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Racist Incidents
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racially motivated incidents were reported to each police force in England and Wales in 1988, 1989 and 1990 ; what was the nature of the incidents reported ; and what was the outcome.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The publication of the number of racial incidents reported to forces is a matter for chief
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officers. Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary collects forces' figures centrally--the totals for 1988, 1989 and 1990, including figures from the Metropolitan police, are as follows :
|Number
---------------------
1988 |4,383
1989 |5,044
1990 |6,359
The nature of these incidents varies greatly and is not centrally recorded. Their common factor is that, in each case, a racial motivation was perceived by the victim, the investigating officer or a third party. The outcome of each reported incident is a matter for chief officers, but Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary monitors as a priority the response of forces to Home Office guidance on tackling racial attacks and harassment.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Yorkshire about attacks on Muslim graves in Bradford and Leeds ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We have every confidence that the force is responding to these attacks promptly and effectively. I understand that attacks in Bradford in May led to several arrests, and that two people are on bail pending charges. An attack in Leeds last week is under investigation. The police have kept in close contact with leaders of the Muslim community throughout.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racial attacks were reported to the police during 1990.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [pursuant to his reply, 20 May 1991, c. 346] : Six thousand three hundred and fifty-nine racially motivated incidents were reported to police forces in England and Wales during 1990.
Disability Manifesto
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the recommendations of the "Disability Manifesto : An Agenda for the 1990s", a copy of which has been sent to him, which relate to his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : My Department does not have the major responsibility for any of the matters on which the manifesto makes recommendations. But we shall continue to work towards enabling people with disabilities, including, where applicable, our own staff, to maximise their potential and to contribute fully to all aspects of the life of the community.
Magistrates Courts
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table to show for each magistrates court area, for the year ended 31 March 1990, the number of (a) summonses for domestic rates arrears, (b) defendants present, (c) defendants not present, (d) committals and (e) hours each court sat.
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Mr. John Patten : The information requested is not available from central records, and to the extent that it could be obtained at all could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Custody Time Limits
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the further extension of custody time limits.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : I intend to lay regulations which will, with effect from 1 October, extend custody time limits to London, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex. In Birmingham, the time limit to committal will be reduced from 84 to 70 days.
Sunday Trading
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now advise local authorities how they can enforce the law on Sunday trading.
Mrs. Rumbold [holding answer 2 July 1991] : As I indicated in my reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) on 17 June at columns 27-28, we do not consider it either appropriate or necessary to issue guidance about the enforcement of the law on Sunday trading to local authorities ; and no development since then causes us to alter that judgment. Responsibility for enforcing the provisions about Sunday trading in the Shops Act 1950 was given by Parliament to local authorities. The authorities have power to enforce those provisions whether by way of a prosecution or a civil action seeking an injunction. Decisions on the means by which to fulfil their responsibility are a matter for the authorities, in consultation with their legal advisers.
Sexual and Physical Violence
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what practical assistance is offered by Her Majesty's Government to women victims of sexual and physical abuse in relation to the provision of refuges ;
(2) what plans he has to extend financial support beyond the National Women's Aid Federation to other groups that are affiliated to this federation.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I have been asked to reply.
Practical assistance and funding for individual refuges are local matters, and there are no plans to change this. However, many residents in women's refuges are entitled to and receive social security benefits, and individual refuges receive practical advice and support from the Women's Aid Federation (England) Ltd. which is grant-aided by the Department.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Ex-service Men and Women
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to introducing a more comprehensive system of support with his Department to deal with problems faced by ex-service men and women.
Miss Widdecombe : The social security system treats ex-service men and women in the same way as other
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customers. In addition, under the war pensions scheme administered by the Department, war pensions and allowances are payable where disablement or death occurs as a result of service in the armed forces ; the war pensioners welfare service also provides advice to war pensioners and war widows on war pension matters and help and support with general welfare problems. The war pensions welfare service works closely with other Government Departments and agencies, including war pension committees and voluntary organisations representing ex-service men and women.Attendance Allowance
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements are in place for notifying the terminally ill of successful applications for attendance allowance ; if he has any plans to review these ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : People awarded attendance allowance under the terminal illness provisions are notified that they qualify under the special rules. The special rules are not defined in the award notice. The standard leaflet --DS 668--issued with the notice explains the conditions for the allowance and the rules for review and appeal, and gives information on other benefits and help available. It also describes the terminal illness criteria, but does not link them to the special rules.
The arrangements for the terminal illness provisions are kept continually under review. We have no specific plans to amend the arrangements for the notification of awards.
Disability Manifesto
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy towards the recommendations of the "Disability Manifesto : An Agenda for the 1990s", a copy of which has been sent to him, which relate to his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : Our strategy on benefits for people with disabilities, was set out in "The Way Ahead"--Cm 917. The strategy provides a more comprehensive and coherent system of benefits for people with disabilities than ever before, laying firm foundations for the future. The changes set out in "The Way Ahead" concentrate new help where it is needed most--on people with moderate to severe disabilities who just fail to qualify for attendance allowance or mobility allowance, on those disabled from birth or in their early years who have lost the opportunity to earn and save, and on those who would like to work but are prevented by disincentives in the benefit system.
The cornerstone of the strategy is the introduction of two new benefits. Disability living allowance for people disabled under age 65, replaces and extends the help currently available through attendance allowance and mobility allowance, bringing new help with extra costs to nearly 300,000 disabled people. Disability working allowance will offer around 50,000 disabled people who are capable of some work a new choice of earnings topped up by benefit. These two new benefits plus other important initiatives announced in "The Way Ahead" will bring extra help to an estimated 850,000 disabled people and their carers.
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Direct Payment of Benefits
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his reply of 7 December, Official Report, column 232 , regarding payment to claimants' bank accounts, if he has now issued the guidance ; and if he will send a copy to the hon. Member for Oldham, West.
Miss Widdecombe : The issue of guidance to local offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the benefits agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Pensions Ombudsman
Mr. Stevens : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish the first report of the pensions ombudsman.
Mr. Newton : The pensions ombudsman, Mr. Michael Platt, has submitted to me his first report in accordance with section 59B(6) of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975. The report covers the period from Mr. Platt's appointment on 2 January 1991 to 31 March 1991, and describes the setting up of his offices and other aspects of the establishment of the service. I have today arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.
ENERGY
Piper Alpha Inquiry
Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has received Lord Cullen's direction under regulation 9(2) of the Offshore Installations (Public Inquiries) Regulations 1974 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : Lord Cullen's direction was received by my Department on 12 June 1991. He directed that four fifths of the costs of part 1 of the Piper Alpha inquiry shall be paid by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd. A copy of Lord Cullen's direction and notes have been placed in the Library of the House.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Violence Against Women
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to include education on violence against women in the national curriculum.
Mr. Fallon : The National Curriculum Council's guidance to schools on health and citizenship education contains advice relevant to such education across the whole curriculum.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to encourage education on violence against women in courses studied in institutions of higher and further education.
Mr. Eggar : It is for the academic authorities in each institution to decide on the content of the education provision made by the institution, subject to the requirements of any validating body.
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Women Teachers
Mr. Walden : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the proportion of women among primary school teachers was for the years 1979, 1985 and 1990.
Mr. Fallon : Figures for women teachers as a percentage of qualified teachers in maintained nursery and primary schools in England for the years requested are as follows :
Year |Percent ------------------------ 1979 |78 1985 |79 1990 |82
Disability Manifesto
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the recommendations of the "Disability Manifesto : An Agenda for the 1990s", a copy of which has been sent to him, which relate to his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Fallon : My right hon. and learned Friend will give careful consideration to the education recommendations in the manifesto. His general view is that the position of pupils with special educational needs is adequately protected by the Education Act 1981 which requires that wherever possible such children should be taught in ordinary schools. The Department is not aware of any widespread failure by LEAs to meet their various obligations under the Act.
Veterinary Schools
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) of 5 February, Official Report , column 131, what information he has on the capital and current funds allocated by the Universities Funding Council for 1991-92 for the upgrading of animal accommodation in veterinary schools.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The UFC circular letter 7/91 of 25 February, a copy of which is in the Library, indicated that the council intends to contribute nearly £70 million over three years for building works and equipment to assist universities in meeting the requirements of the code of practice under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. In 1991-92, £35 million is being assigned, of which some £10 million is from capital grant.
Braille
Mr. Butterfill : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what budget his Department has for the production of materials in braille.
Mr. Eggar : The Department has no budget for the production of materials in braille. The GCSE examining groups and the GCE A and AS-level examining boards cover the cost of brailling examination papers by making a small addition to the examination entry fees of all candidates. In the case of candidates from maintained schools, those fees are met by the local education authorities.
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EMPLOYMENT
Working Hours
Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish his Department's working papers in support of the figure claimed for the cost of the EC directive on working hours.
Mr. Forth : A memorandum prepared by my Department on the costs of the social action programme to the United Kingdom and the methods used to derive these cost estimates has already been published in the report by the House of Lords Select Committee on European Communities on "Part time and temporary employment"--Session 1990-91, 2nd report, pp 33-45.
The European Commission has meanwhile published a revised version of the draft working time directive taking account of amendments proposed by the European Parliament. Using the same method as in the original calculation, my Department estimates that the direct costs to employers of implementing the directive as amended would be increased by over £500 million to at least £2.5 billion.
Occupational Health Nurses
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when Her Majesty's Government intend to ratify the International Labour Organisation convention 161 on occupational health nurses.
Mr. Forth : The Government expect to receive advice from the Health and Safety Commission next year on ILO convention 161, in the light of which they will give further consideration to whether to ratify the convention in question.
Enterprise Agencies
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many enterprise agencies there are ; how many there were in 1989 ; what was the cost to the public funds in each case ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : I know of 421 local enterprise agencies operating in the United Kingdom. Of these, 408 are approved by my Department under the statutory provisions which allow for tax relief on donations to them. In 1989, the total number of approved agencies was 396. Government funding of local enterprise agencies in England has been primarily through my Department's local enterprise agency grant and project schemes--LEAGS and LEAPS. During 1989-90 total funding under LEAGS and LEAPS was £1,879, 562 and during 1990-91, the final year of the schemes, it was £1,932,714.
Disability Manifesto
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his policy towards the recommendations of the "Disability Manifesto : An Agenda for the 1990s", a copy of which has been sent to him, which relate to his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : The Department is committed to giving people with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in training and employment. We therefore provide a wide
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range of specialist schemes and services to help them gain and keep employment and develop within it. People with disabilities also have access to the full range of non-specialist employment and training services, which will include the new work experience programme that my right hon. and learned Friend announced recently, employment action. In many cases access to non-specialist provision allows for reduced eligibility or length of stay rules and special help for people with disabilities.We are already giving careful consideration to ways of improving the effectiveness of this provision for people with disabilities. Last year the Department issued two consultative documents that considered all the employment and training services we provide for people with disabilities and put forward many proposals for improvement. We received responses from a wide range of organisations and individuals, including almost all of the organisations that produced the disability manifesto. Responses are still being considered on some issues, but we have announced our first decisions. These concerned improvements in the specialist services provided by the Employment Service and in our local and national advisory machinery. We will announce other decisions as soon as they are reached, including any changes to the legislative framework. My right hon. and learned Friend also launched the new symbol that is currently being successfully promoted by the Employment Service to encourage and help employers to commit themselves publicly on a voluntary basis to good policies and practices in employing people with disabilities.
In addition, from April this year we have given unemployed people with disabilities priority access to four of our main employment and training programmes. They are now one of the key groups for entry onto employment training, the enterprise allowance scheme, job clubs and the job interview guarantee scheme. Training and enterprise councils and the Employment Service will ensure that people with disabilities who are unemployed will be given this priority recognition. My right hon. and learned Friend has written to TEC chairmen about this priority and special guidance has been issued about people with special training needs, including people with disabilities, so as to help TECs plan and implement their strategies for taking action. The increased priority will help strengthen the opportunity for people with disabilities to participate in the labour market.
Learning Difficulties
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many specific places on employment training he plans to make available for adults with learning difficulties in 1992.
Mr. Jackson : This information is not available, but I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to his question on 2 July, at column 108.
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NATIONAL FINANCE
Investment (Information)
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Government statistics on investment in United Kingdom industry differentiate between domestic investment and investment into the United Kingdom from other countries.
Mr. Maples : The annual census of production provides data on capital expenditure by manufacturing businesses located in the United Kingdom analysed by the country of incorporation of the enterprise. These data are published in Central Statistical Office Business Monitor PA 1002, available in the Library.
No information is however available on the country from which such expenditure is financed. Data on direct investment capital flows are published in CSO bulletin 33/91 also available in the Library. It should be noted that these relate to international flows between related companies and not to investment in capital goods.
This Common Inheritance"
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 March, Official Report, columns 648-49, on his Department's environmental policies, if he will list the policies which have been subject to the arrangements for considering environmental implications since the publication of "This Common Inheritance", Cm. 1200.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : As I explained in my reply on1 March at columns 648-49, I consider all departmental policies with possible environmental implications. For example, I considered the environmental effects of the changes in the tax system announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget statement, in particular the further increase in the differential in between rates of excise duty charged on leaded and unleaded petrol and the increased rates of excise duties on hydrocarbon oils. My predecessor also reviewed the regulations governing the civil service mileage allowances.
I have also kept under review the implications for Treasury policies of international discussions on climate change.
Commemorative Crown
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Her Majesty's Government have any plans to issue a new United Kingdom commemorative crown.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that a new commemorative crown be issued in 1993 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the coronation.
Disability Manifesto
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy toward the recommendations of the "Disability Manifesto : An Agenda for the 1990s", a copy of which has been sent to him, which relate to his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Norman Lamont : The Treasury has an equal opportunity policy discussed with the departmental trade union side, kept under continuous review and published in a guide issued to staff. One of the guiding principles is that disability is no bar to recruitment or to advancement within the Department. Additional computer and office furniture have been provided to assist disabled staff. Where possible parking spaces are made available. All Treasury offices have wheelchair access.OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Asia (Refugees)
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he plans to provide for refugees in Asia.
Mrs. Chalker : I have approved an allocation of £8 million from this year's humanitarian aid budget, more than £6 million of which will be provided to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross and to non-governmental organisations for their work with Afghan refugees. This is in recognition of the very serious continuing problems of the 5 million or so Afghans living in exile in Pakistan and Iran.
Assistance will also be made available for the work of UNHCR in Sri Lanka, the UN Border Relief Organisation (UNBRO) and NGOs working on the Thai- Cambodia border and with Vietnamese boat people.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Telecommunications
19. Mr. Gerald Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the level of activity in the telecommunications industry since 1986.
Mr. Lilley : Telecommunications is one of the most dynamic industries in the United Kingdom. Over the past five years the market has grown rapidly, stimulated by the Government's commitment to competition and increased customer choice. In mobile telephony we have the two largest cellular networks in the world, with 10 times as many customers as in 1986. In March my right hon. Friend announced that we would be ending the duopoly in the fixed telephony market, and allowing new companies to enter the market. We have already received five formal applications for new licences and over 20 strong expressions of interest. This is good for the industry, and good for consumers.
Manufacturing Output
20. Mr. Ted Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further plans he has to encourage an increase in manufacturing output.
26. Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to boost manufacturing output.
Mr. Lilley : Manufacturing output will be helped by our policies of fostering and extending a competitive environment, encouraging innovation, improving incentives and, above all, defeating inflation.
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Industrial Competitiveness
21. Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans his Department has to increase public expenditure in order to help British industry become more competitive.
Mr. Sainsbury : A competitive market provides the best stimulus to efficiency. Government policies are designed to encourage competition.
Takeovers
23. Mr. Cran : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of companies acquired by other companies within the United Kingdom in each year from 1979 to 1990.
Mr. Redwood : The information that is available is as follows.
Acquisitions and mergers by
industrial and commercial
companies
within the United Kingdom:
Year |Companies
|acquired
------------------------------
1979 |534
1980 |469
1981 |452
1982 |463
1983 |447
1984 |568
1985 |474
1986 |842
1987 |1,528
1988 |1,499
1989 |1,337
1990 |776
Source: Central Statistical
Office Bulletin 29/91 dated
14 May 1991.
Exporters
24. Mr. Colin Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the various measures for the assistance of United Kingdom exporters which are currently available to them.
Mr. Sainsbury : The effectiveness of the range of export services available to United Kingdom companies through the DTI-FCO overseas trade services operation is monitored through a quality management system. Overall satisfaction rates exceed 70 per cent. for nearly all services, and 90 per cent. of our customers say that they will use our services again.
Aid to Industry
25. Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met representatives of the European Commission to discuss aid to industry.
Mr. Leigh : My Department and I meet representatives of the European Commission on a regular basis to discuss various matters including aid to industry.
Japanese Investment
27. Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the current level of inward investment from Japan.
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Mr. Leigh : Latest figures from the Central Statistical Office show that Japanese investment represents 4.1 per cent. of total foreign direct investment in the United Kingdom. The DTI knows of 158 Japanese companies manufacturing in the United Kingdom. According to Japanese Ministry of Finance statistics, 41 per cent. by value of all Japanese, manufacturing and non-manufacturing, investment in the EC at end of financial year 1990-91, came to the United Kingdom.Nationalisation
28. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received any representations requesting him to consider nationalising certain industries.
Mr. Lilley : I have received a copy of the Labour party's document, "Meet the Challenge, Make the Change", which calls for a programme of nationalisation including British Telecom, the water industry and the national grid.
Information Technology
29. Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the United Kingdom's current balance of trade in information technology.
Mr. Sainsbury : Information on trade in electronics and information technology products--defined as divisions 75 and 76 of the standard international trade classification--may be obtained from the monthly business monitor MM20 (Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom) copies of which are in the Library.
Shipbuilding and Marine Engines
30. Mr. Michael J. Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the shipbuilding and marine engine building industries in the United Kingdom.
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