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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 23 October 1992
HOME DEPARTMENT
Drug Addiction
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the drug addicts notified to the Home Office in 1991 were resident in Wales ; and how many of those in Wales were (a) new addicts, (b) under 25 years and (c) new addicts under 25 years.
Mr. Jack : The information requested is contained in tables A1, A3, A9 and A10 of the area tables of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Statistics of drug addicts notified to the Home Office, United Kingdom, 1991", a copy of which is in the Library.
South African Security Personnel
Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct an immediate investigation into the activities of South African government security personnel in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : No. Any such activities are subject to the normal process of law.
Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration was given to deporting Captain Pamela du Randt and Mr. Leon Flores under the prevention of terrorism Acts.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : None. The exclusion powers under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 may be used only in respect of people involved in terrorism connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland.
Asylum
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sikhs have applied for political asylum since 1984 ; and how many have been successful.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The statistics on persons applying for asylum do not identify the ethnic origin of the applicant, but are analysed by citizenship. From January 1984 to September 1992 inclusive, some 5,900 Indian citizens, excluding dependants, applied for asylum in the United Kingdom. It is likely that the majority of these applications have been made by Sikhs. Since 1984, no applicants have been found to be genuine refugees and granted asylum, but nearly 800 of those refused asylum have been granted exceptional leave to remain.
No. 8 Regional Crime Squad
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from chief constables in Wales, police authorities in mid and south Wales and other bodies in Wales regarding the future of No. 8 regional crime squad.
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Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend recently received a letter from Mr. Hugh Thomas, the clerk to the South Wales police authority, on behalf of the three police authorities--South Wales, Dyfed- Powys and Gwent--which make up No. 8 regional crime squad, asking whether I will receive a deputation on this subject.
Foreign Entrants
Mr. Dicks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been allowed to enter the United Kingdom from Somalia and the former Yugoslavia in the last year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Provisional figures show that in the 12 months to the end of August 1992, some 3,600 nationals of Somalia and 50,800 nationals of the former state of Yugoslavia were given leave to enter at United Kingdom ports. The vast majority of these persons were visitors, students, transit passengers or passengers returning. In addition, during the same period, some 665 nationals of Somalia and 500 nationals of the former state of Yugoslavia applied for asylum at the ports and were given temporary admission.
Visas
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to curtail or abolish the right of appeal for those refused a visa to visit the United Kingdom.
Mr. Charles Wardle [holding answer 22 October 1992] : The Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill, introduced on 22 October, contains provisions to amend part II of the Immigration Act 1971, to remove the right of appeal against certain immigration decisions, including the refusal of a visa to come to the United Kingdom as a visitor.
Commission for Racial Equality
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken on the findings of the Commission for Racial Equality that young black people, particularly in inner cities, were substantially more likely to be charged than whites for similar offences.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 22 October 1992] : I have recently received this report and will be looking closely at its findings. The report suggests that further data are needed to establish the reasons for differences in prosecution rates, and that these data can be obtained only through permanent ethnic monitoring. The Home Secretary now has a duty under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 to publish information on race and the criminal justice system, and the first booklet containing such information was published in September this year.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people over the past year, to date, from former states of Yugoslavia, have applied to enter the United Kingdom ; how many applied (a) to visit, (b) to study, (c) to settle as a dependent relative, (d) to join a relative, (e) for political asylum and (f) for other
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reasons ; how many applications, in each category, have (i) been granted, (ii) been refused, (iii) are still being considered, (iv) are subject to appeal, or (v) the applicant has been removed from the United Kingdom to return to country of origin.Mr. Charles Wardle [holding answer 19 October 1992] : The available information relates to nationals of the former states of Yugoslavia admitted or refused at United Kingdom ports, and is given in the table.
Nationals of the former states of Yugoslavia
|January to August
|1992<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total admissions (ie, persons given leave to enter |33,200
Of whom:
visitors |21,900
students |1,680
spouses, fiance(e)s, children |50
others<2> |9,540
Persons refused leave to enter and removed<3> |429
Persons applying for asylum at United Kingdom ports<4><5> |930
Notes:
<1> Figures are provisional.
<2> Mainly passengers returning and transit passengers.
<3> The majority of those refused and removed were seeking entry as a visitor or student. No
asylum seekers have been returned to Yugoslavia; 43 have been removed to safe third
countries.
<4> Covers period January to September 1992.
<5> Such persons are given temporary admission while their application is being considered.
Nearly all of these persons are still awaiting a decision. The figure excludes dependants.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Agricultural Tenancies
Mr. John Greenway : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what stage has been reached in the discussions with the industry on the reform of agricultural tenancy legislation ; and when he will lay new legislation before the House.
Mr. Gummer : The consultations that I announced to the House on 12 February 1991, Official Report, column 391, have led to a wide measure of agreement within the industry on the principle of reform of the legislation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I remain convinced that new simpler and leaner legislation is needed to enable farmers and landowners to adapt to changing conditions in agriculture and the economy of the countryside. We have refined our proposals in the light of the consultations and we intend to complete discussions on the outstanding points by the end of the year with a view to introducing legislation as soon as parliamentary time becomes available.
EDUCATION
School Meals
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table showing the latest figures on the take-up of school meals broken down into (a) all schools meals, (b) free school meals and (c) paid school meals, for (i) primary school children and (ii) secondary school children separately.
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Mr. Forth : Provisional information about school meals take up in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England in January 1992 is shown in the table.
(Thousands)
|Paid |Free |Total
----------------------------------------------------
Primary (including nursery) |1,139|681 |1,820
Secondary |866 |294 |1,160
University Technicians
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to ensure consistency in the application of new pay structures for university technicians in different parts of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Forman : The pay of university technicians, and the consistency of applications of any new pay structure, is entirely a matter for their employers. The Government have no intention of becoming involved in the negotiating arrangements.
Further Education
Ms. Estelle Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time 16 to 18-year-old students in England and Wales fail to complete A-level courses.
Mr. Forman : This information is not available in the form requested.
Ms. Estelle Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many 16 to 18-year-olds stay in full-time education ; what proportion takes (a) A-levels, (b) vocational courses and (c) other courses ; and what are the corresponding figures five years ago.
Mr. Forman : The information requested is given in the table for young people aged 16 and 17 at 31 August at the start of each academic year :
C
|1986-87 |1991-92<1>
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total aged 16 and 17 in full-time
education |571,000 |677,000
A/AS level-per cent. |54 |57
Vocational courses-per cent. |22 |25
Other courses<2>-per cent. |24 |19
<1> Percentages do not add to 100 because of rounding.
<2> Includes GCSE, courses leading to no explicit qualification
and college certificates and diplomas.
Education Reform
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received about the schools' reorganisation proposals published in October 1991 and January 1992 by the Roman Catholic diocese of Arundel and the Brighton Schools Commission ; and when he now expects to announce his decision on these proposals.
Mr. Forth : A substantial number of written objections to the proposals have been received and I have also listened to arguments put forward by deputations led by a number of my right hon. and hon. Friends.
The proposals are complex and wide ranging but I hope that our decision can be announced very shortly.
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WALES
Environment Wales
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what organisations have been supported by his Environment Wales grant scheme ; and what criteria he adopts in awarding grants.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The following organisations have been supported by Environment Wales :
Association of Welsh Wildlife Trusts
Amelia Trust Farm
Brecknock Wildlife Trust
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
Cardiff City Farm
Centre for Alternative Technology
Community Service Volunteers
Field Studies Council
Flat Holm Society
Friends of the Earth
Friends of Forest Farm and the Glamorgan Canal
Greenfield Valley Heritage Trust
Groundwork
Gwent Wildlife Trust
Harvest Trust
Keep Wales Tidy Campaign
Montgomery Wildlife Trust
National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners
National Trust
North Wales Wildlife Trust
Offa's Dyke Association
Open Spaces Society
Pengwern Hall
Pentre Ifan Environmental Centre (Urdd Gobaith Cymru)
Presteigne Recyling Scheme
Prince of Wales Committee
Prince of Wales Committee--Environmental Education Group Rambler's Association
Royal Society for Nature Conservation
South Glamorgan Play Resource Centre
Track 2000
Treescene
Wales Wildlife and Countryside Link
Welsh Historic Gardens Trust
West Wales Energy Group
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
The policy for awarding grants under the initiative is outlined in the Environment Wales policy statement, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Environmentally Friendly Farming
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress made with the Tir Cymen scheme for environmental friendly farming in Wales ; and what resources have been committed to the scheme to date.
Mr. David Hunt : The Tir Cymen scheme was launched on 21 July 1992. The application period for entry to the scheme in 1992 ends on 30 October.
The resources committed to the scheme are £500,000 in 1992-93.
Special Protection Areas
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional resources have been committed to establish the five new special protection areas to which reference is made in chapter 18, paragraph 18.5 of "Britain's Environmental Strategy", Cm 2068.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : The Department has allocated no additional resources specifically related to the designation of the five special protection areas in question.
Singleton Hospital
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations resulted from the consultation on the proposed trust status for Singleton hospital ; and how many of these supported the proposal and how many opposed it.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : A total of 90 representations have been received in response to the public consultation on the application from the west unit, West Glamorgan health authority to become an NHS trust in April 1993. Where a clear view was expressed, 19 supported the proposal for trust status and with 49 did not.
EMPLOYMENT
Employment Action
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give for the most recent date for which figures are available the number of employment action places proposed and filled for each region and for Great Britain.
Mr. McLoughlin : Employment action plans to help 60,000 people in Britain in 1992-93. Figures for planned places are not available by region. Information from the Employment Service indicates that as at 10 September the number of employment action participants was as follows :
ES Region |Participants ------------------------------------------------ Northern |1,658 North-west |3,644 Yorkshire and Humberside |2,945 West Midlands |2,250 East Midlands |2,600 London and south-east |6,251 South-west |1,908 Scotland |2,741 Wales |1,790 Great Britain |25,787 Source:-Employment Service benefit-related payment system
PRIME MINISTER
Sir Peter Kemp
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Prime Minister what were the reasons for Sir Peter Kemp's departure as Permanent Secretary at the Office of Public Service and Science.
The Prime Minister : When Sir Peter Kemp was appointed Second Permanent Secretary in 1988, the main responsibility of his post was to lead the "next steps" project, which he did with distinction. The formation of the Office of Public Service and Science after the general election created a new department with wider responsibilities, demanding different qualities in the Permanent Secretary. Since no suitable alternative post was available at Permanent Secretary level, the Head of the Civil Service decided to ask Sir Peter to take early retirement on the favourable terms available in those circumstances.
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Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on the details and grounds of enhancement on pension and other departure terms afforded to Sir Peter Kemp, following his departure as Permanent Secretary at the Office of Public Service and Science ;
(2) how many years' service Sir Peter Kemp had left, before normal retirement age, prior to his departure as Permanent Secretary at the Office of Public Service and Science.
The Prime Minister : Sir Peter Kemp was asked to take early retirement, with effect from 14 September 1992, from his post as Second Permanent Secretary of the Office of Public Service and Science.
The terms under which he left were those appropriate to a compulsory early retirement as set out in the civil service pay and conditions of service code. He received six months' pay in lieu of notice and a lump sum compensation payment ; he will also receive payment of his pension and lump sum enhanced by two years and 25 days--the period between his date of leaving the service and the normal retirement age of 60.
Fort Victoria
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Prime Minister what completion date was given by (a) Swan Hunter and (b) Harland and Wolff, in bidding for the contract to construct the Royal Navy supertanker Fort Victoria ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The original acceptance date for Fort Victoria based on Harland and Wolff's tender was January 1990. The date offered by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders was later that year.
Thames Path
Ms. Walley : To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received concerning the facilitating of the Thames path along the Albert embankment ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : Two--from Lambeth council and the Ramblers Association, in relation to part of the proposed Thames path to which the public do not enjoy access at present.
London Police Forces
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the non- Home Office police forces operating within Greater London, and their responsible Minister.
The Prime Minister : A full list of all such organisations operating within Greater London is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The forces concerned range from large organisations such as the British Transport police, the Ministry of Defence police and the Royal Parks constabulary to small groups of constables sworn in by local authorities for specific areas or undertakings. Responsibility for non-Home Office forces rests with the appropriate Government Minister, Department, local authority or the private company concerned.
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