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Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what effect he expects his decision to withdraw central support for the children's play and recreation unit to have on research currently being undertaken in Nottingham ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : The Sports Council will be taking over direct responsibility for a number of the play unit's functions after 31 March 1993. I am not aware that this will effect any research currently being undertaken in Nottingham.
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the representations he has received concerning future funding for the children's play and recreation unit.
Mr. Brooke : Between 3 December 1992, when I made my announcement about future funding for the national children's play and recreation unit ( Official Report, column 325 ) and 15 January 1993, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I have received 21 letters from hon. Members, 20 from local authorities, 24 from voluntary sector play organisations, eight from other organisations and nine from members of the public.
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what money will be available from grant aid through the Sports Council in 1993-94 for children's play.
Mr. Brooke : The Sports Council has agreed to allocate £220,000 to children's play in 1993-94. Further discussions are now taking place between my Department and the council on this basis.
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had to ensure that there is a national strategy for children's play.
Mr. Brooke : None. Decisions on play provision are best taken at local level.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to commission research on a national lottery in addition to the GAH consultants' report.
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Mr. Brooke : I have no plans at the present time to commission further research.
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what advice he has sought about the risks to the health of persons under the age of 18 years of (a) weight lifting and (b) weight training ;
(2) if he will discuss with the chairman of the Sports Council the risks to the health of persons under the age of 18 years of (a) weight lifting and (b) weight training ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : I meet the chairman of the Sports Council from time to time to discuss issues of mutual interest and look to the council for advice on all sports-related issues. The council's advice is that both weight lifting and weight training are acceptable for those under 18 provided that they are carried out in a controlled environment under the supervision of suitably qualified coaches.
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 11 January, Official Report, column 539, what discussions he has had with the English tourist board and the East Midlands tourist board to ensure there are sufficient reserves available to bring economic regeneration to coalfield areas.
Mr. Key : Discussions are currently in progress between my Department and the English tourist board on the criteria for the allocation of funds to the regional tourist boards.
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the allocations made to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the half year ended 31 December 1992 of individual works of art and museum objects pre-eminent for national, scientific, historic or artistic interest which have been accepted in satisfaction of inheritance tax, together with information, where applicable, as to conditions or wishes expressed in the matter of allocation by testators or executors ; if he will list the works of art and museum objects which are still awaiting allocation with the respective dates of their acceptance in satisfaction of inheritance tax ; and if a press notice will be issued by his Department in the event of any information being given in his reply which has not been previously announced.
Mr. Brooke : The information that the hon. Member requests is as follows ;
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Item |To whom allocated |Conditions/wishes |expressed ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hambledon cricket club minute and account books |Hampshire record office |Unconditional Sculpture by Henry Moore |Leeds city art gallery |Conditional Collection of eight contemporary paintings consisting of: "Bomb Store" by David Bomberg |Tate gallery |Wish "Man Hosing Metal Fishboxes" by Prunella Clough |Tate gallery |Wish "Self Portrait, Recto and Verso" by David Bomberg |Wakefield art gallery |Wish "Ghetto Theatre" by David Bomberg |Wakefield art gallery |Wish "Woman and Goat" by Robert Colquhoun |Wakefield art gallery |Wish "Two Figures Monotype" by Robert Colquhoun |Wakefield art gallery |Wish "Pears" by William Scott |Wakefield art gallery |Wish Untitled work by Roger Hilton |Wakefield art gallery |Wish Vintage motorcar and two motorcycles |National motor museum (motorcar) |Unconditional |Bradford industrial museum (Scott | motorcycle) Tank museum | (Brough motorcycle) Rembrandt etching and 31 illuminated manuscripts |National art collections fund |Conditional
Items awaiting allocation |Date of acceptance Portrait by Beechey |20 April 1990 Beccafumi paintings |20 November 1991
Press notices have already been issued announcing the allocations that have been made to date.
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what were the attendance figures for 1992 reported by the national museums and galleries in England for which he is responsible, broken down into the individual institutions, but including their outstations, with the figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1991.
Mr. Key : The estimated number of visitors during 1992 to the 11 national museums and galleries for which I am responsible are as follows :
|Estimated attendance|Percentage change |in 1992 |from 1991 estimated |attendance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ British museum |6,725,192 |+24.0 Imperial war museum |1,140,883 |+9.2 National gallery |4,300,000 |No change National maritime museum |530,000 |-8.5 National museums and galleries on Merseyside |1,207,000 |-2.9 National portrait gallery |796,000 |-8.2 Natural history museum |1,267,000 |-15.5 Science museum |2,579,000 |+2.1 Tate gallery |2,150,711 |-11.7 Victoria and Albert museum |1,526,199 |+9.9 Wallace collection |200,000 |------- |------- Total |22,421,985 |+4.6
Mrs. Jane Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the organisations who have expressed an interest in tendering for the franchise to run the national lottery to date.
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Mr. Brooke : This information is commercially confidential.
Mrs. Jane Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what tender criteria will be used to award the licence to run the national lottery.
Mr. Brooke : The licence to run the national lottery will be awarded by the director general of the national lottery. The director general, once appointed, will decide the criteria for awarding the licence, in line with his overriding duties under the legislation.
Mr. Byers : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which are the three legal aid area boards with the highest and lowest grant rates in percentage terms in respect of legal aid applications made to magistrates courts by defendants charged with (a) causing actual bodily harm, (b) shoplifting, (c) drink-driving, (d) criminal damage and (e) possession of an offensive weapon ; and what was the percentage in each case.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The information is not available in the form requested. Between April 1991 and March 1992, the area committees of the Legal Aid Board with the highest approval rates in respect of criminal legal aid were : East Midlands (91.7 per cent.), South Western (82.1 per cent.) and North Western (70.7 per cent.). The three area committees with the lowest approval rates were : Northern (46.5 per cent.), Merseyside (47 per cent.) and West Midlands (49.4 per cent.). Renewed applications may also be made to the courts. The area committees deal only with applications which have previously been rejected by the courts. Statistics reflecting the nature of the offence are not kept.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints the Lord Chancellor has received from students who have been failed on the Bar vocational course ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. John M. Taylor : As of 11 January 1992 the Lord Chancellor had received four representations from students.
The Lord Chancellor takes a keen interest in legal education and equality of opportunity in the profession. However, the independence of the legal profession precludes him from intervening in the administration of the Bar vocational examination by the Council for Legal Education. The Commission for Racial Equality is shortly to conduct an investigation into the results, with which the Council for Legal Education will be co-operating fully. In addition, the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct, which is a statutory body independent of the Lord Chancellor's Department, has received 17 representations and will be addressing this question as part of its review of legal education.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what review the Lord Chancellor has undertaken of the number of complaints from students dissatisfied with the way the Council of Legal Education has been conducting the course and its assessment procedures.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The legal profession is independent of Government and it would therefore not be appropriate for the Lord Chancellor to conduct any such review.
The Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct, which was established by the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 as an independent body, has a duty to assist in the maintenance and development of standards in legal education, and has to have regard to the desirability of equality of opportunity when doing so. The committee is obliged under the Act to keep legal education and training under review ; it launched a major review on 25 November 1992, which will address this question among others. However, the statutory independence of the committee precludes the Lord Chancellor from directing how it should discharge its duties.
Sir Peter Tapsell : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 January.
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.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all the staff of his Office and their grades.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 18 January 1993] : The information is as follows :
Principal private secretary (Grade 3)
Private secretary--overseas affairs (Grade 3)
Chief press secretary (Grade 3)
8 Special advisers
Deputy chief press secretary (Grade 5)
Secretary for appointments (Grade 5)
Private secretary--economic affairs (Grade 5)
2 Private secretaries--Parliamentary affairs and home
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affairs (Grade 7)4 Senior information officers
2 Senior executive officers
5 Higher executive officers
2 Assistants
10 Executive officers
22 Senior personal secretaries
4 Personal secretaries
11 Administrative officers
4 Typists
1 House manager
1 Door keeper
13 Support grade band 2
10 Support grade band 1
1 Support manager 3
1 Senior cook
In addition there are 10 custody guards, nine telephonists and four drivers who are not employed by my Office.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received on the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill.
The Prime Minister : I have received a number of representations since the Bill was published on 5 November.
The Bill will increase the rights of trade union members, enhance the rights of individual employees, provide new protection for the community against the effects of unlawful industrial action, and improve the operation of the labour market.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on Government support for electrical engineering ; (2) what steps the Government have taken to reward excellence in the field of electrical engineering.
The Prime Minister : My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has set up sectoral divisions, including electrical engineering, leading to a closer dialogue to promote the recognition and importance of electrical engineering within the United Kingdom economy. The Government acknowledge the importance of electrical engineering and fully support the industry through a range of assistance that includes overseas trade, research and development, regional support and promoting awareness.
Excellence in the industry is acknowledged through the Queen's awards including those for technology and exports, where electrical engineering is well represented. Additionally there are, of course, a number of people of eminence in the field of electrical engineering whose achievements have been recognised in the usual ways.
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what checks are make by the prison service on identity, name and address of people visiting convicted prisoners ; how it establishes the purpose of each visit ; and how it records this information.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : The procedures in respect of visits to convicted prisoners are laid down in prison service standing order 5, a copy of which is in the Library.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on advertising electoral registration in North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Blyth Valley in each year since 1990, and how much will be spent in the current year.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The amount spent by the Government on electoral registration advertising in England and Wales in each year since 1990 was as follows. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000.
Electoral registration advertising Year |£'000 ------------------------ 1990 |923,000 1991 |627,000 1992 |617,000
The proportion of this total spent in each individual district council area is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The 1993 budget figure is not yet available.
Mr. James Hill : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will sanction a further arms amnesty in Hampshire on the lines of the one held in 1988 to cover firearms, knives and other weapons.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Firearms amnesties require the agreement of the Attorney-General not to bring prosecutions for certain offences. They are, therefore, exceptional events which are held only on a national basis.
No such agreement is required in respect of knives and other offensive weapons. It is, therefore, open to individual police forces to hold a campaign for the surrender of such items at any time.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now reply to the letter sent to his Minister of State on 9 November 1992 by the hon. Member for Gower regarding a constituent residing in Gorseinon, Swansea.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I wrote to the hon. Member on 12 January.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the decision of the European Parliamentary Commission on electoral systems ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I have received no such decision.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police authority the approved establishment and budget for 1992-93 and for 1993-94.
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Mr. Charles Wardle : The information requested is set out in the table. Information on 1993-94 budgets is not available.
Force |1992-93 |1992-93 |1993-94 |Budget £ million<1>|Establishment<2> |Establishment<3> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Avon and Somerset |123.553 |3,087 |3,087 Bedfordshire |43.516 |1,178 |1,178 Cambridgeshire |51.376 |1,241 |1,241 Cheshire |73.382 |1,920 |1,920 City of London |46.947 |798 |798 Cleveland |60.198 |1,502 |1,502 Cumbria |47.500 |1,187 |1,187 Derbyshire |73.728 |1,850 |1,850 Devon and Cornwall |131.068 | 2,928 |2,928 Dorset |56.191 |1,302 |1,302 Durham |52.995 |1,389 |1,389 Dyfed Powys |39.814 |969 |969 Essex |126.716 |2,950 |2,950 Gloucestershire |48.794 |1,184 |1,184 Greater Manchester |291.000 |7,077 |7,077 Gwent |38.580 |1,010 |1,010 Hampshire |129.300 |3,269 |3,269 Hertfordshire |69.516 |1,684 |1,684 Humberside |84.500 |2,034 |2,034 Kent |136.394 |3,096 |<4>3,136 Lancashire |128.200 |3,229 |3,229 Leicestershire |73.000 |1,853 |1,853 Lincolnshire |48.312 |1,206 |1,206 Merseyside |188.595 |4,706 |4,706 Metropolitan |1,488.974 |28,260 |<5>28,293 Norfolk |59.668 |1,446 |1,446 Northamptonshire |52.009 |1,190 |1,190 Northumbria |148.250 |3,613 |3,613 North Wales |55.943 |1,369 |1,369 North Yorkshire |58.572 |1,418 |1,418 Nottinghamshire |91.045 |2,344 |2,344 South Wales |129.381 |3,168 |3,168 South Yorkshire |120.500 |3,031 |3,031 Staffordshire |87.549 |2,215 |2,215 Suffolk |51.114 |1,233 |1,233 Surrey |71.055 |1,673 |1,673 Sussex |118.674 |3,014 |3,014 Thames Valley |168.930 |3,812 |3,812 Warwickshire |42.000 |1,020 |1,020 West Mercia |84.687 |2,053 |2,053 West Midlands |284.917 |6,977 |6,977 West Yorkshire |218.326 |5,295 |5,295 Wiltshire |50.313 |1,181 |1,181 <1> Estimated revenue budget for 1992-93. <2> Approved establishment at 31 October 1992. <3> Approved establishment at 1 April 1993. <4> The 1993-94 approved establishment for the Kent constabulary includes 40 reimbursed posts for the channel tunnel which came into effect on 1 January 1993. <5> The 1993-94 approved establishment for the Metropolitan police includes additional posts resulting from planning in the 1991 public expenditure survey.
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to KPMG Management Consultants over the past 12 months.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : KPMG Management Consultants have been awarded one contract by my Department over the past 12 months--it is a contract to review the work and organisation of the Police National Computer Organisation.
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Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of those entitled to apply for temporary transfers from prisons in Britain to Northern Ireland have actually applied, distinguishing between (a) loyalist prisoners, (b) republican prisoners, (c) men and (d) women ;
(2) how many applications have been received for transfers from prisons in Britain to Northern Ireland, from (a) loyalist prisoners, (b) republican prisoners, (c) men and (d) women ; and how many of each have been accepted.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Revised criteria governing transfers between United Kingdom jurisdictions were announced on 23 November 1992. It is open to any prisoner to make a request for such a transfer ; 39 male and two female prisoners who were previously known to have expressed an interest in transferring to Northern Ireland have been specifically invited to submit requests for transfer under these criteria.
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Of these, 15 male prisoners and two female prisoners have submitted requests for permanent or extended temporary transfer which are under consideration. Two male prisoners have requested permanent transfers only.Statistics on the political background of prisoners seeking transfers to Northern Ireland are not kept.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many payments were made to individuals by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for each year since 1979 ;
(2) what was the total sum paid to victims of crime by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for each year since 1979 (a) in current prices and (b) in 1979 prices.
Mr. Jack : The information requested is given in the table. It has been taken from CICB's published annual reports, copies of which are held in the Library of the House. Revaluation of the compensation paid in year to current and to 1979 prices has been made using the GDP deflator.
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Criminal Injuries Compensation Board Financial year |Awards made |Compensation paid |GDP deflator |Compensation paid |Compensation paid |(at actual prices) |(at 1979-80 prices)|(at 1992-93 prices) |(£ million) |(£ million) |(£ million) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1979-80 |17,460 |15.737 |43.174 |15.737 |37.999 1980-81 |20,138 |21.462 |51.089 |18.137 |43.794 1981-82 |17,350 |21.977 |56.022 |16.937 |40.896 1982-83 |19,733 |29.445 |60.013 |21.183 |51.150 1983-84 |21,133 |32.821 |62.791 |22.567 |54.492 1984-85 |19,771 |35.293 |65.976 |23.095 |55.767 1985-86 |22,534 |41.560 |69.577 |25.789 |62.271 1986-87 |21,925 |48.242 |71,816 |29.002 |70.029 1987-88 |20,991 |52.043 |75.763 |29.657 |71.611 1988-89 |27,752 |69.381 |81.279 |36.854 |88.989 1989-90 |27,926 |72.722 |86.622 |36.246 |87.521 1990-91 |35,190 |109.330 |93.537 |50.464 |121.852 1991-92 |39,249 |143.660 |100 |62.024 |149.766 1992-93 |104.250 |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- Totals |311,152 |693.673 |387.691 |936.138
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