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Column 324
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister when the Cabinet Office drew up rules governing party political activities of Ministers of the Crown when travelling abroad on public business ; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
Mr. MacGregor [holding answer 18 October 1991] : I have been asked to reply.
Each Prime Minister, on assuming office, issues guidance to Ministers on such issues. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to publish such guidance.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions when he has participated in party political activities when travelling abroad on public business.
Mr. MacGregor [holding answer 18 October 1991] : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister does from time to time meet fellow Conservatives in the margins of public duties. He also often meets opposition leaders of all political persuasions both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Animal Experiments
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures he is planning to reverse the decline in the annual rate of reduction of animal experiments since the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 ;
(2) if he will consider setting a target of 10 per cent. for the average annual reduction in the number of live animals used in experiments.
Mrs. Rumbold : The use of living animals in biomedical research has been declining for many years. Although the annual percentage rate of decline for 1990, at 3 per cent., was lower than that for 1989, at 5 per cent., these rates of decline are not strictly comparable due to changes in the method of counting animals with harmful genetic defects. This change had the effect of increasing the figures for 1990.
The way forward does not lie in setting arbitrary targets. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 imposes strict controls on the use of living animals in research and requires each programme of work to be justified in advance. Provided the requirements of the Act are met, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will continue to grant project licences authorising particular programmes of work under section 5.
Encouraging progress continues to be made in developing and validating acceptable alternatives to the use of living animals in research. The Home Office has been funding research in this area since 1984 and established its own research scheme with the passing of the 1986 Act. However, reductions in the use of living animals in research depend heavily upon advances in science and it has to be recognised that the development of acceptable alternatives can be a slow process.
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Sunday Trading
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement of progress on his discussions with interested groups on the future of Sunday trading.
Mrs. Rumbold : I refer my hon. Friend to a reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on 14 October 1991 at column 30 and to what I said at the conclusion of the debate on the Adjournment of the House on 14 October on the Shops Act 1950 at column 130.
Category A Prisoners
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if category A inmates at Her Majesty's prison establishments are now not allowed to attend chapel or leave their wing without the governor's permission.
Mrs. Rumbold : Such arrangements vary from prison to prison according to the circumstances of individual inmates and the detailed security measures in place at the time.
European Criminal Investigation Office
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards establishing a European criminal investigation office.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : At its meeting in Luxembourg on 28 and 29 June 1991, the European Council agreed the objectives underlying the proposal for the establishment of a central European criminal investigation office. The proposal is now being examined further in the Trevi group, and will be considered again at the European Council meeting in Maastricht in December.
Brixton Prison
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the gateway at Her Majesty's prison, Brixton leading into the prison's works yard has been secured or blocked yet ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend announced on 5 August that the gate to the works compound which proved insecure had been replaced by a sterile area protected by double gates, both manned, and each protected by separate locks not shared with any other part of the prison. Certain further action in relation to closed-circuit television coverage and electronic locking will very shortly be completed.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement as to what action he has taken to end the holding of category A prisoners at Her Majesty's prison, Brixton.
Mrs. Rumbold : In my right hon. Friend's statement of 5 August, in which we accepted all the recommendations made by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his report into the Brixton escape, my right hon. Friend announced the aim of transferring all high-risk category A inmates from Brixton to Belmarsh by mid-September. These transfers were completed on 3 September since when Brixton has held only standard risk category A prisoners.
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Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the current procedure at Her Majesty's prison, Brixton for the regular training of staff ;
(2) when the last review at Her Majesty's prison, Brixton of the emergency control room operation was carried out ; and what were the results.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend announced on 5 August that a review of the emergency control room at Brixton prison was being undertaken. This was completed on 16 August 1991. The review made a number of recommendations to improve management, contingency planning, and liaison with the police, and to introduce a new training programme for those staff working in the emergency control room. All the recommendations are being implemented.
Police Records
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will introduce instructions to all police forces to keep all police records for at least the lifetime of a convicted person ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what (a) guidelines and (b) regulations cover the circumstances in which official police files may be destroyed ; and what changes have taken place in these guidelines and regulations during the last 20 years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : There are no guidelines or regulations covering the retention or destruction of police files. Policy on retention is a matter for each chief officer of police. It is unlikely for practical reasons that any chief officer would base his retention/destruction policy upon the lifetime of offenders. I see no need for the issue of guidance in this area.
Channel 3 Licences
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what were the average costs per hour and per programme submitted by the successful applicants for Channel 3 licences ; and how many hours and programmes their cash bid represented ; (2) whether he will list the amounts paid by the successful applicants for the Channel 3 licences ; and what these amounts represented in pounds per household within each area.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Independent Television Commission is responsible for awarding the Channel 3 licences, under the terms of the Broadcasting Act 1990. The commission announced the successful applicants on 16 October. It has published information about the bids and I understand that the commission has sent a copy to every Member and that copies have been placed in the Library.
Prison Emergencies
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list for each of Her Majesty's prisons in England and Wales, how the duty governor is reached should an emergency arise ; and on how many occasions during the last 12 months the procedure did not operate successfully ;
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(2) whether the duty governor of Her Majesty's prison Brixton is within reach at all times by very high frequency radio.Mrs. Rumbold : In line with the statement which my right hon. Friend made on 5 August about the report of the inquiry by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the serious escape from Brixton prison on 7 July, instructions have been issued to all establishments that the duty governor must carry a radio when in the establishment and a mobile telephone when outside so that he or she can be contacted at any time in an emergency. These arrangements are in force at Brixton. Radio equipment is also available in every other establishment and mobile telephones are being supplied as a matter of urgency to a minority of establishments which do not already have them. Statistical information is not available in the form requested.
Sara Thornton
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what prison Sara Thornton, serving a life sentence for murder, is currently an inmate ; why she was transferred from Her Majesty's prison Bullwood Hall to Her Majesty's prison Holloway on 13 August 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : Sara Thornton is at present detained in Her Majesty's prison Bullwood Hall. She was transferred to Her Majesty's prison Holloway from Her Majesty's prison Bullwood Hall on 13 August 1991 to ensure that she received full-time medical and psychiatric care in the medical wing while she was refusing to take food. She returned to Her Majesty's prison Bullwood Hall on 30 August 1991. Ms. Thornton's case is curently being considered in the light of recent representations made on her behalf. Should any new evidence come to light which casts doubt on the safety of Ms. Thornton's conviction, my right hon. Friend will not hesitate to take the appropriate action.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the Sara Thornton case to the Court of Appeal ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. John Patten : Representations which have been submitted on Sara Thornton's behalf are being considered to decide whether there are any grounds to justify intervention by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.
Passports
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that in future all passports which indicate that a person is a citizen of the British state also has an appropriate space for indicating the nationality of the passport holder, to enable those who wish to have themselves identified as Welsh, Scottish, Irish or English, can do so.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No. The United Kingdom passport, whether in the old or the new format, must reflect United Kingdom nationality law ; this makes provision for the single definition of British citizen.
Prisons (Weapons)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency plans are made for staff procedure when a weapon is found in prison.
Mrs. Rumbold : The action to be taken by staff will necessarily depend upon the circumstances of the particular case, including the nature of the weapon. Governors have been issued with specific instructions about contingency planning for an incident involving a firearm. For reasons of security which the hon. Member will understand, it would be inappropriate to publicise the details.
Prison Statistics
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of Her Majesty's prisons (a) the current actual ratio of prison staff to inmates, (b) what the establishment ratio should be and (c) what the figures were (i) 12 months ago, (ii) 24 months ago, (iii) 36 months ago and (iv) 48 months ago, respectively.
Mrs. Rumbold : There are no prescribed ratios between staff and inmate numbers in individual establishments. The information which is readily available about actual ratios over the last four years is given in the table.
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Ratio of prison officers to inmates: 1 April 1987 to October 1991
Establishment 1 April 1 October
|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1991
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acklington |0.30 |0.35 |0.35 |0.37 |0.35 |0.32
Albany |1.01 |0.98 |0.84 |0.84 |0.92 |0.93
Aldington |0.52 |0.35 |0.39 |0.39 |0.44 |0.37
Ashford |0.34 |2.88 |0.50 |n/a |n/a |n/a
Ashwell |0.14 |0.22 |0.23 |0.24 |0.24 |0.24
Askham Grange |0.28 |0.29 |0.33 |0.40 |0.41 |0.37
Aylesbury |0.45 |0.53 |0.56 |0.60 |0.70 |0.74
Bedford |0.55 |0.50 |0.54 |0.56 |0.68 |0.79
Belmarsh |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0.89
Birmingham |0.33 |0.33 |0.38 |0.42 |0.44 |0.41
Blantyre House |1.08 |0.78 |0.48 |0.47 |n/a |0.43
Blundeston |0.32 |0.32 |0.34 |0.36 |0.40 |0.39
Brinsford |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Bristol |0.39 |0.41 |0.43 |0.44 |0.71 |0.67
Brixton |0.62 |0.57 |0.67 |0.69 |0.66 |0.67
Brockhill |0.36 |0.40 |0.43 |0.44 |0.52 |0.49
Buckley Hall |0.28 |0.35 |0.46 |n/a |n/a |n/a
Bullingdon |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Bullwood Hall |0.45 |0.43 |0.47 |0.59 |0.72 |0.78
Camp Hill |0.31 |0.32 |0.33 |0.35 |0.39 |0.41
Canterbury |0.51 |0.52 |0.51 |0.50 |0.54 |0.55
Cardiff |0.37 |0.34 |0.38 |0.47 |0.45 |0.58
Castington |0.58 |0.48 |0.52 |0.53 |0.58 |0.52
Channings Wood |0.27 |0.25 |0.25 |0.25 |0.26 |0.25
Chelmsford |0.42 |0.44 |0.52 |0.54 |0.54 |0.50
Coldingley |0.50 |0.54 |0.53 |0.54 |0.58 |0.70
Cookham Wood |0.40 |0.43 |0.44 |0.49 |0.48 |0.46
Dartmoor |0.35 |0.34 |0.40 |0.36 |0.41 |0.41
Deerbolt |0.33 |0.36 |0.38 |0.36 |0.37 |0.37
Dorchester |0.33 |0.36 |0.39 |0.61 |0.48 |0.43
Dover |0.37 |0.41 |0.42 |0.69 |0.52 |0.49
Downview |n/a |n/a |n/a |0.54 |0.41 |0.40
Drake Hall |0.24 |0.23 |0.34 |0.32 |0.34 |0.30
Durham |0.28 |0.27 |0.36 |0.40 |0.42 |0.44
East Sutton Park |0.31 |0.31 |0.28 |0.33 |0.41 |0.33
Eastwood Park |0.74 |0.43 |0.55 |0.51 |0.43 |0.47
Erlestoke |0.44 |0.87 |0.40 |0.40 |0.42 |0.42
Everthorpe |0.31 |0.28 |0.28 |0.37 |0.38 |1.77
Exeter Prison |0.43 |0.40 |0.44 |0.56 |0.58 |0.50
Featherstone |0.21 |0.23 |0.22 |0.29 |0.26 |0.26
Feltham |0.59 |0.24 |0.51 |0.51 |0.50 |0.52
Ford |0.15 |0.14 |0.14 |0.17 |0.15 |0.17
Foston/Sudbury |0.18 |0.17 |0.15 |0.16 |0.16 |0.16
Frankland |0.93 |0.93 |1.04 |1.03 |0.93 |1.07
Full Sutton |n/a |1.47 |1.18 |0.90 |1.17 |1.09
Garth |n/a |n/a |0.45 |0.41 |0.42 |0.45
Gartree |0.81 |0.86 |0.93 |1.03 |1.05 |1.28
Glen Parva |0.35 |0.35 |0.42 |0.43 |0.48 |0.45
Gloucester |0.39 |0.45 |0.45 |0.44 |0.48 |0.59
Grendon |0.36 |0.33 |0.38 |0.83 |0.45 |0.45
Gringley |0.29 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Guys Marsh |0.39 |0.60 |0.65 |0.58 |0.56 |0.53
H'Combe/F'Wood |0.25 |0.25 |0.35 |0.42 |0.46 |0.43
Haslar |0.46 |1.05 |0.77 |0.52 |0.46 |0.44
Hatfield |0.35 |0.33 |0.39 |0.44 |0.35 |0.38
Haverigg |0.16 |0.17 |0.32 |0.29 |0.32 |0.32
Hewell Grange |0.30 |0.31 |0.42 |0.34 |0.41 |1.84
Hindley |0.31 |0.57 |0.34 |0.38 |0.41 |0.43
Highpoint |0.21 |0.22 |0.24 |0.25 |0.26 |0.30
Hollesley Bay |0.41 |0.39 |0.48 |0.56 |0.62 |0.56
Holloway |0.81 |0.62 |0.59 |0.61 |0.62 |0.61
Hull |0.36 |0.39 |0.38 |0.43 |0.48 |0.53
Kingston |0.44 |0.43 |0.41 |0.43 |0.47 |0.68
Kirkham |0.14 |0.11 |0.12 |0.13 |0.13 |0.14
Kirklevington |0.42 |0.53 |0.37 |0.58 |0.68 |0.69
Lancaster |0.35 |0.33 |0.33 |0.35 |0.36 |0.38
Latchmere House |0.39 |0.40 |0.49 |0.59 |0.48 |1.62
Leeds |0.28 |0.28 |0.30 |0.32 |0.41 |0.44
Leicester |0.50 |0.49 |0.54 |0.63 |0.70 |0.73
Lewes |0.32 |0.34 |0.35 |0.40 |0.46 |0.49
Leyhill |0.17 |0.18 |0.18 |0.18 |0.19 |0.19
Lincoln |0.35 |0.33 |0.37 |0.43 |0.50 |0.46
Lindholme |0.27 |0.25 |0.32 |0.31 |0.28 |0.32
Littlehey |n/a |0.31 |0.27 |0.31 |0.30 |0.30
Liverpool |0.28 |0.27 |0.30 |0.44 |0.49 |0.45
Long Lartin |0.76 |0.75 |0.81 |0.79 |0.81 |0.82
Low Newton |0.35 |0.39 |0.45 |0.42 |0.52 |0.37
Lowdham Grange |0.23 |0.23 |0.35 |0.58 |n/a |n/a
Maidstone |0.36 |0.34 |0.32 |0.35 |0.40 |0.40
Manchester |0.28 |0.29 |0.34 |0.32 |2.26 |1.08
Medomsley |0.33 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Moorland |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0.74
Morton Hall |0.16 |0.16 |0.16 |0.20 |0.18 |0.19
New Hall |n/a |0.70 |0.80 |1.22 |1.15 |0.90
North Sea Camp |0.62 |n/a |0.34 |0.24 |0.19 |0.17
Northallerton |0.32 |0.39 |0.40 |0.42 |0.48 |0.45
Northeye |0.33 |0.31 |0.30 |0.40 |0.33 |0.33
Norwich |0.34 |0.37 |0.39 |0.56 |0.54 |0.52
Nottingham |0.41 |0.38 |0.41 |0.46 |0.53 |0.59
Onley |0.30 |0.33 |0.33 |0.41 |0.36 |0.40
Oxford |0.42 |0.47 |0.51 |0.68 |0.79 |0.64
Parkhurst |1.09 |1.23 |1.44 |1.32 |1.64 |1.73
Pentonville |0.27 |0.39 |0.32 |0.37 |0.43 |0.47
Portland |0.31 |0.28 |0.34 |0.31 |0.34 |0.32
Preston |0.23 |0.27 |0.28 |0.57 |0.59 |0.67
Pucklechurch |0.52 |0.67 |0.63 |0.64 |1.23 |1.07
Ranby |0.23 |0.24 |0.29 |0.27 |0.27 |0.33
Reading |0.38 |0.40 |0.51 |0.56 |0.55 |0.50
Risley |0.52 |0.54 |0.68 |1.09 |0.67 |0.64
Rochester |0.33 |0.42 |0.62 |0.51 |0.57 |0.56
Rudgate |0.15 |0.15 |0.16 |0.17 |0.20 |0.19
Send |0.30 |0.37 |0.41 |0.47 |0.53 |0.46
Shepton Mallet |0.29 |0.29 |0.32 |0.32 |0.32 |0.49
Shrewsbury |0.31 |0.33 |0.44 |0.42 |0.53 |0.52
Stafford |0.23 |0.24 |0.26 |0.27 |0.30 |0.32
Standford Hill |0.22 |0.21 |0.21 |0.20 |0.22 |0.22
Stocken |0.35 |0.34 |0.35 |0.42 |0.38 |0.34
Stoke Heath |0.27 |0.27 |0.31 |0.37 |0.44 |0.42
Styal |0.41 |0.38 |0.44 |0.50 |0.58 |0.57
Swaleside |n/a |n/a |0.43 |0.39 |0.41 |0.42
Swansea |0.41 |0.39 |0.51 |0.57 |0.53 |0.52
Swinfen Hall |0.51 |0.50 |0.67 |0.72 |0.58 |0.56
The Mount |n/a |0.95 |0.45 |0.49 |1.44 |0.43
The Verne |0.20 |0.23 |0.22 |0.23 |0.25 |0.25
Thorn Cross |0.28 |0.30 |0.45 |0.45 |0.35 |0.35
Thorp Arch |0.49 |0.44 |0.39 |0.44 |0.48 |0.49
Usk/Prescoed |0.38 |0.33 |0.54 |0.57 |0.49 |0.46
Wormwood Scrubs |0.34 |0.50 |0.50 |0.53 |0.61 |0.55
Wakefield |0.54 |0.55 |0.59 |0.63 |0.66 |0.75
Wandsworth |0.25 |0.27 |0.28 |0.30 |0.35 |0.36
Wayland |0.26 |0.27 |0.26 |0.30 |0.27 |0.27
Wellingborough |0.33 |0.34 |0.41 |0.44 |0.70 |0.55
Werrington |0.43 |0.43 |0.42 |0.59 |0.42 |0.40
Wetherby |0.35 |0.36 |0.38 |0.47 |0.43 |0.36
Whatton |0.30 |0.33 |0.37 |0.62 |0.46 |0.47
Whitemoor |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Winchester |0.38 |0.40 |0.41 |0.50 |0.50 |0.49
Wymott |0.25 |0.29 |0.25 |0.26 |0.27 |0.32
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
National total |0.35 |0.37 |0.40 |0.44 |0.48 |0.49
Prisons (Security)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list Her Majesty's prisons that have searching and checking X-ray machines that are non-operational ;
(2) if he will list by Her Majesty's prison, those establishments that have searching and checking of (a) visitors and baggage and (b) parcels and items of mail by working X-ray machines.
Mrs. Rumbold : Following my right hon. Friend's statement on the report of the inquiry by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the escape of two prisoners from HMP Brixton on 7 July 1991, three X-ray machines were supplied to HMP Belmarsh and five to HMP Brixton. Procurement action is currently being taken to provide machines for a further 21 establishments.
In both prisons equipment is being used to check visitors' baggage, parcels and small items of mail. Visitors themselves are not X-rayed for reasons of health and safety.
All of the machines at HMP Belmarsh are operational. Two of the five machines at Brixton are non-operational. One has proved to be surplus to requirements and is awaiting removal to another establishment ; the other is awaiting the completion of building work prior to installation.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each high risk prison establishment in England and Wales, the results of the latest standard performance tests of the CCTV system.
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Mrs. Rumbold : One of the recommendations of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons inquiry into the escape of two category A prisoners from HMP Brixton on 7 July 1991, was that an operational requirement be defined and a standard performance test be applied to the CCTV system at Brixton.
This is a complex task and although work is well underway it is not yet complete. When the final results are known, consideration will be given to applying the process to other prison establishments which have CCTV.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the result of his Department's latest review of security dogs at Her Majesty's prison establishments.
Mrs. Rumbold : In his report on the escape of two high-risk category A inmates from, Brixton on 7 July, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons recommended that the area manager should urgently inquire into the adequacy of the provision of dogs in the manner in which they are used. The review has been completed, the procedures in use confirmed, and an increase in the number of dog handlers agreed.
John Hilton
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will investigate the circumstances in which John Hilton, a convicted murderer, was released on licence in January 1978.
Mrs. Rumbold : The circumstances of John Hilton's release on life licence in January 1978 are that following a
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positive Parole Board recommendation and having consulted the judiciary, the Secretary of State authorised the release.Remand Prisoners
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet held a review of the current policy of not classifying remand prisoners who are an exceptional risk, and requiring them to be held in a special secure unit separate from standard risk prisoners ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : This review is in hand. As my right hon. Friend said in a statement on 5 August following the report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the
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Brixton escape, it will need to take account of any comments by Mr. G. H. Lakes and Mr. R. Hadfield who are conducting a security audit into arrangements for holding and managing category A prisoners.Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the last 12 months, in respect of Her Majesty's prison Lindholme, the inmates who have escaped ; what sentence had been given ; how much had been served in each case ; what additional sentence or penalty was imposed on those recaptured ; and to what prison they were transferred.
Mrs. Rumbold : The following information relates to the 25 prisoners who escaped from Her Majesty's prison Lindholme in the 12 months to 15 October 1991.
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Name |Date of escape |Sentence length |Time served |Penalty imposed |Transfer
|on recapture |destination
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doyle |7 November 1990 |3 years 6 months |1 year |- |Still at large
Smith |7 November 1990 |2 years |1 year 2 months |- |Still at large
Clarke |14 January 1991 |2 years 2 months |6 months |<1>75 days LOR |HMP Stafford
Hunter |22 February 1991 |2 years 6 months |4 months |<1>40 days LOR |HMP Hull
Barker |22 Febuary 1991 |1 year 6 months |8 months |<1>90 days LOR |HMP Hull
Dewhurst |27 February 1991 |2 years |1 year 1 month |<1>90 days LOR |HMP Stafford
Baker |29 April 1991 |1 year 6 months |1 month |<1>50 days LOR |HMP Everthorpe
White |29 April 1991 |3 years |1 year 1 month |<1>65 days LOR |HMP Hull
O'Neill |1 May 1991 |1 year |7 months |- |Still at large
Shannon |1 May 1991 |4 years 3 months |2 years 2 months |<1>90 days LOR |HMP Liverpool
Dunne |23 May 1991 |9 years |2 years 10 months |<1>70 days LOR |HMP Bedford
Stones |24 June 1991 |Life |6 years 7 months |Charges not |HMP Leeds
|proven
Berseberry |24 June 1991 |4 years |11 months |<1>70 days LOR |HMP Liverpool
Rafiq |24 June 1991 |2 years 9 months |2 months |Charges not |HMP Hull
|proven
Wright |26 June 1991 |1 year |4 months |<1>80 days LOR |HMP Norwich
Pickering |6 July 1991 |1 year 7 months |8 months |<1>56 days LOR |Remains at
|HMP Lindholme
Winspear |8 August 1991 |3 years 6 months |20 days |<1>55 days LOR |HMP Hull
Neale |27 August 1991 |2 years |1 year |- |Still at large
Burrows |6 September 1991 |3 years |1 year 1 month |- |Still at large
Bradley |18 September 1991 |2 years 6 months 12 days|7 months |<1>42 days LOR |Remains at
|HMP Lindholme
Luttman |18 September 1991 |3 years |2 years 3 months |- |Still at large
MacGillivary |27 September 1991 |5 years |1 year 10 months |- |Still at large
Charnley |27 September 1991 |3 years 6 months |2 years 2 months |- |Still at large
Barratt |29 September 1991 |3 years 6 months |1 year 3 months |- |Still at large
Graham |29 September 1991 |2 years 6 months |1 year 1 month |- |Still at large
<1> LOR=Loss of remission.
Dogs
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all outstanding legislation on dogs which has not yet come into force ; and if he will indicate when he expects each piece to come into force.
Mrs. Rumbold : The information requested is as follows : (
(i) Guard Dogs Act 1975, Sections 2-7
There are no plans for these sections, which provide for the licensing of guard dogs, to be brought into force.
(ii) Environmental Protection Act 1990,
Sections 149-151
These sections, concerning local authorities' responsibilities for stray dogs, will come into force on 1 April 1992.
In addition, after 30 November 1991 it will be an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to possess a dog of a type specially controlled by section 1 unless a certificate of exemption is in force.
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Court of Appeal
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring in legislation to provide Court of Appeal judges with a full transcript of the trial under review ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : The criminal appeal rules already provide for the recording of any appealable proceedings--although counsel's opening and closing speeches need not be recorded unless the judge so directs--and for the retention of notes for a period and their transcription as necessary when requested by the registrar of criminal appeals or by an interested party.
Marital Guidance Agencies
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each marital guidance agency the amount of funding they currently receive ; and when he will announce the results of his recently completed funding review of marital guidance agencies.
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Mr. John Patten : The grants-in-aid to the agencies for the present financial year are :
|£
-----------------------------------------------------------
RELATE |1,107,500
Tavistock Institute of Marital Studies |352,500
Catholic Marriage Advisory Council |144,200
Family Welfare Association |22,200
One plus One (formerly the Marriage Research Centre) 16,100
Jewish Marriage Council |8,000
Future levels of funding are under consideration as part of the current public expenditure survey.
Children Act 1989
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what physical adaptations and additions have been made to courts in Wales to ensure the effective implementation of the Children Act 1989.
Mr. John Patten : In the case of magistrates courts the provision of accommodation is a matter for the magistrates' courts committee to determine after consultation with the providing local authority concerned. The Home Office has provided capital grant to fund the creation of an extra courtroom for juvenile and family work at Swansea. This is in addition to other improvements to accommodation for children's proceedings in Welsh magistrates' courts for which Home Office project approval was not required which may have been undertaken.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask the Data Protection Register to investigate the current practice whereby the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sends out advertising literature on behalf of the British School of Motoring with every new provisional licence ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : I understand that the Data Protection Registrar has concluded that this practice does not constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act 1984. However the matter is separately under consideration by the Director General of Fair Trading.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people convicted to date for non-payment of poll tax in each local area were in receipt of income support ; and how many received prison sentences.
Mr. John Patten : The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Prison Riots
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available to the hon. Member for Don Valley a copy of the Official Report into the riots at Her Majesty's prisons Lindholme and Moorland.
Mrs. Rumbold : The reports of the inquiries into the recent disturbances at Lindholme and Moorland are
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internal management documents which, because of security and other implications, are not intended to be published. I shall however ensure that the hon. Member is made fully aware of the findings.Hospitality Costs
Mr. Skinner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Home Office ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : My Department's expenditure on hospitality in the financial year 1990-91 was £30,080.
Invoice Payments
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The policy of the Department is to pay all invoices within the agreed terms of the contract or order or, in the absence of agreed terms, within 30 days of receipt of the goods or the presentation of a valid invoice, whichever is the later. The Department recognises and supports the principles of prompt payment and is participating in the examination of payment performance being undertaken by the Department of Employment in this financial year.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers and proportions of Criminal Injuries Compensation Board applications in 1980 and 1990 which led to an appeal (a) against refusal of an award and (b) against quantum, giving in each category the numbers of such appeals that were allowed.
Mr. John Patten : The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board does not record details of the number of successful hearings in the form requested and this information could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. Details of numbers of applications received and appeal hearings decided in each financial year are published in the board's annual reports. Information for the years ended 31 March 1980 and 31 March 1990, the most recent for which figures are available, is shown in the following table :
In year ended
|31 March
|1980 |1990
-----------------------------------------------------------------
New applications received |22,801 |53,655
Total hearings requested by applicant
or referred by board member |2,450 |7,203
As percentage of new applications |10.7 |13.4
Decision taken at hearing:
(a) full awards |786 |1,987
(b) reduced awards |82 |362
(c) No awards |357 |1,548
|------- |-------
Total hearing decisions |1,225 |3,897
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Badgers
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were instigated and how many were successful under the Badgers Act 1973 in the most recent year for which figures are available ; and what was the fine in each successful case.
Mr John Patten : The information requested is given in the table. The 1990 data are not yet available.
Number of defendants prosecuted,
convicted and sentenced to a fine
by amount of fine under the Badgers
Act 1973, 1989
England and Wales
|Number
-------------------------------------
Prosecutions |63
Convictions |53
Sentence of a fine |52
Amount of fine:
Under £100 |3
£100 to under £200 |5
£200 to under £300 |19
£300 to under £400 |9
£400 to under £500 |6
£500 to under £600 |5
£600 to under £700 |1
£700 to under £800 |2
£800 to under £900 |-
£900 to under £1,000 |-
£1,000 |2
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Data Protection Registrar has been provided with all necessary information so that all the data protection requirements can be considered by him in relation to (a) Schengen, (b) Trevi, (c) the proposal for a national DNA database and (d) the new national police computer ; whether he will place in the Library a copy of any briefing material given to the registrar ; and whether he will make a statement.
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