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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 23 April 1991
NORTHERN IRELAND
Driving Offences
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made towards introducing a penalty points system for offending drivers.
Mr. Needham : A first draft of a Road Traffic (Offenders) (Northern Ireland) Order to introduce a penalty points scheme has been prepared. The draft order will be finalised following the conclusion of discussions with the Northern Ireland court service and the RUC on the practical implications of the scheme. These discussions are at an advanced stage. It is hoped that formal consultation will take place over the summer months and that the draft order will be laid before Parliament by the end of 1991.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of BSE have been identified to date in 1991 ; what is the trend ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : There have been 50 confirmed BSE cases in Northern Ireland in 1991 to date. Incidence of the disease continues to increase and is expected to do so for some time until the ban on feeding of ruminant- derived protein takes effect.
Water
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland--what was the public response to the consultations document describing the options for development of a new source of water for the eastern part of Northern Ireland.
Mr. Needham : There was considerable interest in the document from councils other Government Departments, public bodies, commercial concerns, various recreational, environmental and other interests, as well as individual members of the public.
Their comments were most useful and taking these into account, together with cost considerations, the Department of the Environment has decided to reduce the options to be examined in the environmental assessment to the following three :
(i) Abstraction from Lough Neagh at Hog Park Point, treatment at Hog Park Point, delivery to the existing Purdysburn service reservoir.
(ii) Abstraction from Lough Neagh at Hog Park Point, treatment at Forked Bridge, delivery to the existing Purdysburn service reservoir.
(iii) Impoundment of the Glenwhirry River, treatment adjacent to the dam, delivery to the existing Oldpark service reservoir. The environmental assessment is expected to commence within the next three months.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Miscarriages of Justice
Ms. Abbott : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, for each of the last four years, he will list the sums of money that have been paid by his Department as compensation on an ex-gratia basis where there has been misconduct or default by the police or some other agency of the criminal justice system other than cases involving wrongful imprisonment ; and if for each such sum he will briefly summarise the circumstances.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Compensation on an ex-gratia basis where the police and probation services are concerned is a matter for the police authority or in the Metropolitan police district the receiver, or probation committee concerned.
Ex-gratia payments made in respect of the prison service cover a range of circumstances and the information requested could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.
Fox Hunts
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of people arrested in the past two years prior to the commencement of a fox hunt and then released without charge ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Operational policing is the responsibility of the chief officer concerned. I understand that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at
disproportionate cost.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time asylum seekers have to wait for their application to be decided.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 4 March 1991 at column 10.
Fox Hunting
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of persons charged with offences arising from activities surrounding fox hunting in the past year for which figures are available.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information on the number of people who are charged is not collected centrally. It is also not possible from information held centrally to identify the number of prosecutions for offences arising from activities surrounding fox hunting.
Fire Service
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to privatising the fire service in England and Wales.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The Government have no plans to change the public service basis on which the fire service is provided in this country.
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Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken by the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority to implement recommendations 119 and 29 of the Fennell inquiry report on the London fire brigade.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : London fire and civil defence authority training deals with incidents at underground stations in firefighters' own and adjacent fireground territories. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 22 March at column 251 with regard to recommendation 119.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been promulgated by his Department to local fire authorities and brigades on the wearing and use of extended duration breathing apparatus by firefighters.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : None so far, since trials by a small number of brigades in the use of extended duration breathing apparatus are at an early stage.
Juvenile Offenders
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the level of criminal offences committed by juveniles who have absconded from local authority care ; if such offences constitute a significant part of reported crime in relation to auto-crime and burglary ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Information on the number of offences committed by juveniles who have absconded from local authority care is not collected centrally.
Probation Service
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what indicators or measures of performance are applied to probation service civil work ; and what results have been obtained from such assessment.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : These are the responsibility of the management of local probation areas. Consideration is, however, being given to the establishment of national measures as part of the response to HM inspectorate of probation's recently completed thematic inspection of civil work.
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average weekly cost per case in the provision of family conciliation work by the probation service in England and Wales, including local and central costs, in the last year for which records are available.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Information on the costs of conciliation work is not held centrally.
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to the probation service in England and Wales, including local and central costs, of family conciliation work in the last year for which records are available ; and how many such cases were handled in that year by probation officers.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Information is not available separately for the cost of conciliation work. The number of
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conciliation cases on which the probation service began work in 1989 was 10,510--table 9.3 of "Probation Statistics England and Wales 1989".Immigration (Iraqis)
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to review the prohibitions imposed on Iraqi nationals under the immigration rules ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. Friend has removed the prohibitions in the "Statement of Changes in the Immigration Rules" which was published on 12 April--Cm 1491. All applications by Iraqi nationals for visas, admission or extensions of stay now fall to be determined in accordance with the normal requirements of the rules.
Joan Harrison (Murder)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask for a report from the chief constable of Lancashire on the progress of the investigation into the murder of Joan Harrison who died on 23 November 1975 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The death of Joan Harrison has been the subject of a major investigation. A number of suspects have been interviewed, but no one has been arrested and charged ; to date 2,320 statements have been taken. The case is reviewed regularly and any new information is fully investigated.
North Yorkshire Police
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen there were in the North Yorkshire police in 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : When the Government took office in May 1979 the strength of the North Yorkshire police was 1,337 officers. At the end of February 1991 this had increased to a strength of 1,383 officers. The force had 25 vacancies in February.
Immigration
Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list the countries the nationals of which currently need visas or entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The countries whose nationals require visas to enter the United Kingdom are listed in the appendix to the Immigration Rules--HC 356. Nationals of other countries, except European Community member states, require entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom for the following purposes :
(i) permit-free employment as a minister of religion, missionary or member of a religion ; representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation ; or sole representative of an overseas firm ;
(ii) as a businessman, self-employed person or person of independent means ;
(iii) as a writer or artist ;
(iv) as a dependant of a person in categories (i) to (iii) above or of a work permit holder ;
(v) as the fiance (e), spouse or other dependant of a person settled here.
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Drink Driving
Mr. Wells : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any new measures have recently been introduced to expedite the handling of drink driving cases.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : I am pleased that following discussions between representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Crown prosecution service and the Justices Clerks' Society, agreement has been reached on the way in which alleged offences of drink driving should be handled to ensure that they are dealt with as expeditiously as possible. The agreement, which is now in operation, provides that where an evidential breath test is in excess of the legal limit, and there is no subsequent blood or urine test, the person should be charged immediately rather than being released without charge and summoned at a later date. The agreement further provides that for cases where the documentation is complete and no further inquiries are required, the defendant should be bailed to appear at court seven days after his release from a police station. Where there are outstanding inquiries about documents, he should be bailed to attend court 14 days after release from the police station. Where inquiries are necessary for other driving offences, he should be bailed for 21 days. These procedures should ensure that most cases take no longer than 21 days from offence to the defendant's first court appearance at which we anticipate a substantial number of cases will be completed. The target days are of course without prejudice to any more expeditious handling which may be achieved locally. In some cases, where it is not the defendant's first drink driving offence he may well be brought to court within days so that the court can consider whether or not it is appropriate to impose a no driving condition on his bail. These arrangements represent a further significant step forward in dealing with drink drivers. Their operation will be reviewed in 12 months' time.
BBC2 (Reception)
Sir Hector Monro : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why television viewers in south-west Scotland cannot receive the Scottish regional programme broadcast on BBC2 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : In order to receive television programmes, viewers in south-west Scotland depend upon the broadcasts from the main transmitter at Caldbeck in Cumbria which also services that area of England. When BBC2 offers regional programmes, the Caldbeck transmitter broadcasts the programmes appropriate to north-west England. As a result, viewers in south-west Scotland cannot see the programmes appropriate to their region on occasions and they therefore miss broadcasts of a number of significant programmes including major political, cultural and sporting events. To rectify this problem, the BBC has proposed adding a further channel to the output from Caldbeck as it has already done for BBC1.
We have given this matter very careful consideration. Frequency spectrum is a limited resource. The intensive use of this resource in order to bring four national programme services--soon to become five--to most of this country, means that in some areas, very few channels remain available. Technical studies indicate that, after taking account of the likely needs of Channel 5, only one
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more channel could be used at Caldbeck. We have a responsibility to ensure that this channel is used effectively in the public interest. Under the BBC proposal, the channel would most of the time broadcast the same programmes viewers already have available on BBC2 North West ; Scottish regional programmes would only be broadcast for a few hours each week on average. Nevertheless' we recognise the importance of these programmes for viewers in south-west Scotland and we have therefore decided to allocate channel 67 to the BBC for this purpose. But in view of the consideration already outlined, we have to make two provisos. First, we shall need to keep the position under review. Once the current licensing round for Channel 3 has been finalised the independent television company serving south-west Scotland may be able to offer a wider use of channel 67 bringing significantly more choice to viewers in that area. We shall therefore look at the use which the BBC is making of this channel in 1993. If, at that point, we should decide to reallocate the frequency to Channel 3 it would be expected to compensate the BBC for the investment made in re- engineering the transmitters.Secondly, the BBC's efforts to introduce the new service should not interfere with its programme of building new transmitters for these communities in other parts of the country who still have no television service at all.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Housing Benefit
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list in the Official Report the total number of public sector housing tenants who where in receipt of (a) full housing benefit in 1989-90 and 1990-91 and (b) partial housing benefit in 1989-90 and 1990-91 ; and what estimate has been made of the numbers who will be recipients of (i) full and (ii) partial housing benefit in 1991-92.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is in the following table.
Scottish rent rebate caseload
Thousands
|<1>1989-90 |<2>1990-91 |<3>1991-92
Full rebate<4> |270 |259 |270
Partial rebate |208 |205 |220
<1>Average of four quarterly stock counts.
<2>Derived from November 1990 stock count (latest available).
<3>Derived from family expenditure survey based analysis.
<4>Data shown relates to rent rebates granted on the basis of
receipt of income support. Some people not getting income
support may also get a full rent rebate, but their numbers are not
readily available and they are thus included under partial
rebates.
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list in the Official Report the total amount of direct housing benefit subsidy made available to each district council in (a) 1989 -90 and (b) 1990-91 ; and if he will give a projection of estimated direct housing benefit subsidy payable to each district council for 1991-92.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is in the table.
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Direct housing benefit subsidy-Scottish district councils £ million Councils<1> <2> |1989-90<3> |1990-91<4> |1991-92<5> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aberdeen |14.29 |14.74 |14.06 Angus |4.95 |5.26 |5.58 Annandale and Eskdale |2.08 |2.23 |2.30 Argyll/Bute |4.72 |4.83 |4.76 Badenoch |0.62 |0.62 |0.66 Banff and Buchan |4.56 |4.78 |5.20 Bearsden and Milngavie |0.83 |0.93 |0.92 Berwickshire |1.12 |1.16 |1.24 Caithness |1.62 |1.81 |1.84 Clackmannan |3.59 |4.04 |4.51 Clydebank |6.75 |7.45 |7.69 Clydesdale |3.14 |3.69 |3.73 Cumbernauld |2.05 |2.12 |2.81 Cumnock and Doon |3.30 |3.57 |4.28 Cunninghame |10.22 |11.00 |11.83 Dumbarton |6.54 |7.69 |7.83 Dundee |22.88 |25.70 |27.93 Dunfermline |8.54 |9.23 |9.91 East Kilbride |0.90 |1.04 |1.22 East Lothian |5.93 |6.60 |7.24 Eastwood |0.80 |0.87 |0.94 Edinburgh |52.68 |53.08 |62.76 Ettrick and Lauderdale |1.47 |1.76 |1.84 Falkirk |11.00 |11.68 |12.52 Glasgow |129.04 |137.14 |150.17 Gordon |2.07 |2.20 |2.43 Hamilton |8.74 |9.20 |9.80 Inverclyde |9.09 |10.35 |11.62 Inverness |4.07 |4.52 |4.38 Kilmarnock |6.48 |7.48 |7.58 Kincardine and Deeside |1.03 |1.18 |1.22 Kirkcaldy |12.01 |13.06 |14.69 Kyle and Carrick |8.13 |7.33 |9.73 Lochaber |1.16 |1.32 |1.53 Midlothian |3.98 |3.81 |3.82 Monklands |11.65 |12.27 |13.79 Moray |4.86 |5.15 |5.13 Motherwell |13.55 |14.56 |14.22 Nairn |0.67 |0.57 |0.56 Nithsdale |3.08 |3.37 |3.70 North East Fife |3.64 |3.62 |3.95 Perth and Kinross |6.02 |6.87 |7.35 Renfrew |14.59 |17.42 |20.41 Ross and Cromarty |3.23 |3.39 |3.93 Roxburgh |2.34 |2.49 |2.71 Skye and Lochalsh |0.67 |0.72 |0.75 Stewartry |1.12 |1.20 |1.32 Stirling |5.61 |6.85 |7.12 Strathkelvin |3.80 |4.29 |<6> Sutherland |0.74 |0.81 |0.88 Tweedale |0.76 |0.80 |0.89 West Lothian |7.21 |7.56 |8.07 Wigtown |2.61 |2.65 |3.24 Notes: <1> The data in the table reflect rent rebate and rent allowance expenditure only. <2> Subsidy is paid to local authorities on a monthly basis. At the beginning of each financial year payments are based on authorities initial estimates. They are adjusted as necessary in the light of mid year estimates and final subsidy claims. The latter are externally audited. <3> Based on 47 final claims and 6 mid year estimates. <4> Based entirely on mid year estimates. <5> Based entirely on initial estimates. <6> Estimates awaited.
Industrial Deafness
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to provide compensation for those people suffering loss of hearing from industrial processes, including the textile industry, and remove the limit of less than five years ago that the damage was inflicted ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Scott : From October 1974, occupational deafness was prescribed as an industrial disease in respect of a number of occupations. In 1979 the regulations were amended to include cover for processes in textile manufacturing and other occupations, and they were further extended in 1983.
We are currently evaluating the feasibility of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's recent recommendations on the administration and operation of provision for occupational deafness--Cm 1245. A response will be made shortly.
A time limit on claiming for industrial deafness has existed ever since the condition was first prescribed. There are no plans to change the five-year limit.
PRIME MINISTER
Public Holidays
Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman : To ask the Prime Minister if he will bring forward proposals to abolish the May day holiday in England and declare St. George's day a public holiday instead.
The Prime Minister : I have no plans to do so, though I recognise that this is a holiday that many people disapprove of.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 23 April.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
The Gulf
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy in relation to long-term coalition presence in the Gulf.
The Prime Minister : We have made it clear that it is for the states of the region to take the lead in establishing lasting security arrangements for the Gulf, We stand ready to play our part in underpinning such arrangements, if requested, but we have no intention of maintaining a permanent ground force presence in the Gulf.
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to bring war charges against Iraqi leaders ; and if he will make a statement on British policy on this issue.
The Prime Minister : Iraqi leaders bear personal responsibility under international law for their actions. This principle was reiterated in United Nations Security Council Resolution 674. In the case of both the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Genocide Convention of 1948, Iraqi leaders can, in law, be brought to trial before a national court or international tribunal. We and our EC partners have asked the United Nations Secretary-General to investigate how this might be achieved.
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DEFENCE
Tornados
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce arrangements for the return to Britain of Tornado aircraft at present deployed to NATO bases in Germany ; and if he will consider joint use by the RAF and the United States Air Force of facilities at RAF Lakenheath.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Local station announcements are to be made shortly on the reductions in the RAF Tornado force in Germany foreshadowed in the statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 25 July 1990. There are no plans for the joint use by the RAF and the United States Air Force of facilities at RAF Lakenheath.
The Gulf
Mr. Clelland : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects of the Gulf conflict on the procurement of equipment for the British Army.
Mr. Alan Clark : We are considering the outcome of the campaign and the conclusions to be drawn from it in this as in other areas.
Defence Estate
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will place in the Library a list of all sites on the United Kingdom defence estate in excess of 500 acres stating their location, name of establishment and county.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I shall do so shortly.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will place in the Library a list of the number of civilian employees at each of the sites on the United Kingdom defence estate in excess of 500 acres.
Mr. Alan Clark : No. The information requested is not held in this form. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Heckler and Koch
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the effect of the purchase of Heckler and Koch by Royal Ordnance on the ability of the United Kingdom defence industrial base to meet the long-term requirements of the armed forces.
Mr. Alan Clark : We provided confidential advice on the proposed acquisition to the Office of Fair Trading in the usual way.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his German counterpart regarding the purchase of Heckler and Koch by Royal Ordnance.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the management of Royal Ordnance regarding their purchase of Heckler and Koch.
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Defence Support Agency
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on defence support agency status for the service children's schools, north-west Europe.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Service Children's Schools (North West Europe), within the British Army of the Rhine, will be launched formally as a defence support agency of the Ministry of Defence on 24 April. The agency comprises 86 schools in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sardinia. It is currently staff by some 1,300 teachers and educational administrative staff, and 1,200 other full and part-time employees ; for the financial year 1991-92 it has a projected operating budget of some £40 million cash and over £60 million full cost. The agency's chief executive, appointed through open competition from outside the civil service, is Mr. I. S. Mitchelson.
The role of Service Children's Schools (North West Europe) is to provide an efficient and effective education service, comparable to good local education authority practice, for the dependant children of MOD personnel in north-west Europe. It must respond not only to the changes in the size and disposition of British forces in Europe as the result of the changing political climate, the Gulf situation and "Options for Change", but also to the requirements of the Education Reform Act and current developments in the management of education.
I am confident that the chief executive and his staff will meet those challenges, and will maintain the high-quality educational service that SCS(NWE) has traditionally provided. As an agency, SCS(NWE) will have greater executive and managerial freedoms, and there will be increased opportunities for the chief executive to improve the efficiency and value for money of his organisation. Accordingly, the chief executive has been set the following key targets for the first year of operation as an agency :
in 1991-92, to maintain at least current rates of pupil success at GCSE and A-levels ;
by 1 April 1992, to develop and introduce systems which will provide a comprehensive measure of pupil performance, in terms of both examination results and other school activities ; to formulate policies which aim for a progressive improvement in pupil performance ; and to formulate work and activity programmes designed to make residence in NW Europe an educationally beneficial experience ; by 1 April 1992, to develop appropriate measures of the level of qualification and training of teachers, and to set targets both for the match between teacher qualification and post and for the further training of teachers ;
to establish, by 1 September 1991, a two-year cycle of teacher appraisal ;
to plan and provide, by 1 April 1992, a co-ordinated support service both to voluntary groups catering for under-age school children and children with special educational needs ;
to develop, and introduce by 1 September 1991, a system for assessing parental satisfaction, and to seek progressive improvements in the level of parental satisfaction ;
to develop, and implement by 1 April 1992, processes both to allow parents to take a more active involvement in agency activities and to inform them of relevant educational developments ;
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