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Confessions
17. Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to outlaw convictions based wholly or mainly on confessions in police custody.
Mr. John Patten : The use of uncorroborated confession evidence is within the remit of the Royal Commission on criminal justice announced to the House by my right hon. Friend on 14 March. We shall consider what changes may be needed in the light of the commission's findings.
Industrial Estates (Security)
18. Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning schemes for improving security on industrial estates.
Mr. John Patten : We have received no representations concerning schemes for improving security on industrial estates. I understand, however, that an increasing number of businesses are now developing such schemes, often in consultation with the local police, following the example of the first such scheme developed on the North Lynn industrial estate in 1985.
Drug Dealers
19. Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug dealers have been convicted in the past 12 months.
Mr. John Patten : A total of 2,001 people were convicted of the unlawful supply of controlled drugs in the United Kingdom during 1990 and 2,699 people were convicted of being unlawfully in possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply it to another.
Asylum
21. Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received about proposed changes in the methods of dealing with people who apply for asylum ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn).
Police Cells
22. Mr. John Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently being held in police cells.
Mrs. Rumbold : There were 1,787 prisoners in police cells last night who should properly have been detained in prisons.
Security Forces (Murders)
23. Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his policy concerning the guideline sentences for persons convicted of the murder of members of the security forces.
Mr. John Patten : Life imprisonment is the mandatory sentence when a person has been convicted of murder.
Channel Tunnel
24. Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has received from the European Commission about the exercise of immigration control and passport checking procedures for channel tunnel journeys ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The European Commission has sent my right hon. Friend no advice of the kind to which my hon. Friend refers. Immigration controls and passport checking procedures will be applied to the channel tunnel in ways similar to those applied at the other major points of entry to the United Kingdom.
Bail
25. Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached following his Department's research into the working of the Bail Act 1976 ; and if he will make a r j 5-1statement.
Mr. John Patten : We shall consider urgently the results of the Home Office review of the recent studies of offending on bail and announce our conclusions as soon as we can.
West Mercia Constabulary
26. Mr. Colin Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current strength of the West Mercia constabulary.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : At the end of August 1991 West Mercia constabulary was up to its establishment, with 2,029 officers, an increase of 277 officers, or 16 per cent., since the Government took office.
Prisons (Education)
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the prison population had gained formal educational qualifications before entering prison.
Mrs. Rumbold : A national prison survey was conducted earlier this year, based on a 10 per cent. sample of the male
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and a 20 per cent. sample of the female prison population. Preliminary results indicate that 57 per cent. of the prisoners sampled had some education qualifications when they came into prison. Of these, 8 per cent. had a vocational qualification, 36 per cent. had the equivalent of what was a GCE O-level as their highest qualification, and 8 per cent. had a higher qualification.Column 220
Prisons (Ethnic Groups)
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age profile of the prison population for each major ethnic group.
Mrs. Rumbold : The latest readily available information is given in the table.
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Population<1> in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1990: by ethnic origin
and age.
Number of Persons
Age in years |White |West Indian |Indian |Chinese |Other, not |All persons
|Guyanese |Pakistani |Arab |recorded<2>
|African |Bangladeshi |Mixed origin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14-16 |326 |24 |9 |11 |12 |382
17-20 |6,855 |636 |222 |225 |220 |8,158
21-24 |8,215 |1,105 |198 |195 |199 |9,912
25-29 |7,602 |1,465 |205 |182 |179 |9,633
30-39 |7,726 |1,323 |368 |183 |223 |9,823
40-49 |3,930 |304 |172 |75 |85 |4,566
50-59 |1,378 |123 |83 |22 |26 |1,632
60 and over |368 |22 |18 |4 |5 |417
All ages |36,400 |5,002 |1,275 |897 |949 |44,523
<1> Provisional Figures
<2> Including refusals.
Conservative Party Conference
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will request a report from the Chief Constable of Lancashire on the policing implications for Lancashire arising from the policing provision required at the 1991 Conservative party conference at Blackpool ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No. It is for the chief officer of the force concerned to decide how a party conference should be policed, as with any other police operation.
Styal Prison
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes to the regime in the mother and baby unit at Her Majesty's prison Styal have been made following the transfer of two mothers whose babies are aged over nine months.
Mrs. Rumbold : The following changes have been made :
(i) Daily routines have been adjusted to ensure fewer household chores for the women in the unit thus allowing mothers more time with their babies.
(ii) Accommodation has been temporarily adapted to increase cre che space.
(iii) Alternative accommodation has been found for pregnant women and this has increased space for the mothers and babies.
(iv) Toys appropriate for babies in the nine months to 18 months age range have been purchased. A larger playpen is being introduced in the education department to cater for the older babies of mothers who decide to undertake classes.
These are initial improvements. A steering committee, chaired by the area manager, will plan further developments ranging from regime enhancement to the expansion of accommodation.
National Transcommunications Ltd
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by how many staff, by grade, the total complement at the former Independent Broadcasting Authority engineering division, has been reduced in the past two years ; what has been the total cost of voluntary
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redundancies and early retirements ; and by how much these changes are expected to reduce the total annual wages and salary bill.Mr. Peter Lloyd : The IBA carried out a reorganisation programme during 1990 and reduced its staff by about 170. When NTL was sold on 24 October, its overall staffing complement, including contract staff, was 779, the same as it had been on 1 January 1991, when the company was vested in the Crown. In that period, 42 staff, including contract staff, left and the same number joined. NTL has assumed the IBA's liabilities for retirement and death benefits for those employees who transferred to NTL from the IBA. Information on the costs is not readily available in the form requested.
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what price it has been agreed, subject to contract, to sell National Transcommunications Ltd. to Mercury Asset Management ; how many other bids were received ; and what assurances he has sought or been given about plans to float off the company.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The sale of National Transcommunications Ltd., which was completed on 24 October 1991, raised immediate proceeds of £70 million, with the possibility of further proceeds of up to £20 million under specified circumstances in the event of a successful flotation of the company after 1993. The sale and purchase agreement also includes comprehensive clawback provisions intended to ensure that the Government receive a share of unexpectedly large profits made from sales of the company's property and intellectual property. National Transcommunications Ltd. was purchased by Mercury Asset Management plc on behalf of its fund management clients. In its bid, Mercury Asset Management stated its intention to prepare the company for flotation when it has sufficient track record in the private sector.
Following the sale launch in May this year, there were over 50 serious expressions of interest in the company, from a wide range of backgrounds, including manufacturers, banks, broadcasters, utilities and telecommunications companies. We shortlisted three indicative bidders who then had access to detailed information about
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National Transcommunications Ltd.'s business. Two bidders, GEC and MAM, continued their preparations for bidding up until the final deadline. MAM's bid was made in the knowledge of that competition and we were entirely satisfied with it.Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amounts of money over what periods have been paid to Price Waterhouse and Deloittes in connection with the sale and restructuring of the former engineering division of the Independent Broadcasting Authority ; and if he will detail by name and amount payments made to any other outside consultants with whom contracts were placed during this process.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Home Office placed contracts with the following outside consultants during the sale of NTL and preparations for the company to be sold :
Price Waterhouse
Norton Rose
Ernst and Young
Debenham, Tewson and Chinnocks
Mercer Fraser
Charles Barker
My right hon. Friend will report to the House on the final cost of the sale as soon as possible, but information about individual contracts and amounts paid is commercially confidential.
Prison Population
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State For the Home Department how many (a) remand and (b) convicted prisoners were unemployed before entering prison.
Mrs. Rumbold : In response to questions in the national prison survey, which was carried out at the beginning of this year, (a) 44 per cent. of remand and (b) 31 per cent. of convicted prisoners said that they were unemployed prior to imprisonment.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State For the Home Department how many prisoners are related to people who have also served a prison sentence.
Mrs. Rumbold : In response to questions in the national prison survey, which was carried out at the beginning of this year, 35 per cent. of convicted prisoners said that someone in their family had also served a prison sentence.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State For the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female prisoners have dependent children ; and what is known about who presently looks after them.
Mrs. Rumbold : In response to questions in the national prison survey, which was carried out at the beginning of this year, (a) 32 per cent. of male prisoners and (b) 47 per cent. of female prisoners said that they had dependent children living with them just before they came into prison.
Ninety one per cent. of male prisoners with dependent children said that it was either their current or ex-wives or partners who were looking after them, while only 2 per cent. reported a dependent child with foster parents or in care. By contrast, just 23 per cent. of female prisoners said that at least one of their children was being looked after by current or ex- husbands or partners. Most female prisoners (52 per cent.) said that at least one of their children was being looked after by other relations. Twelve per cent. said that a dependent child was with foster parents or in care.
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Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State For the Home Department how many prisoners are married or were living with a partner before entering prison.
Mrs. Rumbold : In response to questions in the national prison survey, which was carried out at the beginning of this year, 50 per cent. of prisoners said that just prior to their imprisonment they were married or living with a partner.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) remand and (b) convicted prisoners were homeless before entering prison.
Mrs. Rumbold : In response to questions in the national prison survey, which was carried out at the beginning of this year, 17 per cent. of remand prisoners and 12 per cent. of convicted prisoners said that they had no permanent accommodation at the time they were imprisoned.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) young offenders and (b) adults in prison have previously been in the care of the local authority.
Mrs. Rumbold : In response to questions in the national prison suvey, which was carried out at the beginning of this year, (a) 38 per cent. of young prisoners and (b) 23 per cent. of adult prisoners said that they had had experience of local authority care before the age of 16.
Court Hearings
Mr. Butcher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will ensure that in the period between making a statement and going into court a witness need not have his name declared to the defendant ;
(2) if he will ensure that in the period between making a statement and going into court a witness need not have his address declared to the defendant.
Mr. John Patten : Under the Magistrates' Courts (Advance Information) Rules 1985 the prosecution may withold information, including statements giving the names of witnesses, to which the defence would otherwise be entitled where there is considered to be a risk of intimidation of the witnesses concerned. Last year we amended the Magistrates' Courts Rules 1981 to prevent the routine disclosure of witnesses' addresses in advance of trial or full committal proceedings.
Missing Persons
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the computerised national register for missing persons will start operating ; what its staff complement will be ; and what financial resources will be allocated to it.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The database which the missing persons bureau will use will be from part of the new police national computer. It is not possible at the moment to give a definite date for its introduction. The staffing and resources of the bureau are still under consideration.
West Midlands Serious Crimes Squad
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now publish in full the report on the general practices of the former West
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Midlands serious crimes squad submitted to him by the Police Complaints Authority under section 97(2) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.Mr. Peter Lloyd : This report was laid before both Houses of Parliament on 31 October and was published on 1 November.
Anti-racist Organisations
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conditions are attached to grants from his Department to anti-racist organisations.
Mrs. Rumbold : The Home Office runs a number of grant programmes which aim to improve community relations by seeking to reduce racial discrimination and racial disadvantage. Section 11 grant and the new ethnic minority grant seek to assist the access of ethnic minorities to mainstream services. Grants made from the reduction of racial disadvantage grant budget mainly help business support agencies under the ethnic minority business initiative and projects working to build the capacity of the ethnic minority voluntary sector. Some funding for anti-harassment and anti -racial attack schemes is also provided under the safer cities programme. In addition, the Commission for Racial Equality, which is grant aided by the Home Office, is empowered under section 44 of the Race Relations Act 1976 to give financial or other assistance to any organisation that it deems to be concerned with the promotion of equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups. Most race equality councils and a number of projects in various parts of the country are funded in this way.
Funding under these programmes is subject to a range of conditions, some of which relate specifically to a particular project or scheme and others which are common to many grant regimes. These include conditions on progress towards targets and objectives, the provision of reports and financial information, and requirements that grants must not be used for party political purposes or for purposes for which they were not intended.
Female Prisoners
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time spent in custody by female life sentence prisoners released on licence in each of the last 10 years.
Mrs. Rumbold : The information requested is given in the table. The calculated averages exclude persons who have died in custody or have been discharged for other reasons. The information for all persons released on life licence is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales"--table 8.5 of the issue for 1989, Cm. 1221.
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Average time served<1> under sentence in Prison Service
establishments
in England and Wales by females first released on life
licence 1980-90
Year of |Average time |Number of
release |served(years)|females
|released
--------------------------------------------------------
1980 |6.5 |1
1981 |8.1 |3
1982 |8.7 |1
1983 |8.6 |2
1984 |8.3 |5
1985 |9.2 |5
1986 |10.5 |2
1987 |10.1 |3
1988 |10.0 |4
1989 |8.0 |4
<2>1990 |9.6 |3
<1> Excluding any time spent on remand in custody, in
non-Prison
Service establishments or following any subsequent
recall.
<2> Provisional figure.
Mature Women (Health Care)
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the ministerial group on women's issues last considered the issue of health care for mature women ; what report was issued ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : The ministerial group on women's issues examines issues of concern to women where they overlap more than one Government Department. The group has not considered the specific issue of health care for mature women separately, as this is the responsibility of the Department of Health, but it has addressed a number of wider health-related issues.
Prison Deaths
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the deaths of all boys and girls under 21 years detained in Prison Department establishments in the last 30 years, or as early as records have been kept, stating in each case the names, ages and sex of the young person, whether he/she was sentenced or on remand, the establishment where he/she was detained and the cause of death.
Mrs. Rumbold : The table lists the information requested for each year since 1978. Information for earlier years is not readily accessible and could not be given except at disproportionate costs.
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Death of prisoners under 21 in Her Majesty's Prison Service establishments 1978-1991<1>
Name |Age |Sex |Establishment |Inquest Verdict |<2>Status
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1978
Anderson M. J. |16 |M |Hindley |Suicide |-
Evans D. C. |17 |M |Risley |Unlawful killing |-
Clark C. L. |19 |M |Gaynes Hall |Open |-
1979
Ramsey A. W. |18 |M |Liverpool |Suicide |-
Forbes D. |20 |M |Lewes |Killed himself while balance|-
| of mind disturbed
Ridehalgh S. |17 |M |Wetherby |Natural causes |-
Redmond M. |20 |M |Haverigg |Misadventure |-
Lehair P. |20 |M |Wormwood Scrubs |Unlawful killing |-
Badger J. D. |17 |M |Brockhill |Open |-
Tomkins M. S. |20 |M |Huntercombe |Misadventure |-
Merry K. |16 |M |Latchmere House |Natural causes |-
Powdrill V. |16 |M |Thorp Arch |Natural causes |-
1980
Grzybkowski R. Z. |19 |M |Brixton |Suicide |-
Brown A. B. |20 |M |Ashford |Self Neglect |-
Underwood R. J. |18 |M |Norwich |Unlawful killing |-
Whittaker D. J. |20 |M |Buckley Hall |Accidental death |-
Ratcliffe M. C. |19 |M |Swinfen Hall |Suicide |-
1981
Phillips L. M. |18 |M |Ashford |Natural causes |Remand
Shackleton I. A. |18 |M |Medomsley |Misadventure |Sentenced
Smith M. A. |18 |M |Aylesbury |Misadventure |Sentenced
Wren G. |16 |M |Rochester |Suicide |Sentenced
1982
Caldwell D. V. |17 |M |Medomsley |Natural causes |Sentenced
Heather-Hays J. P. |18 |M |Ashford |Lack of care |Sentenced
Gallagher G. |17 |M |Thorp Arch |Natural causes |Remand
Cooper M. R. |17 |M |Canterbury |Natural causes |Sentenced
Walmsley S. |19 |M |Stoke Heath |Suicide |Remand
Nagel J. S. |20 |M |Lowdham Grange |No inquest held |Sentenced
Grosvenor C. |18 |M |Lewes |Killed himself |Sentenced
Howells K. |17 |M |Usk |Natural causes |Sentenced
Kurn, D. W. |20 |M |Canterbury |Suicide |Sentenced
1983
Markham D. T. |19 |M |Thorp Arch |Misadventure |Remand
Bowley S. G. |16 |M |Manchester |Suicide |Sentenced
Abbott M. G. |20 |M |Leeds |Suicide |Remand
Overton R. C. |20 |M |Hull |Natural causes aggravated |Sentenced
| by lack of care
1984
Farrington K. |18 |M |Manchester |Natural causes |Sentenced
Deck P. J. |20 |M |Winchester |Misadventure |Sentenced
Cash P. |17 |M |Swansea |Suicide |Sentenced
Chana S. S. |19 |M |Pentonville |Suicide |Sentenced
McLauchlan |19 |M |Stoke Heath |Natural causes |Sentenced
Sankey R. J. |19 |M |Swansea |Misadventure |Sentenced
Khan L. |17 |M |Rochester |Misadventure |Sentenced
Deacon A. K. |20 |M |Norwich |Natural causes |Sentenced
Rapter P. C. |19 |M |Swansea |Misadventure |Sentenced
1985
Barrowcliffe I. P. |18 |M |Huntercombe |Accidental |Sentenced
Jackson J. |18 |M |Wellingborough |Natural causes |Sentenced
Joseph E. |18 |M |Hollesley Bay |Natural causes |Sentenced
Ramsden R. J. |20 |M |Portland |Open |Sentenced
Harrison F. J. |18 |M |Risley |Suicide |Remand
1986
Cumston A. |19 |M |Exeter |Suicide |Remand
Ducatt P. M. |19 |M |Ashford |Suicide |Remand
McCaffarey D. M. |19 |M |Liverpool |Open |Sentenced
Evans K. |19 |M |Lewes |Accidental |Remand
Thomas P. J. |20 |M |Risley |Suicide |Sentenced
1987
Baird A. |20 |M |Canterbury |Suicide |Remand
Bailes R. J. |20 |M |Ashford |Suicide |Remand
Taylor S. D. |20 |M |Stoke Heath |Suicide |Sentenced
Jones G. S. |17 |M |Rochester |Suicide |Sentenced
Armstrong J. S. |18 |M |Risley |Suicide |Sentenced
Denny K. J. |18 |M |Onley |Natural causes |Sentenced
Sturgess N. S. |19 |M |Stoke Heath |Suicide |Sentenced
Smith A. I. |19 |M |Brockhill |Natural causes |Remand
Marchelak P. |20 |M |Camp Hill |Suicide |Sentenced
1988
McMahon F. B. |18 |M |Rochester |Open |Remand
Wood D. P. |20 |M |Risley |Suicide |Remand
Skey A. |17 |M |Leeds |Suicide |Remand
Elliott M. G. |18 |M |Leeds |Suicide |Remand
Ward M. P. |20 |M |Manchester |Open |Sentenced
Marfleet D. T. |20 |M |Finnamore Wood |Natural causes |Sentenced
Bromley C. |19 |M |Shrewsbury |Suicide |Remand
Littlewood D. A. |19 |M |Leeds |Suicide |Remand
Burt T. D. |17 |M |Glen Parva |Suicide |Sentenced
Greechan C. K. |19 |M |Leeds |Suicide |Remand
1989
Greasby A. |19 |M |Castington |Accidental |Sentenced
Barber W. |19 |M |Wellingborough |Accidental |Sentenced
Beckett P. |18 |M |Leeds |Suicide |Remand
Kewley L. J. |19 |M |Risley |Open |Remand
Ellis R. J. |19 |M |Lewes |Suicide |Sentenced
Dixon S. D. |18 |M |Manchester |Suicide |Remand
Johal P. |18 |M |Rochester |Suicide |Remand
McGowan J. P. |19 |M |Hindley |Suicide |Remand
Larkman N. A. |18 |M |Swansea |Suicide |Remand
Broome T. |19 |M |Manchester |Suicide |Sentenced
Mason P. K. |19 |M |Glen Parva |Suicide |Sentenced
1990
Brook J. |20 |M |Durham |Unlawful killing |Sentenced
Sullivan M. |19 |M |Winchester |Open |Remand
Curry M. |18 |M |Hindley |Suicide |Remand
McKinlay I. D. |18 |M |Hindley |Suicide |Remand
Hook A. W. |18 |M |Hindley |Suicide |Remand
Knight P. H. |15 |M |Swansea |Open |Remand
Willerton S. |17 |M |Leeds |Open |Remand
Simmonds L. |20 |M |Hull |Suicide |Remand
Walsh C. |15 |M |Glen Parva |Open |Sentenced
Smith L. |18 |M |Brixton |Killed himself in circum- |Remand
| stances brought about by
| lack of care
1991 (to 4 November)
Clancy D. B. |19 |M |Portland |Open |Sentenced
White L. M. |19 |M |Feltham |Not yet held |Remand
Wright A. |20 |M |Glen Parva |Not yet held |Remand
Horler J. L. |15 |M |Feltham |Not yet held |Sentenced
<1> The table lists deaths from all causes.
<2> Information on the status of prisoners who died before 1981 is not readily accessible. Prisoners described as on remand include those who
were convicted but awaiting sentence.
Football
Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the average costs of policing each English Football League club per spectator for the past three football seasons in order from the highest to the lowest.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is not available.
Correspondence
Mr. Michael Spicer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange for a reply to be sent as soon as possible to the letter of the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South of 23 September concerning Statutory Instrument No. 1531.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 5 November 1991.
Merseyside Fire Authority
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, following the Merseyside fire risk review of 1990, he has given the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority permission to vary the approved establishment scheme ; what assessment he has made of
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whether the Home Office minimum standards of fire cover can be met by the Merseyside fire authority ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. John Patten : No proposals have so far been submitted by the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority. Any which entailed the closure of fire stations or reduction in the number of operational firefighters or appliances would require our approval to ensure that nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover continued to be met.
Extradition
Mr. Stanbrook : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made to date in bringing into effect the Extradition Act 1989, and in the revised arrangements with other states which are parties to the European convention on extradition and its protocols.
Mr. John Patten : The Extradition Act 1989 came into effect on 27 September 1989 and the United Kingdom ratified the European convention on extradition on 13 February 1991. It came into effect in the United Kingdom on 14 May 1991. The protocols to the convention have not been ratified.
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Schools (Fire Standards)
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to bring fire safety standards in schools and colleges up to those required under the EC framework directive on the safety and health of workers at work ; which organisations are to be consulted about the new draft regulations ; when these are expected to come into force ; and who will be responsible for enforcing them.
Mr. John Patten : We propose to implement the fire safety requirements of European Community directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work--known as the framework directive--and the related directive 89/654/EEC, known as the workplace directive, by making new regulations under section 12 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971. The new regulations will apply to places of work, including schools and colleges, to which the Fire Precautions Act applies. The regulations will come into force on 1 January 1993, and there will be a staged application in accordance with the directives.
The regulations are being drafted in consultation with other Government Departments, which will include the Department of Education and Science ; and with representatives of local authorities' associations and other interested bodies.
In accordance with the directives, the regulations will place the primary responsibility for ensuring fire safety on employers. Regulations under the Fire Precautions Act are enforced by fire authorities and for crown premises by HM inspectorates of fire services. Detailed consideration is being given to how the regulations will be applied to places of work, including schools and colleges.
It is expected that a consultative document will be available in the spring for an extensive public consultation exercise.
Joyriding
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the number of deaths in (a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside caused by joyriders in each of the past five years ; and if he will make a statement.
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