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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 26 April 1991
HOME DEPARTMENT
Prisoners in Police Cells
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on prisoners in police cells in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas ; what is the number of convicted and remand prisoners held in cells and the number of places available in prisons, which are not available due to industrial action ; and when it is expected police cells will be free of such prisoners.
Mrs. Rumbold : On 25 April there were 444 prisoners in police cells as a result of the loss of accommodation at Manchester prison following the disturbance last year. Prison Service management is giving priority to the resolution of this problem, but is constrained by the availability of accommodation and by the policy of the Prison Officers' Association not to accept into local prisons and remand centres inmates from outside the catchment areas of those establishments. Of the 444, 101 are adult remand prisoners, and this element of the population can be removed from police cells when further refurbished accommodation in Manchester becomes available this summer.
I have been especially concerned at the numbers of young men on remand held in police cells. There were 55 on 25 April. The principal difficulty in respect of such inmates is the limited capacity of Hindley remand centre. Prison Service management has been working to transfer some young men awaiting trial to Stoke Heath remand centre to create space for those on remand. The Stoke Heath branch of the Prison Officers' Association was initially unwilling to agree that the establishment should accept prisoners awaiting trial, but I am glad to be able to tell the hon. Member that management has reached agreement with the union branch and that trial prisoners should begin to be transferred from 7 May. This means that young men on remand should be cleared from police cells over the next few weeks. Prison Service management is seeking to transfer convicted inmates in police cells to training prison accommodation. While most of the training prison estate is being operated at a very high level of occupancy, new accommodation is available at Full Sutton--192 places--and Acklington--152 places. This accommodation could be used to relieve other northern establishments so as to provide space within the prison system both for adult sentenced inmates, of whom there were 149 in police cells on 25 April, and for convicted persons awaiting sentence, of whom there were 98 in police cells. I very much regret that the local POA branches at these establishments have so far refused to allow this accommodation to be used. As a result, convicted prisoners are being held unnecessarily in
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police cells. If these places could be brought into use, and the spaces created at northern local prisons, the use of police cells could be substantially reduced immediately.My right hon. Friend and I are most grateful to the Greater Manchester police and to other police forces for the way that they have coped with the burden placed on them by the Prison Service's recourse to police cells. Prison Service management remains committed to removing that burden in the shortest possible time.
Public Servants (Death)
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions apply to the disclosure of the method of murder or suicide by police officers or other public servants before an inquest or court case.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Apart from the sub judice rule, there are no legal restrictions on the amount of information about a homicide or suicide which police officers or other public servants can disclose, but they will not want to publicise details which may be of potential use in an investigation and as evidence against a suspect. It is for the courts to decide on the actual cause of death.
Metropolitan Police
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the percentage of (a) police personnel and (b) police financial resources that are devoted in the Metropolitan area overall to (i) foot patrols, (ii) traffic regulation, (iii) parking regulation and (iv) diplomatic, royal and VIP protection.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand that the available information is as follows. Fourteen per cent. of available police man-days are devoted to foot patrols, including home beats and other street duties, 3.3 per cent. to protection duties and 3.5 per cent. to traffic and parking regulation combined.
Twenty-six per cent. of Metropolitan Police current expenditure is devoted to patrol, which includes officers engaged on foot patrols, home beats, vehicle patrols, and dog handlers and mounted branch officers engaged on local patrol, 6.6 per cent. to traffic and parking regulation combined, which includes the work of the traffic warden service, and 3.4 per cent. to protection duties.
Isle of Man (Human Rights)
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what indications he has given to the authorities in the Isle of Man of the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the steps to be taken by the Isle of Man to honour its obligations under the European convention of human rights in relation to the liberties of lesbians and gay men.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We have made clear to the Isle of Man authorities that, in order to enable the United Kingdom to conform with its obligations under the convention, the island's legislation on homosexuality should be amended ; that it is desirable that the Isle of Man should itself amend the legislation ; but that, if necessary, the United Kingdom will legislate on the island's behalf.
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Prison Deaths
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all deaths that have occured in 1990 of persons detained in prison department establishments, stating, in each case, the age and sex of the inmates and cause of death, the inquest verdict, whether the inmate was sentenced or on remand, the establishment where the inmate was detained, and whether the death
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occurred there or in an outside hospital and for where the death occurred within the prison whether the inmate was segregated either on the hospital wing or in the punishment block.Mrs. Rumbold : The information is given in the table. Deaths occurred within the establishment unless otherwise indicated. None of the inmates located in the prison hospital at the time of death was segregated under rule 43 of the prison rules.
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Deaths of inmates in Her Majesty's prison service custody in 1990
Date |Establishment |Age |Sex |Status |Cause of death |Inquest verdict |Location at
|time of death<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 January |Durham |20 |M |S |Hanging<2> |Not yet held |OL(SH)
6 January |Bristol |22 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
10 January |Lincoln |46 |M |R |Suffocation |Open |PH(SI)
14 January |Winchester |69 |M |R |Angina |Natural |PH(SI)
22 January |Liverpool |47 |M |S |Hanging |Open |PH(SI)
25 January |Manchester |37 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
10 February |Reading |35 |M |S |Brain haemorrhage |Natural |OH
14 February |Winchester |19 |M |R |Hanging |Open |OL(SH)
21 February |Camp Hill |24 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
22 February |Bedford |29 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SH)
28 February |Hindley |18 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |OH
2 March |Brixton |29 |M |R |Hanging |Open |PH(SI)
2 March |Manchester |37 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SH)
3 March |Pentonville |34 |M |R |Asphyxiation |Misadventure |OL(SI)
14 March |Wakefield |56 |M |S |Heart attack |Natural |Yard
16 March |Durham |27 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
23 March |Bristol |31 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |SEG(SI)
29 March |Coldingley |24 |M |S |Unknown |Accidental |-<3>
3 April |Swansea |25 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |SEG(OP)(SH)
7 April |Dartmoor |27 |M |S |Fire |Suicide |OL(SI)
8 April |Highpoint |59 |M |S |Asphyxia |Suicide |OL(SI)
8 April |Stocken |35 |M |S |Heart attack |Natural |OL(SI)
11 April |Wandsworth |31 |M |S |Undetermined |Open |Recess
15 April |Wakefield |49 |M |S |Heart failure |Natural |OL(SI)
19 April |Channings Wood |61 |M |S |Carcinomatosis |Natural |OH
23 April |Wayland |50 |M |S |Heart failure |Natural |OL(SI)
26 April |Wandworth |27 |M |R |Meningitis |Natural |PH(SI)
9 May |Wellingborough |54 |M |S |Heart failure |Natural |OL(SI)
11 May |Wakefield |58 |M |S |Carcinoma bronchus |Natural |OH
18 May |Exeter |31 |M |R |Coronary sclerosis |Natural |OL(SH)
19 May |Wormwood Scrubs |25 |M |R |Hanging |Misadventure |OL(SH)
19 May |Ashwell |61 |M |S |Cancer |Natural |OH
20 May |Acklington |26 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
28 May |Cardiff |70 |M |S |Cancer |Natural |OH
4 June |Durham |35 |F |S |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
20 June |Liverpool |54 |M |S |Cancer |Natural |OH
22 June |The Verne |40 |M |S |Heart attack |Natural |OL(SI)
25 June |Hindley |18 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |SEG(GOAD)(SI)
25 June |Hindley |18 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide in circumstances aggravated by lack of care |SEG(GOAD)(SI)
26 June |Bedford |27 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |PH(SI)
7July |Wakefield |52 |M |S |Cerebral oedema |Open |OH
13 July |Swansea |15 |M |R |Hanging |Open |OH<4>
18 July |Long Lartin |27 |M |S |Stab wound |Not yet held |OH
20 July |Wandsworth |29 |M |S |Pneumonia |Natural |OH
21 July |Parkhurst |55 |M |S |Lung cancer |Natural |OH
25 July |Lewes |32 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |SEG(OP)(SI)
29 July |Standford Hill |25 |M |S |Heart attack |Natural |OL(SI)
30 July |Parkhurst |43 |M |S |Drug overdose |Accidental death |SU(SI)
1 August |Parkhurst |42 |M |S |Heart attack |Natural |PH(SI)
5 August |Winchester |41 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide in circumstances aggravated by lack of care |OL(SI)
12 August |Wakefield |31 |M |S |Unknown |Natural |OH
12 August |Leeds |17 |M |R |Hanging |Open |OH<5>
15 August |Bristol |23 |M |S |Hanging |Open |SEG(OP)(SI)
17 August |Pentonville |43 |M |R |Hanging
| while balance
| of mind
| disturbed |PH(SI)
1 September |Wandsworth |22 |M |S |Hanging
| while balance
| of mind
| disturbed |PH(SI)
5 September |Birmingham |35 |M |S |Hanging |Not yet held |OL(SI)
7 September |Brixton |38 |M |R |Hanging |Accidental |OH<4>
14 September |North Sea Camp |37 |M |S |Heart attack |Natural |-<6>
15 September |Oxford |23 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
16 September |Brixton |39 |M |R |Hanging |Accidental |OH
21 September |Lewes |30 |M |S |Hanging |Accidental |SEG(OP)(SI)
24 September |Channings Wood |50 |M |S |Cerebral oedema |Misadventure |-<7>
28 September |Liverpool |29 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
28 September Wormwood Scrubs 36 M S Coronary thrombosis Natural
29 September |Hull |20 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |OH<4>
4 October |Grendon |39 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide |PH(SI)
12 October |Brixton |29 |M |R |Cerebral oedema |Suicide |OH
13 October |Liverpool |27 |M |R |Hanging |Not yet held |OH<5>
13 October |Wakefield |36 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
19 October |The Verne |38 |M |S |Hanging |Open |SEG(GOAD)(SI)
20 October |Wandsworth |51 |M |S |Cancer |Natural |OH
26 October |Glen Parva |15 |M |S |Hanging |Open |OL(SI)
26 October |Wakefield |44 |M |S |Pneumonia |Natural |PH(SI)
4 November |Liverpool |28 |M |S |Hanging |Not yet held |PH(SI)
11 November |Durham |29 |M |S |Hanging |Suicide |OL(SI)
13 November |Wakefield |59 |M |S |Astrocytoma |Natural |OH
13 November |Reading |34 |M |S |Heart attack |Natural |OL(SH)
16 November |Frankland |35 |M |S |Drug misuse |Accidental |OL(SI)
19 November |Lincoln |52 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide |Recess
19 November |Maidstone |56 |M |S |Shooting |Not yet held |-<3>
27 November |Stocken |60 |M |S |Heart attack |Natural |OH
1 December |Wymott |45 |M |S |Heart attack |Not yet held |OH<3>
3 December |Brixton |28 |M |R |Hanging |Suicide in circumstances brought about by lack of care|PH(SI)
13 December |Liverpool |68 |M |S |Heart disease |Not yet held |OH
16 December |Haverigg |69 |M |S |Heart attack |Not yet held |OL(SH)
24 December |Manchester |38 |M |R |Hanging |Not yet held |OL(SI)
29 December |Canterbury |52 |M |R |Induced heart failure |Not yet held |OL(SI)
31 December |Portland |19 |M |S |Hanging |Open |SEG(GOAD)
31 December |Brixton |18 |M |R |Hanging |Not yet held |-<5>
<1>Key to location:
OL-Ordinary location within the establishment.
PH-Located in the prison hospital (including F wing at Brixton).
SEG(OP)-Located in the segregation unit for the inmate's own protection (rule 43).
SEG(GOAD)-Located in the segregation unit for reasons of good order and discipline (rule 43).
SU-Located in special unit for management of very disruptive prisoners.
OH-Outside hospital.
SH-Shared cell or room.
SI-Single cell or room.
<2>Another inmate has been convicted of murder.
<3>Inmate died while on home leave or temporary release.
<4>The inmate was found hanging in a single cell; death occurred in an outside hospital.
<5>The inmate was found hanging in a shared cell; death occurred in an outside hospital.
<6>Inmate died after absconding.
<7>Inmate died while trying to escape.
Table file CW910426.002 not available
Press and Public Relations Staff
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year from 1979-80, including 1991-92, the number of staff actually employed
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on 1 April and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts in the press and public relations office of the Metropolitan police.Mr. Peter Lloyd : The deputy commissioner tells me that the complement and the staff in post in the press and public relations office of the Metropolitan police on 1 April in each year are as shown in the table.
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Year |Complement|Strength -------------------------------------------- 1979 |71 |58 1980 |70 |55 1981 |69 |70 1982 |67 |63 1983 |59 |64 1984 |61 |76 1985 |63 |74 1986 |58 |72 1987 |58 |72 1988 |60 |83 1989 |87 |82 1990 |91 |94 1991 |92 |92
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year from 1979-80, including 1991-92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts in the press and public relations office of his Department.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The table below shows the staff in post on 1 April in the Home Office public relations branch, which includes a press office and a publicity section, for each year from 1979 to 1991. The figures combine members of the information officer grades and administrative and support staff.
Year |Numbers ------------------------ 1979 |35 1980 |39 1981 |38 1982 |33 1983 |32 1984 |32 1985 |39 1986 |34 1987 |41 1988 |36 1989 |43 1990 |50 1991 |49
Merseyside Probation Committee
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Merseyside probation committee budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Merseyside probation committee has proposed a budget increase in 1991-92 of 12.8 per cent. I have received request for a determination of its proposed budget from the Metropolitan boroughs of Sefton and St. Helens. Clearly the probation committee and the boroughs need to know the final budget as soon as possible in order to manage expenditure properly this financial year. Full consideration must, however, be given to the objections raised by the boroughs and to the committee's detailed response. The determination will be announced as soon as possible.
Family Conciliation Services
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department provides to national or local family conciliation services ; what plans he has to increase such funding to take account of planned legislative changes in divorce and child support procedures ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Kenneth Baker : We do not fund any national or local family conciliation services apart from in-court conciliation work done by probation services. We have no plans to fund any other such services.
Armley Prison
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the latest suicide of a prisoner in Armley gaol ; what preventive measures were taken in screening prisoners ; and how many recommendations to the chief inspector of prisons relating to Armley have been implemented.
Mrs. Rumbold : The circumstances relating to this very sad death will be fully and openly investigated at the coroner's inquest. It would not be right for me to comment until the jury has reached its verdict on the cause of death.
The hon. Member will be aware, from the statement which my right hon. Friend made on publication of the report by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons into Leeds prison last year, that the Government are fully committed to improving conditions in the prison. The task is a substantial one but much has already been achieved. Overcrowding has been considerably reduced and the treble occupancy of cells ended. Levels of out-of-cell activity for prisoners have improved. The length of family visits to prisoners has sharply increased ; it is now common for unconvicted prisoners to enjoy regular visits of 45 minutes or longer. Meanwhile, a major redevelopment programme is under way, which will see the building of two new wings and a new hospital, kitchen and sports hall by 1992, and in due course the refurbishment of the whole establishment, including the provision of integral sanitation. The new establishment opening this year at Moorland, near Doncaster, will provide considerable relief for Leeds. In particular, it will offer more suitable accommodation for all the young unconvicted prisoners currently held at Leeds and Hull prisons.
Asylum
Mr. John Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to increase resources for dealing with claims for asylum in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : In view of the growth in the number of asylum claims which have been made in the course of the past two years, I intend to increase over the next 12 months the number of staff in the asylum and special cases division of the Home Office from 120 to over 500. This will allow for the quicker recognition of genuine refugees and the refusal of applications from those with no valid claim. Additional resources are also being made available for interviewing and for removing rejected applicants who fail to leave voluntarily. In addition, the Government plan substantially to increase their contribution to the refugee unit of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service, which provides advice and counselling to asylum seekers.
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ENVIRONMENT
Spray Irrigation
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to monitor the quantities of water used by spray irrigation of golf courses in England and Wales.
Mr. Baldry : Either the local water company or the National Rivers Authority is responsible for such monitoring, depending on the source of supply. The chairman of the NRA will write to my hon. Friend.
Toxic Waste (Wath upon Dearne)
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether contact is maintained between his Department and the relevant local authorities and public agencies in regard to the problems prescribed by the large number of drums of toxic waste held in Wath upon Dearne.
Mr. Baldry : Waste at Wath recycling has been safely drummed and stored in accordance with the requirements of the local waste disposal authority and relevant Government inspectorates. The site is regularly inspected by the waste disposal authority. There are no immediate problems requiring further steps by any of those concerned.
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any evidence that metal drums used for the containing or oil of chemical material are likely to be subject to such changes as allow leakage at the point of the top cover or at the lip ; and if such leakage is likely to occur where toxic wastes are contained, as at Wath upon Dearne, near Rotherham, at a site know to Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Baldry : I have no such evidence.
West Midlands Police Authority
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the West Midlands police authority regarding its standard spending assessment.
Mr. Key : Representations were received from the West Midlands police authority, during the period of consultation on the proposed revenue support grant settlement for 1991-92, about the adequacy of its provisional standard spending assessment in relation to its proposed budget from 1991- 92. These representations were fully taken into account before final decisions were taken for 1991-92.
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the formula he uses for determining the standard spending assessment of the West Midlands police authority.
Mr. Key : The formula is set out in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) as amended by the Revenue Support Grant Distribution (Amendment) Report which was debated and approved by the House of Commons on 29 January 1991. Copies of both reports are available in the Library.
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Radioactive Waste
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recently released report prepared jointly by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency on radioactive waste disposal.
Mr. Baldry : The Government welcome the report recently published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, entitled "Disposal of Radioactive Waste : Can Long-Term Safety be Evaluated?". It concludes that safety assessment methods are available today to evaluate adequately the potential long-term radiological impacts of a carefully designed radioactive waste disposal system on humans and the environment. I will place copies of the report in the Library shortly.
Chernobyl
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what emergency preparations are in hand in the event of the Soviet sarcophagus at the damaged Chernobyl reactor collapsing and releasing radioactive dust into the atmosphere.
Mr. Baldry : The national response plan for handling the consequences for the United Kingdom of overseas nuclear accidents sets out the arrangements which would be activated if we were notified of an accident involving a significant release of radioactivity to the environment, or if the RIMNET monitoring system detected radioactivity arriving in this country. These arrangements are set out in the booklet "The National Response Plan and Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network (RIMNET)--Phase I", published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what offers of technical assistance have been (a) sought from and (b) made by his Department to the Soviet atomic energy authorities in the clean-up and long-term management of radioactive waste arising from the Chernobyl accident in April 1986.
Mr. Baldry : I understand that the Soviet Union has not requested any assistance from the United Kingdom Government in respect of these matters. Nevertheless, the United Kingdom is prepared to give sympathetic consideration to any such requests.
Minerals Industry
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the results of the work undertaken by Groundwork on the minerals industry and the environment.
Mr. Yeo : The study contains six recommendations. The most important of these is that each company should establish a system of environmental management as an integral part of its organisation. This would include publishing a corporate environmental policy statement, regular monitoring of performance and a periodic
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environmental audit. The report also recommends training, production of design manuals and codes of practice, and promotion of the importance of the industry and its environmental achievements. The role of the trade associations in achieving these aims is emphasised.We fully endorse the recommendations, particularly the emphasis on self- regulation. Minerals are an important national resource and it is essential that the country has a continual and adequate supply. But as we said in the Environment White Paper this has to be balanced against amenity and other environmental considerations. Although the industry has made major steps in raising standards there is scope for more to be done. We believe the Groundwork report has identified a number of positive and beneficial initiatives which are to be commended to the industry. It is our intention to discuss with industry how this can be done and I look forward to their continuing support and co-operation.
As an immediate follow-up to the study the Department is to fund an initial pilot study by Groundwork to encourage the improvement of the environmental performance of the minerals industry with the aim of formulating an industry wide initiative. The project forms part of the Department's geological and minerals planning research programme and is planned to start this summer.
A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.
Green Belt
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the chairman of the London Green Belt council concerning his predecessor's assurance that land covered by the London and Home Counties Green Belt Act 1938 is inalienable ; and if he will make a statement setting out his present policy with regard to proposals by local authorities to dispose of properties acquiried under the Act.
Mr. Yeo [holding answer 23 April 1991] : The chairman of the London Green Belt council wrote on 18 November 1990 and 5 January and 6 February 1991, receiving replies from my officials. The Government remain committed to ensuring that land held under the 1938 Act continues to fulfil green belt objectives. In considering any applications for consent to disposal under section 5 of the 1938 Act, one of the factors which my right hon. Friend will take into account is whether retention of the land in public ownership is necessary or desirable as a means of securing those objectives. Right to buy considerations arise only in respect of dwellings occupied by secure tenants ; the same considerations would not be relevant to proposals to dispose of open land.
TRANSPORT
A65
Mr. Jopling : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the western section of the A65 road between Kirkby Lonsdale and the M6.
Mr. Chope : There are two schemes in the road programme for this section of the A65. These are the Hornsbarrow diversion and the Moss Side to Lupton improvement.
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Mr. Jopling : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of road accidents, together with the numbers of injuries and deaths, on the western stretch of the A65 road between Kirkby Lonsdale and the M6 for each of the past five years for which figures are available.
Mr. Chope : The following table shows the details of personal injury road accidents on the section of the A65 from the west and of Kirkby Lonsdale to the M6 motorway.
Casualties
Year |Personal |Fatal |Serious |Slight |Total
|injury
|road
|accidents
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1986 |6 |0 |3 |8 |11
1987 |6 |0 |3 |3 |6
1988 |9 |0 |3 |10 |13
1989 |13 |0 |3 |16 |19
1990 |8 |0 |3 |9 |12
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |42 |0 |15 |46 |61
Exhaust Emissions
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the volume of carcinogenic substances emitted on a yearly basis by the average motor car ; and if he will take steps to monitor the future pattern of such emissions.
Mr. Chope : Estimates of the emissions of benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)--the substances in question--vary greatly. Recent work by the university of East Anglia for the Department of Transport suggests that about 11,000 tonnes of benzene and 40 tonnes of PAHs are emitted each year from road transport. The estimates are too general to allow the figures to be calculated for the average motor car, as a substantial portion of the emissions comes from trucks and buses.
The amount of benzene and PAHs emitted by new petrol-engined cars will be greatly reduced when catalysts become standard fitment at the end of 1992. The EC directive that will provide for this will also require the control of evaporative emissions from cars, restricting another way that benzene escapes to the atmosphere.
Diesel engines fitted to trucks and buses are the primary source of PAHs from road traffic, and the tight new standards for these engines agreed in the Community last month address this area.
Part of the Department of Transport's research effort is directed at producing better estimates of these emissions. The Department of Environment is also stepping up its monitoring of the atmospheric concentrations of hydrocarbons, including benzene.
Speed Limits
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about EC plans to standardise speed limits within the EC ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : In 1989, the Commission proposed a directive harmonising goods vehicle and coach speed limits in the EC. This has yet to be considered by the Council of Ministers.
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HGV Speed Limiters
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about EC plans for heavy goods vehicle speed limiter legislation.
Mr. Chope : The European Commission has proposed a technical standard for speed limiters, based on a standard agreed in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Under the Commission proposal, member states could not refuse to register a vehicle on the grounds that it was fitted with a speed limiter conforming to the standard, but there has been no Commission proposal for mandatory fitment.
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to fit speed limiters to heavy goods vehicles on a retrospective basis ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : We have consulted about a proposal to require speed limiters to be fitted to new heavy goods vehicles of more than 7.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight. We also invited views about fitting speed limiters to vehicles already on the road. These views are being considered and an announcement will be made shortly.
Press and Public Relations Staff
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give for each year from 1979-80, including 1991-92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts in the press and public relations office of his Department.
Mr.McLoughlin : The number of staff employed in the press and public relations office of the Department of Transport on 1 April 1989, 1990 and 1991 is as follows :
|Staff in post|Complement
--------------------------------------------------------
1 April 1991 |17 |18
1 April 1990 |17 |18
1 April 1989 |17 |not known
Before 1989, these staff formed part of the common services of this Department and the Department of the Environment and separate figures are not readily available.
DEFENCE
St. John Ambulance Brigade
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities have been made available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : As yet we have received no formal request from the St. John Ambulance Brigade about this appeal. Should such a request be received, we will consider the extent of the support we might offer.
RAF Finningley
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 25 January, Official Report, column 358, to the hon. Member for Don Valley, from which countries the three personnel came.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : Canada, Germany and the United States of America.
Press and Public Relations Staff
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give for each year from 1979-80, including 1991-92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts in the press and public relations office of his Department.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The number of service personnel and civilians employed on press and public relations work in the MOD in the years 1982-83 to 1990-91 is as follows :
Years |Numbers |Complement
|employed
--------------------------------------------
1982-83 |222.0 |n/a
1983-84 |290.0 |n/a
1984-85 |282.5 |n/a
1985-86 |249.5 |n/a
1986-87 |215.0 |217
1987-88 |206.0 |217
1988-89 |213.0 |217
1989-90 |212.0 |221
1990-91 |221.0 |221
The estimate for 1991-92 is similar to 1990-91.
Figures for 1979-80, 1980-81 and 1981-82 are not available. The numbers given for 1983-84 onwards include all service personnel and civilians in complemented PR and PR support posts in London and commands and districts at home and overseas : the 1982-83 figure was not prepared on this comprehensive basis.
Chieftain Tanks (Replacement)
Mr. Clelland : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the suitability of German manufactured tanks as a replacement for Chieftain tanks.
Mr. Alan Clark : My Department is making a full assessment of the suitability of the German Leopard 2 (Improved) tank as equipment for our future main battle tank fleet.
MOD Civilian Guard
Mr. Mates : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is now able to make a statement about the formation of a new Ministry of Defence civilian guard service.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has decided to establish a new Ministry of Defence civilian guard service in Great Britain on 1 April 1992. Its headquarters and training staff will form before that date. It is our proposal that the new guard service, which will be formed from the Department's various existing civilian guard forces, comprising guarding, patrolling and watching grades, together with new entrants, will have a common uniform, common professional standards, common pay and conditions of service, a common staffing structure and common centralised training. The guard service will contribute fully to the mix of service, Ministry of Defence Police and civilian guard forces dedicated to the security of the Department. The guards' new pay scales and conditions of service will be appropriate to the work which they will be required to do.
Column 573
While commanding officers and heads of establishment will remain responsible for the command and control of the guards at their units, the professional management of the guard service as a whole will be the responsibility of the chief constable of the Ministry of Defence Police, with a professional head of guard service reporting to him. Training will be provided at the MDP Police Training school and the Royal Military Police training centre by MDP, service and civilian instructors. Professional standards and entry qualifications will be set by the chief constable and monitored by his regional staff, who will be based in the regions and answerable to the head of guard service. There is no present intention that any members of the guard service should be armed. Consultations about the new arrangements are proceeding with the trade unions concerned. It is the Government's intention that the new guard service should build on the excellent work done by our present guards ; and that it should become the fully professional, well-trained and well- equipped service that the high terrorist threat requires.Over-the-Horizon Radar
Mr. Aspinwall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there have been any developments in his plan to conduct a trial of a relocatable over-the-horizon radar in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Clark : I announced on 30 March 1990, at columns 328-9 that we had decided in principle to undertake, in collaboration with the United States, a trial of the potential value of a relocatable over-the-horizon radar in the United Kingdom. Following my right hon. Friend's statement on Options for Change on 25 July 1990 at columns 470-88, we have been reviewing our equipment plans and have decided not to proceed with this project.
HEALTH
Dentures
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is (a) the average amount paid by patients for the provision of dentures under the national health service and (b) the amount paid to dentists for the laboratory content of their fee for the provision of dentures in the categories (i) complete acrylic dentures, (ii) one to three tooth partial acrylic dentures, (iii) four to eight tooth partial dentures, (iv) nine to 13 tooth partial acrylic dentures, (v) one to three tooth partial chrome cobalt dentures, (vi) four to eight tooth partial chrome cobalt dentures and (viii) complete chrome cobalt dentures.
Mr. Dorrell : Information is not available on the average amount paid by patients for the provision of dentures under the national health service. The table shows the amounts which are attributed to dental laboratory costs in the fees paid to dentists for the national health service treatments listed in the current scale of fees which came into effect on 1 October 1990.
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/
Dentures in synthetic resin
(including all necessary backing and tagging)
|£
-----------------------------------------------
Full upper and full lower dentures |47.00
Partial denture bearing:
One, two or three teeth |18.44
Four to eight teeth |27.04
Nine or more teeth |33.98
Metal based dentures
(excluding backing)
|£
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Plate design partial denture bearing:
One, two or three teeth |64.58
Four to eight teeth |73.68
Nine to twelve teeth |74.98
Skeleton design partial denture with single
connecting bar bearing:
One, two or three teeth |65.47
Four to ten teeth |72.97
Skeleton design partial denture with multiple
connecting bars bearing:
One, two or three teeth |70.11
Four to ten teeth |77.40
Full upper or full lower denture in chrome cobalt or
stainless steel |57.24
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used by his Department for the control of the quality of dentures provided under the national health service by dentists and dental laboratories.
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