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criminal law, and promoters of events can take their own steps to deter it. For example, the organisers of the Ryder cup, by attaching conditions to tickets, were able to use the criminal and civil law to impede touting. Similar provisions have now been adopted for the Wimbledon championships by the All England Club, and we wish it every success with the scheme.Political Asylum
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total number of persons presently residing in the United Kingdom together with their country of origin, who are seeking political asylum.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 22 October 1990] : The available information is given in the following table :
Estimated number<1> of asylum applications outstanding at
Europe
Czechoslovakia |20
Hungary |40
Poland |80
Romania |100
Turkey |1,690
Yugoslavia |20
Others |130
|-----
Total |2,080
Americas
Chile |20
Colombia |130
Others |40
|-----
Total |190
Africa
Angola |700
Ethiopia |1,910
Ghana |1,290
Libya |70
Seychelles |110
Somalia |2,990
South Africa |70
Sudan |240
Uganda |2,910
Zaire |2,460
Others |760
|-----
Total |13,500
Middle East
Iran |1,080
Iraq |1,180
Lebanon |410
Syria |20
Others |80
|-----
Total |2,780
Asia
Afghanistan |140
Bangladesh |50
India |1,890
Pakistan |960
Sri Lanka |4,950
Others |200
|-----
Total |8,190
|-----
Other and unknown
nationality |440
|-----
Grand total |27,170
<1> Figures are maxima which overstate the position, because of
under-recording of decisions made earlier.
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were received for political asylum in the last 12 months for which figures are available ; and how many were granted.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 22 October 1990] : Information is given in the following table :
Applications<1> for refugee status in the
United Kingdom, and
grants<1><2> of asylum and exceptional
leave, in the 12 months ending
30 September 1990.
|Number
------------------------------------------
Applications received |20,400
Grants of asylum |2,180
Grants of exceptional leave |4,210
<1> Provisional figures which understate
because of delays in recording,
particularly of grants.
<2> Grants do not necessarily relate to
applications made in this period.
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average delay in processing an application for political asylum.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 22 October 1990] : The estimated average length of time between the receipt of an asylum application and the decision, for cases decided in the third quarter of 1990, was thirteen and a half months.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Security
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Brooke : Sixty-three people have died in Northern Ireland this year as a result of the security situation ; 40 were civilians, nine members of the RUC or RUC reserve, and 14 members of the armed forces. Up to 31 July 1990, 250 had been charged with terrorist-type offences including six for murder and 42 for attempted murder, and 267 had been convicted of terrorist-type offences, including two for murder and 20 for attempted murder.
Undergraduates
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many undergraduates from Great Britain have enrolled at (a) the university of Ulster and (b) the Queen's university of Belfast in each of the last five years.
Mr. Needham : The information is as follows :
|University of Ulster |Queen's University of Belfast
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |682 |85
1986-87 |670 |107
1987-88 |658 |108
1988-89 |559 |136
1989-90 |495 |154
|University of|Queen's
|Ulster |University of
|Belfast
--------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |682 |85
1986-87 |670 |107
1987-88 |658 |108
1988-89 |559 |136
1989-90 |495 |154
School Governors
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the South Eastern education and library board have been appointed as board representatives to the governing bodies of schools and further education institutions ; and, of this number, how many have been appointed as governors of more than five schools or institutions, and of more than 10 schools or institutions.
Mr. Needham : Eighteen members have been appointed as board representatives to boards of governors of schools and governing bodies of further education institutions. All 18 have been appointed as governors of five schools, and in addition two have been appointed to two FE institutions and 16 to one FE institution. None has been appointed to more than 10 schools or institutions.
Community Employment Schemes
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many action for community employment schemes have had funding withdrawn under the terms of the directive of 22 June 1985 ; on what dates funding was withdrawn ; and on what dates funding was restored subsequently in those cases where this occurred.
Mr. Needham : Funding has been withdrawn from 11 ACE projects in accordance with the Government's policy as set out in the parliamentary answer on 27 June 1985 by the then Secretary of State. The dates of notification of withdrawal were : 27 June 1985 ; 25 November 1985 ; 31 January 1986 ; 21 March 1986 ; 20 February 1987 ; 31 March 1987 (two cases) ; 31 August 1987 ; 30 November 1989 ; and 23 August 1990. Funding was subsequently restored in one case notified on 22 July 1986. Initial applications for ACE funding were rejected in three further cases on the following dates : 27 March 1986 ; 8 May 1986 ; 10 March 1987.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Chemical Weapons
87. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made through the chemical weapons convention in achieving a comprehensive and verifiable global ban on the production, possession and use of all chemical weapons.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : There was some progress on technical and legal issues during the summer session of the conference on disarmament in Geneva for a comprehensive chemical weapons convention. But a number of key issues remain to be resolved, particularly effective verification. The United Kingdom report on our programme of practice challenge inspections, which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs presented to the conference on disarmament in July, was well received.
Environmental Treaties
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those international treaties, agreements and protocols covering environmental matters to which the United Kingdom is a signatory.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office treaty index contains details of over 10,000 international treaties, agreements and protocols, many of which have environmental implications. The United Nations environment programme recorded in 1989 140 major treaties and other agreements directly concerned with the environment.
Falkland Islands
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage seismic surveys and development of the oil industry in the Falkland Islands area.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The Falkland Islands Government are currently updating their oil and minerals legislation. Once the legislation has been revised surveys may be authorised.
Official Visits
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each international visit which he has undertaken since 26 July indicating, in each case, the purpose, the matters discussed and the estimated cost of each visit.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has paid official visits to the following countries since 26 July 1990 :
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18 September To attend a Western European nion meeting in Paris.France
23-30 September To attend the United Nations General Assembly United States
1-2 October To attend the GSCE Ministerial meeting in New York United States
12-19 October For bilateral discussions
Egypt, Israel and Greece
22 October To attend the Foreign Affairs Council about which my right honourable Friend made aststement on 24
October
26 October For bileteral discussions
Germany
27-28 October To attend an informal European Council Meeting in Italy Rome
The approximate total costs of these visits (including support staff etc.) were as follows :
|£
-----------------------------------------
Belgium |2,792
France |5,713
The Gulf |77,394
Japan and the Soviet Union |63,300
Belgium |4,550
France |5,252
United States |72,000
Italy |10,036
Egypt, Israel and Greece |91,821
Luxembourg |3,412
The costs of my right hon. Friend's recent visits to Germany and Italy are not yet available.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a list of meetings which he has hosted since 26 July with (a) foreign heads of state, (b) other foreign politicians and (c) heads of international intergovernmental agencies.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Since 26 July, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had meetings in London with the following :
(a) Heads of State
President Mugabe of Zimbabwe
(b) Foreign politicians
Herr Genscher, Foreign Minister of the Federal
Republic of Germany
Mr. Mbeki, African National Congress, South Africa
Sheik Sabal Al Ahmed, Foreign Minister of Kuwait
Mr. Yusuf Alawi, Foreign Minister of Oman
Herr Volker Ruehe, Secretary-General, CDU Federal
Republic of Germany
Sheikh Ali Khalifa, Finance Minister of Kuwait
(c) Heads of international intergovernmental agencies
Chief Anyaoku, Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Iraq and Kuwait
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 October, Official Report, column 968, on the number of
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British citizens presently in Iraq and Kuwait, what information he has on how many of them have their permanent home in Northern Ireland.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : From the information available it is not possible to say how many British citizens in Iraq and Kuwait have their permanent homes in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Viggers : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what media resources, through the BBC or otherwise, are available to the residents of the Iraq and Kuwait areas to ensure that accurate information is available to them.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Iraqi media are strictly controlled. However, residents of Iraq and Kuwait can receive broadcasts by the BBC World Service in Arabic--extended from 9 to 10.5 hours a day from 2 August--and English--extended from 18.5 to 24 hours a day from 8 August. English broadcasts now include the daily half-hour Gulf link programme for relatives to send messages to British people trapped in Iraq and Kuwait. Other international broadcasters, including Voice of America, are also audible. Unsuccessful attempts were made to jam BBC and VOA Arabic transmissions, but those attempts ceased on 12 October.
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for the telephone charges incurred through communications with relatives of those people currently being held in Iraq and Kuwait to be met by the embassies ; if he will list those countries which meet these costs for their nationals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Iraqi authorities do not allow detainees in Iraq and Kuwait to make telephone calls. Families in Britain have been advised to stay in touch with the Foreign Office gulf families support centre which will call them immediately there is any news of those held in Iraq and Kuwait. We are also providing a toll-free service giving general information about the crisis. Other countries have made similar arrangements. We do not have full details.
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Antarctica
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his present policy towards ratification of the convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities following the decision by Australia, France and New Zealand that they are no longer prepared to support the convention.
Mr. Garel-Jones : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to him on 25 October, at column 266.
African Immigrants
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requirement there is for visas for unaccompanied immigrant minors travelling to the United Kingdom from Ethiopia and adjacent African countries ; and what information he has on the number of such immigrants permitted to travel during the last 12-month period for which figures are available.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : All immigrant minors from Ethiopia and adjacent African countries are required to obtain entry clearance before their arrival in the United Kingdom from a British visa issuing office. Entry clearance takes the form of a visa for nationals of Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti and Sudan and an entry certificate for those of Uganda and Kenya. Information on the number of such entry clearances issued is not kept according to the age of the applicant.
Al-Agsa Mosque (Killings)
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the text of his initial condemnation of the killings on 8 October outside the Al-Agsa mosque of 21 Palestinians.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : An FCO spokesman said on 8 October :
"We do not yet have all the facts. But we are deeply shocked by the extent of the violence. We appeal to the Israeli authorities and to the Palestinian leaders to do all that they can to restore calm in this highly volatile situation. This dreadful incident demonstrates yet again the need for Israelis and Palestinians to begin the dialogue which is the essential first step for the negotiation of peace and security in the region".
We joined our EC partners in making a further statement on 9 October which strongly deplored the use of excessive force by Israeli forces.
Military Training
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had any contact with British companies involved in the provision of military training to foreign military forces.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have received a few inquiries of a preliminary nature from British companies in recent years.
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TRANSPORT
Traffic Consultants
Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement announcing the names of the traffic consultants to advise on the line of route of the Burscough, Ormskirk and Scarisbrick by-passes.
Mr. Chope : Consultants have not yet been appointed. I will invite competitive offers from selected firms on 7 November.
Trust Ports
Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list the trust ports.
Mr. McLoughlin : There are over 100 trust ports, but only 23 had a turnover of more than £1 million in 1989. These are : London, Dover, Tees and Hartlepool, Medway, Forth, Tyne, Ipswich, Clyde, Harwich Haven, Aberdeen, Belfast, Milford Haven, Poole, Lerwick, Blyth, Dundee, Great Yarmouth, Shoreham, Peterhead, Cromarty, Montrose, Warrenpoint and Londonderry.
Heavy Goods Lorries
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for the last 12 months such information as is available to him on the results of the spot checks made by police that have been carried out on heavy goods lorries travelling through the three counties of Yorkshire and Humberside.
Mr. Chope : The following information is provided from road checks carried out by this Department's traffic examiners and vehicle examiners with the support of the police and includes those vehicles checked in the ferry ports in the north-east.
|Number
---------------------------------------------
Traffic examiners
HGVs examined |48,777
HGVs weighed |17,514
Tachograph charts screened |247,414
Prohibitions issued |1,075
Prosecutions |1,980
Vehicle examiners
Vehicles examined |19,509
Immediate prohibitions |833
Delayed prohibitions |1,069
These figures are for the north-eastern traffic area which includes the three counties of Yorkshire and Humberside and cover the period for 12 months up to 31 March 1990.
Nuclear Waste
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list by year for the last 10 years to date the number of tonnes of radioactive waste that has been (a) imported and (b) exported through the ports of (i) Barrow, (ii) Heysham and (iii) Workington ; (2) what equipment is employed currently at (a) Barrow, (b) Heysham and (c) Workington for the handling of radioactive waste ; and whether this is to be upgraded within the next five years ;
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(3) if he will list by year for the last 10 years the amount of radioactive waste imported from (a) the United States of America, (b) France, (c) Japan, (d) Sweden, (e) West Germany, (f) Switzerland, (g) Belgium, (h) the Netherlands, (i) Finland, (j) Italy and (k) other countries.Mr. McLoughlin : Radioactive waste is not imported into this country.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by (a) description, (b) application and (c) maximum external dimensions, the standard waste containers for transportation of (i) low- level waste, (ii) intermediate-level waste and (iii) high-level waste ; and if he will show in his answer the recommended means of transport for each category.
Mr. McLoughlin : At present only low and intermediate-level radioactive waste is transported. Containers, of which there are many types, are designed, tested and used in accordance with national and international regulations and where appropriate certified by my Department as complying with the regulations. Safety appropriate to the nature and quantity of the material carried is required to be "built in" to the design, and can normally be carried by all modes of transport.
Data on individual containers are matters for the designers of such containers.
Trunk Roads
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvement plans are under review for trunk roads, including bypasses for (a) Thursby, (b) Wigton, (c) Egremont and (d) the approaches to Barrow ; and if he will show in his answer the estimated (i) cost and (ii) timescale.
Mr. Chope : The answers are as follows :
(a) Thursby bypass was completed in 1987 at a cost of £1.7 million.
(b) Wigton bypass (estimated cost £6.4 million) ; and
(c) Egremont bypass (estimated cost £10.0 million),
are both in preparation and I hope works will start in 1991-92. (
(d) Schemes in the programme for the A590 to Barrow are : Ulverston-Dalton bypass (£12.8 million. Next stage--preferred route.
High and Low Newton bypass (£17.1 million). Next stage--publication of draft orders.
Dalton bypass (£11.7 million). Next stage--tender invitation.
Light Aircraft
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions exist for making compulsory the holding of insurance cover for passengers and public by pilots of light aircraft used both for business and private purposes.
Mr. McLoughlin : There is at present no legislative provision requiring pilots of light aircraft to hold insurance cover.
M4-A4 Corridor
Mr. Hayhoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the final report on the M4-A4 corridor study from his consultants, Howard Humphreys and Partners Ltd. ; and when he intends to publish it.
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Mr. Chope : The consultants are now preparing their final report on this study. I expect to receive this report early in the new year and to publish it as soon after that as possible.
Stockport Bypass
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to hold the next public inquiry into the A6(M) Stockport north- south bypass.
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