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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 17 October 1991
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Law of Domicile
Mr. Malins : To ask the Attorney-General what plans the Government have in relation to the Law Commissions' joint report on the law of domicile, Cm 200.
The Attorney-General : Following publication of the Law Commissions' joint report in September 1987, the Government have consulted a broad range of interested groups. In the light of the comments received, the Government have accepted the recommendations in the report and will introduce legislation when a suitable opportunity arises.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Family Planning Education
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds were allocated to family planning education by each of the four area health boards in each of the past five years.
Mr. Hanley : The total expenditure on family planning services by the four health and social services boards in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years was as follows :
Year |Number ---------------------- 1986 |4 1987 |9 1988 |4 1989 |5 1989 |7 <1>1990 |7 <1> Provisional. Source: Statistics held by General Register Office.
The figures include an element for family planning education, but this element is not separately identifiable.
Health Centre, Portavogie
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the need for a health centre in Portavogie ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The population of Portavogie is too small for a general medical practitioner to set up a permanent practice there, and it would not therefore sustain a health centre. General medical services are, however, provided by three practices using their own branch surgery facilities and a full range of community services is also available.
AIDS
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of AIDS have been confirmed in Northern Ireland in each of the past five
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years ; how many persons have died as a result of AIDS in each of the past five years ; and if he will make a statement on education to combat the spread of AIDS in Northern Ireland.Mr. Hanley : The information requested is as folllows :
Year AIDS
cases AIDS-related deaths
1986 2 --
1987 1 1
1988 6 1
1989 7 7
1990 5 9
1991 4 3
to 30 September.
to 30 September.
The public education campaign conducted on a national level through the mass media is supplemented locally be a comprehensive health education programme on HIV/AIDS undertaken by health and social services boards, the Health Promotion Agency and the AIDS helpline (NI). A teaching package on AIDS awareness aimed specifically at young people has also been developed for use in Northern Ireland schools.
Child Mothers
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many girls aged 14 years and under gave birth to children in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years.
Mr. Hanley : The information requested is as follows :
Year Number
1986 4
1987 9
1988 4
1989 5
1990 7
Provisional.
Source : Statistics held by General Register Office.
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many girls aged 16 years and under gave birth to children in each of the past five years ; and how many of these girls were single.
Mr. Hanley : The information requested is as follows :
N
Live births Still births
Year |Total |Single girls|Total |Single girls
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1986 |172 |148 |2 |2
1987 |170 |155 |1 |1
1988 |190 |172 |- |-
1989 |170 |162 |1 |1
<1>1990 |154 |149 |- |-
<1> Provisional.
Source: Statistics held by General Register Officer.
Nursing Services
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reduction in numbers within the North Down and Ards community unit of management there has been in the past three months in (a) bank nurses and (b) twilight nursing services ; what effect these
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reductions will have on the community nursing budget ; and if he will make a statement on the impact of these reductions on the constituency of Strangford.Mr. Hanley : There have been no reductions over the last three months in staffing levels in the district nursing service within the North Down and Ards community unit of management and no reduction in the community nursing budget. Absences due to sickness in the twilight nursing service in the Ards area have been covered by using the nurse bank which is a pool of nurses, not on contract, who work as required and are paid for the duties performed. The nurse bank scheme was suspended temporarily earlier this year but is now, once again, fully operational and will be used as required to ensure the continued provision of the best possible community nursing service.
Armagh Health Clinic
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost of the proposed extension to the Armagh health clinic ; how many additional staff will be employed following completion of the extension ; how many additional car parking places will be provided on site ; what additional contributions will be made by the medical general practices towards the cost of this scheme ; and what assessment he has made of the impact of this project on competition between private general medical practices.
Mr. Hanley : The estimated cost of the proposed extension to Armagh health centre is £295,574, not including VAT, fees and equipment. One additional member of staff will be appointed. No additional car parking places will be provided and no additional contributions will be made by the general medical practices to the cost of the scheme. There are no private general medical practices in Armagh.
Animal Liberation Front
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the locations of attacks by the Animal Liberation Front in 1991 to date ; what was the form of each attack ; how many people have been charged for each incident ; if he will consider making the Animal Liberation Front an unlawful organisation ; and if he will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : I have been informed by the RUC that the following significant incidents which may be attributable to animal rights extremists have been carried out in Northern Ireland this year : Location and form of attack
Clandeboye
Damage to 3 marquees and a number of fences on a point-to-point course.
Ballymena
Attempted arson at poultry house and daubing of slogans. Newtownards
Fire damage to a butcher's shop.
Kircubbin
Damage to poultry houses and daubing of slogans.
Belfast
Fire bomb device dealt with by Army at Gun and Tackle shop. Belfast
Bomb hoax device received by newspaper reporter.
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PortaferryCaravan destroyed by fire at fishing farm. Slogans daubed. Eglish
Caravan belonging to Hare coursing club destroyed by fire. Fire damaged parked vehicles. Slogans daubed, damage to coursing track. Claudy
Fire damage to farm property.
Craigantlet
Petrol bomb device found under car.
In addition, there have been a number of other incidents resulting in damage to commercial premises, principally in the Belfast and Bangor area. The damage resulted in broken windows, slogans being daubed on walls, doors and windows and the glueing of locks. To date no persons have been charged with any of these offences and it is therefore not possible to say definitely which of the incidents listed was the work of the Animal Liberation Front.
The only powers available to me to proscribe any organisation are those granted under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991. Their use would not be appropriate in this case. I am in any event satisfied that the ordinary criminal law is adequate to deal with the unlawful activities in which some members of the Animal Liberation Front are engaged and which I utterly condemn.
Southern Health and Social Services Board
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Southern health and social services board decided to promote the substitution of tinned and frozen foods for fresh food ; what policy decisions have been made by each of the other area health boards in this respect ; and whether he approved the policy ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The Southern health and social services board aims to provide nourishing and balanced meals for its patients, staff and clients. Quality fresh, frozen, chilled, dried and tinned foods are all used as appropriate to the catering arrangements at individual facilities. This is a long established policy. A similar approach is adopted in the other health and social services boards. All boards continually review their catering policies to take account of developments in food technology.
Young Mothers
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women under the age of 20 years gave birth to babies in each of the last five years within the Eastern health board area ; how many of these women were single ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The information requested is as follows :
Live births Still births
Year |Total |Single|Total |Single
|women |women
-------------------------------------------
1986 |852 |547 |5 |3
1987 |833 |571 |7 |6
1988 |869 |646 |3 |2
1989 |769 |604 |3 |2
<1>1990 |728 |599 |4 |3
<1>Provisional.
Source: Statistics held by General
Register Office.
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Renewable Energy
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for the development of renewable energy in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : The draft Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order, which will be laid before the House shortly, will provide for the encouragement of the use of renewable energy in Northern Ireland. It is planned to seek proposals from interested developers next year.
RUC
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he received the application from the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary for an increase in the strength of the RUC ; what increase in members was requested ; and if he will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : The bid for an increase of 239 in the establishment of the regular RUC and for 202 in the full-time reserve was received from the police authority on 23 November 1990. That bid has received careful consideration and a response will shortly be sent to the authority.
Electricity (Cuts)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the extent of cuts in the electricity supply to the areas of (a) Cloughey and (b) Kircubbin during the past month.
Mr. Needham : Cloughey's sub-station failed between 13.50 and 16.50 hours on 3 October. Supply to Kircubbin was interrupted 37 times between 3 and 28 September due to a fault which was eventually located and repaired on the latter date.
Chief Electoral Officer's Report
Mr. Day : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the report of the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland for 1990-91 will be published.
Mr. Brooke : The Chief Electoral Officer's report was laid before the House today and is published as a House of Commons paper No. 660. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament, together with my response.
Employment Schemes
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) in how many cases funding to Action for Community Employment schemes has been terminated on the grounds that the management committee of such a scheme was deemed insufficiently qualified ; (2) what advice the Training and Employment Agency gives to the management committees of Action for Community Employment schemes concerning the composition of such communities ;
(3) what professional or other qualifications members of the management committees of Action for Community Employment schemes are required to possess ;
(4) what are the procedures employed by the Training and Employment Agency to approve the management committees of Action for Community Employment schemes.
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Mr. Needham [holding answer 15 October 1991] : ACE management committees have direct employer responsibilities for those on the scheme and are accountable for the financing provided to them. The Training and Employment Agency is not prescriptive about qualifications for membership of management committees, but in contracting agreements it must be satisfied that--relative to the size of the work force and the range of activities undertaken--people serving on a committee have the skills, knowledge and experience to competently manage a project. Agency staff maintain contacts with each ACE project through a programme of regular visitation and provide written advice and direction. The agency has never terminated an agreement on the grounds that the management committee of a scheme was deemed to be insufficiently qualified.
Television Licences
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many television licences have been issued during the past year ; and how many persons have been prosecuted for not having a current television licence during the past 12 months, giving the figures for each county and city.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I have been asked to reply.
The following information has been provided by the BBC, which is responsible for the administration and enforcement of TV licences. At 31 March 1991, a total of 19,545,830 licences were recorded as being in force in the United Kingdom, including 307,590 in Northern Ireland. In the year ending 31 March 1991, there were 182,721 prosecutions for unlicensed use of television in the United Kingdom, including 2,032 in Northern Ireland. It is not possible to give a breakdown by county or city.
TRANSPORT
Railway Noise
Mr. Evenett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is now able to announce the Government's conclusions on the report "Railway Noise and the Insulation of Dwellings" by the committee chaired by Dr. Mitchell.
Mr. Freeman : I expect to be able to do so next month.
London Assessment Studies
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in implementing the public transport proposals contained in the London assessment studies, and, in particular, what progress has been made to plans to extend the Northern line from Kennington southwards to Streatham and Crystal Palace, and to extend the east London line to Balham.
Mr. Freeman : The London assessment studies contained a number of proposals for improving public transport at certain key locations. Among the main schemes which are being taken forward are east-west crossrail, also recommended by the central London rail study--CLRS--and the extension of the docklands light rail to Lewisham. In addition, the route for the Chelsea-Hackney line, again, recommended by CLRS, has been safeguarded.
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The specific schemes mentioned are still being evaluated by London Transport. Any implementation will be subject to the availability of resources. At present LT's resources are fully committed to relieving congestion in the central area and improving the overall safety and reliability of the existing Underground system.Coastguards
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the future of the coastguard service in Yorkshire and Humberside from 1 January 1992.
Mr. McLoughlin : HM coastguard in Yorkshire and Humberside will continue to co-ordinate maritime search and rescue operations from its modern and well-equipped maritime rescue sub-centre--MRSC--at Bridlington, for the foreseeable future. Local resources are being reviewed with the aim of further improving the level of support given to the MRSC in its co- ordinating role from an efficient and well-trained sector and auxiliary coastguard organisation.
Lockerbie Disaster
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken in respect of his Department's air accident investigation branch report No. 2/90 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The report by the air accidents investigation branch into the Lockerbie disaster contained five safety recommendations four of which were directed at the Civil Aviation Authority. The CAA accepted all four of the recommendations and is working with a number of other bodies, in addition to participating in the work of a study group of the International Civil Aviation Organisation concerned with the incorporation of security into aircraft design.
The fifth recommendation directed at the Department of Transport--that it provide funds for a specific study concerning aircraft recorders--has also been accepted and the Department is providing funding.
Coastguard Lookout Stations
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there are any proposals to close any coastguard lookout stations in Dorset and Hampshire ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : HM Coastguard has undertaken an internal review of the sector and auxiliary coastguard organisation around the country. Proposals and recommendations have been put forward to clearly define the role of the modern day coastguard service, and to improve levels of readiness, responsiveness, and efficiency. These proposals and recommendations form a consultative document and not a statement of intent. A full statement will be made in due course, once a final decision has been reached.
Low Flying
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek powers to provide a legal definition of noise pollution relating to privately owned helicopters and light aircraft flying low over areas that are not adjacent to an accepted landing place.
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Mr. McLoughlin : No. Civil aircraft, including helicopters, are already subject to the Rules of the Air 1990 which specify the minimum heights at which aircraft may operate when not taking off or landing. Section 76 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 does not exempt civil aircraft from actions for nuisance if these rules have not been observed without good reason, taking into account all the circumstances of the case.
In addition, any aircraft considered to be in breach of these regulations, or generally flying in a dangerous manner not in accord with normal aviation practice, may be reported to the air safety enforcement branch of the Civil Aviation Authority or to the police.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his announcement of 9 October concerning the route of the high- speed channel tunnel railway, he will list those locations, other than Ashford, Stratford, and King's Cross to which Her Majesty's Government assign developmental significance.
Mr. Freeman : Identifying development opportunities, and how the rail link might contribute to their realisation, will form an important part of British Rail's work in the coming months in defining the route of the rail link, its connections and stations.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, consequent to his announcement of an extended timetable for the construction of a fast rail link to London from the channel tunnel, he will provide funding to enable the British Railways Board to quadruple rail tracks between Ashford International and Tonbridge and to construct related high-speed flyovers at that junction.
Mr. Freeman : As my right hon. and learned Friend said in his statement on 14 October, overall the choice of the preferred route will not have any material effect on when the new line might come into operation. British Rail has not suggested that these works are needed.
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