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Mr. Ian Borovikov
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what legal grounds Mr. Ian Borovikov (xc1225) is currently being detained at Her Majesty's prison, Pentonville.
Mrs. Rumbold : Mr. Borovikov was released on 13 February 1992 when the Court of Appeal quashed the recommendation for his deportation which had been made by Winchester Crown court.
Magistrates Courts, Cheshire
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost of administration of Cheshire magistrates courts in each year since 1982.
Mr. John Patten : The information available centrally about net revenue expenditure (excluding loan charges and revenue contributions to capital outlay) by Cheshire magistrates courts committee is as follows :
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|£
-------------------------------
<1>1982-83 |2,162,794
<1>1983-84 |2,282,496
<2>1984-85 |2,647,932
<2>1985-86 |2,671,620
<2>1986-87 |2,845,720
<2>1987-88 |3,283,036
<2>1988-89 |3,022,014
<2>1989-90 |3,437,294
<2>1990-91 |3,756,143
<3>1991-92 |4,741,000
<1> Information from county
council's revenue outturn
return to the
Department of the Environment.
<2> Information from county
council's audited specific
grant claim to
the Home Office.
<3> Committee's forecast
outturn.
Horserace Betting Levy
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the determination under section 1 of the Horserace Betting Levy Act 1969 of the horserace betting levy scheme beginning 1 April.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : I have today sent the following letter to the Chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board and written similarly to the chairman of the Bookmakers' Committee. A copy of the scheme has been placed in the Library of the House. The letter reads : In your letter of 1 November 1991 you reported to me that the Board and the Bookmakers' Committee had failed to agree the Scheme to have effect for the 31st levy period and that the Scheme accordingly fell to be determined by me. I have now reached my decision and enclose a copy of the Scheme which I have determined.
In reaching my decision, I have taken into account all the submissions made to me by the Government-appointed members of the Levy Board and by the Bookmakers' Committee, together with other submissions and representations, including from the Jockey Club and the Horseracing Advisory Council, on which the Board members and the Committee were afforded the opportunity to comment. I have also taken fully into account the reduction in General Betting Duty announced by the Chancellor today in his budget.
The cash yield from the Scheme will depend upon the level of leviable betting turnover in the 31st Levy period. Assuming turnover of £4,300 million, I have determined a scheme which aims to produce a total estimated levy yield of about £48 million.
This yield is higher than would have been the case if General Betting Duty had not been reduced, but in determining the Scheme I have only taken account of the reduction in duty on horseracing bets. In all the circumstances, I am satisfied that the bookmakers can make their levy payments under the Scheme without any increase in their deductions from punters.
As a result of the reduction in Betting Duty, it has been possible to achieve a substantial increase in the levy yield. I believe that this creates a new opportunity for bookmaking and racing to work more closely together for their mutual long-term benefit. In order to inform that process of closer co-operation, I will be inviting the Levy Board to consider ways in which improved value for money can be obtained from how the levy is spent and, separately, to advise on what steps racing might take to achieve a sound long-term basis for the improved level of levy contribution from bookmakers.
As part of that general process of closer co-operation, I hope that the two industries will explore further together the alternatives to the present scheme. The process of determining an annual levy scheme is not the vehicle for seeking changes to the basic principles of the levy. The levy was never intended to provide a price for product. Indeed, it is difficult to see how it could do so. But if racing and
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bookmaking can agree changes to the present arrangements, which were originally introduced with their joint agreement, I should certainly be prepared to consider their proposals. In the meantime, the levy must continue to be determined in the normal way and in accordance with the established criteria.Crime
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the number of crimes reported and the crime detection rate in each police force area in each of the last seven years.
Mr. John Patten : Information for 1985-89 is published in tables 2.4 and 2.21 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1989". Figures for 1990 are published in Home Office statistical bulletin 4/91. They are annotated as provisional in the bulletin, but only the south Wales figure has since been revised, to 36 per cent. Figures for the number of offences recorded in 1991 were published yesterday in Home Office statistical bulletin 2/92. This includes an estimate of the clear-up rate for England and Wales but this information is not yet available by police force area. Copies of all these publications are available in the Library.
Correspondence
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter of the hon. Member for Upper Bann of 28 January to the Minister of State.
Mrs. Rumbold : I have now written to the hon. Member.
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to answer the letter of the hon. Member for Upper Bann of 5 February.
Mrs. Rumbold : A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 2 March, explaining that since the matters raised in his letter related to the electoral registration system in Northern Ireland, they were the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Civil Debt
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been imprisoned for civil debt each year since 1979 in (a) England and Wales and (b) the Leeds metropolitan district.
Mrs. Rumbold : The information for England and Wales is published annually in Prison Statistics England and Wales (table 6.3 of the latest volume, for 1990, Cm 1800), a copy of which is in the Library.
The home address of inmates of prison service establishments is not recorded centrally. The table gives details of debtors known to have been committed by courts in the Leeds district.
Prisoners<1> received into prison service establishments in England and
Wales following committal for non-payment of civil debts<2> by courts
in the Leeds metropolitan district 1979 to 1990
|Debtors
|received
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |58
1980 |45
1981 |18
1982 |35
1983 |19
1984 |6
1985 |18
1986 |8
1987 |8
1988 |9
1989 |3
1990 |3
Movement within the EC
Mr. Shore : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the United Kingdom legislation which imposes limitations and conditions, as referred to in article 8A of the Maastricht treaty, to the right of every citizen of the Union to move and reside freely within the territory of the member states.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The new article 8A which the treaty on European union inserts into the treaty of Rome provides that every citizen of the union shall have the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the member states, subject to the limitations and conditions laid down in the treaty--the treaty of Rome--and by the measures adopted to give it effect. At present the right of free movement, and the limitations and conditions applicable, are contained in the following directives and regulations :
These provisions have overriding legal effect in the United Kingdom.
Crime Prevention Panels
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the funding of crime prevention panels.
Mr. John Patten : Crime prevention panels are an excellent means by which local communities can become involved through voluntary activity in the fight against crime. They are encouraged to be self-sufficient and to seek local funding arrangements. Many crime prevention panels obtain sponsorship from local businesses. Possible sources of funding will vary from area to area but Crime Concern has published a booklet entitled "Attracting Business Sponsorship" which provides detailed advice for panels on how to obtain sponsorship for crime prevention. A few police forces are known to have given financial support for specific initiatives run by panels. In support of the work of crime prevention panels in the areas concerned, grants have also been made under the safer cities programme which brings extra crime prevention resources to 20 selected high crime areas in England. Some panels have been successful in obtaining charity status and
Column 491
any panel wishing to do this may contact the Charity Commission which will advise it on the necessary procedures.Usk Prison
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has plans to privatise Usk prison.
Mrs. Rumbold : There are no present plans to contract out the management of Her Majesty's prison Usk.
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next proposes to visit Her Majesty's prison, Usk.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Her Majesty's prison, Usk, in the near future.
Vehicle Watch
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a vehicle watch scheme following the pilot project undertaken in Wales.
Mr. John Patten : The introduction of vehicle watch schemes is a matter for individual chief police officers. A decision on whether the Home Office should advise the police to extend such schemes throughout the country will be made after the evaluation has been completed later this year.
DNA Register
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the introduction of a national DNA register ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I have not had any recent representations about the introduction of a national DNA register. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 7 February, I have sought the advice of the Royal Commission on criminal justice about this delicate issue.
Reunite
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce his decision in respect of the grant application submitted by Reunite, the National Council for Abducted Children.
Mr. John Patten : I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Ronald Loco
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons he has failed to answer the letters to him from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 15 October and 20 December 1991 and 23 January with regard to Mr. Ronald Loco, 18 Cheston road ; if he will now send a reply without any further delay ; and if he will apologise for the failure to reply to correspondence over this period.
Column 492
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. Friend replied on 7 November 1991 to the right hon. Gentleman's letter of 15 October. We have not been able to trace any record of having received the letters of 20 December 1991 and 23 January 1992. If the right hon. Member would care to let me have copies of them, I will look into the matters that he wishes to raise and let him have a further reply as soon as possible.
Prisons (Privatisation)
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the privatisation of prisons.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from hon. Members, organisations and members of the public.
Prison Population
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the latest figures for the number of inmates accommodated in (a) Her Majesty's prison, Durham and (b) Her Majesty's prison, Belmarsh.
Mrs. Rumbold : On 9 March, the populations of the two establishments were as follows :
|Number
--------------------------------------------
Her Majesty's prison Durham |922
Her Majesty's prison Belmarsh |798
Voters
Mrs. Golding : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce emergency legislation with regard to the qualifying date for registration for the vote in a parliamentary election to equalise the position between people living abroad and those living on the streets.
Mrs. Rumbold : The qualifying date for registration as an elector is already the same both for overseas electors and for electors living in this country.
Police Manpower
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications there have been in each police force in England and Wales for increased police manpower ; and what are the numbers involved and the numbers agreed to, for the current year and each of the two previous years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Details of applications received and posts approved are set out in the table for the years 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992- 93. These figures include posts whose costs are fully reimbursed by a third party, for example at major airports.
Column 493
1990-91 1991-92 1992-93
Force |Posts applied|Posts |Posts applied|Posts |Posts applied|Posts
|for |approved |for |approved |for |approved
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |50 |10 |9 |4 |7 |2
Bedfordshire |38 |38 |71 |32 |76 |61
Cambridgeshire |10 |7 |30 |22 |10 |10
Cheshire |20 |20 |20 |11 |20 |20
Cleveland |19 |13 |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil
Cumbria |50 |19 |35 |8 |24 |4
Derbyshire |34 |19 |15 |13 |56 |25
Devon and Cornwall |48 |17 |31 |15 |70 |48
Dorset |27 |14 |14 |15 |26 |15
Durham |Nil |Nil |20 |11 |20 |Nil
Dyfed Powys |8 |8 |Nil |Nil |50 |25
Essex |79 |69 |32 |17 |58 |58
Gloucestershire |Nil |Nil |36 |19 |48 |1
Greater Manchester |248 |31 |123 |36 |140 |20
Gwent |11 |2 |9 |Nil |10 |1
Hampshire |77 |25 |69 |27 |69 |67
Hertfordshire |35 |18 |42 |11 |34 |4
Humberside |20 |15 |40 |18 |22 |9
Kent |50 |50 |63 |34 |82 |82
Lancashire |81 |28 |54 |22 |32 |4
Leicestershire |75 |53 |25 |13 |27 |26
Lincolnshire |20 |14 |21 |8 |Nil |Nil
Merseyside |Nil |Nil |49 |5 |88 |Nil
Norfolk |66 |46 |22 |12 |25 |25
Northamptonshire |29 |20 |33 |25 |23 |23
Northumbria |243 |38 |82 |26 |92 |27
North Wales |10 |21 |Nil |Nil |30 |17
North Yorkshire |35 |25 |15 |6 |25 |4
Nottinghamshire |63 |26 |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil
South Wales |67 |31 |Nil |Nil |44 |Nil
South Yorkshire |50 |20 |50 |18 |16 |15
Staffordshire |20 |14 |20 |8 |20 |4
Suffolk |26 |18 |30 |11 |30 |17
Surrey |50 |10 |41 |11 |30 |3
Sussex |54 |23 |49 |18 |35 |32
Thames Valley |158 |65 |156 |40 |132 |87
Warwickshire |35 |15 |23 |8 |15 |4
West Mercia |32 |32 |Nil |Nil |30 |29
West Midlands |350 |63 |148 |63 |121 |19
West Yorkshire |47 |20 |73 |14 |79 |Nil
Wiltshire |19 |13 |44 |15 |77 |67
City of London |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil |Nil
Metropolitan |350 |150 |Nil |100 |22 |22
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |2,704 |1,120 |1,594 |716 |1,815 |877
National Transcommunication Limited
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total paid in consultancy fees by his Department during the sale of National Transcommunication Ltd., previously the research and engineering wing of the Independent Broadcasting Authority.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Total costs for the sale, completed on 24 October 1991, were £2.2 million. The initial proceeds were £70 million and the Government will receive further proceeds under certain conditions, if the company is floated successfully.
Community Relations
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make available the report of the community relations project of the Council of Europe.
Mrs. Rumbold : I have arranged for a copy of the report, "Community and Ethnic Relations in Europe", to be placed in the Library of the House.
Column 494
The committee of experts which produced the report is to be congratulated on its penetrating analysis of the issues faced by multi-racial societies, and of the possible policy responses to these issues.Safer Cities Programme
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of the safer cities programme.
Mr. John Patten : The programme is making good progress. Four new local projects began operating late last year, and the 16 longer- established ones have between them started or planned a total of 2,205 local crime prevention schemes since 1989, supported by £13.8 million of Home Office grant funding.
The programme's evaluation should be completed in the first half of 1993, but at present I am satisfied that the safer cities programme is working well, and should continue in its present form. I have recently informed chairmen of local steering committees for the 16 longer-established projects that they may plan action and commit grant money for an extended period to March 1994.
Column 495
Remand Prisoners
Mrs. Wise : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what length of time the current longest serving prisoner has been held on remand awaiting trial.
Mrs. Rumbold [holding answer 2 March 1992] : According to the records held centrally, which are approximate, on 29 February 1992, the longest period for which a person had been held in custody awaiting or during trial was almost two years.
Assaults on Police
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached as a result of the Home Office survey of sentences awarded to persons convicted of assaulting police officers.
Mr. John Patten [pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1992, col. 322] : I have published the results of the survey, which covered the lassix months of 1991 and was conducted with the assistance of the Crown prosecution service, in the Home Office bulletin issue 3/92 "Sentencing for Assault on Police Officers", copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The survey demonstrates that the courts clearly recognise that assaults on police officers are despicable and deserve to be punished more severely, immediate custody being imposed for a significantly higher proportion of the assaults on the police covered in the survey than for assaults on all victims in 1990.
The Government are committed to protecting our protectors who have a difficult job to do on our behalf.
I am setting up a working group to review the physical protection of the police. I am sure that the group, which will involve police representatives, will have a valuable contribution to make to improving still further the protection from attack available to the police, the need for which has been recognised by the Government and the courts.
DEFENCE
Surplus Army Tents
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated number of surplus Army tents as at 31 January ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : On 31 January there were no surplus Army tents.
TRIGAT
Mr. Robert B. Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about long-range TRIGAT.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Last autumn we decided that the United Kingdom should not continue in the collaborative long-range TRIGAT programme unless we could do so on a basis that was consistent with our future priorities. Negotiations with our collaborative partners have now reached a successful conclusion. As a result, we shall be continuing with the development programme on a revised basis.
Column 496
Army Training
Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in restructuring the Army's training base in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Command Paper 1595 referred to proposals to restructure the Army's training organisation and, in particular, to our intention to improve basic training for adults and young soldiers, juniors and apprentices at a reduced number of larger and more efficient establishments. The first part of the review is nearing completion, and we now need to begin detailed planning. Starting later this year, we propose to concentrate junior leader training at Bramcote, Harrogate and Winchester and all adult and young soldier training in new Army training regiments to be formed at Glencorse, Lichfield, Bassingbourne, Pirbright and Winchester. To permit these changes to take place, specialist infantry training which now takes place at divisional depots will in future be conducted at Strensall, Ouston and Crickhowell though further reorganisation may follow later. Recognising the importance of the regimental system, we will ensure that training will continue to be organised on a capbadge basis.
Final decisions on the future use of the establishments concerned have still to be taken, and a number of establishments will be required for use by units of the field Army. It is too early to say what the detailed implications will be for the staff of the establishments affected. With the exception of the WRAC training centre at Guildford, we do not expect any to close as a result of this announcement. Full consultation with the trade unions will take place in the normal way before final decisions are taken. Decisions on the future rationalisation of apprentice training have not yet been taken, but from September onwards we shall introduce a one-year standard foundation course at each of the existing Army apprentice colleges in place of the current two-year course. Apprentices will then go on to complete their technical training elsewhere within the Army.
Work is continuing to develop proposals for the rationalisation of other areas in specialist training and further proposals will be announced in due course.
Defence Contractors
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the major changes between the basis of calculations used to produce the list of contractors which appear on page 15 of the "Statement of the Defence Estimates Volume 2", and those of similar, previously published, lists which relate to the six years to 31 March 1989.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : There have been no major changes.
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total amounts paid by his Department to United Kingdom-based contractors in each of the five years to 31 March 1988.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The Ministry of Defence paid the following total amounts to United Kingdom-based contractors for the financial years 1983-84 to 1987-88 :
Column 497
|£ million
------------------------------
1983-84 |6,609.33
1984-85 |7,012.56
1985-86 |7,458.92
1986-87 |7,366.12
1987-88 |7,836.89
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the precise amounts paid to each of the 10 contractors which received the largest share of contracts awarded by his Department in each of the five years to 31 March 1988.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The 10 contractors who received the largest payments from my Department in each of the years specified were :
|£ million
--------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84
British Aerospace plc |952.07
The General Electric Co. plc |688.77
Rolls-Royce Ltd. |484.28
British Shipbuilders |399.56
The Plessey Co. plc |363.98
Royal Ordnance |338.89
Ferranti plc |177.73
The British Petroleum Co. plc |168.46
Westland plc |153.23
Esso Petroleum Co. plc |143.58
1984-85
British Aerospace plc |1,004.66
The General Electric Co. plc |806.87
British Shipbuilders |535.50
The Plessey Co. plc |415.43
Royal Ordnance |409.51
Rolls-Royce Ltd. |408.12
Ferranti plc |213.51
Esso UK plc |204.59
The British Petroleum Co. plc |174.29
Westland plc |169.53
1985-86
British Aerospace plc |1,011.00
The General Electric Co. plc |799.68
British Shipbuilders |590.26
The Plessey Co. plc |438.54
Rolls-Royce Ltd. |435.78
Royal Ordnance plc |369.87
Ferranti plc |223.71
Westland plc |178.02
Hunting Associated Industries plc |161.95
Thorn EMI plc |149.97
1986-87
British Aerospace plc |927.05
The General Electric Co. plc |850.99
Rolls-Royce plc |424.57
The Plessey Co. plc |366.12
Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. |343.65
Royal Ordnance plc |245.50
Hunting Associated Industries plc |203.71
Ferranti plc |198.31
Thorn EMI plc |157.10
Westland plc |134.81
1987-88
The General Electric Co. plc |1,035.07
British Aerospace plc |875.88
Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. |462.64
Rolls-Royce plc |418.26
The Plessey Co. plc |307.41
Royal Ordnance plc |223.06
Devonport Management Ltd. |222.61
Ferranti plc |200.95
Hunting Associated Industries plc |193.87
Thorn EMI plc |143.54
Job Losses
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 3 March, Official Report, column 139, whether he has established how workers at Trecwn heard the news of closure and job losses via the media in advance of the announcement to staff ; and what steps he intends to take to ensure that, in future, such decisions are first communicated to the work force.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The rundown and closure of Royal Navy Armaments Depot--RNAD--Trecwn was part of a package of measures for the restructuring of the fleet support area proposed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 16 July 1991, Official Report, columns 148-49 and confirmed, following extensive consultation on 24 January 1992 Official Report, column 377. Details of the final decision were provided to the work force at each establishment affected through a series of management briefings timed to coincide with the answering of the parliamentary question on 24 January. In the case of RNAD Trecwn, it was unfortunate that media speculation anticipated these announcements.
Falkland Islands (Flights)
Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason civilian passengers have to bear the loss of seats on flights to and from the Falkland Islands when a change of aircraft results in reduction in the total number of seats.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence has agreed with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that capacity will be provided for civilian passengers on flights to the Falkland Islands, subject to overriding military requirements. When a change of aircraft is necessary which entails a reduction in the total number of seats, military requirements may dictate that civilian passengers should be off-loaded.
Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the delayed or diverted flights on which seats were for sale to civilians to and from the Falkland Islands in 1991 and to date, in 1992.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Flights to the Falkland Islands on which seats were for sale to civilians from 1 January 1991 to 28 February 1992 and which arrived more than two hours late at RAF Mount Pleasant, or were diverted, are listed.
Year and Month |Dates of Departure
|from United
|Kingdom
---------------------------------------------------------------
1991
February |7th
March |4th, 13th
April |29th
May |6th, 9th, 23rd
June |10th
July |4th, 8th, 18th, 29th
August |1st, 12th, 26th
September |9th, 16th
October |7th, 21st
December |9th, 13th
1992
January |27th, 30th
February |10th, 13th
Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason 27 civilian fare passengers were removed from the Falklands bound flight on Monday 24 February.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The aircraft earmarked for the Falkland Islands flight on 24 February became unserviceable shortly prior to the scheduled departure time. It had to be replaced with an aircraft offering less capacity and, consequently, some passengers and all freight had to be re-booked to the next flight.
Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account is taken of the effect on civilian morale when civilian passengers only are delayed for 24 hours or more on flights to and from the Falkland Islands ; and if he will make it his policy to ensure such passengers are kept informed about progress on their flight.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Any delays on flights to the Falkland Islands are regretted whether they affect civilian or military passengers. In such circumstances the staff do all that they can to mitigate the impact of the delay. When the time permits, civilian passengers are notified of delays via the Falkland Islands Government office. Otherwise they are briefed by the RAF movements staff at the reporting airfield, or en route, as appropriate.
Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what increase in total costs was incurred by the use of Britannia Airways to provide flights to and from the Falkland Islands during the Gulf war.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information is commercially confidential.
Service Children's Education Authority
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of those schools which have been approved by the Service Children's education authority ; how often representatives from the authority pay visits to the schools ; what criteria are used for deciding whether schools are listed ; and whether on the change of ownership of a school it is required to re-apply for approval.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to my hon. Friend.
Boarding School Allowance
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service and Foreign Office families are currently benefiting from the boarding school allowance.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : For the spring term 1992, the numbers are as follows :
Column 500
Service |Families |Number of
|children
----------------------------------------------
Royal Navy |1,955 |3,076
Army |5,318 |7,998
Royal Air Force |3,236 |4,875
Foreign Office |580 |830
|------- |-------
Totals |11,089 |16,779
EMPLOYMENT
Minimum Wage
18. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response he has made to the representations recently made to him by industrialists on the subject of a statutory minimum wage.
Mr. Howard : I have assured business leades that I shall continue to take every opportunity to point out the damage which the statutory minimum wage would cause. Labour's plans could cost up to 2 million jobs in Britain.
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