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Mr. Charles Wardle : The Dublin convention will not come into force until it has been ratified by all EC member states.
Information on the total number of asylum applicants at ports removed on safe third country grounds in the period March to August 1992 is given in the table. The countries to which they were removed were other EC countries, Sweden, Austria, USA, Switzerland, Turkey, Guinea, Australia and Kenya. All decisions on third country removals are taken in the light of the circumstances of the individual case.
Asylum applicants at ports removed on safe
third country grounds,
1 March 1992 to 31 August 1992, by
nationality
|Number
----------------------------------------------
Albania |1
Algeria |1
Angola |3
China |1
Colombia |3
Czechoslovakia |3
Ethiopia |4
Ghana |12
India |5
Iran |1
Iraq |2
Ivory Coast |3
Lebanon |4
Liberia |2
Nigeria |3
Pakistan |3
Romania |6
Sierra Leone |2
Somalia |13
South Africa |1
Sri Lanka |5
Sudan |1
Togo |1
Turkey |27
Uganda |2
USSR (former) |2
Yugoslavia (former) |29
Zaire |30
Other and nationality uncertain |5
|----
Total |175
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum are outstanding ; and if he will publish the same figure for each month for the past 36 months.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The readily available information is given in the table. The figures are maxima which overstate because of earlier under- recording of decisions.
Number of asylum applications, excluding dependants, outstanding<1> Date |Total -------------------------------- As at: 31 December 1988 |8,650 31 December 1989 |12,240 31 December 1990 |29,870 31 March 1991 |40,120 30 June 1991 |51,410 30 September 1991 |61,260 31 December 1991 |69,330 31 January 1992 |69,420 29 February 1992 |68,920 31 March 1992 |67,950 30 April 1992 |67,690 31 May 1992 |69,480 30 June 1992 |66,950 31 July 1992 |65,910 31 August 1992 |64,670 30 September 1992 |64,330 <1> Estimated figures, rounded to the nearest 10.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will provide the latest statistics to update his answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 6 July, Official Report columns 41-42 on asylum application ;
(2) if he will make a statement on the trends in grants of asylum, exceptional leave to remain and applications for asylum.
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Mr. Charles Wardle : The information is given in the table. Applications for asylum increased substantially between 1988 and 1991. The monthly rate halved in late
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1991 following measures to deter multiple and other fraudulent applications. The number of applications increased somewhat in the third quarter of 1992.The recent increase in the number of decisions mainly reflects additional staff resources in the asylum division.
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Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom,
excluding dependants, by location of application, and decisions<1>
1988 to 1992
Number of principal applicants
Applications Decisions<1>
received
Year |Total applications |Applied at port<2> |Applied in |Total decisions |Granted asylum |Granted exceptional|Total refused |Refused asylum and |Refused on safe |Refused under para.|Applications
|country<3> |leave |exceptional leave |third country |101 of Immigration |outstanding at end
|after determination|grounds |Rules<4> |of quarter<5>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988 |3,998 |858 |3,140 |2,702 |628 |1,578 |496 |496 |N/a |N/a |8,650
1989<6> |11,640 |6,200 |5,440 |6,955 |2,210 |3,860 |890 |890 |N/a |N/a |12,240
1990<6><7> |22,000 |9,005 |13,000 |4,015 |900 |2,400 |710 |710 |N/a |N/a |29,870
1991<6><7> |44,840 |9,030 |35,815 |5,965 |505 |2,230 |3,240 |2,185 |270 |785
1991<6><7>
Quarter 1 |11,790 |3,490 |8,300 |1,435 |155 |910 |375 |350 |20 |N/a |40,120
Quarter 2 |12,075 |2,040 |10,035 |720 |110 |235 |380 |330 |50 |N/a |51,410
Quarter 3 |10,600 |1,970 |8,630 |845 |105 |265 |480 |415 |60 |N/a |61,260
Quarter 4 |10,375 |1,525 |8,850 |2,960 |140 |810 |2,010 |1,095 |135 |785 |69,330
1992
Quarter 1 |5,185 |1,335 |3,845 |6,330 |165 |1,500 |4,665 |565 |150 |3,945 |67,950
Quarter 2 |4,425 |1,160 |3,265 |5,225 |135 |1,755 |3,335 |495 |150 |2,695 |66,950
Quarter 3 |6,560 |2,255 |4,305 |8,975 |300 |4,810 |3,865 |915 |115 |2,835 |64,330
<1>Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period.
<2>Figures include certain in-country applications made in illegal entrant cases.
<3>In country figures include a small number of applications recorded as having been made overseas and referred to the Home Office for a decision. These cases may be under recorded.
<4>For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.
<5>Figures are maxima which overstate because of earlier under recording of decisions. Figures are approximate and rounded to the nearest 10.
<6>In addition, certain applications by nationals of Afghanistan and Liberia to the British High Commissioners in New Delhi and Lagos, respectively, were processed locally.
<7>Figures rounded to the nearest 5. 1990 application figures and 1991 decision figures may understate because of delays in recording.
N/a-Not available.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how long the average asylum application takes to determine ; (2) what is the latest figure for the average length of time taken to determine applications for asylum (a) as a whole, (b) for new applicants and (c) for applicants from the existing backlog.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The available information is of the estimated average length of time between the receipt of an asylum application and the decision, for cases which have been decided. For decisions in the period January to September 1992 as a whole, excluding those under paragraph 101 of the Immigration Rules for failure to provide evidence in support of the asylum claim, this average decision time was twenty and a half months. This figure reflects the recent increase in staffing which has enabled work to commence on the resolution of older and more complex cases.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the projected total number of asylum seekers expected for the whole of 1992 on the basis of current trends.
Mr. Charles Wardle : It is not possible to provide a precise forecast in view of the uncertainties involved. In the first six months of 1992, asylum applications totalled 9,600. In the period January to September as a whole, 16,200 applications have been received.
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Drug Trafficking
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to secure the £33.55 million out of the £35 million ordered by the courts to be confiscated from those convicted of drug trafficking offences which has still not been paid.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 19 October 1992] : Responsibility for the enforcement of confiscation orders made after convictions in the Crown court for drug trafficking offences rests with magistrates courts. I am pleased to say that it is now known that, of the £35 million ordered to be confiscated under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986-- DTOA--up to May 1992, £15 million had either been realised or was subject to receivership. The realisation of confiscation orders is often necessarily a lengthy and complex process, involving for example the realisation of tangible property. Moreover, orders cannot be enforced when they are subject of appeal. We will shortly be bringing forward legislative proposals intended to improve the confiscation procedures of the DTOA, and additional guidance to the courts is also planned.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Royal Parks Constabulary
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will set out in tabular form the annual salary scales for the Royal Parks constabulary
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ranks of constable to chief officer with effect from 1 September ; if he will show for each rank and scale point any other allowances payable ; and what is the current actual establishment of the constabulary and its total annual cost.Mr. Key [holding answer 19 October 1992] : The revised salary scales for members of the Royal Parks Constabulary, effective from 1 September 1992 are as follows. These rates are conditional upon the passing of the statutory instrument amending Home Office pay rates, to which RPC pay rates are related, being laid and approved.
Housing Allowance (paid to those eligible)
Rank |Half Rate |Standard Rate
|£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------
Chief Officer |2,805.19 |5,610.38
All other ranks |2,418.26 |4,836.51
The Housing Allowance=the 1 April 1991 rate. The next
uprating is not due until 1993.
Housing Allowance (paid to those eligible)
Rank |Half Rate |Standard Rate
|£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------
Chief Officer |2,805.19 |5,610.38
All other ranks |2,418.26 |4,836.51
The Housing Allowance=the 1 April 1991 rate. The next
uprating is not due until 1993.
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Television Licence Fees
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will review his decision not to allow concessionary television licence fees in warden assisted homes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : This is a matter for which the Department of National Heritage now has responsibility. We have no plans to review the regulations governing the concessionary licence scheme.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who will be eligible for cold weather payments this winter ; what weather conditions will trigger payment ; what payment will be made ; how payment will be made ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The principles of operation of the cold weather payments scheme remain unchanged from last year. The Cold Weather Payment (No. 2) Regulations, which come into force on 1 November, make minor improvements to the links between weather stations and local areas.
EDUCATION
Teacher Vacancies
12. Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what figures he has for the overall vacancy rate for teachers in the two most recent available years.
Mr. Forth : Maintained schools in England had an unfilled vacancy rate of 1.5 per cent. in January 1991, and 0.5 per cent. in January 1992. Numbers of vacancies were 5,222 in 1991 and 1,898 in 1992, a reduction of 63 per cent.
Pre-school Education
13. Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures he intends to introduce to assist local authorities to provide an adequate number of nursery places to meet the demands of all those parents who wish such a place for their children.
Mr. Forth : As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn), earlier today, it is for local
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authorities to determine the scale and form of provision for the under-fives. But the House would wish to be reminded that 175,000 more under-fives attended maintained schools in England in 1991 than in 1979 ; and that 90 per cent. of three- and four-year-olds now enjoy education or group child care or both.School Inspections
14. Ms. Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress he has to report regarding implementing the new arrangements for school inspection.
20. Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with parent organisations regarding progress in implementing the new arrangements for school inspection.
Mr. Patten : OFSTED--the Office for Standards in Education--opened on 1 September 1992. Her Majesty's chief inspector, Professor Stewart Sutherland, and his staff are now preparing for the first round of second school inspections to start in September 1993.
I shall soon be consulting with interested bodies, including organisations which represent parents, on a draft circular and regulations which will give effect to the four-year inspection cycle and secure wide distribution of inspection reports.
27. Sir Fergus Montgomery : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the response to his Department's national advertising campaign to attract registered school inspectors.
Mr. Forth : As a result of the campaign some 41,000 people asked for the leaflet "Are you interested in becoming a school inspector?" and so far some 25,000 have gone on to request further information and application forms. I understand that OFSTED, the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools in England, has received almost 5,000 applications from prospective registered inspectors and more than 6,000 from prospective inspection team members.
First Degree Awards
16. Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total number of first degrees awarded in the latest year for which figures are available ; and what was the comparable figure for 1980.
Mr. Forman : In 1990, 137,000 first degrees were awarded in universities, polytechnics and colleges in Great Britain, compared with 102,000 in 1980.
This 34 per cent. increase illustrates the rapid expansion of higher education over the last decade. It highlights the remarkable achievements of our higher education institutions and the success of this Government's education policies.
Parents Charter
17. Mr. Clappison : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what additional information will be made available to parents from the autumn term this year as a result of the measures contained in the parents charter.
Mr. Forth : For the first time, comparative tables of public examination results will be published this
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November for each local education authority area. They will cover all maintained schools and those independent schools which are participating this year on a voluntary basis, alongside local and national average figures.Grant-maintained Schools
18. Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Cheshire schools have applied for grant-maintained status.
Mr. Forth : Five schools in Cheshire have applied for grant- maintained status to date. Of these, two have been approved, and one is under consideration.
Mr. Clifton-Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many ballots were pending for grant-maintained status in September 1989 ; and how many ballots are currently pending.
Mr. Forth : On September 29 1989, there were 18 schools operating, nine approved but not yet operating, and 21 in the process of applying for GM status. Seven ballots were pending.
On October 19 1992, 278 GM schools were operational, 30 were approved or "minded to approve" but not yet operating and 179 were in the process of applying for GM status. Sixty-seven ballots were pending.
Teacher Redundancies
19. Mr. Gunnell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the level of teacher redundancies which have taken effect since June and the number expected in December.
Mr. Forth : This information is not collected centrally.
School Funding, Essex and Kent
21. Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will meet representatives of teachers from Essex and Kent in order to discuss the funding of their schools.
Mr. Forth : No. The funding of schools in particular areas is primarily a matter for the local education authority.
Local Education Authorities
22. Mr. Jamieson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received regarding the future role of local education authorities.
Mr. Forth : Most of the 850 responses to the White Paper have commented in one way or another on the future role of local education authorities. We are considering those along with all other responses to the White Paper.
School Repairs
23. Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the cost of school repairs.
Mr. Forth : We are allocating over £700 million to support capital spending on school buildings in 1992-93, up nearly 15 per cent. on last year. Provision to support the
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recurrent costs of school repairs is also available within total standard spending, which in 1992-93 totals £18.7 billion. It is for local authorities and schools to decide what priority and what funds to allocate to school repairs from the resources available to them.Grammar Schools
24. Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many grammar schools there are in England ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : In September 1992 there were at least 110 grammar schools maintained by 24 of the 109 local education authorities in England, with a further 46 grammar schools in the grant-maintained sector.
Further Education Colleges
25. Ms. Eagle : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how the preparations for the transfer of further education colleges to the Further Education Funding Council are progressing ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forman : Preparations are proceeding according to plan. In particular, further education corporations were established on 30 September for the purpose of conducting further education and sixth-form colleges from 1 April 1993 when they transfer out of local authority control to the new further education sector.
Student Incomes
26. Mr. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about student incomes.
Mr. Forman : I announced recently that a new survey of student income and expenditure will be conducted in the academic year 1992-93. This will enable the facts about student income to be established.
Class Sizes
28. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of primary school children are in classes of more than 30 children.
Mr. Forth : In January 1992 about 25 per cent. of pupils in maintained primary schools in England, were in classes of more than 30 pupils taught by one teacher.
Student Unions
29. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the future of student unions and the National Union of Students.
Mr. Forman : My right hon. Friend has said that the Government will bring forward proposals to establish the voluntary principle as the basis for student union membership. I shall be having further discussions with representatives of the educational institutions and other interested parties about how this will be achieved.
Science Teaching
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he is taking to promote the teaching of science in schools.
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Mr. Forth : The introduction of the national curriculum for science means that, for the first time, all schools must offer a broad and balanced science curriculum for all pupils from age five to 16.
Adult Education
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what resources he estimates to be going into adult education in real and money terms (a) now and (b) five, 10 and 15 years ago ; how many people were on adult education courses at the same periods ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forman : The table shows recurrent expenditure on adult education centres by authorities in England up to 1990-91, the latest year for which information is available, together with numbers of enrolments at these centres. The figures include students below the age of 19.
Adult education centres
|1975-76|1980-81|1985-86|1990-91
---------------------------------------------------------------
Cash expenditure
(£ million) |32 |61 |102 |140<1>
Real terms expenditure
(£ million at
1990-91 prices) |117 |112 |137 |140<1>
Enrolments (000s) |1,847 |1,543 |1,418 |1,352
<1> provisional figure.
Expenditure by local education authorities on adults in further education colleges is not separately identifiable and enrolment data for 1975-76 were not collected on a basis consistent with later data, but there has been a clear and very welcome increase during the last decade in total further education enrolments of people aged 19 and over, taking together adult centres and other colleges providing further education. Between 1980-81 and 1990-91 these enrolments increased by 27 per cent. overall. Outside adult centres, the increase was 62 per cent.
PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Sir Peter Tapsell : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 20 October.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 20 October.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Overseas Aid
Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to increase the United Kingdom overseas aid budget.
The Prime Minister : The outcome of this year's public expenditure survey will be announced, as is usual, during the autumn statement of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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Turkey
Mr. O'Hara : To ask the Prime Minister if he will press the Turkish Government to exert influence on the representatives of the Turkish community in northern Cyprus, to negotiate positively in the forthcoming round of talks to be held under the auspices of the United Nations, and not to obstruct the search for a just, viable and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : We share entirely the concern that all involved in the Cyprus problem should work for a fair settlement on the lines of the "set of ideas" published by the United Nations Secretary-General and endorsed in United Nations Security Council resolution 774.
European Parliament (Elections)
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to harmonise the British electoral system for European parliamentary elections with those of the other EC member states ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : We have no proposals at present to change the way in which members of the European Parliament are elected in Great Britain or in Northern Ireland. Any proposals which the European Parliament puts forward for a uniform electoral procedure will be considered on their merits.
European Community Legislation
Mr. Cash : To ask the Prime Minister what changes he proposes to make to the process and time scale under which Commission proposals for legislation will be presented to the House consequent on the declaration on the role of national parliaments in the European union.
The Prime Minister : The Government will continue to ensure that legislative proposals by the Commission are deposited in the House as soon as possible, in accordance with the existing scrutiny procedures.
GATT
Sir David Steel : To ask the Prime Minister if he will provide details of how the figure of $90 billion, referred to in his statement on the economic summit as the amount of additional income to be gained by developing and former communist countries through completion of the GATT talks was calculated ; which countries are likely to benefit from this additional income ; and which sectors of the developing countries are likely to benefit from the completion of the GATT talks.
The Prime Minister : The figure comes from a report for the OECD development centre by Ian Goldin and Dominique van der Mensbrugghe entitled "Trade Liberalisation : What's at Stake?" It is available in the House of Commons Library, and should provide the further information requested.
Cyprus
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has met the Greek Cypriot leader during the past 12 months ; whether he has met the Turkish Cypriot leader in the same period ; and what is his policy on meeting foreign political leaders who are not in government.
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The Prime Minister : I have met President Vassiliou twice in the last 12 months. I have not met Mr. Denktash who claims to be the head of state which the United Kingdom does not recognise, though United Kingdom representatives have regular contact with him.
I and other members of the Government decide whether to meet foreign political leaders on the basis of a judgment in each case.
Common Currency
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister on what date he expects the United Kingdom to have a common currency with EC nations.
The Prime Minister : Under the protocol to the Maastricht treaty which we negotiated it will be for the Government and Parliament to decide whether the United Kingdom will join a single currency at all.
Neo-Nazi Activities
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister what decisions have been taken during his presidency of the EC regarding the neo-Nazi activities against migrants in the former East Germany.
The Prime Minister : The Government deplore and condemn racist attacks wherever they occur. So do the German Government. President von Weizsacker, Chancellor Kohl and other political leaders in Germany have condemned the neo-Nazi attacks and have pledged unrelenting efforts to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Kashmir
Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister what discussions have taken place between the Governments of the United Kingdom and India to decide appropriate assistance from the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the United Nations to assist Kashmir overcome the flooding disaster.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 19 October 1992] : The Government of India have not sought any emergency assistance from the United Kingdom for the flooding in Kashmir.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister what forecasts have been received by Her Majesty's Government of the numbers of refugees likely to die in Bosnia and other former Yugoslavian states in the coming winter ; what estimates have been received of the numbers of people who will be displaced from their homes or detention camps this winter ; and what arrangements have been made by Her Majesty's Government, in conjuction with the EC and the United Nations, for the international community to receive refugees over this winter.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 19 October 1992] : According to the UN High Commission for Refugees hundreds of thousands are at risk. A total of 1.6 million are already displaced ; up to 12,000 are in detention centres. The UNHCR believes that the best policy is for displaced people to stay as close to their homes as possible. We agree and have so far contributed over £55 million to humanitarian relief operations.
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Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister what representations have been received by Her Majesty's Government for armed action to be taken against those attacking UN-sponsored humanitarian relief in Bosnia and other former Yugoslavian states and for armed retaliation against air attacks on Bosnia made by Serbian aircraft or Serbian-sponsored aircraft in Bosnia.
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