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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Private Detectives
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Attorney-General what use his Department has made of private detectives in each of the last five years ; at what cost ; and if he will list the firms involved.
The Solicitor-General : The records of the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Crown prosecution service and the Serious Fraud Office do not disclose any use of inquiry agents in the last five years. The litigation division of the Treasury Solicitor's Department makes frequent use of inquiry agents to ascertain the addresses of parties against whom court proceedings are to be issued, and as process servers. It would not be possible to ascertain the exact level of use or cost, or the names of all firms involved without disproportionate expense. However, the cost for each case usually does not exceed £100.
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NATIONAL HERITAGE
Satellite TV (Encryption Services)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will refer the monopoly of encryption services in satellite television to the Office of Fair Trading ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : No. The Director General of Fair Trading is required under statute to keep the operation of commercial services in the United Kingdom under review. Allegations of abuses of market power are usually made directly by those affected to the Office of Fair Trading.
Compulsory Repair Orders
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress his Department has made with the compulsory repairs order issued on Buxton crescent ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke [holding answer 19 November 1992] : Contacts between English Heritage and the owners are continuing. Meanwhile, my officials are making final preparations for the service of a repairs notice.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Albania
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been provided to Albania (a) through the know-how fund and (b) otherwise.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The know-how fund was extended to Albania in July 1992. We are currently working up a programme of assistance : initial projects are concentrating on the privatisation of state farms and the health management sector. We have provided £1.3 million of bilateral humanitarian assistance through grants to British non-governmental organisations. Our contribution to EC humanitarian assistance is some £12 million.
Rhinoceros Conservation
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much is currently allocated by her Department towards the world-wide conservation of rhinoceros.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : There is no sectoral allocation for rhinoceros conservation within the aid programme.
In 1991-92 we spent £100,000 on a project specifically related to rhinoceros conservation in Kenya and more than £1 million on projects designed to promote the conservation of areas where the rhinoceros is found.
Bosnia
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many lorries for use in carrying humanitarian relief in Bosnia have arrived in Bosnia to date ; how many more lorries from the United Kingdom are to be sent ; and what representations have been made for more lorries to be made available.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 17 November 1992] : The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
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office in Zagreb stated on 18 October that they had a trucking capacity of 110 trucks and were expecting a further 126 vehicles to arrive by mid-late November. Of the vehicles in operation at the time of the report, we had provided 21 trucks with a total capacity of 231 tonnes. Since then we have provided 10 more trucks with trailers to increase their carrying capacity, to enhance UNHCR's operations, and a further 12 trucks, with 10 trailers, left Felixstowe yesterday, carrying around £1 million of medical supplies destined for the World Health Organisation, to join the distribution operation. We have received no representations from UNHCR to make more vehicles available.Global Environmental Assistance
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has of the consequences of the projected cut in global environmental assistance.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 18 November 1992] : There is no projected cut. The planned provision for global environmental assistance covers only expected expenditure to meet existing commitments to the global environment facility and the Montreal protocol fund. We have agreed to provide new and additional resources for replenishment of the global environment facility. We shall make provision when the level and the timing of our contribution to the replenishment are known.
Aid Target
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effect of the Overseas Development Administration budget announced in the autumn statement on the achievement of the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of gross national product for overseas aid budgets.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 18 November 1992] : Performance against the 0.7 per cent. target is based on actual expenditure and by calendar year. It is not useful, therefore, for the Government to make forecasts of future aid/GNP ratios based on planning figures by financial year.
Aid Reductions
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will explain the reasons behind the proposed reduction in aid for developing countries from 1993-94 to 1995-96.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 18 November 1992] : The future levels of the aid programme have been considered, along with other public expenditure programmes, during the public expenditure survey. The public expenditure survey allows for a detailed consideration of all public expenditure priorities against the available resources. The results of this year's survey, announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 November, reflect the Government's firm commitment to a continuing substantial aid programme for developing countries. The aid programme to developing countries is planned to increase from 1992-93 to 1993-94 by 1 per cent. in real terms to £1,900 million and to be maintained at that level in cash in 1994-95 and 1995-96.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Banknotes
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for forgery of banknotes during each of the past five years for which records are available.
Mr. Jack : Data collected centrally does not distinguish between offences involving coins or notes. The table shows the number of prosecutions for forgery of coins and notes from 1986 to 1990. Provisional 1991 data will be available before the end of 1992.
Number of persons prosecuted in England and Wales under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 Sections 14 to 19. Year |Prosecutions --------------------------------------- 1986 |314 1987 |195 1988 |99 1989 |67 1990 |169
Voting
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many expatriate votes were cast at the last general election ; and how they were distributed by constituency.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Details of the number of overseas electors registered in each constituency were published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in 1992 Electoral Statistics (EL no. 19), a copy of which is in the Library. Information on the number of proxies who voted on behalf of overseas electors at the general election is not collected centrally.
Staff Vetting
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests were received by police authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, from local authority education departments seeking vetting of prospective staff working with children for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Exact figures are not available but during the period 1 September 1990 to 31 August 1991 519,325 checks were made by police forces in England and Wales under the child protection arrangements, of which 192,410 were known to have come from local authority education departments. Corresponding figures for the two previous years were 489,266 (193,526) to 31 August 1990 and 464,112 (189,304) to 31 August 1989.
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time the Metropolitan police take to process a police check on the suitability of local authority job applicants who work with children, such as teachers and social workers.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The average length of time is currently 12 weeks, including 9 weeks waiting time before work on applications can begin. There has been a 42 per cent. increase in the number of criminal record check requests made to the Metropolitan police this year
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compared with last. Figures for the three months ending mid-November 1992 show an increase of 75 per cent. over the same period last year. Six extra staff have been loaned to the unit in an effort to reduce the backlog.Drugs (Prisons)
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison inmates at each of the London prisons have been put on report for being in possession of drugs during the period 1 January to 1 November.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The number of inmates held in London prisons placed on report for being in possession of drugs between 1 January and 1 November 1992 is as follows :
|Number
------------------------------
Belmarsh |69
Brixton |51
Holloway |58
Pentonville |72
Wandsworth |226
Wormwood Scrubs |120
Strangeways Prison
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will apply the transfer of undertakings regulations to the market testing of Strangeways prison ; if he will make a statement on the advice provided in his Department's market testing guidelines ; and if he will outline the considerations leading to his decision.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The applications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to market testing in the prison service is a complex matter which we are current:y considering. I will write to the hon. Member when conclusions have been reached.
Private Security Firms
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what monitoring his Department carries out of the employment policies of private security firms.
Mr. Jack : We are supporting the development of self-regulation within the private security industry. As part of this policy we encourage adherence to the relevant British Standards covering technical and managerial competence.
On 20 October my right hon. and learned Friend attended the launch of the inspectorate of the security industry, which will inspect guarding firms against these standards. Inspection will not be compulsory, but British Standards provide the industry's users with a benchmark for deciding whether firms are suitable.
Police (Sick Leave)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officer work days are lost in each year since 1987 in each police authority (a) due to injuries incurred on duty and (b) other sickness.
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Mr. Charles Wardle : Figures relating to the total number of days absent from duty due to sickness as a result of assault on duty, and other sickness, are published each year in the annual report of Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary. The corresponding totals on a force by force basis between 1987 and 1989 are not totally readily available. Those for 1990 and 1991 are as follows :
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1990 1991
Force |Days lost due to|Total days sick |Days lost due to|Total days sick
|assault-related |leave not due to|assault-related |leave not due to
|sick leave |assaults |sick leave |assaults
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |1,402 |31,116 |840 |30,357
Bedfordshire |582 |13,788 |831 |12,719
Cambridgeshire |213 |14,731 |589 |12,518
Cheshire
20,136 |921 |22,041
City of London |37 |10,023 |6 |8,899
Cleveland |731 |28,963 |610 |23,384
Cumbria |169 |13,425 |358 |12,125
Derbyshire |648 |19,323 |1,135 |23,358
Devon and Cornwall |865 |27,202 |986 |28,131
Dorset |406 |9,665 |325 |13,749
Durham |1,191 |15,876 |1,129 |15,825
Dyfed Powys |622 |10,325 |223 |10,801
Essex |629 |36,518 |454 |32,540
Gloucestershire |259 |11,790 |338 |13,148
Greater Manchester |3,708 |99,694 |3,618 |86,936
Gwent |330 |10,937 |126 |13,627
Hampshire |2,170 |33,156 |930 |43,295
Hertfordshire |650 |22,318 |640 |22,647
Humberside |895 |27,059 |856 |20,096
Kent |542 |29,459 |190 |20,324
Lancashire |1,371 |52,507 |2,422 |47,516
Leicestershire |644 |24,224 |678 |24,466
Lincolnshire |670 |16,361 |758 |17,206
Merseyside |4,086 |79,416 |4,264 |87,094
Metropolitan Police |792 |360,689 |1,669 |320,907
Norfolk |381 |17,688 |157 |15,314
North Wales |623 |18,318 |810 |22,055
North Yorkshire |274 |16,321 |419 |18,948
Northamptonshire |132 |14,320 |65 |15,276
Northumbria |4,296 |36,309 |3,993 |30,281
Nottinghamshire |1,302 |28,236 |1,081 |26,879
South Wales |2,422 |43,370 |2,874 |46,868
South Yorkshire |1,297 |36,362 |600 |36,728
Staffordshire |1,120 |32,816 |1,096 |34,892
Suffolk |443 |9,331 |333 |8,649
Surrey |811 |15,419 |641 |18,664
Sussex |1,026 |30,164 |1,708 |38,921
Thames Valley |1,144 |26,992 |761 |35,728
Warwickshire |438 |12,357 |275 |13,874
West Mercia |487 |24,936 |405 |25,873
West Midlands |Not known |48,785 |1,279 |64,594
West Yorkshire |2,455 |57,615 |2,880 |61,815
Wiltshire |456 |10,285 |400 |9,293
Police (Structure and Funding)
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which organisations he intends to consult on any proposals for changes in the arrangements for the structure and funding of police authorities and police forces in England and Wales ;
(2) when he proposes to make an announcement on the future arrangements for the structure and funding of police authorities and police forces in England and Wales.
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Mr. Charles Wardle : We will consult on our proposals as soon as we have completed our consideration of these issues. Our consultations will include the Association of Chief Police Officers and the local authority associations.
Prisoners
Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted or remand category inmates from prisons have been transferred to each of the special hospitals in each of the past five years ; and how many of these were category A prisoners.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 6 November 1992] : The available information is given in the table.
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Prisoners transferred to special hospitals by hospital and type of prisoner/transfer: 1987-1991
Hospital
Of which Category
A'
Year |Broadmoor |Rampton |Ashworth<4>|Total |Broadmoor |Rampton |Ashworth<4>|Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987
Sentenced<1> |6 |14 |24 |44 |2 |2 |3 |7
Remand<2> |7 |2 |6 |15 |2 |- |1 |3
Remand<3> |26 |11 |38 |75 |1 |1 |3 |5
1988
Sentenced<1> |9 |8 |17 |34 |6 |2 |1 |9
Remand<2> |5 |4 |- |9 |1 |- |- |1
Remand<3> |39 |21 |15 |75 |1 |- |2 |3
1989
Sentenced<1> |10 |9 |28 |47 |4 |1 |2 |7
Remand<2> |3 |3 |11 |17 |1 |1 |8 |10
Remand<3> |27 |16 |27 |70 |1 |2 |3 |6
1990
Sentenced<1> |9 |11 |21 |41 |1 |1 |- |2
Remand<2> |7 |8 |4 |19 |- |- |1 |1
Remand<3> |12 |18 |20 |50 |2 |1 |2 |5
1991
Sentenced<1> |14 |14 |19 |47 |2 |1 |2 |5
Remand<2> |10 |6 |11 |27 |3 |- |1 |4
Remand<3> |13 |21 |10 |44 |- |1 |- |1
<1>Sentenced prisoners transferred from prison to special hospitals under Section 47/49 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
<2>Remand prisoners transferred direct from prison to special hospitals under Section 48/49 of the Mental Health Act
1983.
<3>Remand prisoners discharged from prison to court then admitted to special hospitals under Section 37/41 of the Mental
Health Act 1983.
<4>Moss Side and Park Lane hospitals merged on 18 February 1990 to become Ashworth.
Health and Safety
Mr. John McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy in the Library of the health and safety policy of each of the agencies within his Department.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the agencies concerned : the Forensic Science Service, the United Kingdom Passport Agency and the Fire Service College. I have asked the chief executive of each of these agencies to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from J. Hayzelden to Mr. John McAllion, dated 12 November 1992 :
The Home Secretary has asked me to respond to your Parliamentary Question about the health and safety policy of the United Kingdom Passport Agency. We give a very high priority to health and safety matters in the Passport Agency and we have separate statements to cover each of the buildings that we occupy. I have arranged for a copy of these documents to be placed in the Library of the House. Letter from A. Salisbury to Mr. John McAllion, dated 16 November 1992 :
The Secretary of State for the Home Department has asked the chief executives of the executive agencies for which he is responsible to write to you directly in response to your Parliamentary Question about health and safety policies. I am replying as the Deputy Commandant of the Fire Service College agency on behalf of the Chief Executive, Mr. Brian Fuller, who is currently abroad on business. A copy of the College's existing health and safety policy will be placed in the Library of the House. The policy is currently under review in the light of new health and safety at work regulations which will be coming into force at the beginning of 1993 and which are required in order to implement European Community directives on health and safety at work.
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As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executives' replies to written Parliamentary Questions will be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.Letter from J. Thompson to Mr. John McAllion, dated 17 November 1992 :
You recently tabled a Parliamentary Question asking for a copy of the Health and Safety Policy of each of the agencies to be placed in the Library. As you know, the arrangement now is that the Chief Executive of an Executive Agency, with the agreement of the Minister, replies to Members of Parliament on operational matters. I am therefore replying on behalf of the Forensic Science Service (FSS). A copy of the current health and safety policy has been placed in the Library as you requested. You will see from the introduction that the policy continues to operate within the overall umbrella of the Home Office Health and Safety Policy. The document represents a second level policy statement, operating within the 3 tier Home Office policy. Third level local policy documents for each laboratory set out the local application of the policy and procedures.
TRANSPORT
Agencies
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those agencies in his Department which are being considered for privatisation or contractorisation.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : My right hon. Friend announced proposals for the privatisation of DVOIT on 19 October, Official Report, column 209. A consultation document on the future of the vehicle inspectorate was published on 14 September ; it invited comments by 30 November on options for the future of the agency's testing activities. As part of the normal three year reviews of the framework documents for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency,
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the Driving Standards Agency and the Vehicle Certification Agency, which need to be completed by 1 April 1993, we shall be looking at the alternative options, in accordance with the procedures for agencies described in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Office of Public Service and Science on 17 November, Official Report, column 104.Fires on Ships
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the details of fires on board ships investigated by his Department for each of the last 10 years, giving details of (a) temperature and (b) length of fire.
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Mr. Norris : A list of investigations carried out into fires on board vessels since the establishment of the marine accident investigation branch in July 1989 is attached.
It is not generally practicable to measure the temperature of a fire, and the statistics maintained do not include details of duration.
The information on all investigations into fires carried out by the Department between mid-1982 and mid-1989 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Date of Accident |Name of Vessel |Type of Vessel |Flag |Size
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 July 1989 |Seaboard Invincible |Offshore Support |United Kingdom |1,276 grt
30 July 1989 |Welsh Princess |Yacht |Cayman Islands |-
2 August 1989 |Naticia |Passenger |United Kingdom |288 grt
12 August 1989 |Llanishen |Cargo |St. Vincent |446 grt
31 August 1989 |Eclipse |FV |United Kingdom |23.5 m
11 September 1989 |Lyrawa Bay |Ro-Ro |United Kingdom |101 grt
12 September 1989 |Kevella |FV |United Kingdom |19.8 m
13 September 1989 |L'Oiseau Migrateur |FV |Guernsey |16.5 m
24 October 1989 |Esperans |FV |- |-
25 October 1989 |Nanna |FV |- |-
30 November 1989 |Strathisla |FV |United Kingdom |18.9 m
22 December 1989 |Marino Torre |Ro-Ro/Cargo |Italy |2,644 grt
10 January 1990 |Sound of Seil |Ferry |United Kingdom |363 grt
13 January 1990 |Churchill |Container |United Kingdom |22,635 grt
31 January 1990 |St. Columbia |Ro-Ro |United Kingdom |7,.836 grt
3 March 1990 |Luminence |Cargo |United Kingdom |1,596 grt
26 March 1990 |Lowland Cavalier |Offshore Support |United Kingdom |1,396 grt
6 April 1990 |Norrona |Ro-Ro |Denmark |7,839 grt
10 April 1990 |Reine Matilde |Ro-Ro |France |5,465 grt
7 July 1990 |Success |FV |United Kingdom |16.2 m
10 July 1990 |Rocquaine |Cargo |Bahamas |985 grt
27 August 1990 |Sea Venture |FV |United Kingdom |16.31 m
29 August 1990 |Island Traveller |Cargo |United Kingdom |424 grt
16 September 1990 |Sue Rita |Passenger Launch |United Kingdom |67.11 grt
19 September 1990 |St. Anselm |Ro-Ro |United Kingdom |7,405 grt
3 October 1990 |Earl Granville |Ro-Ro |United Kingdom |4,657 grt
9 October 1990 |St. Cybi |Ro-Ro |Bahamas |2,353 grt
9 October 1990 |Canberra |Passenger |United Kingdom |43,975 grt
24 October 1990 |Suffolk Venturer |Offshore Support |United Kingdom |255 grt
1 November 1990 |Emerald |Cargo |Isle of Man |1,583 grt
4 December 1990 |Comar |Tug |United Kingdom |37 grt
24 February 1991 |Breydon Merchant |Cargo |United Kingdom |425 grt
23 March 1991 |Eurosun |Passenger Ro-Ro |Bermuda |12,343 grt
23 May 1991 |Luminence |Cargo |United Kingdom |1,596 grt
17 June 1991 |Autostrada |Vehicle Carrier |United Kingdom |610 grt
18 July 1991 |David John |FV |United Kingdom |23.9 m
19 July 1991 |Matco Avon |Tanker |United Kingdom |43,622 grt
24 July 1991 |Valulla |Class V Passenger |United Kingdom |112.06 grt
| Launch
1 August 1991 |Geestcape |Refrigerated Cargo |United Kingdom |8,030 grt
5 August 1991 |Kedarost |FV |United Kingdom |23.41 m
5 August 1991 |Emerald |Cargo |Isle of Man |1,583 grt
18 September 1991 |Arran Lass |FV |United Kingdom |15.24 m
14 October 1991 |Freedom |FV |United Kingdom |22.61 m
20 October 1991 |Sally Star |Passenger Ro-Ro |Bahamas |9,120 grt
31 October 1991 |Rix Eagle |Dry Cargo Barge |United Kingdom |292 grt
5 November 1991 |Stora Korsnas Link 1|Ro-Ro Cargo |Sweden |5,018 grt
15 January 1992 |Geestbay |Cargo |United Kingdom |7,729 grt
8 April 1992 |Kasan |FV |United Kingdom |17.52 m
15 May 1992 |Grampian Otter |Supply Vessel |United Kingdom |652 grt
28 May 1992 |Tor Anglia |Ro-Ro Other Cargo |Sweden |13,652 grt
21 June 1992 |Sibon |FV |United Kingdom |33.66 m
29 September 1992 |Sky Princess |Cruise |United Kingdom |43,692 grt
15 October 1992 |Our Lady Patricia |Passenger |United Kingdom |312 grt
Merchant Ships
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents world wide involving United Kingdom registered merchant vessels over 100 gross tonnes were reported in 1991.
Mr. Norris : A total of 140 accidents were recorded.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account he has taken of the effect of hydrocarbon fuels and lengths of journey on ship fire safety standards ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : Ship safety standards, including fire safety standards relating to the carriage and use of hydrocarbon fuels, are prescribed in the international convention for the safety of life at sea (SOLAS) for ships engaged on international voyages, both long and short. Those standards, together with similarly appropriate standards for ships not engaged on international voyages, are implemented by merchant shipping legislation.
Passenger Ferries
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) collisions, (b) collisions leading to capsize, (c) floodings and (d) serious fires involving United Kingdom registered passenger ferries have been recorded in each year since 30 April 1988.
Mr. Norris : Information on incidents broken down by the specified categories is only available in statistical form for vessels over 100 grt from 1 January 1989 grouped under related accident types ; statistics for part years could not be produced without considerable effort. The figures concern all United Kingdom passenger ships and all ro-ro vessels including those which do not carry passengers ; and they are not confined to serious accidents but include all cases where material damage was caused :
|1989 |1990 |1991 |<1>1992
----------------------------------------------------------------
Collisions and contacts |11 |22 |22 |9
Capsizings |- |- |- |-
Floodings |- |1 |1 |-
Fire and explosions |19 |14 |11 |17
<1>To 31 October.
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Concessionary Fares
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will establish a Government survey to evaluate the possibility of a United Kingdom-wide concessionary fare scheme for pensioners on public transport.
Mr. Freeman : We have no plans to change the present arrangements for concessionary fares schemes operated by local authorities. Both British Rail and long-distance coach operators have their own commercial travel concessions for elderly people. There is therefore no need to carry out a survey as suggested by the hon. Member.
Jubilee Line
Mr. Bendall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the time scale of the construction of the Jubilee line extension in the light of the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 November.
Mr. Norris : We shall be able to give the go-ahead for construction only when a formal agreement is concluded with the administrators on the detailed terms upon which they are to contribute to the cost of the extension. Thereafter, the line is planned to be built in 53 months.
Shipping and Seamen (Records)
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the standards of record maintenance and the help given to academic and other inquirers by the General Register and Record Office of Shipping and Seamen.
Mr. Norris : My right hon. Friend is aware that there have been few complaints about the standard of record keeping and a steady flow of expressions of appreciation about the services provided. We shall want to ensure that this continues in the future.
Parking
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to give powers to local authorities to deal with vehicles which are illegally, obstructively or dangerously parked ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Under the Road Traffic Act 1991 local authorities are able to assume responsibility for all permitted parking controls throughout their areas on
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application to us. They can also apply to have special parking areas designated in which they will be able to enforce virtually all parking restrictions. While the police will retain powers to enforce endorsable offences such as obstruction and dangerous parking, local authorities will in practice be able to deal with the vehicle concerned if it is also parked in contravention of a parking regulation.Skye Bridge
Mr. Charles Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the difficulties associated with the lighting and stability of safety buoys, in the vicinity of the Kyle of Lochalsh/Kyleakin crossing, relevant to the construction work on the bridge to Skye, breach the original conditions of consent ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that the safety provisions at the Kyle of Lochalsh/Kyleakin crossing, relevant to the construction work on the bridge to Skye, are satisfactory with specific regard to the lighting and stability of surface buoys ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : The consent to the Skye bridge works, issued by the Department of Transport under section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949, requires the works to be marked and lit as specified by the Northern Lighthouse Board. The consent also provides for the broadcast of natigational warnings to mariners and for the use of guardships in connection with any emergency arising from the works including the displacement of buoys and the failure of lights. The contractors are also required to advise the hydrographer of the Navy of any hazard to navigation arising from the works.
Technically, any failure of navigational safety equipment represents a breach of the conditions of consent. On the occasions when the Northern Lighthouse Board has reported failures of navigational equipment. The Department of Transport has contacted the contractors and ensured that immediate action was taken to correct the failure. At the Department's request, the contractors are taking steps to ensure that problems with the navigational aids are minimised, including the replacement of the existing battery powered lights with solar powered buoys.
Coastal and Short Sea Shipping
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will be taking to develop British coastal and short sea shipping ; and what discussions he has had with the National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officer.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 17 November 1992] : It is primarily for the industry to develop coastal and short sea freight services in response to market demands. However, the Government are keen to encourage the use of waterborne freight alternatives where this is both economically and geographically viable.
We meet with officials from NUMAST periodically when we discuss a whole range of issues.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what initiatives he is planning to assess the potential for shifting freight away from roads and on to coastal ships and other vessels.
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Mr. Norris [holding answer 17 November 1992] : I refer the hon. member to the answer that I gave on 3 November 1992, Official Report, c. 159-60.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made on the relative energy efficiency of coastal and short sea trips in terms of energy consumption per tonne per mile in comparison with freight-carrying road lorries ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 17 November 1992] : The energy efficiency of ships and lorries is discussed in a report produced by the Department of Energy in 1989 on "Energy Use and Energy Efficiency in UK Transport up to the year 2010" and published by HMSO. I have no current plans to carry out any further assessement of the comparative energy efficiency of roads and wateborne freight.
WALES
Birds of Prey (Poisoning)
Mr. Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many protected birds of prey have been found poisoned in Wales in each of the last five years ; and if he will indicate numbers of poisonings according to bird species and type.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information is as follows :
1987--None
1988--1 buzzard
1989--4 buzzards, 6 red kites
1990--2 buzzards
1991--2 buzzards, 1 red kite, 1 peregrine falcon
1992--To date 1 buzzard and 3 red kites
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