football Association and the Football League about implementation without delay of the recommendations contained in Lord Justice Taylor's report into the Hillsborough stadium disaster.
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State has had such a discussion on behalf of my right hon. and learned Friend. My right hon. and learned Friend was unable to attend because of an urgent commitment in the House. My right hon. and noble Friend has also written to both organisations making clear the Government's view that it is for the football clubs in the first instance to respond to the recommendations in Lord Justice Taylor's report which are addressed to them. We shall be looking to the Football Licensing Authority in due course to keep us informed about progress. In the meantime arrangements have been made for regular meetings between officials of the Football Association, the Football League and the Government Departments most closely concerned, at which such matters can be discussed.
Mr. Ward : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will impose strict annual targets on British football clubs for introducing seating for spectators.
Mr. John Patten : We have no plans to do so. The primary responsibility for responding to Lord Justice Taylor's
recommendations for the progressive removal of standing accommodation rests with the football clubs themselves. Provided that satisfactory progress is being made towards the final target dates of 1994 for first and second division clubs, and 1999 for third and fourth division clubs, we will not expect clubs to comply with a rigid programme for the reduction of standing accommodation or for the introduction of additional seating.
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Forensic Pathology
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 29 January, Official Report, column 21, what is the result of his study of recommendation 3.32 of the Wasserman report on forensic pathology.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : As my right hon. and learned Friend announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 19 July, we have accepted the proposals of the working party on forensic pathology including the recommendation contained in paragraph 3.32 that the Home Office, on the advice of the proposed policy advisory board for forensic pathology, should fund a number of senior lectureships in departments of forensic pathology/forensic medicine. We now await the advice of the board on this matter.
Private Security Firms
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the recommendations of his working group on the private security industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waddington : I am considering, in the light of the working group's report, a range of options for improving the regulation of the private security industry. When consideration of the issues has been completed, I will decide what circulation to give to the report and its recommendations.
Animal Procedures Committee
Mr. Andrew Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee for 1989 ; and when he intends to lay copies of the report before Parliament.
Mr. Waddington : I have laid before Parliament copies of the third annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee which will be published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office as HC581. I welcome this report, which reveals the care which the committee has taken in tackling a number of difficult issues. The control of scientific procedures on living animals is always a matter of great sensitivity and it is reassuring to see that we have a statutory but independent body which safeguards the balance between the welfare of animals and the pursuit of scientific work of real value. I am grateful to the members of the committee for the time and skill which they devote to these matters.
Somali Nationals
Mr. Wells : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to require Somali nationals who wish to transit the United Kingdom to obtain visas.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Under the immigration rules, Somali nationals are already required to obtain visas to enter the United Kingdom. However, like most nationalities subject to a visa requirement, Somali nationals at present benefit from a concession whereby passengers who are booked on an onward flight leaving the United Kingdom within 24
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hours of their arrival do not need visas. Because of the misuse of the concession by some Somali nationals who are not genuine transit passengers, we have decided to withdraw it with effect from 15 August. From that date, all Somali nationals intending to pass through immigration control, including transit passengers, will need to obtain a visa before setting out.Police and Fire Services (Communications)
Mr. Norris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to review radio communications in the police and fire services : and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waddington : It is essential that the radio communications systems used by all the emergency services enable them to provide a prompt and effective response to incidents. There is also a need to ensure that those parts of the radio spectrum allocated to the emergency services are used efficiently and that the best value of money is achieved by investing in the most effective technology. Each service determines its own radio communications requirements and there is inevitably some risk of duplication of resources and incompatibility in the systems they adopt. I have therefore put in hand a review aimed at developing a coherent strategy for the police and fire services which takes advantage of the latest developments in radio communications to provide maximum flexibility of response and interoperability within and between the services. It will take account of radio communication arrangements in the national health service including the ambulance service.
Magistrates Courts (Computers)
Dr. Blackburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to make available to prospective suppliers information about the standard specification for magistrates courts computer systems.
Mr. John Patten : Work on the standard specification is due to be completed by next autumn. We are willing to make working drafts available on request to any prospective suppliers in the interests of reducing the time needed to complete the development of computer systems meeting the specification. This must, however, be on the understanding that the drafts are subject to amendment as the project proceeds, that the Home Office cannot take any responsibility for the use made of this material in advance of invitations to tender and that it is not possible to undertake to enter into correspondence about the content of the drafts.
Asylum
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on persons seeking asylum who have not come to this country directly from the country in which they fear persecution.
Mr. Waddington : The United Kingdom is committed to its obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees. In accordance with this convention, no refugee will be moved by the United Kingdom to a territory in which his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
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It is an internationally accepted concept that a person fleeing persecution, who cannot avail himself of the protection of the authorities of a country of which he is a national, should normally seek refuge in the first safe country reached. I agree entirely with the concept. The convention's primary function is to give refugees who cannot turn to their own authorities the protection of the international community. It is an instrument of last resort --not a licence for refugees to travel the world in search of an ideal place of residence. Where protection issues do not arise, an application should therefore be dealt with in accordance with normal immigration criteria.Accordingly, an application for asylum from a passenger who has arrived in the United Kingdom from a country other than the country in which he fears persecution, will not normally be considered substantively. The passenger will be returned to the country from which he embarked, or to another country in which he has been since he left the country of feared persecution or, if appropriate, to his country of nationality, unless I am satisfied that the country is one in which his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, or that it would return him to such a country. However, in considering any individual case I shall take into account any evidence of substantial links with the United Kingdom which in my view would make it reasonable for the claim for asylum exceptionally to be considered here.
All western European countries which are signatories to the United Nations convention operate safe third-country procedures and the approach is consistent with the convention determining the state responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Communities signed in Dublin on 15 June 1990, but not as yet in force.
Firearms
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will lay before Parliament the annual report of the firearms consultative committee.
Mr. Waddington : I have placed in the Library a copy of the annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee which is published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
Drugs
Mr. Knowles : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the seventh report from the Home Affairs Committee 1989-90 Session and the sixth (interim) report from the Home Affairs Committee, 1989-90 Session, on drugs.
Mr Waddington : The Government response is published today to the seventh report from the Home Affairs Committee on drug trafficking and related serious crime (HC 370) and to the sixth (interim) report "Crack : the threat of hard drugs in the next decade" (HC 356). Copies of the response (Cm 1164) have been placed in the Library. As the response makes clear, we are very grateful to the Committee for the helpful and constructive nature of its reports and for the recommendations it has made. We have already acted on many of the recommendations.
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We take a very serious view of the threat from cocaine in the form of crack, highlighted by the Committee in its interim report. We have reviewed our drugs strategy to ensure that it addresses the threat as fully and effectively as possible and measures have already been announced--notably the Home Office drugs prevention initiative --to help tackle it. We have also commissioned a major three-year research study on cocaine and "crack" prevalence looking at the extent and patterns of misuse and trends in misuse over time.We share the Committee's view that strong action should be taken to combat money laundering and to deprive drug traffickers of their ill-gotten gains. A working group has been set up, as proposed by the Committee, to examine the potential for improving the operation of the confiscation and money laundering provisions of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986.
We also share the Committee's view that international co-operation is vital in combating illicit trafficking in drugs and bringing those involved to justice. Enactment of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 will enable the United Kingdom to ratify both the 1988 United Nations convention against the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the 1957 European convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters, as recommended by the Committee. The Act also provides powers, proposed by the Committee, for Customs officers to detain cash which may represent the proceeds of drug trafficking.
The Government share the Committee's total opposition to the "legalisation" of drugs, together with its view that, while law enforcement must remain a vital part of the strategy for tackling drug misuse, this must be accompanied by effective measures to reduce the demand for drugs.
Mr. Rathbone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewes, Official Report, column 323, on 12 July, what information on drug shipments or drug seizures from illegal trafficking from European countries or from other countries is shared with the United Kingdom's European partners and with international organisations ; and what limitations are applied to such information transferred.
Mr. Waddington : There are extensive and increasing exchanges of intelligence and operational information between United Kingdom Customs and police services and those of our European partners, and of other countries with which we have co-operation arrangements, about illicit drugs shipments. Where possible, the information is channelled through drug liaison officers or via Interpol, but in cases of urgency there may be direct contact between operational commanders in the countries concerned. Drug seizures are reported by the United Kingdom Customs and police to Interpol, which publishes annual statistics. In addition, Customs seizures are reported to the Customs Co-operation Council which, as well as producing annual statistics, issues bi-monthly bulletins notifying member states of major seizures, smuggling concealments and drug trends.
The provision of such information is governed by the United Nations conventions of 1961 and 1971 relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances ; the Naples convention of 1967 for the provision of mutual assistance between states ; the Nairobi convention of 1977 for the
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provision of mutual international administration assistance for the prevention, investigation and repression of Customs offences ; and bilateral memoranda of understanding. The sharing of such information is limited by considerations of public policy, data protection and the interests of justice.Arrests
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested by the police in England and Wales in 1986, 1988, and 1989.
Mr. Waddington : The available information relates to arrests for all types of offence, but excludes the Metropolitan police disrict. There were 1,207,000 such arrests in 1986, 1,337,000 in 1988 and 1, 464,000 in 1989.
Romanian Orphans
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many adoptions of Romanian children have been authorised in the past 12 months ; how many families are known to have expressed an interest in the adoption of Romanian children ; and what progress is being made with measures to enable British families more easily to adopt Romanian orphans.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The available information relates to entry clearance applications made at the British embassy in Bucharest for Romanian children to come for adoption in the United Kingdom. Thirteen such applications have been approved since March 1990 when the first such
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application was made. Thirty-four further applications have been referred to the Immigration Department of the Home Office and are being considered ; 26 of these have been made since the beginning of July. We are reviewing the procedures for dealing with overseas adoptions together with the Department of Health and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to see whether they can be streamlined further while continuing to provide proper protection for the children involved.Hindley Remand Centre
Mrs. Wise : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people have inflicted serious injuries on themselves, but have not been classified as attempted suicide, at Hindley remand centre in (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) 1990 to date ; (2) how many people have attempted suicide at Hindley remand centre, but have been saved, during (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) 1990 to date ;
(3) how many people have committed suicide at Hindley remand centre during (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) 1990 to date.
Mr. Waddington [holding answer 23 July 1990] : The numbers of inmates who have (i) inflicted injuries on themselves that were not regarded as suicide attempts (ii) been recorded as having attempted suicide, or (iii) died at their own hand at HM prison Hindley since 1 April 1987 are shown in the table. Incidents of self-injury are not classified according to their seriousness.
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|Self-injuries |Attempted |Deaths at the
|suicides | prisoner's own
|hand
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 April 1987-30 March 1988<1> |12 |5 |-
1 April 1988-30 March 1989<1> |34 |16 |-
1 April 1989-30 March 1990<1> |182 |25 |<2>2
1 April 1990-18 July 1990 |15 |16 |<2>2
<1> Hindley changed its role in summer 1988 from being a youth custody centre for sentenced
young offenders serving terms of 4 months or over to a centre for unconvicted males under 21.
<2> Inquests have not yet been held on an inmate who died in February 1990 and on two inmates
who died in June 1990. A verdict of suicide was returned on an inmate who died in October
1989.
Broadcasting
Mr. Forman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement outlining his policy on the future of Greater London Radio.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to encourage the British Broadcasting Corporation to develop still further its commitment to local public service radio.
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the remarks made by the Minister of State, the right hon. and learned Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor), about Greater London Radio in a speech of 16 May to a conference on independent radio represent the policy of his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waddington [holding answer 24 July 1990] : As explained in the Green Paper "Radio : Choices and Opportunities" published in 1987, the Government believe that there continues to be a case for BBC local radio, providing a distinctive service alongside a growing
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independent radio sector. It is, however, for the BBC to determine the extent of its commitment to local radio within the financial and other resources available to it. Bearing in mind increasing demand for frequencies, it is also important that those currently occupied by BBC stations should be used effectively. I will be interested to see the outcome of the BBC's forthcoming review of the operation of Greater London Radio, Greater Manchester Radio and Radio WM. More generally, the BBC's role in radio will be considered during the review leading to the renewal of the BBC's charter in 1996.HOUSE OF COMMONS
Petitions
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Lord President of the Council how many petitions were presented in each of the last five years ; and how many received replies from the relevant Department.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : The information requested is as follows :
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Session |Number of public |Number of petitions
|petitions presented|on which Government
|observations have
|been made
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |1,059 |45
1985-86 |516 |28
1986-87 |108 |8
1987-88 |356 |156
1988-89 |227 |52
1989-90<1> |1,002 |149
<1>To 20 July 1990.
Members' Facilities
Sir Geoffrey Finsberg : To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate on 23 July, if he will list the minor services and facilities which are not available during the recess stating, in each case, what the practical or economic reason is and in the latter case the savings expected.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : I shall write to my hon. Friend.
ENERGY
Shell Petroleum (Pipeline)
118. Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many representations he has received concerning Shell Petroleum's proposal to build an ethylene pipeline from Grangemouth in Scotland to Merseyside ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wakeham : A total of 263 representations were received concerning this proposal. A public inquiry was held in Haydock, Grangemouth and Carlisle between 5 and 29 June 1990. The inspector's report is expected in the autumn and I will give my decision in due course.
Nuclear Power
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to respond to the report of the Select Committee on Energy on the cost of nuclear power.
Mr. Wakeham : I have today placed copies in the Library of the House and the Vote Office of the Government's observations on the Select Committee's reports on the cost of nuclear power and the flue gas desulphurisation programme.
Electricity Distribution
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the 12 chairmen of the electricity distribution companies regarding their gearing ratio in the private sector.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave on Monday 23 July to the hon. Member for Redcar (Ms. Mowlam).
Nuclear Tests
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the convention for the physical protection of nuclear materials ; and if he will list those states that have ratified it.
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Mr. Baldry : The United Kingdom hopes to ratify the convention, along with other European Community member states, in the autumn. In the meantime, we follow the guidance of the convention on practical measures for the physical protection of nuclear material and for movements between states.
Those countries which have ratified or acceded to the convention are :
Australia
Austria
Argentina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
China
Czechoslovakia
Finland
German Democratic Republic
Guatemala
Hungary
Indonesia
Japan
Korea (Republic of)
Liechtenstein
Mexico
Mongolia
Norway
Paraguay
Philippines
Poland
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
United States of America
Yugoslavia
Sellafield THORP
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the safeguards regime developed for the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield will be able to verify a complete separation of civil and military reprocessing.
Mr. Baldry : The thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield will be used for the reprocessing of civil nuclear material only.
Britoil
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he considered selling the golden share in Britoil to BP ; and if he will estimate what this would have raised for the Exchequer.
Mr. Wakeham : No. The special rights preference share in Britoil could be held only by a Minister of the Crown or the Treasury Solicitor.
Gas Sales
Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the results of the Government's monitoring of gas sold to the market by suppliers other than British Gas for the period 1 June 1989 to 31 May 1990.
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