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Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the Metropolitan police received £5,316 for matches postponed during the 1990-91 season. To date no payments have been received for the 1991-92 season.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the minimum amount of notice required by the Metropolitan police in respect of Football Association cup and league matches in London.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : This is a matter for the Commissioner of the Metropolis. I understand that safety certificates for most London clubs require that the police be notified of fixtures 28 days beforehand. In the case of cup match replays, the police require 10 days notice. The police are sometimes able to accommodate fixtures with less notice, depending on other operational commitments.
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Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total amount received by the Metropolitan police from London's Football League clubs in respect of charges for police services in seasons 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92 to date.Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information is as follows :
Amount received by the Metropolitan police Season |£ ------------------------------- 1989-90 |2,384,379 1990-91 |2,394,469 1991-92<1> |1,051,642 <1> To 20 February.
Wimbledon Tennis Championships
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was received by the Metropolitan police in respect of police services at the 1991 Wimbledon tennis championships.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the Metropolitan police received £172,296.50 for policing the 1991 Wimbledon tennis championships.
Car Crime
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total number of car-related crimes between 1979 to the present in (a) Humberside and (b) Scunthorpe divisional police area.
Mr. John Patten : Figures for Humberside are contained in the table.
Figures for Scunthorpe are not available centrally.
Car crimes<1> recorded by the
police in Humberside
Year |Number of
|offences
------------------------------
1979 |7,077
1980 |7,498
1981 |9,168
1982 |10,488
1983 |9,680
1984 |9,462
1985 |11,267
1986 |13,004
1987 |15,298
1988 |16,515
1989 |17,969
1990 |23,060
<1> Theft or unauthorised
taking of motor vehicle;
theft from
motor vehicle.
Publicity
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : My Department is running a car crime prevention campaign on television from 11 February until June. It will be supported by press, poster and radio advertising for shorter spells within that period.
A smoke alarms campaign was run on television from 26 December until 12 February.
An absent voting campaign will be run on television and in the press for three days from the announcement of an election date. A prison service recruitment campaign has been run in the press from 13 January and will continue until 13 April.
With the exception of absent voting, all Home Office advertising will be suspended for the duration of the general election campaign period.
Political Asylum
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for political asylum, at ports of entry and after entry, since last July to the latest available date, have been (a) granted political asylum and (b) granted exceptional leave to remain ; and what were the figures for the comparable period of 1990-91.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 19 February 1992] : The readily available information is of total grants of asylum or exceptional leave made in the period July to September 1991. This is shown in the table, along with corresponding information for the same period in 1990.
The figures for July to September 1991 may be an understatement because of delays in recording. Information on decisions made since September 1991 is not yet available.
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Grants<1><2><3> of asylum or exceptional leave in the United Kingdom, by the location of application
Granted asylum Granted exceptional leave
|Application |Application |Total granted|Application |Application |Total granted
|made at port |made after |asylum |made at port |made after |exceptional
|entry |entry |leave
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date of grant
July to September 1991<4> |15 |55 |75 |30 |90 |120
July to September 1990 |120 |80 |200 |345 |220 |565
<1>Excluding dependants.
<2>Provisional figures, rounded to the nearest 5.
<3>Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the time period.
<4>1991 figures are likely to understate because of delays in recording.
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Asylum
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number, to the latest available date, of applications for political asylum, from
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all sources, awaiting decision ; and what were the comparable figures for the comparable period of each of the last three years.Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 19 February 1992] : Information is given in the table :
Number of asylum applications<1> outstanding Date |Total ----------------------------------------- As at: 31 December 1988 |6,500 31 December 1989 |10,500 31 December 1990<2> |27,200 30 September 1991 <2><3> |59,300 <1>Estimated figures, excluding dependants. <2>Provisional figures. <3>Corresponding information for 31 December 1991 is not yet available.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Rabies
Mr. Hill : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans are in place to end rabies quarantine for domestic animals ; and what changes in procedure are expected as a result of the European single market.
Mr. Gill : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made towards retaining United Kingdom quarantine regulations until rabies has been eradicated on the continent.
Mr. Maclean : European Community scientific experts have been asked to review the scientific evidence relating to the precautions necessary to avoid the spread of rabies by domestic animals. The Government would not support any proposal for changes to existing arrangements which would increase the risk of rabies being introduced to this country.
Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the EC on the elimination of rabies ; and what facilities are available to the Commission to confirm the reports given by member states.
Mr. Maclean : I understand that the campaign to eradicate rabies from the European Community is progressing more slowly than the Commission originally expected. It is too early to say whether the campaign will be a complete success. Member states are required to report to the Commission on their plans for control of rabies, which is a compulsorily notifiable disease throughout the Community.
Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what public statements the chief veterinary officer has made in 1992 about possible developments in EC law affecting United Kingdom quarantine regulations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The Chief Veterinary Officer has explained that the Commission has recently asked the Scientific Veterinary Committee to review the scientific evidence relating to the spread of rabies, in the light of suggestions that some categories of animals that have been vaccinated and blood-tested could represent no greater risk of the introduction of disease than those imported
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under our existing arrangements. The Government will not support measures which would increase the risk of rabies being introduced into this country.Dietary Supplements
Mr. Hain : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he intends to support the European Commission view that dietary supplements with a greater strength than that in food should be classified as medicines and sold as such, regardless of whether the manufacturers made medical claims for them ;
(2) if he will make a statement about European Community proposals to restrict the availability of dietary supplements and his assessment of the consequences of so doing to both consumers and practitioners.
Mr. Maclean : The European Commission have not issued proposals for legislation on dietary supplements but a discussion paper which presents various options for consideration by member states. One option would be to introduce maximum permitted daily doses for dietary supplements containing certain vitamins and minerals known to be toxic in excess. The Government support this proposal although we have not yet reached a firm view on the limit that would be appropriate for individual substances. The consequences of introducing maximum daily doses would depend on the limits actually set. But in principle such limits would protect consumers by preventing the sale of high dose products to consumers of food although such products would still be available for proper medicinal purposes.
Beef
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the agreements which are currently in place between the United Kingdom and Argentina Governments concerning the import and export of beef between the two countries.
Mr. Gummer : No such agreements exist.
Fur Farming
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the recommendation on fur farming adopted under the 1976 Council of Europe convention on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes was implemented ; and what information, advice or instructions have been distributed to British fur factory farmers.
Mr. Maclean : The recommendation on fur farming was adopted in October 1990 and was implemented in October 1991. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food wrote to the Fur Breeders Association in November 1990 informing them of the adoption of the
recommendation. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food also advised that officers of the State Veterinary Service would follow the recommendations in future inspections of fur farms.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what changes will be brought about in the living conditions of mink and Arctic foxes on fur farms as a result of implementing the recommendations on fur farming of the Council of Europe convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes 1976 ;
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(2) what plans exist to inspect Arctic fox factory farms in Britain to ensure they comply with the recommendations contained in the Council of Europe convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes 1976.Mr. Maclean : The recommendations have no legal force in themselves but it is expected that the European Community will incorporate them in binding legislation. In the meantime State Veterinary Service officers will continue to inspect fur farms and will advise operators to adopt the recommendations. For mink the standards broadly reflect current practices in this country, while for foxes implementation of the standards will lead to welfare improvements particularly through the provision of nesting boxes or platforms. The Community, when considering legislation on this subject, will have the opportunity to lay down more stringent conditions.
Animal Welfare
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which recommendations of the 1976 Council of Europe convention on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes have been implemented by Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Maclean : All recommendations are implemented, either by way of regulations or administratively through the issue of guidelines.
Publicity
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.
Mr. Curry : MAFF has no plans to carry out television advertising campaigns during February, March, April, May or June of the current year. An exhibition programme will take consumer information on a wide range of food safety and environmental issues to a number of major venues in England. The revision and distribution of the Department's publications on food will also continue.
Badgers
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent advice he has received from his consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis ; if he intends responding publicly to that advice ; and if he will place a copy of the advice in the Library.
Mr. Maclean : The work of the consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis is described in "Bovine Tuberculosis in Badgers" a report published annually by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and
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placed in the Library of the House. At its most recent meeting, on 13 February, the panel had a preliminary discussion of the feasibility of a control strategy based on the application of a diagnostic test applied to live badgers.Pollution, Bristol Channel
Mr. Speller : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement upon the measures being taken to reduce the pollution in the Bristol channel caused by the dumping of sewage sludge from the Bristol and Avon area.
Mr. Curry : Regular monitoring shows that there is no evidence of harmful effects from licensed dumping of sewage sludge in the Bristol channel. Nevertheless the two water companies who currently dispose of their sludge there have well developed plans to terminate the operation by the end of 1993.
Pennine Dales
Mr. Hague : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make changes to the Pennine dales environmentally sensitive area scheme.
Mr. Gummer : As I foreshadowed, I have decided to make changes to the provisions of the Pennine dales environmentally sensitive area scheme which I introduced on 15 January. This scheme was drawn up following extensive local consultations with farmers and conservationists. In the event, there do seem to be better ways of balancing the payments to achieve the envirmental ends. I have sought to maintain a premium payment for hay meadows, now set at £125 per hectare, while increasing the payment for pastures to £90 per hectare. I have also increased the payments for meadows which are managed without fertilisers to enhance their floral diversity to £210 per hectare. The necessary amending Statutory Instrument has today been laid before Parliament. I am sure that these changes will be welcomed by all farmers throughout the extended environmentally sensitive area as well as by the environmental interests. Questions of detailed application of the revised scheme will be addressed in a way which responds to local circumstances.
SCOTLAND
In-patients
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of in-patients (a) returned to the community in each year since 1985 and (b) the planned number to be returned into the community in the current and future years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information for all Scotland is as follows :
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Discharges from mental illness hospitals, psychiatric units and mental handicap hospitals by disposal on
discharge, years 1985-90
Discharges
Year |Home alone |Home to |Hostel for |Other |Other type of|Total
|relations/ |ex-patients |hostel/home |residence
|friends
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985 |3,729 |20,405 |207 |784 |455 |25,580
1986 |3,992 |20,136 |305 |1,043 |425 |25,901
1987 |4,366 |20,669 |294 |1,067 |524 |26,920
1988 |4,667 |21,189 |310 |1,219 |542 |27,927
1989 |4,970 |20,768 |293 |1,323 |507 |27,851
1990 |5,091 |21,308 |333 |1,567 |583 |28,882
There is no planned number for current or future years. Each patient is considered on their individual merits and only those patients who would benefit from a community placement are offered such a move.
Dykebar Hospital
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what support services are available for patients from Dykebar hospital, Paisley who have been or will be released into the community ; and which agencies he expects to provide each service.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The requirements of each patient will vary depending on their individual needs. Only those patients who are inappropriately placed in hospital and who would benefit from the move will be considered for a community placement. Patients would be offered such a placement only if appropriate support arrangements were in place.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received in relation to the services provided by Dykebar hospital, Paisley.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Since July 1987 I have received only one such representation, relating in that case to laundry services at Dykebar.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Argyll and Clyde health board regarding the services and facilities provided at Dykebar hospital, Paisley ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : None. It is, however, open to the board to raise any issue, at any time as part of the regular meetings and contact that is established to discuss the full range of services and strategic issues.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much (a) has been spent, (b) is being spent and (c) is planned to be spent on the development of Dykebar hospital, Paisley ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : A total of £7.4 million has been invested since 1984 to the end of the financial year 1991-92 and a further investment of £2 million is planned within the next three years.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what capital developments are currently taking place at Dykebar hospital, Paisley, and what is the purpose and financial value of each development.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The development of a £1.3 million purpose -built 24-bedded intensive therapy clinic for acutely disturbed patients and the provision of a new £150,000 dispensary are currently underway.
In addition, there are five minor capital developments with a total value of £125,000 which are designed to improve the amenity and facilities for patients in the hospital.
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The decentralisation of the hospital boiler plant is currently being planned at an estimated cost of £250,000. This investment will potentially yield an energy efficiency saving of £50,000 per annum.Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many in-patients there are currently at Dykebar hospital, Paisley ; and what is the projection for the current and future years.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : On 11 February this year there were 437 in- patients at Dykebar hospital. The Argyll and Clyde health board expects that level to be maintained for the current year and beyond.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance has been or will be earmarked for local authorities and other agencies to provide support and assistance to patients who have been or will be released into the community from Dykebar hospital, Paisley.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It is for the Argyll and Clyde health board, the local authorities and other agencies to determine from within the financial and other resources available to them what level of provision is appropriate to the needs of any patients transferring from Dykebar hospital.
I announced on 18 November last that funds available to local authorities under the mental illness specific grant scheme would double for 1992-93 to £6 million. I have also recently announced that £33 million in total will be available during the period 1991-92 to 1994-95 under the bridging finance scheme to assist their programmes of care in the community. Of this, some £2.26 million has been allocated to Argyll and Clyde health board and it has been invited to submit bids for a further allocation.
These decisions underline the Government's main aim of improving the quality of life for the mentally ill and their carers and our commitment to assisting health boards and local authorities in providing facilities in the community to reduce the number of people inappropriately placed in hospital.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for the long-term future of Dykebar hospital, Paisley ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Such matters fall entirely for consideration by the Argyll and Clyde health board.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to dispose of land or assets associated with Dykebar hospital, Paisley ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : There are no current plans to dispose of land or assets associated with Dykebar hospital, other than a small strip of roadway which was not required for health service purposes, and over which the health board will retain a right of access.
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Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the services and facilities provided at Dykebar hospital, Paisley ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Michael Forsyth : It is for Argyll and Clyde health board to review continuously the needs of the population that it services and how to meet these. The managers and clinicians at Dykebar hospital should also consider regularly how its services can be improved and should discuss that with the board.
Patients (Relocation)
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to relocate patients from the state hospital at Carstairs to Dykebar hospital in Paisley ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The suitability of patients for transfer out of the state hospital following treatment is a matter for agreement between the clinicians at the state hospital and those of the referring health board.
Economy (Paisley)
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to regenerate the economy of the Paisley post code area ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The Government's main instrument for economic development, environmental improvement and training in the Paisley area is the Renfrewshire enterprise company. The company has a range of powers available to it and will continue to fulfil these functions. Renfrewshire Enterprise's budget of £24.7 million for 1991-92 is substantial, and makes it well placed to respond to opportunities within the local economy.
In addition, the Ferguslie Park partnership in Paisley is implementing an agreed strategy for the comprehensive long-term regeneration of the area.
Elderslie Hospital
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to dispose of or acquire any land or assets in relation to Elderslie hospital ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : There are no current plans to either dispose or of acquire land or assets in connection with Elderslie hospital.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what services are provided in or from Elderslie hospital ; what plans he has for the development of services at Elderslie hospital ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Elderslie hospital provides 10 continuing care places for young adults, and eight respite care places for children, with a mental handicap. The services provided include medical and nursing care and paramilitary input where appropriate. There are also links with community mental handicap nursing staff. As part of its continuing review of service provision, Argyll and Clyde health board is considering how best to improve the facilities and care at the hospital.
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Argyll and Clyde Health Board
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial support has been earmarked for Argyll and Clyde health board to provide support and assistance to patients who have been or will be released into the community ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It is for Argyll and Clyde health board to determine from within the overall resources available to it what financial and other support should be made for the health care of those patients who would benefit from a community placement.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to visit Paisley, Johnstone or Elderslie to discuss the economic, housing and social problems ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The Secretary of State has no immediate plans to visit Paisley, Johnstone or Elderslie. His last visit to Paisley was on 4 October 1991 to launch the Glencoats area development, a major joint venture housing initiative associated with the Ferguslie Park partnership.
SSSIs
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sites of special scientific interest are currently designated in Scotland ; what means exist to monitor loss and damage to sites of special scientific interest in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : A total of 1,342 sites of special scientific interest have been notified in Scotland. Site monitoring, using standard recording techniques, is undertaken by local staff of the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland. Site visits are the usual method, but other techniques such as overflying or comparative air photography may also be used when appropriate. In addition sites may be the subject of specific monitoring projects ; examples include research into the effects of skiing, overgrazing on moorland and the acidification of lochs.
Constituencies
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the acreage of each of the six geographically largest parliamentary constituencies in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The areas by hectares of each of the six geographically largest parliamentary constituencies in Scotland are as follows in descending order :
Parliamentary constituency |Area by
|hectares
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross, Cromarty and Skye |954,680
Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber |870,708
Caithness and Sutherland |788,297
Argyll and Bute |661,362
North Tayside |485,104
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale |441,883
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