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Mr. Boswell : The table shows the overall pupil-teacher ratios, at January 1992, for the maintained nursery, primary and secondary school sector in England and in the metropolitan districts of Greater Manchester (including self-governing state schools).
LEA |Overal PTR
-----------------------------------------
Bolton |17.40
Bury |18.10
Manchester |17.40
Oldham |17.40
Rochdale |16.90
Salford |17.50
Stockport |18.30
Tameside |17.10
Trafford |18.50
Wigan |16.30
Greater Manchester |17.40
England |17.44
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Class Sizes
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the average class size in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools which are (i) county non-denominational, (ii) voluntary aided, (iii) voluntary controlled and (iv) special agreement for the last five academic years for which figures are available.
Mr. Forth : The information requested is shown in the table.
Average sizes of one-teacher classes in maintained
primary and
secondary schools in England: 1988 to 1992
Position in January of each year
|1988|1989|1990|1991|1992
-----------------------------------------------------
Primary
county |25.4|25.7|25.9|26.4|26.4
voluntary aided |25.9|26.1|26.4|26.7|26.8
voluntary controlled |24.8|24.9|25.0|25.4|25.5
special agreement |26.8|28.3|27.6|29.7|29.5
Secondary
county |20.0|19.9|20.0|20.4|20.8
voluntary aided |19.6|19.7|19.7|20.1|20.2
voluntary controlled |19.3|19.2|19.3|19.7|19.9
special agreement |20.9|20.9|20.7|21.5|21.4
School Leavers
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answers of 16 March, Official Report, columns 136-37, when he expects to be able to update the tables with information about school leavers' destinations for 1991-92.
Mr. Boswell : The information about school leavers' destinations for 1991-92 will not be available until June.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Car Thefts (Fatalities)
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the maximum sentence where fatality follows as a result of car theft.
Mr. Jack : We have no plans at present to review the maximum penalties for offences under the Aggravated Vehicle-Taking Act 1992. We have, however, made clear our intention to raise the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous or drink driving to 10 years as soon as a suitable legislative opportunity is available.
Prison Escort Services
Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the circumstances of the delivery of a prisoner from Lindholme prison to Beverley Crown court on Monday 19 April in a private unmarked car rather than a secure van ; if he will list all other cases where such transport has been used by Group 4 ; whether such deliveries break the terms of the contract with Group 4 ; and what action is being taken with respect to Group 4 in connection with this incident.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
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Letter from Mr. I Dunbar to Mr. Tony Blair, dated 27 April 1993 :In the temporary absence of the Director General, Mr. Lewis, from the office, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the use by Group 4 of an unmarked car in delivering a prisoner from Lindholme Prison to Beverley Crown Court on Monday 19 April and related matters.
At present the Prison Service uses a considerable number of unmarked, unadapted vehicles--taxis, private hire minibuses and coaches--to move prisoners. It was thus decided that it would be wrong to impose a requirement on contractors that they use cellular vehicles. In their tender, Group 4 proposed to move most prisoners in cellular vehicles, which is what they are doing. As they expected, however, a small minority of prisoners are being moved in non-cellular vehicles, which does not conflict with the terms of their contract. There is no requirement on Group 4 to report to us the occasions on which non-cellular vehicles are used.
Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners escaped from prison service escorts in the east midlands and Humberside region last year (a) from taxis and (b) from prison service vans.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. I. Dunbar to Mr. Tony Blair, dated 27 April 1993 :
ESCAPES FROM PRISON SERVICE ESCORTS In the temporary absence of Mr. Lewis, the Director General, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners who escaped from Prison Service escorts in the East Midlands and Humberside region last year from taxis and from Prison Service vans. From 1 January 1992 to 31 December 1992 a total of 7 prisoners escaped from Prison Service escorts in the East Midlands and Humberside region. One inmate escaped from a taxi ; 6 escaped from hired coaches or mini-buses. There were no escapes in this region from Prison Service vans.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners escapes have occurred in each court region in each of the last five years from private hire vehicles ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated27 April 1993 :
PRISONER ESCAPES FROM PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES In the temporary absence of Mr. Lewis, the Director General, from the office, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners, in each court region, who escaped from private hire vehicles over the last five years.
Information on escapes has only been collated centrally since June 1988 but in any event it is recorded by prisons rather than court regions. The table below shows the number of escapes from vehicles used by the Prison Service on escort duties for each year from June 1988 to the end of December 1992. I am afraid we do not know which of these vehicles were owned by prisons and which were hired and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.
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Escapes from vehicles
while under Prison
Service escort
|Number
----------------------
<1>1988 |24
1989 |45
1990 |34
1991 |39
1992 |50
<1> From June to
December only.
Police Statistics
Mr. Sweeney : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each police force in England and Wales in 1971, 1981 and 1991 (a) the number of police officers in force, (b) the total number of officers recruited, (c) the total number of officers leaving the force, (d) the number retiring at the end of full service, (e) the number taking early retirement, (f) the number resigning, (g) the number dismissed for incompetence, (h) the number dismissed for criminal offences, (i) retirement on grounds of ill health due to service, and (j) retirement on grounds of ill health not due to service and (k) death while in service.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Information on police strength, by force, can be found in the appendix to the annual reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary, copies of which are in the Library. Information on items (e), (g), (i) and (j) are not held centrally. The other information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Police (Communications)
Mr. Sweeney : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken by his Department to encourage police forces in England and Wales to adopt compatible computer and radio communications systems.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The Home Office has provided comprehensive guidance to forces on the procurement of computer systems, including advice on achieving compatibility within and between forces. A national information systems strategy for the police is being developed which will further assist moves towards common standards and compatibility between local force systems and those provided on a national basis as well as those operating elsewhere in the criminal justice system.
As my right hon. and learned Friend announced in his statement on 20 April, Official Report, column 66, the Home Office has recently completed a review of radio communications in the police and fire service in England and Wales. The review identified, among other things, the importance of radio compatibility between individual forces and between the police and other public safety agencies.
Police Staff
Mr. Sweeney : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the turnover of (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff for each police force in England and Wales in 1971, 1981 and 1991 expressed as a percentage of the total police force and civilian staff employed in each force.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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International Police Organisations
Mr. Sweeney : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the international police organisations to which the United Kingdom belongs and the main areas of co-operation covered by the organisations.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The International Criminal Police Organisation, Interpol, is the principal channel of communication between police forces throughout the world. Interpol provides an international telecommunications network to enable mutual co-operation between its members in crime and law enforcement activities. The United Kingdom police service is an active member and the Home Office contributes to Interpol's costs.
Individual police officers from the United Kingdom, responsible for policing ports and airports, are members of the international and European associations of airport and sea port police. These organisations exist to enable officers from different countries to discuss issues of common interest.
Non-EC Visitors (Speaking Engagements)
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the conditions which must be complied with by non-EC visitors to fulfil a speaking engagement in the United Kingdom ; and whether an application form for a work permit must be completed on arrival.
Mr. Charles Wardle : People coming to fulfil speaking engagements in the United Kingdom, for example as participants in an international conference, may qualify as visitors under the immigration rules (HC251), but if the conference is being organised as a commercial venture, work permits are required for those providing services as speakers. A work permit must be obtained by the employer for the non-EC national before he or she arrives in the United Kingdom.
Marriages (Leave to Remain)
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom following marriage to a British or Irish citizen have been made during the past 12 months ; and how many have been granted.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The available information is that in 1992, 15, 690 applications, made after entry to the United Kingdom, to remain for a probationary year prior to settlement as the spouse of a British citizen, were granted. Corresponding information on refusals of such applications by spouses of British citizens is not separately identified in the statistics : in total 1,790 after-entry spouse applications were refused prior to a probationary year. Information on the outcome of applications by spouses of citizens of the Irish Republic is not separately identified.
Electoral Registration
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has taken to increase levels of electoral registration among the black and Asian communities ; and what plans he has for further measures.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : We undertake an annual publicity campaign to promote electoral registration by all those eligible to vote, and in particular members of ethnic minorities. In addition, we have provided electoral registration officers (EROs) with model explanatory notes on the registration system in a number of ethnic minority languages for them to adapt according to local circumstances. The form and content of the 1993 campaign is being considered, but ethnic minorities will continue to be one of the key target audiences.
Police Disciplinary Procedures
Ms Lynne : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received, and from whom, about the current police disciplinary procedures as they appear in the consultative document on police discipline procedures ; and what plans he has to amend the document in the light of the
representations.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend has asked for responses to the consultation paper by 14 May and he will consider all representations received before deciding what proposals to lay before Parliament. There has been only one response to date, from the deputy chief constable of Cambridgeshire constabulary.
European Parliament Constituencies
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has decided on the mechanism to ensure fair distribution of constituencies for the 1994 European parliamentary election ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are still considering this matter and will publish our proposals in due course.
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the annual cost of implementing the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Information on the costs to the police, local authorities, the Crown prosecution service and the courts of operating the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is not available centrally.
Police Batons
Ms Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 March to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby), Official Report, column 76, when the scientific evaluation of the wounding potential of an expandable baton will be completed ; when it is expected that trials will begin ; what current trials of the straight baton are taking place ; who is conducting those trials ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The Home Office police scientific development branch expects to report on the wounding potential of expandable batons soon. In the light of its conclusions, we will be discussing with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis possible future trials of the equipment. It is for individual chief officers of other forces to consider their position as to whether or not to test an expandable baton. Avon and Somerset constabulary and Merseyside police have decided to test expandable batons and are currently training officers in their use. Dorset
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police have issued a 22-inch straight baton to all officers and Northumbria police expect to do so in June, once training has been completed. The Metropolitan police also expect to test alternative straight batons shortly.Racist Organisations
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to restrict the activities of the group called Combat 18 ; what proposals he has to close the headquarters of organisations advocating violence ; and if he will bring forward proposals to make racist violence and harassment a specific offence and to amend the provisions of the Public Order Act 1986 relating to incitement of racial hatred.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The views of racist organisations are unacceptable to the Government and to the public at large. An offence is committed under the Public Order Act 1986 if there is the intention or likelihood of stirring up racial hatred or if threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour takes place. It is for the police and the Crown prosecution service to determine whether proceedings should be brought in any particular case.
The Commission for Racial Equality has made proposals relating to racial violence in its second review of the Race Relations Act 1976. All the recommendations of the review are currently under consideration.
Fire Brigade Workshops
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford on his plans for market testing fire brigade workshops, due for answer on 14 April.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to her question on 15 April, Official Report, columns 725-6.
Primates
Ms Lynne : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in discussions with other member states in establishing a target date after which the use of wild-caught primates in European research laboratories will be prohibited.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The United Kingdom has suggested to other EC member states that they consider setting target dates beyond which the use of specific breeds of primates would be confined to those which had been purpose bred. This matter will be discussed again later in the year at the group of EEC national competent authorities established under Directive 86/609/EEC.
Prison Custody Officers
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison custody officers have been released for other duties as a result of the contracting out of the court escort service in the Humberside and east midlands regions ; and what new tasks have been assigned to these officers.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
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Letter from Mr. I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 27 April 1993 :In the temporary absence of Mr. Lewis, the Director General, from the office, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the numbers of prison officers released for other duties as a result of the contracting out of the court escort service in the East Midlands and Humberside, and the new tasks assigned to these officers.
Our best estimate is that the full time equivalent of 96 officers was freed up as a result of contracting out court escort work. Eighteen posts have been retained at establishments within the contract area and will contribute, as Governors think fit, to the improvement of regimes at those establishments. The remaining staff resources will be redeployed as necessary throughout the Service.
Polling Stations
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what improvements in access to polling stations will have been carried out in Newbury by 6 May.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The acting returning officer has informed me that, since the general election, the location of seven polling stations within the Newbury constituency has been changed as buildings with better access arrangements have been found in the area.
I have asked him to write to the hon. Member with details of these and other steps he has taken.
Mr. Sherman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps he has taken to improve access to polling stations since the general election ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to launch a programme of easier access for disabled people to polling stations.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : It is our long-term aim that all polling stations should be accessible to disabled electors. Councils have a statutory obligation to designate as polling places, wherever possible, only places which are accessible to disabled people. We have recently written to returning officers to remind them of their obligations and to circulate guidance produced by the Spastics Society on improving the accessibility of polling stations. One of the working
Column 356
groups set up as part of our post-election review is also looking at matters relating to access to polling stations. Where it is not possible to use a building affording easy access, we make grants available towards the cost of providing temporary ramps.Angling
Mr. John Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in respect of the disruption of angling competitions in each of the last three years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : The information requested is not recorded centrally.
Sex/Child Abuse
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on how the operation of the current system for granting bail for alleged sex/child abuse offenders operates ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 26 April 1993] : Decisions regarding court bail, whatever the offence charged, are a matter for the courts in the exercise of their judicial discretion within the terms of the Bail Act 1976. That Act establishes a defendant's right to bail. It is for the prosecution to put forward arguments opposing bail, taking account of information provided by the police and, where appropriate, the probation service.
The Probation Service strategy document "Supervision of sex offenders", issued in 1992 specifically stresses the high priority that must be given to checking information relevant to bail where a person is charged with sexual offences, particularly if the case involves potential child victims.
The Government are determined that bail decisions taken at all levels should be based on the best possible information. That is why we have established five bail process projects which are designed to identify ways of improving the process and in the flow of information available to the courts.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Developing Countries
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the recommendations of the United Nations Development Programme on the proportion of developing countries' budgets which should be devoted directly to meeting the priority human needs of their people and the proportion of international aid for development which should directly support those needs.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Through our bilateral aid programmes, and our support for multilateral aid organisations including UNDP, we encourage developing countries to adopt effective poverty reduction strategies and to promote human development, including better education and health, and children by choice. These are two of our priority objectives.
The proportion of international aid directed to meeting basic human needs varies from country to country. Rather than set sectoral spending targets we believe that needs should be assessed on a country basis which enables us to provide effective aid.
Development Assistance
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the unweighted average official development assistance of (a) EC countries and (b) Development Assistance Committee countries, as a proportion of gross national product, in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ; how much the United Kingdom spent by the same measure ; and by how much the United Kingdom would have needed to increase its assistance in cash terms in those years to reach (i) EC and (ii) DAC average expenditure.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Figures for 1990 and 1991 are as follows :
|1990 |1991
---------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Unweighted average net oda as proportion
of GNP
EC average (per cent.) |0.45 |0.46
DAC average (per cent.) |0.47 |0.49
United Kingdom (per cent.) |0.27 |0.32
(b) Increase in United Kingdom oda in cash
terms needed to reach EC average
expenditure (£ million) |950 |840
Increase in cash terms needed to reach
DAC average expenditure (£ million) |1,050|950
Figures for 1992 are not yet available.
Least Developed Countries
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much British aid was spent in the least developed countries in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ; how much this was as a proportion of gross national product ; and by how much British official development assistance to the least-developed countries will have needed to increase in cash terms in those years in order to meet the level recommended by the "United Nations Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries" in 1990.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The information for 1990 and 1991 is as follows. Figures for 1992 are not yet available.
|1990|1991
---------------------------------------------------------------
Official development assistance (ODA) to the
least developed countries (£ million) |462 |545
As a proportion of United Kingdom gross
national product (per cent.) |0.09|0.10
Increase in cash terms needed to meet United
Nations target for aid to the least developed
(0.15 per cent.). Figures rounded to nearest
£10 million (£ million) |360 |310
The Overseas Development Assistance/gross national product ratios are shown to the nearest two decimal points, as published by the OECD development assistance committee. The cash increases required to meet the 0.15 per cent. target are calculated on a more detailed basis.
Aid
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the average expenditure on official development assistance as a proportion of Government expenditure in (a) EC countries and (b) DAC countries in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ; what proportion the United Kingdom spent by the same measure ; and by how much United Kingdom assistance would have had to increase in cash terms in those years to match (a) the EC and (b) the DAC average.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The information for 1990 is as follows. Comparable figures for 1991 and 1992 Government expenditure are not available.
1990
Net ODA as a percentage of central Government expenditure
|Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) EC average |1.10
(b) DAC average |1.18
(c) United Kingdom |0.79
|£ million
Increase in United Kingdom ODA in cash terms<1>
needed to reach EC average expenditure in 1990 |570
Increase in United Kingdom ODA in cash terms<1>
needed to reach DAC average expenditure in 1990 |710
<1> The increases in cash terms are approximate estimates.
Sudan
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the areas of Sudan to which international non-governmental organisations are denied access.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : It is almost impossible to obtain accurate information on areas where NGOs and UN agencies are prevented from operating. At present these include locations in southern Sudan and south Kordofan.
Cuba
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the United States blockade of Cuba on the delivery of United Kingdom emergency aid to that country ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The United States trade embargo has had no practical effect on our emergency aid. We have sourced agricultural fertilisers in Jamaica and milk powder and vitamin tablets in the United Kingdom.
European Development Fund
Mr. Wells : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures the ODA is taking to ensure that money spent by the European development fund is devoted to sustainable economic development.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Sustainable development is recognised as one of the central objectives of Community development policy in title XVII of the Maastricht treaty and in the declaration on development policy to the year 2000 adopted under the United Kingdom presidency.
Guyana
Mr. Jonathan Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on future aid to Guyana.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Following the recent election, and in recognition of the sound economic policies being followed by the Government of Guyana, we have offered £15 million of aid for commitment, as far as possible, over the next three years. We have agreed with the Guyana Government that priorities for support will include public administration, water supplies, education, forestry and agriculture. In addition, we have agreed to convert our outstanding aid loans to Guyana to grants by retrospectively adjusting their terms, with effect from 1 August 1993, in recognition of Guyana's poverty, indebtedness and its continuing commitment to an International Monetary Fund reform programme. The total value of the retrospective terms adjustment package is £36.3 million in principal and £17.1 million in interest, bringing the overall aid to Guyana to over £68 million.
Family Planning
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what details are given by the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Population Fund, in submitting grant applications, including budgets, to his Department, of the particular purposes to which grants from Her Majesty's Government would be put ;
(2) what conditions are placed by Her Majesty's Government on sums given to the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Population Fund for population control purposes.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answers 26 April 1993] : We make annual contributions to IPPF and UNFPA in support of their world-wide activities. Our aid programme gives high priority to enabling women and men to have better access to contraceptive services and reproductive health care. IPPF and UNFPA share these goals. The policies, programmes and budgets of IPPF and UNFPA are examined annually by ODA and other donor governments at the IPPF donors meeting and UNFPA governing council respectively.
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