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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 6 March 1992
HOME DEPARTMENT
Mrs. K. Aidid
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter of 24 October 1991 from the hon. Member for Woolwich about the case of Mrs. K. Aidid of Chatham house, Rideout street, SE18, reference number K. 427442.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 27 February 1992.
Prisoners (Ill Health)
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances prisoners who have been prematurely released because of ill health are recalled to serve the remainder of their sentences ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : A prisoner's medical condition is only one of the factors taken into account when assessing his suitability for release on parole. If a prisoner is released on parole, he may be recalled to prison if he breaches any of the conditions attached to his release on licence : he would not be recalled simply because of an improvement in his medical condition.
Where a prisoner is released on the ground of serious illness by the exercise of the royal prerogative of mercy, the sentence is remitted. There is therefore no possibility of being recalled to prison.
Inquests
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inquests were held into death in prisons, in police custody, psychiatric and special hospitals in the last five years.
Mr. John Patten : Information on inquests on deaths in police custody is published annually. The most recent figures, for 1990, are contained in Home Office statistical bulletin 12/91 and in the annual report of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. Figures for earlier years are given in the annual report of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary.
The only other information available in my Department is the number of inquests on deaths which occurred in prison establishments, during the last five years. These were :
|Inquests
---------------------------
1987 |80
1988 |80
1989 |80
1990 |87
1991 |71
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Drugs
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates have been made of the total volume of acquisitive crime committed to finance addiction for the last year for which such information is available ; and what estimates have been made of the growth of this form of offending over the last 12 years.
Mr. John Patten : Estimates for heroin misusers are published in paragraph 2.4 of the 1991 report "Drug Misusers and the Criminal Justice System Part 1 : Community Resources and the Probation Service" by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, a copy of which is in the Library. Estimates for crimes by those addicted to other substances are not available.
Drug-related Crime
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 March, Official Report, column 42, whether he will place in the Library estimates of drug-related crimes involving people other than heroin misusers.
Mr. John Patten : There are at present no reliable data on which such estimates might be based.
Bomb Warnings
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, and by whom, the earliest warning of a bomb planted at London main line railway stations on 28 February was received ; and if he will list the times at which the warning was received by (a) British Rail at London Bridge, (b) the Metropolitan police, (c) the British Transport police, (d) the London ambulance service, (e) the London fire and civil defence authority and (f) the press and broadcasting media.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : At 08.20 hours on 28 February the Metropolitan police were notified by Ulster Television that it had received a telephone warning. The Metropolitan police then tasked the various agencies concerned. I understand that Ulster Television received the telephone warning at 08.15 hours.
Criminal Justice Liaison Committees
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached on the formation of the area criminal justice liaison committees recommended by Lord Justice Woolf in his report on the prison disturbances in 1990.
Mr. John Patten : Following consultation with criminal justice services and discussion in the Criminal Justice Consultative Council, the Government have decided that 24 area committees should be set up in England and Wales. The purpose of these committees will be to promote better understanding, co-operation and co-ordination in the administration of the criminal justice system and early tasks are likely to include the overseeing of arrangements for the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of the pre-trial issues working group.
Members of the committee will include representatives from the probation, prison, police and Crown prosecution
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services, justices' clerks, magistrates, barristers, solicitors and directors of social services. The committee will be chaired by circuit administrators or, in some cases, court administrators of the Lord Chancellor's Department.Nominations for members of committees will be sought forthwith from representative criminal justice system organisations and invitations will be issued shortly thereafter. The Government hope that the committees will have their first meetings by about May.
ENVIRONMENT
Planning Applications (Publicity)
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the minimum time he is to allow for local authorities to have the text of the new regulations advising of the arrangements for compulsory publicity for all planning applications before they come into force ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : We intend to issue the text of the amending order, and guidance on it, as soon as possible.
Housing (Redundant Service Men)
Sir Alan Glyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to ensure that local authorities accept responsibility for housing redundant service men without requiring evidence of eviction.
Sir George Young : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has announced a range of measures to help those who will be leaving the forces under "Options for Change". The homelessness code of guidance issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment gives specific guidance to local authorities on dealing with homelessness applications from ex-service personnel. It makes clear that authorities should not insist on a court order for possession before considering an application.
Waste Disposal
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what timetable he intends for the divestment by the statutory joint waste disposal authorities of their waste disposal operations ; whether he plans to abolish these authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : The statutory joint waste disposal authorities will shortly be sent notices of our intention to direct them to establish separate waste disposal companies or, where they are intending to privatise their waste disposal operations, a proposed timetable for this. All waste disposal authorities will then actively be involved in separating their operations from regulation and contract management. The timetable for each statutory authority will depend on individual circumstances, on which authorities will have an opportunity to make representations, but I expect that divestment will essentially be complete by April 1993. This separation is a major advance, introduced in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in support of higher waste disposal standards.
The changes brought by the Environmental Protection Act and the proposed creation of an environment agency,
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will remove most of these authorities' current responsibilities. I have therefore decided that there is no role, in the medium and long term, for separate statutory joint waste disposal authorities. This decision has been reached after consulting each of the six authorities and carefully considering the cases which they have made for their retention.I have however been impressed by the concern expressed by each of the authorities that existing beneficial contracts should not be put at risk through abolition. Some authorities have also expressed doubts on whether our current powers for effecting changes to the authorities are satisfactory. Against this background, I shall be seeking an early opportunity for primary legislation to ensure that this reorganisation is achieved in a smooth and effective manner. The closer association of waste disposal decisions with those who must meet the costs will, I am sure, lead to more efficient and more responsive waste disposal services for the community.
Royal William Yard, Plymouth
Mr. Irvine : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans there are for the future of the Royal William yard and other sites in Plymouth.
Mr. Heseltine : After detailed discussion with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence, I am today offering the local authorities the possibility of a new urban development corporation (UDC) in Plymouth. The new UDC would be responsible for regenerating parts of the defence estate which are surplus to the Ministry of Defence's operational requirements, together with nearby vacant or run-down areas.
Provided the local authorities respond positively to our proposals and accept the offer of partnership it involves, the UDC's task would be to promote development in its designated area and to help revitalise the local economy. The Secretary of State for Defence and I propose to make available from our budgets £45 million to the new UDC. In addition, the Ministry of Defence will be handing over to the UDC significant amounts of development land surplus to its requirements.
The new UDC will take a strategic view of the redevelopment of the area. I will be looking to the UDC to prepare a vision for the future of the area which takes account of the potential for employment, infrastructure, environment and leisure opportunities. The new UDC would need to work closely with its partners in the local council and the private sector to ensure that its objective of regeneration can be met.
One of the jewels in its crown will be the Royal William yard, which comprises one of the most important surviving groups of historic maritime buildings in the United Kingdom. With the rationalisation of the Ministry of Defence's operations in Plymouth dockyards, I am confident that the future of the Royal William yard and other sites would be best served by the comprehensive approach to regeneration which the UDC would be able to offer.
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Methane Gas
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what inquiries his Department has made into the leakage of methane gas from abandoned coal mines ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : A review of the extent of natural contamination in Great Britain, including methane emissions from coal mines, is being undertaken for my Department by the British Geological Survey and this is due to be completed in the summer of 1993. Research on the planning response to methane emissions from disused coal mines is in preparation and a contract is due to be placed in the summer of 1992.
Empty Council Houses
Mr. Shore : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority dwellings have been reported as vacant in the London borough of Tower Hamlets in each year since 1984 ; what percentage of the local authority housing stock these figures represent ; and what is the comparable percentage in other London boroughs.
Sir George Young [holding answer 5 March 1992] : The available information on empty local authority dwellings is as follows :
Tower Hamlets Borough Other London
Council authorities
at 1 April |Number |Percentage|Percentage
|of stock |of stock
-------------------------------------------------------
1984 |1,464 |7.7 |3.7
1985 |1,534 |8.2 |3.8
1986 |3,200 |6.6 |3.3
1987 |2,825 |5.8 |3.2
1988 |2,526 |5.3 |2.8
1989 |1,840 |4.0 |2.7
1990 |1,758 |4.0 |2.8
1991 |1,895 |4.5 |2.4
Notes:
(a) Local authorities report the numbers of their own
dwellings that
are vacant in their annual housing investment
programme returns
(HIP1).
(b) In 1986, dwellings previously owned by the Greater
London
council were transferred to the boroughs. For 1984 and
1985, all GLC
dwellings, including those which were subsequently
transferred to
Tower Hamlets borough council, are included in the
dwelling stock of
`other London authorities'.
EMPLOYMENT
Industrial Accidents
35. Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the number of industrial accidents in the Greater London area for each of the last five years.
Mr. Forth : The available information is provided in the following table :
Occupational injuries<1> occurring in the Greater London area
reported<2> to HSE's factory and agricultural inspectorates and
local
authorities.
Year<3> |Fatal |<4>Major |<5>Over 3|Total
|day
----------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |52 |3,587 |14,649 |18,288
1987-88 |66 |3,212 |14,991 |18,269
1988-89 |66 |2,943 |15,195 |18,204
1989-90 |51 |2,580 |14,605 |17,236
1990-91<6><7> |51 |2,312 |13,518 |15,881
<1> Injuries at work to employees, self-employed people and
members of the public injured as a result of someone else's
work
activity.
<2> Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
Occurrences Regulations, 1985 (RIDDOR).
<3> Years commencing 1 April.
<4> As defined under RIDDOR.
<5> An injury causing incapacity for work for more than three
days
and reportable for employed persons only.
<6> Includes reports made to the HSE's quarries inspectorate.
<7> Provisional.
A. H. Marks and Co. Ltd.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the notes compiled by the Health and Safety Executive on the death of Louis Drake at A. H. Marks and Co. Ltd., Low Moor.
Mr. Forth : No. Notes made by inspectors are not equivalent to police note books and are not kept with a view to subsequent disclosure or use in evidence.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Departmental Staff
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number of (a) men and (b) women in his Department in each of grades (i) 1, (ii) 2, (iii) 3, (iv) 4, (v) 5, (vi) 6, (vii) 7, (viii) SEO, (ix) HEO, (x) administrative trainee, (xi) EO, (xii) CO and (xiii) CA.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information requested is as follows :
The Northern Ireland Civil Service<1> Grade |Men |Women ----------------------------------------- 1 |1 |- 2 |9 |- 3 |36 |1 4 |19 |- 5 |171 |14 6 |275 |51 7 |748 |73 Deputy Principal |1,485|278 Administrative Trainee |1 |1 Staff Officer |1,781|538 EOI |2,746|1,082 EOII |1,466|2,041 AO |1,882|5,390 AA |1,067|2,706
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The Northern Ireland Office (Home Civil Service)<2> Grade |Men |Women ------------------------- 1 |1 |- 2 |2 |- 3 |6 |- 4 |1 |- 5 |8 |- 6 |4 |- 7 |16 |3.5 SEO |2 |4.0 HEO(D) |4 |1.0 HEO |9 |7.0 AT |- |- EO |11 |10.5 AO |10 |14.5 AA |5 |8.0 <1> All non-industrial staff as at 1 January 1991. <2> Non-industrial home civil servants in post as at 1 February 1992 (staff on loan/career breaks are not included).
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those parts of his Department, including executive agencies, carrying out reviews over the last 12 months into the pay and grading of staff and the firm of consultants engaged, where appropriate.
Dr. Mawhinney : No pay and grading reviews have been undertaken in the Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Departments or executive agencies over the last 12 months. Reviews have been carried out in two non- departmental public bodies, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards, both by Hay Management Consultants.
Criminal Damage Compensation
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims have been made for compensation for criminal damage to agricultural property ; and how much compensation has been paid in respect of such claims in each of the last five years.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information requested is as follows :
4
Financial |Number of |Amount of
Year |claims |compensation
|received |paid £
----------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |58 |120,759
1988-89 |56 |201,577
1989-90 |58 |214,628
1990-91 |79 |137,378
<1>1991 |82 |155,449
<1> To 29 February 1992.
Suckler Cow Premium
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps will be taken to ensure that Northern Ireland and objective 1 regions are allocated the full finance as stipulated by the European Commission in respect of the suckler cow premium.
Mr. Hanley : The rate of suckler cow premium is being increased by £7.95 to £59.64 per cow in the less favoured areas and £55.38 elsewhere. This rate will apply throughout the United Kingdom. Funding was not available to meet the costs of paying the extra £2.40 to all United Kingdom producers.
Income Support
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many income support claimants there are at each social security office in Northern Ireland ; and how many of these are in receipt of sickness benefit, invalidity benefit, unemployment benefit, or retirement pension.
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Mr. Hanley : Social security operational matters are the responsibility of Mr. Alec Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency. He will write to the hon. Gentleman with such information as is available and copies of his reply will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people there are in receipt of each income support premium in each social security office in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Hanley : I understand from Mr. Alec Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency that the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of dependants in respect of whom income support is paid to claimants by each social security office in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Hanley : Social security operational matters are the responsibility of Mr. Alex Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency. However, I understand that no record is held of the numbers of dependants in respect of whom income support is paid to claimants.
Unemployment Benefit
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are receiving unemployment benefit from each social security office in Northern Ireland showing how many are or are not in receipt of income support.
Mr. Hanley : Social security operational matters are the responsibility of Mr. Alec Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency who informs me that no record is held of the number of people receiving unemployment benefit who are also in receipt of income support.
Political Talks
Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what agreements have been reached about future representation of the respective political parties at talks on Northern Ireland's political future.
Mr. Brooke : The understanding is that talks would proceed on the basis outlined in my statement to the House of 26 March 1991 at columns 765 -66 and involve the four main constitutional political parties in Northern Ireland.
Dyslexia
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures or guidelines apply in respect of dyslexic children under school transfer procedures.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 5 March 1992] : None. The arrangements are the same for all children except those for whom a statement of special educational needs is maintained. Such children may not take part in the transfer procedure. If any parents think that their child's grade in the tests does not reflect his or her academic ability they can make a case to the relevant grammar school together with any appropriate information and evidence.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Russia (EC Beef)
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what administrative and other costs are deducted by the Russians for every kilogram of EC beef sold under the assistance programme at the price of 60 roubles per kilogram on the Russian market.
Mrs. Chalker : The local costs of distribution and administration are met by the Russians. In St. Petersburg--but not in Moscow--they are financed by allocating to them 20 per cent. of the roubles received from the sale of EC beef. The remainder is placed in a counterpart fund, set up by the European Community and the Russian authorities, which is used to help the needy.
Vietnam
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what value of bilateral education aid is proposed for Vietnam ; and how it will be spent.
Mrs. Chalker : We are discussing an economic reform orientated training project with the Vietnamese Government. The cost is not yet settled, but is likely to be of the order of £1 million over three to four years. We are also continuing our support for non-governmental organisation projects, for which we have committed £1.86 million since May 1990. Many of these NGO projects have a practical training component.
Women in Development
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British aid policy in relation to women in development.
Mrs. Chalker : To mark International Womens Day on Sunday 8 March we have published a booklet, "Women in Development", copies of which are in the Library. This explains our "women in development" policy and progress in implementing it.
Non-governmental Organisations
Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding he proposes to make available to United Kingdom non-governmental organisations in 1992-93 through the Overseas Development Administration's joint funding scheme.
Mrs. Chalker : I propose to increase the allocation to the joint funding scheme by £5 million to £28 million in 1992-93. This represents an increase of about 22 per cent. on the 1991-92 budget and demonstrates the Government's continuing commitment to, and confidence in, the contribution made by voluntary organisations to developing countries.
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THE ARTS
Heritage Objects
Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Minister for the Arts what is his response to the recommendation of the export reviewing committee about the introduction of a list of heritage objects for which export licences would not be granted.
Mr. Renton : The Committee's report makes a range of
recommendations for improving the system of controlling the export of heritage objects. I have asked for comments on the report to reach me by 31 March. A list was recommended by the committee, but only on the assumption that new sources of funding would not be available. If the national lottery makes available, as I hope it will, new funds that will help keep in this country works of art that are important to our heritage, then a list should not be necessary for this purpose.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Market Testing
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list each private sector consultancy firm which has been retained by each agency within his Department, and for his Department as a whole, for the purposes of advising on the market testing programme ; and whether the appointment in each case was the result of competitive tendering.
The Attorney-General : The legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Serious Fraud Office have retained no private sector consultancy firms. The Crown Prosecution Service has retained P E International to advise on the service's market testing programme. This appointment was not the result of a competitive tender.
Magistrates
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Attorney-General how many magistrates are (a) men and (b) women.
The Attorney-General : As at 1 January 1992 there were 16,105 men and 13,336 women sitting as lay magistrates in England and Wales.
Consultants
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list those parts of his Department, including executive agencies, carrying out reviews over the last 12 months into the pay and grading of staff ; and the firm of consultants engaged, where appropriate.
The Attorney-General : My departments have not carried out any such reviews over the last 12 months.
Judiciary (Retirement Age)
Mr. Burns : To ask the Attorney-General whether he has any plans to bring forward proposals to reduce the retirement age for the judiciary.
The Attorney-General : The Lord Chancellor has today written to bodies representative of the judiciaries in
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England and Wales and Northern Ireland seeking their views on reducing the retirement age of the judiciary to 70. The text of his letter is as follows :"I am writing to seek views on the appropriate maximum retirement age for the judiciary. I believe that the time has come to reduce the retirement age for the judiciary, and also to introduce a standard retirement age for all judges and judicial officers. What I would propose therefore is that all judges and judicial officers from the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary and Heads of Divisions downwards should, in future, be required to retire at the latest on their 70th birthdays.
I intend that the new retirement age of 70 for full-time service should apply to those who are appointed to full-time judicial office after it comes into force. Anyone in full-time judicial office on the relevant day, and who remains in the same office, will be able to retain his or her existing maximum retirement age.
I would welcome your views on the position of someone holding judicial office on the relevant day who is subsequently appointed to a different, usually more senior, judicial office. The two main possibilities here would seem to be to treat the change of office as a new appointment, with the consequence that the new retirement age of 70 will apply, or to allow the person concerned to retain the entitlement to retire at the present maximum retirement age of the junior office.
A change in the retirement age will require primary legislation. Subject to the results of this consultation, I would intend to make any changes at the same time as the new judicial pension scheme is introduced.
I propose that these changes should apply to Northern Ireland as well as to England and Wales. The Secretary of State for Scotland will be consulting on similar proposals for Scotland.
I would welcome your views on these proposals. It would be helpful if they could be sent to Mr. S. F. Smith, Lord Chancellor's Department, Room 204, Trevelyan House, 30 Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2BY to arrive no later than 31 March 1992."
Cases (Abandonment)
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Attorney-General what consultation, and with whom, has to take place before a judge can decide to abandon a case ; and whether members of the jury are included in such discussions.
The Attorney-General : A trial judge in criminal proceedings may in appropriate circumstances make any one of a range of orders the effect of which is that the whole or part of a prosecution cannot be proceeded with. The most frequently encountered of such orders is a directed acquittal following a submission of "no case to answer" or, under section 17 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967, where the prosecution has offered no evidence. Trial judges also have some inherent powers to stay proceedings and in certain circumstances may order that some or all of the counts in an indictment lie on the file.
The relevant parties to the proceedings are entitled to be heard before any such order is made. The making of any such order is the responsibility of the trial judge alone.
Estates (Winding-up Procedures)
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Attorney-General if he will put forward proposals to impose time limits within which solicitors will be required to complete the procedures for the winding-up of estates, varying the time limits according to the values of the estates concerned.
The Attorney-General : The amount of work involved in the administration of estates varies too much from case to case to allow fixed time limits to be imposed for winding
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up : the degree of complexity of an estate is not necessarily related to its size. The quick and efficient administration of estates is best achieved by encouraging high standards on the part of solicitors. This is a matter for their professional body, the Law Society, as they are a self regulating profession. The Law Society offers guidance to practitioners on best practice ; and has recommended ways in which practitioners might streamline the administration of estates, in their recently published "Probate Practitioners Handbook". Failure to act with due dispatch when dealing with a client's affairs is a ground on which a complaint can be made to the Solicitors Complaints Bureau.
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