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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 2 May 1991
HOME DEPARTMENT
National Association of Probation Officers
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of the National Association of Probation Officers to discuss the new framework for the probation service.
Mr. John Patten : The then Home Secretary met the National Association of Probation Officers on 3 August 1987 to discuss "Probation-- The Next Five Years", a statement produced jointly by the Central Council of Probation Committees, the Association of Chief Probation Officers and NAPO.
Cars (Anti-Theft Measures)
Mr. Allen McKay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now discuss with representatives of the motoring organisations, consumer associations and motor manufacturers the desirability of fitting laminated glass in cars to enhance their anti-theft properties.
Mr. John Patten : We are considering this matter, in consultation with others. In doing so, we must take account of both the security and safety implications of fitting laminated glass.
Mr. McWilliam : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet representatives of the motor manufacturers to discuss increasing anti-theft standards in automobiles.
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. Friend met the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on 24 April and he and I met
representatives from 11 motor manufacturing companies on 29 April to discuss car security. At these meetings we discussed measures that could be taken by the manufacturers further to improve car security and the individual manufacturers and SMMT will provide an update on how progress can be made in about three months' time.
Prisoners (Visits)
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that prisoners are imprisoned at a convenient distance for regular visits from their families.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Nearness to the prisoner's home or that of his or her likely visitors is a factor taken into account when sentenced prisoners are allocated to training establishments in England and Wales. But prison staff also take into account other factors, including the availability of places and security and control considerations, as well as any other needs the prisoner may have.
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Civil Defence
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has made any decision on the reviews of civil defence and civil emergency planning undertaken by his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : We hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.
Magistrates Courts, Devon
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he will announce his decision on changes in the magistrates courts in Devon ;
(2) when he expects to announce that a decision has been made on the future of the magistrates court in South Molton.
Mr. John Patten : We hope to make an announcement as soon as possible.
Police Officers
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female police officers there were in England and Wales on 1 January 1990 ; what percentage of them were promoted during 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 1 January 1990, there were 13,829 women police officers in England and Wales. Information on the total numbers of officers promoted is not centrally held.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many male police officers there were in England and Wales on 1 January 1990 ; and what percentage of them were promoted during 1990.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 1 January 1990, there were 112,281 male police officers in England and Wales. Information on the total numbers of officers promoted is not centrally held.
Prison Suicides
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prison suicides in each of the years 1987 to date in which the coroner identified lack of medical care as a material factor ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : There have been five cases of self-inflicted death in prison service establishments since 1987 in which the inquest verdict on the cause of death made reference to a lack of care. Of these, one death was in 1987, three were in 1990 and one in 1991.
The verdicts concerned did not distinguish between medical care and other means of providing care for prisoners. The duty of care is shared by all prison staff, not only medical or nursing staff. The Government are concerned to ensure that proper standards of care are achieved in prisons. We are giving very serious consideration to the recommendations made about this in the report on suicide and self-injury by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons.
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Data Protection Register
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total sum paid out in fees by the office of the Data Protection Registrar to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991- 92.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : I set out below the registrar's expenditure on specialist advice, other than public relations, in the years since his office was established in 1984 :
|£
----------------------
1984-85 |15,302
1985-86 |37,383
1986-87 |6,558
1987-88 |9,764
1988-89 |36,788
1989-90 |17,416
1990-91 |31,229
The budget for 1991-92 is £30,000.
I understand separate figures for management consultancies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Property, London
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much land his Department owns in London ; and how much of that land is unused.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The most recent available information is that the Home Office owns about 230 acres of land in the Greater London area. The departmental register of unused and underused land, which is available for inspection by any member of the public, shows that the only unused portion of that land is an area of approximately 10 acres at Feltham, in the London borough of Hounslow.
National Sporting Events
Sir Alan Glyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from members of the public seeking an assurance that national sporting events will continue to be available on the main television channels as well as on cable and satellite.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Since the revised list of events drawn up under section 182 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 was published on 17 April, the Home Office has received 42 letters from members of the public about it. Events on the list may not be shown on pay-per-view terms ; but there has never been any guarantee that particular sporting events, whether or not included on the list, will be shown on terrestrial television services.
Police Force Numbers
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each police authority in Wales, for each of the past five years, 1991 and 1992, the recommendation made by the chief constable as to the number of police officers needed by that force to maintain an adequate level of cover.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : Since 1986 the four Welsh police authorities have made applications to the Secretary of State for increases in establishment as shown in the table :
+
|Dyfed-|Gwent |North
|Powys |Wales |Wales
-------------------------------------------
1986-87 |1 |nil |niil |nil
1987-88 |nil |17 |nil |nil
1988-89 |nil |42 |41 |66
1989-90 |nil |33 |31 |77
1990-91 |8 |11 |21 |67
1991-92 |nil |9 |nil |nil
1992-93 |50 |10 |30 |44
Wolds Remand Prison
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the standard of service which will be expected of a private sector company contracted to run Wolds remand prison.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Work has now been completed on the specification for the operation of Wolds remand prison under private sector management and the selection and training requirements for prisoner custody officers. This forms part of the invitation to tender being issued to potential contractors today and a copy has been placed in the Library. Subject to the passage of the Criminal Justice Bill through Parliament and the receipt of satisfactory tenders, we would aim to award a contract in the autumn.
CIVIL SERVICE
Work Experience
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service to what degree civil service trade unions have co-operated in secondment for work experience placements in the civil service.
Mr. Renton : Participation in work experience arrangements in the civil service, including the unions' interest in this, is a matter for individual Departments.
In my own Department we have arranged work experience placements for a number of years with the support of unions.
ENERGY
Brown Book
Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he will publish his next report on the development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom, the Brown Book.
Mr. Wakeham : I have today published the latest edition of the Brown Book, and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House and the Vote Office. The report provides a detailed account of the development of oil and gas resources during 1990.
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ENVIRONMENT
Urban Development Corporations
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will supply for each financial year since 1981 the amount of grant in aid given by his Department to each urban development corporation.
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Mr. Key : The table supplies the information.
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Grant in aid to UDCs £ million UDC |1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86 ------------------------------------------------------------------- London Docklands |30.183 |40.587 |62.954 |58.639 |53.616 Merseyside |6.107 |20.676 |31.870 |29.723 |28.325 UDC |1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91 London Docklands |64.881 |82.800 |116.415|255.750|332.975 Merseyside |27.604 |20.942 |20.535 |23.000 |24.000 Black Country |- |2.443 |23.000 |38.000 |32.000 Teesside |- |5.000 |20.697 |36.009 |42.135 Trafford Park |0.031 |10.450 |15.500 |13.300 |24.200 Tyne and Wear |- |4.000 |24.016 |35.800 |37.750 Bristol |- |- |0.283 |5.000 |13.425 Central Manchester |- |- |2.500 |11.000 |14.000 Leeds |- |- |2.743 |8.750 |14.000 Sheffield |- |- |7.958 |9.500 |18.967
UDC 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91
London Docklands 64.881 82.800 116.415 255.750 332.975
Merseyside 27.604 20.942 20.535 23.000 24.000
Black Country -- 2.443 23.000 38.000 32.000
Teesside -- 5.000 20.697 36.009 42.135
Trafford Park 0.031 10.450 15.500 13.300 24.200
Tyne and Wear -- 4.000 24.016 35.800 37.750
Bristol -- -- 0.283 5.000 13.425
Central Manchester -- -- 2.500 11.000 14.000
Leeds -- -- 2.743 8.750 14.000
Sheffield -- -- 7.958 9.500 18.967
Local Government Finance
Mr. Gordon Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the total cost to date of the publication and distribution of poll tax registration forms ; (2) what is his estimate of the total cost of printing and distributing poll tax reminder forms ;
(3) what is his estimate of the staffing costs of poll tax registration officers ;
(4) what is his estimate of the cost of computer equipment for the administration of poll tax registers.
Mr. Portillo : The Department does not have this information. The Government provided a total of £117.5 million in the 1988-89 and 1989- 90 rate support grant settlements in England for community charge preparation costs, including £55 million by way of specific grant. In addition, allocations amounting to a total of £170.3 million were made for capital expenditure in 1988-89 and 1989-90. The cost of collecting the charge was allowed for in the revenue support grant for 1990-91 and will continue to be supported in 1991-92.
Mr. Gordon Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost of (i) producing and (ii) distributing the booklet sent to all households describing the working of the community charge.
Mr. Portillo : The costs of producing the leaflet "The Community Charge (the so-called poll tax) : How it will work for you" which was distributed to every household in England during May 1989 were approximately £370,000. The distribution costs were approximately £600,000.
Mr. Gordon Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to date of the printing and issuing of poll tax collection books ; and what was the cost of reissuing new poll tax collection notices and books following the Budget changes in poll tax levels.
Mr. Portillo : Information on the cost of printing and issuing community charge collection books is not
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available. Information on the cost of re- billing following the Community Charges (General Reduction) Act is not yet available, but the Government have undertaken to meet the reasonable additional costs which local authorities incur.Council Tax (Great Grimsby)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for Great Grimsby the numbers in each band qualifying for a reduction in council tax on income grounds in addition to a 25 per cent. discount.
Mr. Key : The information requested is not available.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the nature of the calculation by which he arrived at an average council tax of £496 for Grimsby ; and if he will list the factors which accounted for only 24 of the 29 authorities with a higher percentage spending over standard spending assessment than Grimsby having higher estimates of tax in each band.
Mr. Key [holding answer 30 April 1991] : The method used to calculate the illustrative council tax bills published on 23 April is set out on the sheet covering the tables.
The main factors which determine the level of bills shown for each area are the level of spending in relation to standard spending assessment by all authorities providing services in the area ; the proportion of properties in each of the seven bands ; and the number of discounts assumed to be given in each area.
The exemplifications published on 23 April show over half of domestic properties in Great Grimsby falling in band A, with a bill for two or more adults of £402. Single adult households will receive a 25 per cent. reduction.
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Countryside Commission
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total sum paid out in fees by the Countryside Commission to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Trippier : The following table gives the available information. No figures are available prior to 1 April 1982.
Fees paid to management consultants Year |£ --------------------------------- 1982-83 |- 1983-84 |22,057 1984-85 |- 1985-86 |48,161 1986-87 |49,974 1987-88 |38,928 1988-89 |12,763 1989-90 |15,496 1990-91 |<1>46,837 1991-92 |<2>100,000 <1> Estimate. <2> Budget.
Nature Conservancy Council
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total sum paid out in fees by the Nature Conservancy Council to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Trippier : Expenditure on management consultants is not recorded separately. However, expenditure on all consultancies since 1986-87 is listed. No figures are available for previous years.
|£'000
--------------------
1986-87 |71
1987-88 |52
1988-89 |150
1989-90 |168
1990-91 |175
1991-92 |<1>90
<1> Nature
Conservancy Council
for England.
Ordnance Survey
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total sum paid out in fees by the Ordnance Survey to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Baldry : Records in the detail required to provide the information are not available prior to 1985-86. The available information is as follows :
Fees paid to management consultants Year |£000s -------------------- 1985-86 |276.9 1986-87 |200.6 1987-88 |236.8 1988-89 |220.5 1989-90 |242.4 1990-91 |241.1
The budget for 1991-92 makes provision of £374,000 for management consultants' fees.
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London Population
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (a) what is the current level of population density per acre in London boroughs for planning purposes and (b) when it was last reviewed.
Sir George Young : The most recent estimates of population for each London borough are those prepared by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) for mid-1989. The population densities for each borough on that basis are given in column (A) of the table. The mid-year population estimates are revised annually by OPCS.
The calculation of population densities for the urban areas of each London borough, excluding the main areas of open land and green belt, are available from the 1981 census. Figures on that basis are given in column (B).
(persons/ac
|(A)|(B)
-----------------------------------
Barking and Dagenham |106|114
Barnet |86 |104
Bexley |89 |111
Brent |143|141
Bromley |49 |84
Camden |210|183
Croydon |91 |101
Ealing |131|124
Enfield |79 |119
Greenwich |111|121
Hackney |242|227
Hammersmith and Fulham |227|220
Haringey |156|165
Harrow |94 |116
Havering |49 |111
Hillingdon |52 |69
Hounslow |82 |84
Islington |282|262
Kensington and Chelsea |269|259
Kingston |89 |99
Lambeth |215|222
Lewisham |161|163
Merton |106|106
Newham |141|146
Redbridge |101|124
Richmond |74 |69
Southwark |188|180
Sutton |96 |106
Tower Hamlets |205|175
Waltham Forest |131|146
Wandsworth |180|178
Westminster |198|188
City of London |40 |42
Sources:
(A) is 1989 mid-year estimate of
borough population by OPCS divided
by the total area of the borough.
(B) is the 1981 population density
of the urban area, ie the "usually
resident population" in 1981
divided by the area defined as
urban by OPCS in the 1981 census.
Caravan Sites
Sir George Gardiner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities in England which have not yet been designated under the Caravan Sites Act 1968.
Sir George Young : Sixty-three per cent. of local authorities in England are not designated under the Caravan Sites Act 1968. For brevity, I list those authorities which are designated by type of authority.
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London Boroughs--Barking
Bexley
Camden
Croydon
Enfield
Greenwich
Hammersmith & Fulham
Harrow
Havering
Hillingdon
Islington
Kensington & Chelsea
Kingston upon Thames
Lambeth
Lewisham
Merton
Newham
Redbridge
Richmond upon Thames
Sutton
Waltham Forest
Wandsworth
Westminster
Metropolitan Districts--
Bolton (CB)
Bradford
Bury (CB)
Doncaster
Gateshead
Leeds (CB)
Manchester (CB)
Oldham
Rochdale
St. Helens (CB)
Trafford
Wolverhampton (CB)
County and District Councils--
Avon
None
Bedfordshire
Luton
Mid Bedfordshire
North Bedfordshire
South Bedfordshire
Berkshire
Windsor and Maidenhead
Buckinghamshire
Aylesbury Vale
Chiltern
Milton Keynes
South Buckinghamshire
Cambridgeshire
East Cambridgeshire
Huntingdonshire
Peterborough
Cheshire
Chester
Cleveland
Hartlepool
Middlesbrough
Stockton-on-Tees
Cornwall
None
Cumbria
None
Derbyshire
Bolsover
Chesterfield
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