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Fishing Vessels
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library his Department's reports into the incidents involving the snagging of fishing nets by the Royal Navy or NATO craft on 18 February 1987, Summer Mourne, 16 September 1987, Heroine, 6 December 1987, Prevail, 27 October 1988, Brilliant Star, 3 December 1988, Mount Eden, 17 April 1989, Laurel,28 June 1989, Huntress, 12 September 1989, Contestor and 13 November 1989, Scotia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Reports into shipping accidents enable the Department to establish the cause of the accident and to consider what further action is required in the interest of marine safety. Before the setting up of the marine accident investigation branch--MAIB--in July 1989 there was no provision for making reports available for general release, unless the accident was subject to public inquiry. None of the incidents listed by the hon. Member led to such an inquiry.
With the setting up of the MAIB, provision has specifically been made in the relevant regulations for the reports of investigations submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport under the terms of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 to be published. However, such investigations are usually reserved for serious accidents involving loss of life and the incident involving MFV Scotia did not come under
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this head. The MAIB has no record of the incident involving MFV Contestor on 12 September 1989. The hon. Member will be aware that it is the intention to publish the report of the chief inspector into the sinking of the Antares. Copies of that report will be placed in the Library.Environmental Assessments
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the dates he received letters from the European Commission, and the dates of his replies, in respect of the environmental assessment of the M3 Bar End-Compton, the east London river crossing and the Hackney-M11 link road, respectively.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 14 November 1991] : The dates of the Commission's letters and the dates on which replies were forwarded to the United Kingdom permanent representative in Brussels are as follows :
|Commission's letter|Response
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M3 Bar End-Compton |26 March 1991 |21 May 1991
East London River Crossing |24 October 1989 |20 December 1989
Hackney-M11 Link Road |21 June 1990 |8 August 1990
The article 169 letter was received on 17 October 1991.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he received a copy of a faxed letter from the European Commission to Mr. Peter Kunzlik of Hammond Suddards relating to the issuing by the Commission of an article 169 letter in respect of the M3 Bar End-Compton.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 14 November 1991] : A copy of this letter was sent to officials on 29 August 1991 by a private individual.
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London Docklands (Byelaws)
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what byelaw-making powers the docklands light railway and the London Docklands development corporation respectively have ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 15 November 1991] : London Transport byelaws currently apply on the docklands light railway. In the ownership of the London Docklands development corporation, the docklands light railway would have powers as an independent railway undertaking to make byelaws under section 67 of the Transport Act 1962 as applied by section 84 of that Act. The London Docklands development corporation does not itself have byelaw-making powers.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a breakdown of the planned expenditure on (a) new construction and improvement, (b) structural maintenance and (c) current maintenance on trunk roads by his Department for the years 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 15 November 1991] : Provisional plans for 1992-93 and 1993-94 are in the Department of Transport's report for 1991, Cm. 1507. Decisions on any reallocation of provision for these years and on the allocation of the resources available for 1994-95 following the autumn statement have yet to be made.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Immigration and Asylum
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place copies of all correspondence and the minutes or notes of all meetings or discussions between Ministers and officials in his Department, and representatives of United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service on the subject of the proposed withdrawal of legal aid for immigration and asylum matters in the Library.
Nationality Applications
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of staff within his Department who deal solely with applications for British nationality.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : As at the end of October 1991, 163 .
Category A Prisoners
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of prisons in England and Wales holding category A prisoners on 1 November.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of category A prisoners in prisons in the United Kingdom as of 1 November.
Mrs. Rumbold : Six hundred and two in England and Wales. The position in Scotland is a matter for my right
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hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and in Northern Ireland for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the review by the prison service into the current policy for the classification and treatment of remand prisoners, at present given a provisional category A classification, is complete ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : This review is being finalised in the light of a security audit conducted by Mr. G. H. Lakes CB, MC, former deputy director general of the Prison Service and Mr. R. Hadfield QPM, chief constable of the West Midlands police, into arrangements for holding and managing category A prisoners. The audit report was received by my right hon. Friend on 1 November and is currently being considered.
Naturalisation
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers of applications received for naturalisation for each of the months in the current year and the number currently outstanding.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The number of applications for naturalisation received in the nationality division's caseworking groups in each month of this year is as follows :
Month |Number ------------------------ January |1,514 February |1,274 March |1,430 April |1,056 May |1,288 June |1,397 July |1,177 August |1,250 September |1,403 October |1,774
In addition, there are approximately 5,500 applications of all types for citizenship awaiting allocation to caseworkers. As at 12 November 1991, the number of applications for naturalisation awaiting determination was 45,081.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time it takes to deal with a naturalisation case.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : For the certificates of naturalisation issued in October 1991, 31 months.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to open additional offices dealing with naturalisation and immigration cases.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : None at present.
Aldington Prison
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will visit Aldington prison to discuss its future with the governor and prison officers.
Mrs. Rumbold : I hope to visit Aldington prison, but no date has yet been fixed.
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Central European Time
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to move to central European time ; (2) what estimate he has made of the effect of a move to central European time on the young, the elderly, outdoor leisure pursuits and the business community.
Mrs. Rumbold : The effects of a move to central European time were discussed in the Green Paper "Summer Time : A Consultation Document" Cm722, to which I refer my hon. Friend. The responses to the Green Paper revealed considerable differences of opinion within the United Kingdom about the options for future summer time arrangements. Policy on those arrangements therefore remains under consideration.
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those EC member states which are not on central European time.
Mrs. Rumbold : Greece, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Staff Vacancies
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacancies he has in each grade at Lunar house, Croydon and the Liverpool nationality office.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 30 September there were three vacant posts in the immigration and nationality department in Croydon, and 16 in the nationality division in Liverpool, as against planned targets. Most of the vacancies were in the grades of executive and higher executive officer. The 16 posts in Liverpool will be filled before the end of the financial year. Additional posts are being created and additional staff recruited to the immigration and nationality department, in particular to meet the needs of increased asylum work.
Circuses (Wild Animals)
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will introduce legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses ;
(2) if he will introduce regulations to prevent wild animals in circuses from being ill treated or from being confined for long periods.
Mrs. Rumbold : Circus animals are protected by the Protection of Animals Act 1911 as well as the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925. These Acts together provide for, among other things, the registration of trainers, the inspection of premises by local authorities and the prosecution of anyone who causes any animal unnecessary suffering. This gives animals both general and specific protection and we have no plans for further legislation.
Prison Building
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish details of the new prisons due to be opened in each of the next five years as a result of his Department's prison building programme ; and if he will give the location of each prison and the number of places to be provided.
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Mrs. Rumbold : Twelve prisons constructed under this Government's prison building programme have been opened to date. The remaining prisons in the programme are currently estimated to come into operation as follows :
Prison |Location |Type |Number
|of places
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1992
Elmley |Sheppey, Kent |Training prison |620
Bullingdon |Arncot, Bicester,|Local prison |649
| Oxfordshire
Wolds |Brough, North |Remand prison |320
| Humberside
Holme House |Stockton-on-Tees,|Local prison |649
| Cleveland
Woodhill |Milton Keynes, |Local prison |579
| Buckinghamshire
High Down |Banstead, Surrey |Local prison |649
Blakenhurst |Redditch, |Local prison |649
| Worcestershire
Lancaster |Lancaster |Young offender |374
Farms | institution
1994
Doncaster |Doncaster, |Local prison |779
| South Yorkshire
Police Cells
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current cost of keeping a prisoner in a police cell for one night.
Mrs. Rumbold : The current average daily cost of keeping a prisoner in a police cell is £221.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of prisoners held in police cells on the last day for which figures are available.
Mrs. Rumbold : On 15 November, the latest date for which figures are available, 1,640 prisoners were held in police cells.
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost for the most recent 10-year period for which figures are available of keeping remand prisoners in police cells ; and what is the comparable figure for keeping them in prisons.
Mrs. Rumbold : The costs for each complete financial year since 1981 -82 of holding prisoners in police cells are given in the table.
Financial year £ million --------------------------------------------- 1981-82 |- 1982-83 |3.4 1983-84 |10.8 1984-85 |3.4 1985-86 |2.2 1986-87 |6.2 1987-88 |24.9 1988-89 |64.9 1989-90 |12.4 1990-91 |53.5
In 1990-91 the comparable cost of holding the prisoners in Prison Service establishments would have been £14.8 million. Figures for previous financial years are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Prisoners
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that prisoners are placed in prisons nearest to their homes with particular reference to prisoners from Northern Ireland.
Mrs. Rumbold : In Prison Service establishments in England and Wales, the inmate's home area is taken into account when allocating him or her to a training prison following sentence. It is also open to a sentenced inmate to request a transfer, for example to make it easier for relatives to visit.
Prisoners normally serve their sentences in the jurisdiction in which they were convicted. However, the Criminal Justice Act 1961 provides that a prisoner may be transferred to another United Kingdom jurisdiction on request. Requests are considered under criteria announced to the House on 23 June 1989. A review of these arrangements is in hand in consultation with the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Office.
Hewell Grange
Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the institutions to which 102 young offenders were transferred from Hewell Grange during September 1991.
Mrs. Rumbold : During September 1991 a total of 102 young offenders were transferred from Hewell Grange to other open young offender institutions at Prescoed (Usk), Finnamore Wood camp, Hollesley Bay Colony, Thorn Cross and Hatfield. This enabled Hewell Grange to convert from a young offender institution to a category D open prison for adult males.
Car Thefts
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to introduce legislation to tackle the problem of young people under 17 years stealing cars.
Mr. John Patten : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 7 November at column 229.
Birmingham Pub Bombings
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands regarding the progress of the investigation into the Birmingham pub bombings following the release of the Birmingham Six ; how many officers are engaged in the inquiry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No. These are matters for the chief constable of the West Midlands.
Riots
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the amount of damages paid by police authorities to residents in Brixton, the St. Paul's area of Bristol and Toxteth for damage to property following riots in those areas.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Receiver for the Metropolitan police district, the Avon and Somerset and the Merseyside county councils were the relevant compensation authorities for claims under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 arising from the disorders in Brixton, Bristol and Toxteth in 1981. The Home Office was not involved in the processing of claims.
Mr. Mohinder Paul Singh Bedi
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis detailing what charges have now been brought against Mr. Mohinder Paul Singh Bedi ; where he is being detained ; and whether police inquiries have been completed.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the commissioner that Mr. Bedi has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the Secretary of State in respect of false asylum claims and with conspiracy to defraud financial institutions in relation to mortgage applications ; that he has been remanded in custody to Her Majesty's prison Brixton but is currently undergoing treatment in Kings College hospital ; and that the police inquiries into his activities have been completed.
Police Inquiries
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from (a) the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall as to the cost of each of the two investigations into the Birmingham Six and (b) the chief constable of West Yorkshire as to the cost of the inquiry into the West Midlands serious crimes squad ; and how these bills are to be met.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No. These are matters for the chief constables and police authorities of the forces involved.
Drug Dealers
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the monetary value of assets which have been sequestrated from drugs dealers over the past five years ; how the money has been used ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will direct that the sequestrated or confiscated assets of convicted drugs dealers are invested back into the communities where the dealers operated, and specifically devoted to local schools and anti-drugs projects.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 15 November 1991] : The latest figures, which are in respect of confiscation orders made in 1987, 1988 and 1989, are given in table 7.25 of "Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1989", a copy of which is in the Library. These show that over £17 million was ordered to be confiscated in those years. The current estimate by the national drugs intelligence unit of the cumulative total of confiscation orders made since the Drugs Trafficking Offences Act came into force in January 1987, up to the end of 1990, is in excess of £27 million.
Under present public accounting arrangements confiscated money is treated in the same way as fine revenue, and paid directly into the Consolidated Fund from which Government expenditure
generally--including substantial support for drug-related work--is financed.
In April 1991, my right hon. Friend announced that assets confiscated here under drug confiscation agreements
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with other countries will be recycled, through a new fund, to support work against drug misuse. Any gifts to the United Kingdom from overseas Governments, made in recognition of our co- operation in international investigations, will also be available to the fund. The fund will be available for one-off projects to help in the fight against drug misuse, either in the United Kingdom or abroad. Projects may include special investigations or equipment for the police service or HM Customs and Excise, education publicity, and treatment and rehabilitation. The first payments from the fund will be made in April 1992. We hope to announce shortly the list of projects to be funded from this source.NORTHERN IRELAND
Begging and Sleeping Rough
Mrs. Golding : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were (a) prosecuted for begging, (b) convicted of begging, (c) prosecuted for sleeping rough and (d) convicted of sleeping rough in each police district in Northern Ireland in the year ending 31 December 1990.
Dr. Mawhinney : Six persons were prosecuted and convicted of begging in Northern Ireland during 1990. All six incidents occurred within the Belfast area. There were no prosecutions or convictions for sleeping rough.
Terrorist-related Offences
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the annual clear-up rate for terrorist-related offences since 1970 ; and if he will give a breakdown according to paramilitary affiliation so far as available.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 7 November 1991] : The table details the total number of notifiable offences known and cleared and the detection rate in Northern Ireland since 1970 :
Year |Known |Cleared |Detection
|Rate
|percentage
-------------------------------------------------------
1970 |24,810 |10,069 |40.6
1971 |30,828 |9,822 |31.9
1972 |35,884 |7,525 |21
1973 |32,057 |8,850 |27.6
1974 |33,314 |9,676 |29
1975 |37,239 |7,771 |20.9
1976 |39,779 |9,367 |23.5
1977 |45,335 |9,940 |21.9
1978 |45,335 |10,535 |23.2
1979 |54,262 |11,308 |20.8
1980 |56,316 |14,391 |25.6
1981 |62,496 |16,802 |26.9
1982 |62,020 |11,768 |19
1983 |63,984 |17,775 |27.8
1984 |66,779 |20,491 |30.7
1985 |64,584 |22,581 |35
1986 |68,255 |25,336 |37.1
1987 |63,860 |27,743 |43.4
1988 |55,890 |25,226 |45.1
1989 |55,147 |23,808 |43.2
1990 |57,198 |21,475 |37.5
Information regarding the detection rate for terrorist-related offences is not available.
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Security Force Operations (Deaths)
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the total number of people who have died since 1970 during security force operations ; how many of these people were members of a paramilitary organisation ; and if he will list their affiliations.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 7 November 1991] : Since 1970 a total of 299 persons have been killed in Northern Ireland by the security forces. It is not possible to state how many of these persons were members of a paramilitary organisation.
PRIME MINISTER
United Nations Environment Conference
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister what report has been prepared on progress made at the seminar held on 9 and 10 October, sponsored by the United Kingdom and the United Nations Environment Programme, on the role of United Kingdom non-governmental organisations in the United Nations conference on environment and development to be held in June 1992.
The Prime Minister : The Department of the Environment is currently providing financial assistance through the United Nations Environment Programme-United Kingdom for a series of non-governmental meetings and seminars in preparation for the 1992 United Nations conference on environment and development.
The report on this seminar will be an important contribution to the preparatory process for the conference. The United Nations Environment Programme-United Kingdom committee is currently preparing the report and it should be published by the end of January 1992.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister what plans Her Majesty's Government intend to put forward at the fourth preparatory committee meeting for the United Nations conference on environment and development to be held early next year.
The Prime Minister : The Government are currently considering their plans for next year's fourth preparatory committee meeting for the United Nations conference on environment and development.
National Heritage Memorial Fund
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Prime Minister whether he will make it his policy to appoint a woman to succeed Lord Charteris of Amisfield as chairman of the National Heritage Memorial Fund ; whether he has received any representations to this effect ; and whether he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I expect shortly to announce a successor to Lord Charteris of Amisfield, whose term as chairman of the National Heritage Memorial Fund ends on 31 March 1992. I have received confidential advice from a number of quarters, and the final choice will depend on the aptitude and relevant experience of available candidates of either sex.
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Museum and Gallery Trustees
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Prime Minister whether he will take powers to remove from office trustees of national museums and galleries who have been convicted of serious offences ; and whether he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I have no plans at present to take such powers.
EC Powers
Mr. Grylls : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to veto any extension of EC competence into economic policy and economic advice.
The Prime Minister : The Government support the co-ordination of member states' economic policies. A process of multilateral surveillance of national economic policies has been established under the 1990 convergence decision, under which the Council of Ministers can publish non-binding recommendations directed at particular member states. The Government have argued in the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union that treaty provisions must be consistent with the principle that member states should retain primary responsibility on economic policy.
Mr. Grylls : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to veto any extension of EC competence into the field of social security.
The Prime Minister : Some limited EC competence in the field of social security already exists in article 51 of the current treaty of Rome. The Government see no case for any further extension.
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