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The Attorney-General : My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has today appointed the following people to serve as members of the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct :Mrs. Liliana Archibald
Professor Richard Card
His Honour Judge John Gower, QC
Eric Hammond, OBE
Brian Harvey
John Hosking, CBE
Patrick Lefevre
Luke March
The Reverend Dr. Colin Morris
Dr. Claire Palley
Ms. Usha Prashar
Nicholas Purnell, QC
Peter Scott, QC
Graham Smith, CBE
David Ward
David Wilkins.
The chairman of the advisory committee is Lord Griffiths MC, whose appointment was announced by the Lord Chancellor on 16 October 1990.
CIVIL SERVICE
Equal Opportunities
Mr. Janner : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will make a statement on the progress of monitoring exercise carried out in the civil service in accordance with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission.
Mr. Renton : Departments, agencies and the Civil Service Commission continue to make good progress in carrying out monitoring exercises and taking follow-up action in accordance with the Commission for Racial Equality and Equal Opportunities Commission codes of practice. My office monitors overall progress.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Building Control Fees
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to what extent the increase in building control inspection fees and planning fees has fallen behind inflation since 1980.
Mr. Needham : Building control inspection fees are related to the cost of providing the service rather than the rate of inflation. Fees were first introduced in 1982. The retail prices index shows an increase of 65 per cent. between January 1982 and January 1991. Building control fees for the erection, alteration or extension of small domestic buildings rose by 52 per cent. in the same period. The sliding scale of fees for larger construction work is linked to the cost of the works.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) when he will establish a policy for 1991 renewables non-fossil fuel obligation in respect of Northern Ireland.
(2) what action he proposes to encourage hydro-electric generation from sites in Northern Ireland.
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Mr. Needham : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Erewash (Mr. Rost) on 11 February 1991 at column 324- 25.
Bus Services
Mr. Fishburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards implementation of the recommendations contained in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report of June 1989 on the bus services in Northern Ireland provided by Ulsterbus Ltd. and Citybus Ltd. ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : The initial response announced to the House on 24 April 1990 indicated that there had been a positive reaction to the recommendations, none of which was rejected. The follow-up response, which I have today placed in the Library of the House, confirms that 32 of the 58 recommendations have already been implemented and the remaining 26 are in the process of implementation. The response was produced in consultation with the Northern Ireland Transport holding company and the bus companies.
I am pleased to report that, among the more important developments, a new market-led approach with emphasis on customers' needs is now firmly established ; capital expenditure on all major projects is subject to investment appraisal and post-completion audit ; and a new unit, under an inspector general, ensures that quality of service is accorded high priority.
The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland will keep the implementation of the recommendations under periodic review to gauge the improvement in bus services and management of the companies. I will report the progress to the House in due course.
Public Bodies (Appointments)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to which posts in public bodies he appoints individuals where the posts are (a) part-time and (b) remunerated by more than £50, 000 per annum.
Dr. Mawhinney : There are no part-time posts in public bodies in Northern Ireland remunerated by more than £50,000 per annum.
HEALTH
Waiting Lists
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the percentage of those waiting for non-urgent operations who wait longer than (a) six months, (b) one year and (c) two years, (i) nationally and (ii) in the South Manchester health authority area ; (2) what was the number and percentage of patients waiting for non-urgent operations in 1980, 1985 and 1990 (i) nationally and (ii) in the South Manchester health authority area.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information requested is given in the tables. Since March 1987 information on waiting lists has not been classified according to urgency of condition. Figures for 1990 therefore relate to all patients waiting for in-patient treatment in the surgical acute specialties.
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It is the time people wait which is important. Since 1980 the number of patients waiting for over one year for in-patient treatment in the surgical acute specialties has fallen by 1 per cent. in South Manchester health authority and by nearly 11 per cent. in England as a whole.
Numbers of non-urgent cases waiting on
surgical specialty lists
for in-patient treatment
Year |England |South
|Manchester
--------------------------------------------
March 1980 |580,596 |5,781
March 1985 |614,217 |4,875
Total numbers waiting on surgical specialty
lists
for in-patient treatment
Year |England |South
|Manchester
--------------------------------------------
March 1990 |723,447 |7,122
Percentage waiting on surgical specialty
lists for in-patient
treatment by time waiting at March 1990
|England |South
|Manchester
---------------------------------------------
6 months + |45 |54
12 months + |24 |32
24 months + |9 |15
Source: KH06/7/7A-March 1990
SBH 203-1980 and 1985
Devon Health Authorities
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what brief has been given to Touche Ross regarding a merger of North Devon, Torbay and Exeter health authorities ; on what date this survey was commissioned ; and by what date it will report.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I understand that South Western regional health authority has commissioned Touche Ross to conduct a preliminary examination of the case for mergers between health authorities in Devon. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. Charles Stuart, the chairman of South Western regional health authority for details.
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make it his policy not to approve formally any merger between Torbay and North Devon health authorities without prior consultation with the right hon. and hon. Members representing the county ; (2) pursuant to his answer of 28 February, what is the timetable for any regional decision, consultation and formal approval for any merger between Exeter, Torbay and North Devon health authorities.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I understand that South Western regional health authority is still considering whether to propose any amalgamation of health authorities in Devon. Should it decide to do so, it would formally consult all interested parties, including right hon. and hon. Members representing the county. The regional health authority would consider the responses before deciding whether to recommend any amalgamation of Devon health authorities to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State.
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New Hospitals
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what effect including a calculation of capital charges in a business plan for a bid to build a new hospital would have on its financial viability ; (2) how capital charging has affected the planning of the building of new hospital projects.
Mr. Dorrell : The existing methodology for appraising options for NHS building plans takes account of the costs of capital, including the opportunity cost. The introduction of capital charges will have a similar effect in appraising options.
From April 1991, when considering plans to alter service provision, provider units will also need to ensure that purchasing authorities are willing and able to meet any additional costs which may arise.
Census Enumerators
Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many advertisements for census enumerators were placed in jobcentres in January ; and how many of these vacancies were filled by Friday 1 February.
Mr. Dorrell : The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and the General Register Office for Scotland made arrangements with the employment service to display a special poster advertising census enumerator posts in all job centres throughout Great Britain from early January 1991. A total of 117,550 enumerators are due to be appointed by 22 March 1991. By 1 February 91,041 people had applied, either to jobcentres or direct to the census offices ; and 2,324 appointments had been made. The latest information available centrally is for 20 February. By then 185,960 people had applied and 24,671 appointments had been made.
Public Bodies (Appointments)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Health to which posts in public bodies he appoints individuals where the posts are (a) part -time and (b) remunerated by more than £50,000 per annum.
Mr. Dorrell : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible for approximately 1,213 part-time appointments to public bodies. Details of these posts can be obtained from the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1990". A copy of which is available in the Library.
None of our part-time or full-time posts receives salaries in excess of £50,000 per annum.
Disabled Employees
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of those employed in his Department are disabled.
Mr. Dorrell : A total of 0.74 per cent. of staff working in the Department are registered as disabled. The Department also employs a number of people with disabilities who are not registered as disabled.
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Mortality Statistics
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will update his replies to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East on 21 October 1987, Official Report , columns 808-09 and 2 December 1988, Official Report , columns 439-40, regarding mortality statistics.
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Mr. Dorrell : The information requested is shown in the following table.
The data for 1990 are provisional, and the later months in particular are likely to be affected by late registration.
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Number of deaths by month of occurrence and age group
Males Females Persons
|65+ |75+ |60+ |75+ |75+
----------------------------------------------------------------------
England and Wales, 1987
January |20,835|12,812|26,067|19,115|31,927
February |17,262|10,609|21,379|15,617|26,226
March |18,662|11,407|22,975|16,530|27,937
April |16,717|10,095|20,788|14,890|24,985
May |16,736|9,977 |20,525|14,567|24,544
June |15,930|9,523 |19,995|14,047|23,570
July |15,771|9,383 |19,836|14,112|23,495
August |15,557|9,304 |19,427|13,978|23,282
September |15,404|9,192 |18,782|13,353|22,545
October |17,460|10,557|21,788|15,612|26,169
November |17,358|10,488|21,554|15,537|26,025
December |20,183|12,517|25,135|18,313|30,830
England and Wales, 1988
January |19,994|12,411|24,840|18,290|30,701
February |18,486|11,571|23,179|16,906|28,477
March |19,911|12,402|25,661|19,022|31,424
April |17,439|10,666|22,067|16,097|26,763
May |16,608|10,064|20,711|14,939|25,003
June |15,686|9,558 |19,638|14,124|23,682
July |15,915|9,682 |19,563|13,991|23,673
August |16,071|9,667 |19,879|14,218|23,885
September |15,569|9,504 |19,099|13,729|23,233
October |17,025|10,427|21,007|15,229|25,656
November |17,774|10,990|22,189|16,056|27,046
December |19,924|12,584|25,647|18,914|31,498
England and Wales, 1989
January |19,576|12,340|24,787|18,306|30,646
February |16,734|10,431|20,769|15,174|25,605
March |18,114|11,351|22,731|16,713|28,064
April |17,317|10,706|21,370|15,531|26,237
May |16,866|10,576|20,755|15,237|25,813
June |16,173|10,053|20,235|14,785|24,838
July |15,795|9,909 |20,030|14,703|24,612
August |15,294|9,454 |19,134|13,923|23,377
September |15,486|9,589 |19,032|13,851|23,440
October |17.030|10,693|21,366|15,545|26,238
November |18,087|11,308|22,539|16,604|27,912
December |27,909|18,587|37,589|28,894|47,481
England and Wales, 1990 <1>
January |21,018|13,589|27,279|20,606|34,195
February |17,182|10,924|21,290|15,864|26,788
March |18,036|11,387|21,963|16,277|27,664
April |17,154|10,898|21,532|15,881|26,779
May |16,977|10,584|20,775|15,243|25,827
June |16,125|10,088|19,916|14,578|24,666
July |16,087|9,922 |20,043|14,771|24,693
August |15,400|9,610 |19,501|14,306|23,916
September |15,588|9,765 |18,956|13,814|23,579
October |16,778|10,587|20,594|15,182|25,769
November |- |- |- |- |-
December |- |- |- |- |-
<1> 1990 data are provisional and the later months in particular are
likely to be affected by late registration.
Figures for November and December are not yet available.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Prison Education
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set a date to give every prisoner the right of access to prison education and to make the escorting of prisoners to education classes a duty for prison officers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : The Government are already considering the recommendation of the third report from the Education, Science and Arts Committee on this matter and will now wish to take into account the various recommendations that have been made by Lord Justice Woolf and His Honour Judge Stephen Tumim in the report of their recent inquiry into the prison disturbances, April 1990. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has said that the Government plan to issue a White Paper later this year, but we have already made clear the importance which we attach to education as part of a positive and constructive regime and that we want to see more prisoners taking up education courses. Escorting inmates, where necessary, to enable them to attend educational classes or to take part in other regime activities is already part of the task of prison officers.
Public Bodies (Appointments)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which posts in public bodies he appoints individuals where the posts are (a) part-time and (b) remunerated by more than £50,000 per annum.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The chairman of the Independent Television Commission is the only post in a public body to which I have appointed someone who is part-time and remunerated by more than £50, 000 per annum.
Homicide
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded cases of homicide remain unsolved since 1960 ; whether these files remain open ; and what guidance his Department is giving to police forces on whether to pursue investigations of unsolved homicides.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No central record is kept of the number of recorded cases of homicide which remain unsolved since 1960. Figures for recorded homicides where no subject was charged during the year in question are set out in the table ; figures for years prior to 1979 are not available. The police are always ready to investigate unsolved murders further. Decisions about whether to pursue such investigations are operational matters for chief officers of police. The clear-up rate for homicide cases is high ; in 1989 it was 92 per cent.
Recorded offences of
homicide where no
suspects are charged
|Number
---------------------
1979 |32
1980 |19
1981 |24
1982 |50
1983 |31
1984 |38
1985 |34
1986 |36
1987 |35
1988 |35
1989 |57
Disabled Employees
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those employed in his Department are disabled.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The Home Office currently employs 138 registered disabled persons, which represents 0.32 per cent. of the total number of staff. No record is kept of staff with disabilities who have chosen not to register.
Data Protection Act 1984
Mr. Conway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to review the registration fee payable under the Data Protection Act 1984.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The triennial registration fee is intended to recover the costs of the Office of the Data Protection Registrar. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary order, the Government propose to increase it from £56 to £75 from 1 June 1991.
Prison Escapes
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mojisola Soetan, Gena Aina and Aderinjola Absosede Agbabiaka who escaped from East Sutton Park on 5 April 1990 and 22 April 1990 have since been recaptured.
Mrs. Rumbold : No. These three women are still unlawfully at large.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Bernadette Ambrose, Mavis mary Sasu and Kudi Balogun who escaped from Drake Hall on 4 February 1990 and 25 February 1990 have since been recaptured.
Mrs. Rumbold : Bernadette Ambrose has been recaptured. The other two women remain unlawfully at large.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many absconders from open prison were recaptured in 1990.
Mrs. Rumbold : A new system of recording data on the recapture or surrender of absconders was introduced in November 1990. From that date until the end of 1990, a total of 190 prisoners unlawfully at large from open prisons were recaptured or surrendered. This figure includes prisoners who had failed to return to prison having been granted temporary release. The information requested prior to November 1990 is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners absconded from open prisons in 1990.
Mrs. Rumbold : During 1990 1,148 prisoners absconded from open prisons.
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Iraqi Citizens (Entry Visas)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if entry visas have been granted to the Iraqi citizens M. Ibrahim Hammadi and Qahman Al Azzawi since January 1986.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We have been unable to trace any record of the issue of a visa or of the entry to the United Kingdom of a Mr. Hammadi or a Mr. Al-Azzawi from the information provided.
Police
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 700 extra police posts approved by him have been taken up by the local authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. Friend announced on 20 December 1990 the allocation in 1991-92 of 564 police posts for the provincial forces, 100 for the Metropolitan police and 36 for the regional crime squads. Of the 564 extra posts that have been allocated to 34 provincial forces 26 have not yet been taken up, by two police authorities which have so far been unable to confirm that they will be able to meet their share of the additional cost.
Private Medical Treatment
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who entered Britain on a visa, in the last year for which figures are available, did so for the purposes of receiving private medical treatment ; what proportion were required to produce medical records ; and what is the procedure if their medical records are not available.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Those coming for medical treatment are not distinguished in statistical records from visitors arriving for other purposes. Under paragraph 23 of the published immigration rules passengers may be required to produce evidence that arrangements have been made for consultation or treatment but production of medical records would not normally be a matter for the immigration officer.
Crime, Leicestershire
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage reported crime has increased in Leicestershire since 1979 ; and what proportion of that increase was in crimes of violence.
Mr. John Patten : In the 12 months to the end of September 1990, the number of recorded crimes in Leicestershire was 122 per cent. higher than in 1979. Six per cent. of the increase was attributable to crimes of violence.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning the location of premises selected for the European bank for reconstruction and development ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mrs. Chalker : The choice of a permanent headquarters building will be made by the European bank for reconstruction and development. Meanwhile the Government have provided transitional accommodation for the bank in the City. I refer the hon. Member to the Overseas Development Administration departmental minute laid before the House on 17 December 1990.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens are to be employed by the European bank for reconstruction and development ; and what roles they will perform.
Mrs. Chalker : The president-designate of the bank is responsible for staff recruitment from among member states of the bank and he will make his choices on merit. I am pleased to note the bank has selected Mr. John Flemming, previously with the Bank of England, for the senior position of chief economist.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost to Her Majesty's Government of the establishment of the European bank for reconstruction and development in London.
Mrs. Chalker : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) on 17 December 1990. In addition, we are meeting transitional accommodation and office support costs estimated at £2 million to enable the bank to prepare for operations.
THE ARTS
Public Bodies (Appointments)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Minister for the Arts to which posts in public bodies he appoints individuals where the posts are (a) part-time and (b) remunerated by more than £50,000 per annum.
Mr. Renton : The appointments which I make of trustees, board members, etc., to posts in public bodies, are part-time. None is remunerated by more than £50,000 per annum ; most are unpaid.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Mortgage Interest Relief
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of mortgage interest relief that would be withdrawn per £1 billion existing relief per year if the relief percentage were reduced by (i) 1 per cent., (ii) 5 per cent. and (iii) 10 per cent. in England and in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maude : Available estimates for the United Kingdom in 1990-91 are given in the following table.
H
Reduction in |Reduction in
the rate of |mortgage interest
mortgage interest |relief per £ 1 billion
relief |of relief
Percentage points |£ million
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 | 40
5 |190
10 |370
Separate estimates in respect of England are not available.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of mortgage interest relief that would be saved per £1 billion existing relief per annum if the eligible loan ceiling for such relief for standard rate payers were reduced to (i) £29,000, (ii) £25,000, (iii) £20,000 and (iv) £15,000 in England, the United Kingdom and London and the south-east.
Mr. Maude : Available estimates for the United Kingdom in 1990-91 are given in the table. They relate to all mortgagors and exclude behavioural effects. Estimates for England, London and the south-east are not separately available.
Limit on Mortgage |Direct revenue yield interest relief |per £ 1 billion of relief £ |£ million --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29,000 |10 25,000 |90 20,000 |190 15,000 |330
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount of mortgage interest tax relief going to each economic planning region of the United Kingdom in 1990-91 ; and what is the average amount of subsidy per person in each region with a mortgage.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 25 February 1991] : Broad estimates, based on the regional distribution of mortgage interest relief recorded in the family expenditure survey for 1988 and 1989, are as follows :
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