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Column 167
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 22 November 1990
CIVIL SERVICE
Equal Opportunities
Mr. Jack : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made towards achieving equality of opportunity for women in the civil service.
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Mr. Mellor : A report giving full details of progress made in 1989 has today been published by HMSO. I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Mortgage Repayments
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average increase in repayments per week on the average mortgage in each region between 1 June 1988 and now.
Mr. Maples : Information for an average new mortgage is in the table. Details of average amounts outstanding on all mortgages by region are not available.
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Region Average new Weekly payment<2> Increase
mortgage<1>
|June 1988 9.80 |November 1990
|per cent. in- |14.65 per cent.
|terest rate |interest rate
|£ |£ |£ |£
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |33,600 |49.19 |73.53 |24.34
Yorkshire and Humberside |33,000 |48.06 |71.84 |23.78
East Midlands |38,100 |57.67 |86.21 |28.54
East Anglia |43,000 |66.90 |100.01 |33.11
Greater London |59,800 |98.57 |147.35 |48.78
South East |54,000 |87.63 |131.00 |43.37
South West |45,000 |70.67 |105.65 |34.98
West Midlands |37,400 |56.35 |84.24 |27.89
North West |34,800 |51.45 |76.91 |25.46
Wales |35,100 |52.02 |77.76 |25.74
Scotland |32,500 |47.12 |70.43 |23.32
Northern Ireland |23,600 |33.36 |49.87 |16.51
United Kingdom |42,200 |65.40 |97.76 |32.36
<1> Building Society mortgages, third quarter 1990.
<2> Assuming endowment mortgage.
Tanzania and Uganda
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cash flow saving per year to Tanzania and Uganda if all official bilateral creditors were to implement Trinidad terms for their debt.
Mr. Maples : Tanzania and Uganda owe bilateral official creditors about $2.7 billion and $0.5 billion respectively. Annual interest payments required in order to prevent these debt stocks from continuing to rise would be about $150 million for Tanzania, and $15 million for Uganda. These estimates take account of the different mix of concessional/non- concessional loans outstanding to the two countries. In order to repay the full stock of debt, average future total payments would have to be even higher. The application of Trinidad terms by all bilateral official creditors would mean no payments would be made for five years, with amounts paid rising steadily thereafter, so that the one third of the stock of debt remaining after the write-off would have been repaid after 25 years.
Premium Bonds
Ms. Quin : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will supply figures for the numbers of individuals purchasing premium bonds for each year from 1979 to date.
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Mr. Maples : The numbers of individuals purchasing premium bonds is not available. The number of purchases of premium bonds for each calendar year from 1979 to date has been as follows :
|Thousands
------------------------------
1979 |4,463.1
1980 |4,103.1
1981 |3,674.1
1982 |3,298.3
1983 |3,499.5
1984 |3,328.6
1985 |2,530.0
1986 |1,949.8
1987 |1,962.0
1988 |2,036.7
1989 |1,418.0
1990 |<1>541.8
<1> January to October:
provisional.
Ms. Quin : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to reduce the level of the minimum premium bond investment from £100.
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International Monetary Fund
Mr. John Townend : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the proposed amendment to the international monetary fund's articles of agreement.
Mr. Maples : The third amendment to the articles of agreement of the IMF empowers the fund to suspend the voting and related rights of members who do not fulfil their obligations under the fund's articles. This power is intended, in particular, to enable suspension of members in protracted arrears to the fund. The Government support the amendment. A Command Paper on the amendment is now available from the Vote Office.
TRANSPORT
Coach Speed Limiters
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to change the present annual testing arangements for public service vehicle coach speed limiters ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : We are planning to incorporate a check of speed limiters into the annual PSV roadworthiness test as a statutory test item from 1 April 1991 and we shall be consulting on detailed proposals shortly. Once this change has been made any vehicle which is found to be in breach of the relevant regulations will fail the test. Until that time we shall be continuing to run the special campaign to check speed limiters during the PSV roadworthiness test. If vehicles which fall within the category to be tested are found not to have a speed limiter fitted, enforcement action will be taken. Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the policy towards the obligation to fit
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a speed limiter to a public service vehicle coach being dependent on the owner or operator's declaration that the vehicle is capable of achieving 70 mph.Mr. Chope : It is the legal responsibility of the operators of a coach to determine whether or not any particular vehicle needs to have a speed limiter fitted. It would be impracticable for the Department to road test every vehicle to determine its maximum speed capability, but we are well aware which makes of coach are likely to require speed limiters.
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the level of public service vehicle coach speed limiter fitment as it affects vehicles first registered between 1 April 1984 and 31 March 1989.
Mr. Chope : All coaches which have a maximum speed capability in excess of 70 mph, and which were first used since 1 April 1984 must now have speed limiters fitted. Operators with coaches which were first used between 1 April 1974 and 31 March 1984 have until 31 March 1991 to comply. Any operators found in breach of the regulations risk tough punitive action as part of our special enforcement campaign.
Civil Defence
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants are currently employed (a) full time and (b) part time by his Department on civil defence ; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties were in 1989-90 ; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties are expected to be in 1990-91 ; and whether he has any plans for these staff to be transferred to work on other duties.
Mr. Freeman : The information required is as follows :
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Number of Full-time |Number of Part-time|Total cost |Total cost staff employed on |staff employed on |1989-90 |1990-91 16 November 1990 |16 November 1990 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 38 |5 |£793,000 |£775,000
My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced on 16 October that he had initiated a review of the options for the future of civil defence arrangements in the light of east-west relations. Future levels of expenditure on civil defence will depend upon the outcome of that review.
Wheel Clamping
Sir Dudley Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider legislation to regulate car-clamping activities, other than those carried out by the police or their express agents.
Mr. Chope : I am keeping the matter under review.
Motor Cyclists (Training)
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what facilities will be available by 1 December within (a) Orkney and (b) Shetland for the basic training necessary for obtaining a provisional motor cycle driving licence after 1 December.
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Mr. Chope : Sites for use for basic training have been approved at Kirkwall in Orkney, and at Lerwick in Shetland. I expect the operators of both these sites to be offering basic training courses from 1 December. Under the regulations, all residents of the islands surrounding the mainlands of Orkney and Shetland are exempt from the requirement to undergo an approved basic training course before riding on the road unaccompanied. They are also exempt from the need to produce a certificate of completion of an approved training course in order to take an "L" test with the Driving Standards Agency. This follows the precedent of the exemptions for the existing part I motor cycle test which basic training will supersede.
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that there is adequate provision for the compulsory basic training of learner motor cyclists living in remote rural areas.
Mr. Chope : Since July my officials have been working closely with motor cycle training organisations, retailers, road safety officers and ACPO in a joint action group to ensure that the whole of Great Britain is well covered by
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training sites, and training organisations. I expect almost the whole of Great Britain to be within 30 miles of a site operated by an approved training body. I welcome the fact that in the Highland region, the regional council has let a contract for the supply of training at 11 sites that might not be commercially viable.Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will consider the introduction of a fixed period exemption for learner motor cyclists through the issue of a provisional licence for the duration of the training period to those living in remote areas not served by public transport.
Mr. Chope : Compulsory basic training is designed to improve the safety of all new learner motor cycle and moped riders on our roads. There is no road safety benefit in allowing some riders to avoid the training that others are required to take and after consultation I am satisfied that there will be adequate coverage of facilities except in the smaller islands where a total exemption applies.
Tactile Surfaces
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research his Department is carrying out into tactile surfaces to warn the blind, and advise as to safe routes and information points ; when the results of the research will be published and advice notes circulated to highway authorities ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what action he intends to take to ensure standardisation of tactile paving and similar initiatives across the country as a whole.
Mr. Freeman : Advice was issued to all local authorities by my Department in 1986 on the use of a specific tactile surface in conjunction with dropped kerbs at controlled crossings. Similar advice will shortly be issued to local authorities on the use of the same tactile surface at uncontrolled crossings and side streets. My Department has also commissioned research into the usefulness of a range of other tactile surfaces to provide guidance and warning for blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Trials with those surfaces are currently under way and we will issue advice early in 1991 to local authorities on the appropriate use of each surface in the pedestrian environment.
Public Transport
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many licensed public transport vehicles have operated within the United Kingdom on an annual basis from 1979 to 1989.
Mr. Chope : The information for the end of December each year is as follows :
Licensed public transport vehicles with nine or more seats: United Kingdom Year |thousands ------------------------------ 1979 |75 1980 |73 1981 |71 1982 |69 1983 |69 1984 |69 1985 |68 1986 |70 1987 |72 1988 |74 1989 |75
Leighton Linslade Bypass
Mr. Madel : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, during the construction of the Leighton Linslade southern bypass by Bedfordshire county council, he will agree to an access from the Totternhoe Lime and Stone Company to the bypass ; whether such an access is permitted within the existing guidelines ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : The Leighton Linslade southern bypass will ultimately form part of the east-west route referred to in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity". This will be a major strategic route from the M40 to the east coast ports.
The Secretary of State would not wish to see a direct access from the Totternhoe Lime and Stone Company on to the bypass for reasons of safety and because it would restrict the free flow of traffic. Existing guidelines indicate that such accesses should be restricted in the interests of traffic and safety.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total number of staff employed by his Department ; and under what headings they are employed.
Mr. Freeman : A total of 16,675 staff are currently employed by the Department of Transport, including its executive agencies, under the following main headings :
|Percentage of
|total staff
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Transport Central |43
including-
Public transport
Highways safety and traffic
Aviation, shipping and international work
Personnel management and finance
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |35
Driving Standards Agency |13
Vehicle Inspectorate Executive Agency |8
Vehicle Certification Agency |1
|--
|100
Cyclists
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of consultation his Department has with cycling organisations ; and what action is taken to encourage local highway authorities to similarly consult with cyclists over matters concerning access and safety.
Mr. Chope : We have regular discussion with cycling organisations on local, regional and national issues affecting cycling. We consult the main organisations representing cycling on our proposed publications and statutory regulations in the traffic and signing field. Individual schemes affecting trunk roads can be discussed at regional office level.
It is for local highway authorities to decide for themselves how to consult local cycling interests on issues affecting their roads. We are aware that many authorities have established helpful relationships in their areas.
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North Sea Installations (Inspections)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspectors have been deployed full time on the inspection of North sea oil and gas installations in each year since 1978 ; and what was the establishment in each year.
Mr. McLoughlin : Marine surveyors in my Department undertake the examination of fire-fighting arrangements and life-saving appliances on offshore installations on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy. Work on offshore activities is integrated with other duties of marine surveyors and is estimated to account for about eight man years in 1978 rising to 12 man years in 1987, where it has remained. There is no established complement of surveyors for these duties and surveyors are made available whenever they are required.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions have been mounted in each year since 1978 following inspections by his staff of North sea oil and gas installations.
Mr. McLoughlin : None. The enforcement of safety legislation for offshore installations is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy.
Drink-Driving
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total number of road accidents, injuries and fatalities which took place when the driver was found to be over the legal alcohol limit ; and if he will show injuries and fatalities separately for children aged under five years, for the years 1988 and 1989.
Mr. Chope : It is estimated that in 1988 there were 14,600 injury accidents in which at least one driver or rider involved was over the legal alcohol limit. It is estimated that 840 people were killed in those accidents, 5,650 were seriously injured and 16,200 were slightly injured. Figures for 1989 are not final, as returns from coroners are not yet complete, but current indications suggest that the final outturn will be very similar to the 1988 levels. Children under five years of age make up only a small proportion of casulaties in drink-drive accidents. In 1988 there were four children under five killed, 23 seriously injured and 123 slightly injured in accidents where it was established beyond doubt that at least one driver or rider was over the legal alcohol limit. In 1989 the corresponding figures so far are three killed, 25 seriously injured and 108 slightly injured.
Community Transport
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities and passenger transport authorities financially support community transport initiatives in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Freeman : The passenger transport executives and many councils support special needs transport for the elderly or mobility handicapped. We do not however have comprehensive information about local authority support for community transport initiatives.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
PC Surinder Singh
Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it cost the Nottinghamshire police authority to defend the case of racial discrimination brought by PC Surinder Singh ; and how much it cost the Commission for Racial Equality to prosecute the case.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand that the total costs in this case for both Nottinghamshire police authority and the Commission for Racial Equality have yet to be determined. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as this information is available.
Police Cells
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are provided by his Department on the use of wicket gates in police cells.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Home Office guidance on the use of cell door service hatches (known as "wicket gates") specifies that where cell doors are fitted with a drop-down service hatch, the hatch should not be left open when the cell is occupied by a prisoner.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were being held in police cells at the latest date for which information is available.
Mrs. Rumbold : On Wednesday 21 November, 998 prisoners were held in police cells.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's guidelines are on the care of suicidal people in police stations ; and where that information is contained.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Home Office has issued no guidelines on the care of persons in police custody with suicidal tendencies. The codes of practice issued in accordance with section 66 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 require custody officers to summon a force medical examiner if any detainee appears to require medical attention, which would include a person with known suicidal tendencies. It is for chief police officers to issue any instructions necessary to ensure that the requirements of the codes are met.
Police Complaints System
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if his Department will begin to collect and monitor data on the ethnic origins of complainants in the statistics they gather from the police forces in the United Kingdom in order to assess the effectiveness of the police complaints system ; (2) what is his policy in respect of the case for the Police Complaints Authority to gather data on the ethnic origins of complainants in cases that it has dealt with.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No central data are currently collected on complainants since they are not always the aggrieved party and sometimes have no direct involvement in the complaint. Complaints of racially discriminatory behaviour accounted for less than 1 per cent. of all complaints made against the police in 1989, both in the Metropolitan police district and elsewhere in England and Wales.
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The Police Complaints Authority does not seek personal data of any kind from police forces for statistical purposes, nor has it specific powers to do so. I understand, however, that the authority intends to start publishing details of the number of complaints of racially discriminatory behaviour in its annual report for 1990.Distress Warrants
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of distress warrants issued by magistrates courts in 1989.
Mr. John Patten : Around 590,000 distress warrants in respect of fine and fee accounts and maintenance accounts were issued by magistrates courts in 1989.
Gaming
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the regulation of the promotion of gaming by radio advertising.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : One reflection of our well-established policy that demand for gambling should not be
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encouraged unduly is that neither gaming nor betting may be advertised by broadcast. Subject to that, we are considering advice from the Gaming Board for Great Britain on proposals by the Bingo Association of Great Britain that the current prohibition on the advertising in any medium of specific licensed bingo clubs as places where gaming takes place, under the Gaming Act 1968, should be revised so as to allow the advertising of bingo clubs as such both in print and by radio.Civil Defence
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants are currently employed (a) full time and (b) part time by his Department on civil defence ; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties were in 1989-90 ; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties are expected to be in 1990 -91 ; and whether he has any plans for these staff to be transferred to work on other duties.
Mr. John Patten : The information requested is as follows :
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Number of full-time |Number of part-time |Total cost |Estimated total cost staff employed on | staff employed on | 1989-90 | 1990-91 16 November 1990 | 16 November 1990 | £ | £ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 166 |13 |3,092,756 |3,302,000
My right hon. and learned Friend announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) on 16 October at column 773 that he had initiated a review of the options for the future of civil defence arrangements in the light of east-west relations. Future levels of expenditure on civil defence will depend on the outcome of that review.
Malicious Communications
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish data for 1989 relating to prosecutions under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : The Command Paper "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1989" and its five supplementary volumes were published on 16 November 1990. Copies are available in the Library.
Information on the Malicious Communications Act 1988 is given in the table.
Persons prosecuted under the
Malicious Communications Act 1988
England and Wales 1989
|Number
------------------------------------
Prosecutions |49
Convicted |40
Sentenced: |40
Absolute discharge |1
Conditional discharge |7
Probation Order |1
Fine |30
Other |1
Michael Hickey
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response has been given by the governor of Long Lartin to the request that the psychiatrist Dr. McKeith be permitted to examine Michael Hickey.
Mrs. Rumbold : A request for a visit by Dr. McKeith was made in a letter from Mr. Hickey's solicitors on 13 November 1990. There are no objections to Dr. McKeith examining Mr. Hickey.
Birmingham Public Inquiry Office
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he plans to open the proposed Birmingham public inquiry office ; and whether he has yet identified premises for its location.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We intend to open the office when the necessary funding can be made available. The location will be the immigration office at Birmingham airport.
Alcohol Consumption (Public Places)
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the advice on new byelaws prohibiting the drinking of alcohol in public places to be issued to local authorities.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Details of the new model byelaw prohibiting the consumption of intoxicating liquor in designated public places were issued to district and borough councils in England and Wales in Home Office circular No 88/1990 on 29 October. A copy of the circular is available in the Library.
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ENERGY
Piper Alpha
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if any of Lord Cullen's report was not included in the two published volumes ; (2) why his departmental press office advised the press that the Cullen report was over 800 pages.
Mr. Wakeham : Lord Cullen's report, as received by me on 22 October, ran to over 900 pages in typescript. My departmental press office, when approached, advised the press prior to publication that the report was a "substantial" document. The report as printed by HMSO was proof-read by a team under the supervision of Lord Cullen himself. The printed version, as the hon. Member will be aware, is about 500 pages long.
Electricity Privatisation
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will review the proposed timetable for privatisation of PowerGen following the resignation of its chairman.
Mr. Wakeham : No. It remains the Government's firm intention, subject to market conditions, to offer shares in National Power and PowerGen for sale to the public in February 1991.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage fees are to be paid to the companies underwriting the flotation of the electricity distribution companies.
Mr. Wakeham : The commission rates to be paid to the underwriters of the sale of the regional electricity companies, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreements, will be
|percen-
| tage
----------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom primary underwriting |0.1700
United Kingdom sub-underwriting |1.2500
Overseas underwriting |1.2448
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the firms underwriting the flotation of the electricity distribution companies.
Mr. Wakeham : The names of the firms underwriting the offers for sale of the regional electricity companies are set out in the prospectus.
PowerGen
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) when he last met Sir Graham Day or spoke to him on the telephone prior to Friday 16 November ;
(2) when he was informed of the imminent resignation of Robert Malpas as chairman of PowerGen ;
(3) if he will give the dates of his last six meetings with Robert Malpas as chairman of PowerGen.
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