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PC Tony Salt
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Attorney-General if he will order an inquiry into the failure of the Crown prosecution service to disclose to solicitors for the persons charged with murdering PC Tony Salt the statement by his widow regarding the discovery of her husband's kubaton ; on what date it was disclosed ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 350
The Attorney-General : The Crown prosecution service is committed to full discharge of its obligation to disclose to persons charged with criminal offences or to their lawyers all material not included in the prosecution case which has some bearing on the offences charged and the surrounding circumstances of the case. The acting Director of Public Prosecutions has not yet been able to ascertain whether there was a failure in this particular case but has asked for a report upon the circumstances. I will write to the hon. Member in the light of that report.
Trade and Industry Select Committee
Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Attorney-General what progress has been made in his consideration of the papers sent to him by members of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry relating to the alleged harassment of members of that Committee ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney General : I refer my hon. Friend to the answers which I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery on 6 November 1991, at column 113.
Inter-agency Steering Group
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement concerning the inter-agency steering group appointed to prepare plans for the implementation of the report of the working group on pre- trial issues.
The Attorney General : The Lord Chancellor, the Home Secretary and I have approved the implementation plan submitted recently by the steering group. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
In the preparation of the plan, the steering group consulted organisations and professional bodies with a direct interest in the working group's report. The steering group concluded that the interdependent nature of the recommendations means that it is necessary to implement the report as a package to achieve worthwhile improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of pre-trial and court procedures, for example the proposed national time guidelines for the progress of cases will only be realised if the police produce the standard of prosecution files required, the Crown prosecution service--CPS--serves advance information on the defence by the first hearing date, and the courts revise listing practices.
The police, the CPS and the courts are required to adopt new approaches to their work which will substantially improve the quality of services provided to victims, witnesses, defendants and others involved in criminal proceedings. The agencies concerned have demonstrated their determination to act by the steps already taken to implement some of the recommendations. The majority of the recommendations will be implemented over the next two years, and those with significant resource implications will come into effect as the funds become available. The implementation dates allow for the introduction of certain recommendations, for example typed dual police files, in stages which reflect the degree of change required in different police forces, CPS areas and court centres.
Because of the inter-related nature of recommendations it may be some time before the full benefits are seen to have been achieved across the system as a whole. My ministerial
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colleagues and I are nevertheless satisfied that there is a very positive joint commitment to ensure progress in the shortest possible time scale.Social Security Tribunals
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Attorney-General if he will introduce provisions to ensure that the Office of the Social Security Commissioner supplies claimants with details as to the reasons why they have been refused leave to appeal against a decision of a social security tribunal.
The Attorney-General : It is not proposed to alter the provisions of the Tribunals and Inquiries (Social Security Commissioners) Order 1980 which exempts commissioners from the obligation to give reasons for decisions on applications for leave to appeal.
Shops Act 1950
Mr. Randall : To ask the Attorney-General what new initiatives he will be taking to ensure that the Shops Act 1950 is enforced over the Christmas period.
The Attorney-General : It remains the responsibility of local authorities to consider with their legal advisers what means are at their disposal.
Mr. Randall : To ask the Attorney-General what practical means local authorities now have at their disposal to carry out their responsibilities for enforcing the Shops Act 1950.
The Attorney-General : Parliament has given local authorities the primary responsibility for enforcing the provisions about Sunday trading in the Shops Act 1950. I shall take account of all relevant circumstances known to me, including developments in the courts, in deciding whether any new initiative by me is appropriate.
Attachment of Earnings Orders
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the implications of attachment of earnings orders for the security of an individual's employment.
The Attorney-General : No such assessment has been made. Employers have had a statutory obligation to comply with attachment of earnings orders since the commencement of the Attachment of Earnings Act 1971. If an individual is concerned about the effect of an attachment of earnings order on his relations with his employer, he may ask the court for a suspended order under which he makes payments directly to the creditor. Under this arrangement, a copy of the order is not sent to the employer.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Aid
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs what a 3 per cent. increase in real terms in aid for developing countries, over the survey period referred to in the ODA press release of 6 November, would be in cash terms for the same period.
Mrs. Chalker : The overseas aid budget for developing countries is planned to increase to £1,980 million in
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1994-95 compared with the original planning figure for 1991-92 of £1,721 million ; this is an increase in cash terms of 15 per cent.Simple Truth Appeal
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs whether he will make a statement on the allocation of funds raised for Kurdish refugees by the Simple Truth appeal.
Mrs. Chalker : The British Red Cross, which helped to distribute the funds, confirms that all of the £57,042,000, including the £13, 832,000 raised in the United Kingdom, has been accounted for. The Government were pleased to contribute £10 million. We are satisfied that these funds have been properly used. Of the £10 million, we contributed US$10 million to United Nation agencies and £5 million to the British Red Cross.
The British Red Cross figures show that of the £57,042,000, £56,098,000 has been distributed, leaving £396,000 in reserve earmarked for programmes in Iraq this winter ; £250,000 of that sum was dispatched early last week to supplement winterisation programmes already in being. The difference of £548,000 represents British Red Cross's commendably low expenses.
PRIME MINISTER
Irish Republic (Legislation)
Mr. Stanbrook : To ask the Prime Minister in how many cases proceedings in the Irish Republic under their Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act 1976 have been requested by United Kingdom prosecuting authorities since 1976 ; in how many cases proceedings in the United Kingdom under the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 have been requested by prosecuting authorities in the Irish Republic since 1975 ; and if he will make a statement on this reciprocal legislation.
The Prime Minister : Since 1976 there have been 32 applications by the United Kingdom prosecuting authorities for proceedings in the republic under the 1976 Act. There have been no applications from the prosecuting authorities in the republic under the 1975 Act, but 18 persons have been prosecuted in the United Kingdom under that Act for offences allegedly committed in the republic.
Voice"
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to a letter to him from "Voice" dated 11 October.
The Prime Minister : No. It is not my normal practice to do so.
Political Advisers
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister, further to his reply of 5 November columns 42-43 about political advisers to Ministers, whether any of the individuals work for Ministers of lower rank than Secretary of State or equivalent.
The Prime Minister : Yes. Six do so.
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Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister, further to his reply of 5 November columns 42-43 about political advisers, whether there is any limit on the number of political advisers who can be appointed by individual Ministers.The Prime Minister : My approval is required for the appointment of all special advisers.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister, further to his reply of 5 November, columns 42-3, about political advisers to Ministers, if he will list the names of the individuals concerned.
The Prime Minister : The names of the special advisers (political) currently serving are as follows :
Mr. K. Adams
Mr. L. Anisfield
Mr. E. Bickham
Mr. G. Black
Ms. A. Broom
Ms. L. Campey
Mr. T. Collins
Mr. M. Fraser
Mr. J. R. M. Gardner
Mr. C. M. Grantham
Mr. H. Harris-Hughes
Mr. J. Hill
Mrs. S. Hogg
Ms. S. Hole
Mr. A. Kemp (part-time)
Mr. T. Kerpel
Mrs. T. Keswick
Mrs. E. Laing
Mr. W. Lightfoot
Mr. R. Marsh
Mr. J. Mayhew
Ms. S. McEwen
Mr. P. Miller
Mr. P. Moman
Mrs. K. Ramsay (part-time)
Dr. W. Robinson
Mr. A. Rosling
Mr. A. Ross-Goobey
Mr. D. Ruffley
Mr. I. Stewart
Lady Strathnaver
Mr. N. True
Miss B. Wallis (part-time)
Mr. A. Young
Civil Service (Sexual Harassment)
Mr. Cox : To ask the Prime Minister if he will develop a female contact point in the civil service management structure where women can seek guidance when suffering from sexual harassment.
The Prime Minister : The civil service is committed to providing a working environment which is free of harassment for all staff. Departments and agencies are advised to ensure that women who feel that they have been subjected to sexual harassment are able to go to a woman officer for advice and support in dealing with the problem. In many departments and agencies there are specially designated women officers to contact in case of sexual harassment. Specific training is available for those dealing with complaints of sexual harassment.
Single Parents
Mr. Battle : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all Government policy initiatives taken since 1987 which aim to assist single parents.
The Prime Minister : The information is set out in the table.
Policy initiatives taken since 1987 to assist lone parents
Department/ |Policy initiative
Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employment | Lone parents who have been in receipt of
September 1988 |Income Support for at least 26 weeks may
|enter Employment Training even if they do
|not meet the usual eligibility criteria.
Health | The National Council for One Parent
Since 1987 |Families and Gingerbread have received over
|£ 1 million in core grants.
Since 1987-88 | Gingerbread has received a total of £ 90,000
|for its local groups from the Department's
|under fives small grants scheme.
Early 1988 | Over £ 1 million of the RPI error monies
|was spent by 10 voluntary organisations on
|many different projects for lone parents.
Since 1989-90 | The second Under Fives Initiative includes
|4 local projects, costing in all over £ 300,000,
|to help understand better the effect of
|childcare services on the economic circum-
|stances of lone parents.
Home Office | In the Maintenance Enforcement Act 1991
1991 |the Government has given courts additional
|powers to enforce the payment of mainte-
|nance, which will help to ensure that single
|parents receive the monies to which they are
|entitled. The Act will be implemented in
|spring 1992.
Lord Chancellor's | Single Parents can benefit from the new
1989 |orders provided under the Children Act 1989.
|One of the Act's main principles is that
|parents should, wherever possible, come to an
|agreement about the future of their children
|without the intervention of the court.
| The Act also gives unmarried fathers the
|chance to apply for formal parental respon-
|sibility for their children.
Social Security | The structure of personal allowances in
April 1988 |Income Support provide that all lone parents
|aged 18 or over receive the full adult rate of
|benefit, normally only available from age 25.
| The Income Support lone parent premium
|is paid on top of the family premium to those
|lone parents who do not qualify for another
|type of premium.
| Income Support earnings disregard is £ 15 a
|week for lone parents, compared with a £ 5
|disregard for most single people.
| Family Credit introduced: a much more
|generous scheme for all low income families
|than the Family Income Supplement scheme.
| In Family Credit lone parents get the same
|adult credit as two parent families.
| One Parent Benefit is ignored when
|calculating entitlement to Family Credit.
| Higher levels of lone parent premium in
|Housing Benefit and Community Charge
|Benefit.
| Housing Benefit and Community Charge
|Benefit rules for lone parents generally
|aligned with those in Income Support.
October 1989 | Lone parents under 18 who have to live
|away from home entitled to the over 18 rate
|of Income Support personal allowance.
April 1990 | Lone parent premium in Housing Benefit
|and Community Charge Benefit increased.
October 1990 | Earnings disregard for those lone parents
|not on Income Support but receiving
|Housing Benefit or Community Charge
|Benefit increased from £ 15 to £ 25 a week.
Planned for April 1992 | Reduction in qualifying hours rule in
|Family Credit from 24 to 16 hours a week.
|Corresponding change in Income Support.
| Introduction of £ 15 maintenance disregard
|in Family Credit, Disability Working
|Allowance, Housing Benefit and Community
|Charge Benefit.
| Child Support Unit Becomes operational
|and takes on existing liable relative work in
|preparation for the establishment of the Child
|Support Agency.
Planned for | Child Support Agency becomes operation-
Spring 1993 |al. The Agency will trace absent parents,
|assess, collect and review child maintenance,
|and ensure that payments are made regularly.
Welsh Office | Gingerbread is helped through the Support
|for Child and Family Services' grant scheme.
1991-92 | A total of £ 24,440 has been awarded to
|Gingerbread to meet part of the costs of their
|Swansea office and of a development officer in
|North Wales.
Disabled People
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make the European Community's policy for disabled people one of his priorities at the Maastricht summit.
The Prime Minister : We believe that existing provisions for disabled people at the European level are satisfactory. In addition, a number of new proposals relating to disabled people are under consideration.
London Government
Mr. Tracey : To ask the Prime Minister how many representations he has received calling for a directly elected council for the London conurbation ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : As far as I am aware none, although my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has received a dozen or so, mostly in response to consultation on the review of local government outside London and the metropolitan counties. I am aware that the main opposition parties and the Association of London Authorities want to recreate a Greater London council in all but name. I have no plans for changing the basic structure of local government in London.
Child Benefit
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy not to allow names and addresses of child benefit claimants to be sold or passed on outside the Department of Social Security.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 8 November 1991] : It is Government policy that all personal information, including names and addresses, held in social security records should be regarded as confidential and should not normally be disclosed to a third party without the consent of the person concerned. Information may normally be disclosed without consent to assist the police in the investigation of a serious crime ; to meet the welfare needs of the individual concerned ; to meet statutory requirements, for example, to other Government Departments or organisations which act as agents of the DSS in paying benefit ; and to prevent the duplication of payments from public funds. We have no plans to change this policy.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what changes have been made in the arrangements regarding the sending of letters from chief executives of executive agencies to hon. Members in response to parliamentary questions when the House is not sitting.
Column 356
The Prime Minister [holding answer 8 November 1991] : The aim of the arrangements for chief executives to write direct to hon. Members is to ensure that the replies are full, prompt and as helpful as possible. It is for individual Ministers to determine how they will achieve this, including when the House is not sitting.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list each Department and each executive agency which employs its target quota of people with disabilities.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 8 November 1991] : All departments and agencies work to increase opportunities for people with disabilities, whether registered or unregistered, under a civil service code of practice on the employment of people with disabilities. The civil service compares favourably with the private sector and in 1990 six departments and agencies exceeded a 3 per cent. level of staff registered as disabled. The Government will continue to seek to ensure that disabled people have opportunities for employment in departments and agencies which are at least as good as those of able bodied people.
Offensive Odours (Cardiff)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Prime Minister what consultations he has had concerning the Butetown main foul sewer and offensive odours in the area of the Cardiff bay pierhead broadwalk.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 8 November 1991] : During my visit to Cardiff bay on 20 September the problem was raised by local residents.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Adult Education
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to develop the provision of non-vocational adult education classes and increase the access to vocational classes for mature students.
Mr. Eggar : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Further and Higher Education Bill, which was introduced in another place on November 4. Our proposals are designed to increase participation and improve opportunities in further education, including for adults.
English Teaching
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to legislate for the regulation of schools teaching English as a foreign language.
Mr. Eggar : There are no plans for the regulation of private sector schools teaching English as a foreign language. Consumer choice, backed by the independent voluntary accreditation schemes, appropriately safeguards proper standards in the non-maintained further and higher education institutions.
Howbury Grange School
Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the future of Howbury Grange school, Slade Green, Erith.
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Mr. Fallon : My right hon. and learned Friend has received five letters about the Howbury Grange school. Four expressed opposition to its proposed closure and one sought technical information about the statutory procedures relating to school closures.IQ Tests
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is provided in the syllabus to students at teacher training colleges on IQ or mental tests for children.
Mr. Fallon : The Secretary of State's criteria for the approval of courses of initial teacher training state :
"on completion of their course students should have developed skills in the evaluation and recording of pupil performance, including in particular the testing and assessment requirements related to the National Curriculum and, where relevant, the preparation of pupils for public examinations."
ENERGY
Energy and the Environment
12. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what response he has made to the House of Lords European Affairs Select Committee report on energy and the environment.
Mr. Moynihan : The Government provided the Committee with a response to each of the report's conclusions and recommendations on 16 October ; with the agreement of the Committee, we placed a copy of the response in the Library on 7 November. A debate on the report is taking place this afternoon in another place.
Coal Mining (Employment)
14. Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss the levels of employment ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.
Oil and Gas Revenues
15. Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the value of production in the United Kingdom continental shelf of the oil and gas revenues to the United Kingdom Exchequer.
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