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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 10 February 1993
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Privity of Contract and Estate
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when it is intended to introduce legislation to implement the Law Commission's report on "Privity of Contract and Estate"--Law Commission No. 95 ; and what representations the Lord Chancellor has received from the business community about legislation on this subject.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lord Chancellor is actively considering the recommendations of the Law Commission on this subject and hopes to be able to make an announcement in the near future. He has received representations from both tenants and landlords and is well aware of their respective interests.
Parking Fines (Liverpool)
Mr. Alton : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the revenue from on-street parking fines in Liverpool for the past three financial years.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The fines, fees and fixed penalties collected by the magistrates courts are remitted to the Exchequer as an aggregate amount and the proportion relating to parking penalties cannot therefore be separately identified.
Legal Aid
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the adult population in England is currently eligible for legal aid ; and what is his estimate of the proportion of the adult population which after 1 April will be eligible for legal aid.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Estimates of eligibility that have been made are based on family expenditure survey data and relate to households. The proportion of households currently eligible for civil legal aid is estimated to be between 50 and 55 per cent. in England and Wales. I estimate that after the changes are introduced in April about 48 per cent. of households in England and Wales will be eligible for civil legal aid. There is no upper financial limit for criminal legal aid : all those whose financial resources are such that they require assistance in meeting their costs are eligible and will continue to be eligible.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Martial Arts Weapons
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ban the importation of martial arts knives and similar weapons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The importation of 14 types of offensive weapon, including certain martial arts knives, is already prohibited by virtue of an order made under section 141 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
My right hon. and learned Friend will consider, in the light of all the evidence, whether further restrictions on the importation of any offensive weapon that is brought to his attention are necessary.
Regulations
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a list of all the regulations for which his Department is currently responsible with a descriptive title for each individual regulation.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : A provisional list of regulations that impact on business has recently been put together by my Department. I shall place the list in the Library once it has been fully checked for accuracy and consistency of definition.
Prison, Fazakerley
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a decision has yet been made on the proposal to build a prison at Fazakerley in Liverpool.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Government believe that there is a clear need for more secure prison places in the north-west. A new prison at Fazakerley would enable us to locate many prisoners from Merseyside much closer to home than is now possible. I have looked into the concerns expressed against building a prison at Fazakerley, but have concluded that the site is suitable for such a use. In view of the planning authority's reservations the matter will now be referred to the Secretary of State for the Environment who will consider its request that the matter should be the subject of a public inquiry.
Police Restructuring
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation he has had, or proposes to have, with the Greater Manchester police authority about the restructuring of police forces and police authorities.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has not held discussions with individual police authorities. He is considering what reforms in police organisation and structure may be needed. He will announce his proposals as soon as possible. Interested parties will be consulted before final decisions are reached.
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Drugs, Manchester
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new strategies he intends to promote to tackle drug problems in Greater Manchester.
Mr. Jack : The Government's overall strategy for tackling drug misuse is aimed at reducing both the supply of and the demand for drugs throughout the United Kingdom.
Local drugs prevention teams have been set up in both Manchester and Salford under the Home Office drugs prevention initiative, and they will continue to work with the local community in finding effective ways of preventing the spread of drug misuse.
Greater Manchester, like other areas, will also benefit from other aspects of the Government's drug strategy such as the assistance we are providing to other countries to help reduce the supply of drugs into this country and the tougher controls which we are introducing on precursor and essential chemicals.
At the national level, we are committed to bringing forward proposals to ensure that the control of drug misuse is co-ordinated effectively, and the Criminal Justice Bill which we hope to bring before the House shortly, further tightens the law on drug trafficking and money laundering.
Youth Crime, Manchester
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to deal with car crimes committed by young people in Greater Manchester.
Mr. Jack : The Government has encouraged the police and other agencies in the development of effective crime prevention programmes aimed at tackling youth crime and has funded a number of initiatives. The Home Office safer cities projects in the Greater Manchester area, Salford and Rochdale, have committed £120,000 and £18,000 respectively in 1992-93 to schemes aimed at diverting young people from crime, including car crime. We also established local drug prevention teams in Manchester and Salford in February 1992 with the aim of tackling the spread of drug misuse, particularly among the young. In addition the Home Office currently funds four projects which, in the main, are aimed at providing programmes of supervision or support for young offenders and defendants, in the Greater Manchester probation area through its probation supervision grant scheme. An application in respect of a go-kart project is in the early stages of consideration. The Department of Education announced recently that Manchester is to receive £147,000 in 1992-1993 under its grants for education support and training programme for youth crime prevention schemes. Five estates are targeted and the schemes will focus on car crime and burglary.
As part of its programme of action on youth crime for 1993, Crime Concern is planning a series of regional seminars, one of which is to be held in the north-west, on best practice in diverting young people from crime.
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The Government are also considering what means might be needed to reduce offending by the very small group of persistent juvenile offenders.Wolds Prison
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grade of staff member has been appointed race relations liaison officer at the Wolds prison.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The post of race relations liaison officer at HM prison Wolds is held by the training manager. Staff at Wolds are not ascribed grades as such.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on staff there were at the Wolds prison between 1 July and 31 December 1992 ; and what was the average population of prisoners at the Wolds during this period.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : During the period in question there were 16 assaults on staff by prisoners. The average prisoner population was 195.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disciplinary adjudications were carried out at the Wolds prison in the most recent convenient month ; in how many cases prisoners were found guilty ; in how many cases prospective loss of remission was ordered ; and what was the average number of days' remission forfeited.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : In December 1992, 71 adjudications were carried out at HM prison Wolds. Prisoners were found guilty in 62 cases and punishment of prospective added days was used in 22 cases. The average number of days forfeited was 3.8.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults by prisoners on other prisoners took place at the Wolds prison between 1 July and 31 December 1992.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Twelve incidents of assault by prisoners on other prisoners took place at HM prison Wolds during the period in question.
Prison Staff (Ethnic Origins)
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) black and (b) female prison officers, there were in 1963, 1970, 1980, 1990 and at the latest available date ; and what proportion these figures form of the total prison staff establishment ;
(2) how many (a) black and (b) female prison governors, there were in 1963, 1970, 1980, 1990 and at the latest available date ; and what proportion these figures form of the total number of prison governors.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Prison Service is currently in the process of conducting a voluntary survey of the ethnic origins of its staff, and until that survey is complete we shall not have comprehensive data. However, the tables set out the information currently available on staff who have recorded their ethnic origin as other than white.
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Prison officer grades
Total numbNumber of Number of women
officer grnon-white officers officers
|per cent. |per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 February 1993 |24,135 |173 |0.7 |2,106 |8.7
1 January 1990 |20,710 |26 |0.1 |1,711 |8.3
1 January 1980 |15,548 |<1> |- |629 |4.0
<1> Figures not available.
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B
Governor grades
Total numbNumber of Number of women
governor gstaff in gofficers in
grades governor grades
|per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------
1 February 1993 |1,024 |0 |92 |9.0
1 January 1990 |884 |0 |86.5 |9.8
1 January 1980 |565 |<1> |40 |7.1
<1> Figures not available.
Figures for 1963 and 1970 are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, if at all. Figures for prison officers relate to unified grades from prison officer to principal officer.
Prison Officers
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers are working in prisons where the prisoners are of the opposite sex.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : A total of 1,124 female prison officers work in establishments with male prisoners and 110 male prison officers work in establishments with female prisoners. One hundred and sixty-one female prison officers and 649 male prison officers work in establishments with prisoners of both sexes.
Prisoners (Cardphones)
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons prisoners now have access to cardphones ; and when inmates of all prisons will have access to cardphones.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Cardphones for prisoners' use are available in all establishments in England and Wales, except Durham prison and Wormwood Scrubs, where installation is due to take place by the end of February.
Prisoners' Clothing
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons sentenced prisoners are allowed to wear their own clothes ; and what plans he has to extend this to all prisoners.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Prisoners other than convicted male prisoners are allowed to wear their own clothes, and the Government aim progressively to allow convicted male prisoners to wear their own clothes.
Prisoners at Belmarsh, High Down and Woodhill prisons have been allowed to wear their own clothes since they opened in 1991 and 1992. Formal trials are being held at Her Majesty's prison Wellingborough and in
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Huntercombe and Finnamore Wood young offender institutions to assess the implications of a more general move towards prisoners wearing their own clothes. In addition, some other establishments allow male convicted prisoners to wear certain items of their own clothing.Prisoners in category C and D establishments, including open young offender institutions, are allowed to wear their own socks and underwear if adequate laundering or exchange arrangements are available and they may also be allowed to wear their own shoes. The scope for further relaxations will be considered later this year in the light of the trials.
Prison Service Agency
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the framework agreement for the Prison Service Agency to be finalised.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I plan to publish the agency's framework document on 1 April, when the agency is launched.
Remand Prisoners
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if all area criminal justice consultative committees have discussed the Criminal Justice Consultative Council paper on prisoners awaiting trial and reported back to the council.
Mr. Jack : All area committees are to discuss this paper which was published on 1 December 1992. Those that have not already dealt with this matter are scheduled to do so at their next meeting.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults by prisoners on other prisoners took place in male prisons holding remand prisoners in the most recent six-month period for which figures are available ; and what was the average population of those prisons during that period.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : The provisional figure for assaults by prisoners on other prisoners in male prisons holding remand prisoners during July to December 1992 is 460 and the average population was 17,162.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on staff there were in male prisons holding remand prisoners in the most recent six months period for which figures are available ; and what was the average population of those prisons during that period.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The provisional figure for assaults on staff, including attempted assaults, in male prisons holding remand prisoners during July to December 1992 is 535 and the average population was 17,162.
Criminal Justice Consultative Council
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how often the Criminal Justice Consultative Council has met ; and what topics it has discussed ;
(2) what plans there are for the Criminal Justice Consultative Council to produce an annual report of its work ; and when it will be published.
Mr. Jack : The Criminal Justice Consultative Council has met on five occasions. It has discussed the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 ; the establishment of area criminal justice liaison committees ; projections for the criminal justice system ; prisoners awaiting trial ; race issues within the criminal justice system ; the mode of trial decisions and sentencing ; notification of guilty pleas at an early stage ; the public expenditure survey 1992 as it relates to the criminal justice system ; the criminal justice special conferences programme 1993-94 and its own programme of work. The council will produce a report of its first year's work which will be published after its next meeting on 22 April.
Prisoners (Televisions)
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons prisoners are allowed television in their cells ; and what plans he has to extend this to all prisons.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Following the announcement in the White Paper, "Custody, Care and Justice", a trial of battery-operated televisions began at HMP The Mount in December 1991 and of mains-powered sets at HMP Stocken in October 1992. Television in cells has also been allowed in some other establishments, including HMP Garth and HM young offenders institution, Feltham, and we are considering allowing televisions in cells in some other prisons.
The trials are addressing a number of issues including safety, security, licensing, cost and effects on prisoners' behaviour and participation in regime activities. The trials are being evaluated and decisions on whether to extend the availability of in-cell television further will be taken as soon as possible.
Prison Meals
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to serve meals in prisons at times of day which correspond more closely to mealtimes outside prison.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : A model regime for local prisons and remand centres was published in November 1992 which governors are expected to work towards. This sets out reasonable times at which meals should be served. A code of standards for the Prison Service is also being developed, for publication by the end of the year, and is expected to include provisions about mealtimes. At contracted prisons, there is a contractual obligation to provide meals at normal times.
Prison Staff (Name Badges)
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons staff now wear name badges ; and when staff in all prisons will be required to wear name badges.
Mr. Jack : It is a commitment by Her Majesty's Prison Service that all staff in both headquarters and establishments will be required to wear name badges from 1 April 1993 when they come in contact with the general public and prisoners. Many staff have already been issued with their name badges and are being encouraged to begin wearing them, but as the manufacture and issue of these name badges is a rolling programme aimed for completion by 19 March 1993, it is not possible at this point in the programme to indicate how many prison establishments have received their badges.
Police Officers (Plumstead)
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposed number of police officers in the Plumstead division of the Metropolitan police for 1993.
Mr. Charles Wardle [holding answer 5 February 1993] : There are currently 257 officers in the Plumstead division.
Allocation of officers in the Metropolitan police district is a matter for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan police. I understand that at present there are no plans to alter the number of officers stationed at Plumstead.
Prison Education
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many potential contractors have bid to provide prison education services in 1993-94 ; how many bids are from local education authorities ; and how many are from colleges of further education.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [pursuant to his reply, 11 January 1993, c. 597.] : A total of 154 bids have been received to provide future education services in one or a number of prison establishments. Of these, 113 are from colleges and institutions of further education, 28 from private sector organisations and 13 from local education authorities.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Science Budget
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the distribution of the science budget in 1993-94.
Mr. Waldegrave : I have considered the Advisory Board for the Research Councils' recommendations on the
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distribution of the science budget, and have decided to accept the advice that the £1,164.56 million for 1993-94 should, subject to approval by Parliament of the estimates in due course, be allocated as follows :
Allocations for |£ million
1993-94
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agricultural and Food Research Council |109.8
Economic and Social Research Council |53.5
Medical Research Council |256.9
Natural Environment Research Council |140.0
Science and Engineering Research Council |582.1
The Royal Society |18.5
The Royal Academy of Engineering |1.7
Other, including OST initiatives, ABRC Science
Policy Studies and CEST subscription |2.0
|-------
|1,164.6
I am publishing the board's advice today. Copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
European Bioinformatics Institute
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps the Government are taking to secure the establishment of the European Bioinformatics Institute in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Waldegrave : I am delighted to announce that the United Kingdom has today submitted a bid to host the European Bioinformatics Institute at Cambridge. This presents an exciting and important opportunity for the United Kingdom to secure an international research facility at the forefront of modern science and in an area of great and increasing importance for health care and for industry. The EBI will be an out-station of the European molecular biology laboratory in Heidelberg. Its task will be to provide a database of biological information to researchers throughout Europe. The bid is being underwritten by the Medical Research Council, with support from the Wellcome Trust. Copies of the full text have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Scientists
Mr. Temple-Morris : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures he is considering to provide incentives for scientists to continue to work within the United Kingdom.
Mr. Waldegrave : The Government provide substantial funding to maintain a healthy science base in this country and to ensure continuing opportunities for our scientists. The question of career structures for scientists is one which is being examined in the context of the forthcoming White Paper on science and technology.
NATIONAL FINANCE
European Investment Bank
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the new projects that are to be submitted for financing by the European investment bank and their approximate cost.
Mr. Nelson : The European investment bank--EIB--is required by its statute to seek the opinion of EC member
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states in whose territory a project is situated before considering it for approval. The Government are, and will remain, in close contact with the EIB, to discuss proposals submitted by United Kingdom organisations for new investment projects. However, projects under consideration are classified by the EIB as commercially confidential and it would therefore be inappropriate for the Government to list those in the United Kingdom, before the loans had been approved by the bank's board of directors.Household Debt
Mr. Hain : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of debt per household for every £100 of disposable income for each year since 1979.
Mr. Nelson : Figures for the level of household debt outstanding are not available. The levels of debt of the personal sector, which includes apart from households, all unincorporated private businesses, sole traders, partnerships, non-profit-making bodies, serving persons and private trusts, per £100 of disposable income for the years 1979-91 were as follows :
|£
-------------
1979 |57
1980 |57
1981 |62
1982 |67
1983 |74
1984 |79
1985 |85
1986 |90
1987 |98
1988 |106
1989 |111
1990 |116
1991 |116
Charities (VAT Rebates)
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received to date calling for the introduction of a VAT rebate scheme for charities within the next Budget.
Sir John Cope : A considerable number.
Debt Payments
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) of 18 November, Official Report, column 225, when the new contracting terms for Government contractors to be paid within 30 days came into effect.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 9 February 1993] : Guidance was issued on 14 April 1992 to all Government Departments and executive agencies. For all contract award procedures initiated after that date, all Government contracts are to contain a clause requiring the supplier or contractor to pay subcontractors promptly. In the absence of normal practice to the contrary for that type of contract, or other special circumstances, the commitment should be to pay the subcontractor within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment as defined by the contract.
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SCOTLAND
Market Testing
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the firms of consultants used by his Department as part of the market testing programme since November 1991 together with the total cost ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : Since November 1991 two firms of consultants have been used by my Department in connection with my market testing programme. Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte helped to undertake the initial scoping exercise to identify possible activities for market testing in my Department. Capita Management Consultancy is being used to assist my Department in undertaking the 1992-93 market testing programme. The total cost of these consultants up to the end of December 1992 has been £207,625 excluding VAT and expenses.
Drinking Water
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the report on drinking water quality in Scotland in 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : A report has been published today by the Scottish Office Environment Department which gives an overview of drinking water quality in Scotland in 1991, under the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 and associated regulations. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.
The report shows that drinking water quality in 1991 has improved since 1990 as a result of the action taken by authorities to deal with water quality problems. In 1991, 98 per cent. of all regulatory determinands met the prescribed standards compared with 97 per cent. in 1990. Reported data also showed that for 48 out of 55 numerical standards, 99.8 per cent. of analytical results complied compared with 99.6 per cent. in 1990.
The failures to meet quality standards fully did not represent a risk to public health.
Ministers' Health
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice is given to Ministers in his Department (a) concerning their own personal fitness and (b) their role in promoting good health by example.
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