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Mr. Forth : The information requested on take-up of free school meals in January 1992--the latest date for which information is available-- is shown in the table. Similar information for January 1989 and subsequent years is published annually in the Statistics of Education (Schools) Volumesblished by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy up to 1988 in "--School Meal Statistics at October " copies of which are available in the Library. Information on the number of pupils in receipt of clothing grants is not collected centrally.
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Numbers and percentages of day pupils taking free school meals in maintained schools in
England-January 1992
Primary Secondary Special
(including nursery)
LEA |number |percentage|number |percentage|number |percentage
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporation of London |91 |41
Camden |3,291 |31 |1,762 |17 |143 |48
Greenwich |5,727 |27 |2,204 |16 |250 |36
Hackney |6,567 |40 |2,443 |31 |222 |44
Hammersmith |2,929 |31 |1,236 |21 |145 |38
Islington |5,094 |34 |1,806 |23 |131 |42
Kensington and Chelsea |1,980 |31 |741 |20 |1 |100
Lambeth |6,720 |35 |1,607 |26 |324 |43
Lewisham |5,188 |26 |2,257 |21 |154 |38
Southwark |7,162 |34 |2,433 |27 |160 |45
Tower Hamlets |9,179 |45 |4,406 |40 |269 |57
Wandsworth |4,822 |28 |1,903 |20 |202 |39
Westminster |2,949 |32 |1,992 |28 |63 |47
Barking |2,330 |15 |665 |7 |30 |19
Barnet |2,738 |11 |1,467 |8 |56 |18
Bexley |2,030 |11 |714 |5 |88 |32
Brent |4,574 |21 |1,789 |15 |119 |34
Bromley |2,257 |11 |1,165 |7 |65 |18
Croydon |4,217 |16 |1,466 |9 |157 |31
Ealing |4,830 |17 |1,831 |16 |138 |30
Enfield |3,096 |14 |1,548 |9 |137 |32
Haringey |4,992 |27 |2,240 |26 |116 |34
Harrow |1,277 |7 |536 |7 |40 |20
Havering |1,560 |8 |724 |5 |51 |23
Hillingdon |1,436 |7 |938 |7 |86 |21
Hounslow |2,942 |15 |1,600 |12 |90 |23
Kingston upon Thames |705 |7 |340 |5 |37 |16
Merton |1,982 |13 |706 |10 |64 |26
Newham |5,758 |23 |2,429 |18 |130 |38
Redbridge |1,981 |11 |1,081 |8 |73 |19
Richmond upon Thames |824 |8 |560 |8 |30 |20
Sutton |1,122 |9 |552 |5 |54 |22
Waltham Forest |4,355 |22 |2,102 |17 |214 |28
Birmingham |32,673 |30 |15,042 |23 |1,327 |48
Coventry |6,863 |23 |2,600 |14 |281 |37
Dudley |3,780 |14 |1,711 |10 |183 |32
Sandwell |6,727 |21 |2,329 |13 |328 |42
Solihull |2,572 |13 |892 |6 |81 |29
Walsall |5,823 |20 |2,786 |15 |207 |38
Wolverhampton |5,445 |22 |1,870 |12 |187 |38
Knowsley |6,867 |37 |2,544 |29 |312 |55
Liverpool |15,828 |31 |6,888 |24 |670 |46
St. Helens |3,379 |19 |1,310 |11 |169 |36
Sefton |4,850 |18 |2,308 |12 |163 |38
Wirral |7,391 |24 |3,849 |18 |305 |40
Bolton |4,766 |17 |1,823 |11 |166 |35
Bury |2,334 |14 |806 |8 |99 |40
Manchester |18,506 |40 |6,154 |26 |734 |42
Oldham |5,461 |23 |2,519 |16 |201 |34
Rochdale |4,915 |22 |2,049 |16 |173 |36
Salford |6,748 |29 |1,686 |13 |160 |35
Stockport |3,588 |14 |1,495 |8 |118 |29
Tameside |4,408 |19 |1,637 |12 |143 |35
Trafford |2,942 |15 |1,186 |11 |102 |26
Wigan |5,061 |17 |1,795 |9 |318 |40
Barnsley |4,197 |20 |1,442 |12 |63 |40
Doncaster |6,568 |22 |2,699 |13 |259 |38
Rotherham |4,798 |19 |1,723 |10 |245 |39
Sheffield |9,924 |21 |3,278 |14 |315 |45
Bradford |8,984 |22 |9,588 |21 |310 |32
Calderdale |3,528 |18 |1,403 |11 |50 |25
Kirklees |6,185 |17 |2,742 |10 |205 |36
Leeds |9,398 |17 |7,099 |14 |326 |33
Wakefield |4,707 |16 |2,184 |11 |215 |39
Gateshead |4,640 |26 |1,360 |12 |141 |41
Newcastle upon Tyne |7,605 |33 |2,716 |16 |269 |37
North Tyneside |3,017 |18 |1,526 |10 |161 |37
South Tyneside |4,584 |28 |1,376 |15 |137 |40
Sunderland |7,611 |25 |2,651 |14 |266 |38
Isles of Scilly |8 |5 |23 |25 |0 |0
Avon |12,852 |16 |4,496 |8 |575 |32
Bedfordshire |6,053 |14 |4,629 |10 |293 |28
Berkshire |5,350 |9 |2,018 |4 |336 |21
Buckinghamshire |3,392 |6 |1,366 |4 |322 |25
Cambridgeshire |6,768 |12 |2,907 |7 |212 |23
Cheshire |11,950 |13 |5,033 |8 |291 |25
Cleveland |15,336 |24 |5,650 |14 |548 |40
Cornwall |5,846 |15 |3,058 |11 |101 |42
Cumbria |5,205 |12 |2002 |7 |76 |25
Derbyshire |11,351 |13 |4,662 |8 |375 |30
Devon |11,598 |15 |4763 |8 |434 |28
Dorset |2,995 |7 |2,423 |6 |243 |23
Durham |11,724 |20 |3,968 |11 |402 |43
East Sussex |7,282 |15 |3,071 |9 |384 |30
Essex |14,808 |12 |5,890 |6 |583 |24
Gloucestershire |4,774 |11 |1,905 |6 |351 |29
Hampshire |15,169 |12 |4,579 |5 |864 |25
Hereford and Worcester |3,848 |8 |2,776 |6 |274 |24
Hertfordshire |7,643 |9 |3,744 |6 |387 |24
Humberside |13,969 |17 |6,339 |11 |382 |34
Isle of Wight |1,314 |19 |1,425 |14 |68 |27
Kent |15,577 |13 |6,838 |7 |665 |24
Lancashire |23,320 |18 |10,430 |13 |1,102 |36
Leicestershire |10,669 |14 |4,604 |8 |300 |32
Lincolnshire |2,812 |6 |2,104 |6 |263 |28
Norfolk |7,511 |12 |2,394 |6 |183 |23
North Yorkshire |4,944 |9 |2,012 |5 |162 |20
Northamptonshire |4,441 |9 |3,160 |7 |237 |21
Northumberland |3,210 |15 |2,403 |8 |119 |28
Nottinghamshire |15,939 |18 |6,981 |11 |517 |32
Oxfordshire |3,843 |9 |2,011 |6 |155 |20
Shropshire |4,924 |14 |2,088 |8 |176 |33
Somerset |3,132 |9 |1,726 |6 |161 |27
Staffordshire |13,618 |15 |4,946 |7 |623 |31
Suffolk |4,535 |11 |3,019 |6 |128 |19
Surrey |5,821 |8 |1,338 |3 |273 |19
Warwickshire |4,660 |10 |1,310 |5 |361 |31
West Sussex |4,922 |10 |1,910 |5 |205 |19
Wiltshire |4,676 |10 |1,987 |6 |145 |25
England |681,167 |16 |294,297 |10 |26,504 |32
Pupil Testing
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for including the testing of trigonometry at key stage 4 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : From 1994, trigonometry will be examined at key stage 4 through GCSEs prepared to meet national curriculum requirements in mathematics. In a recent report on this year's GCSE, the Office for Standards in Education identified trigonometry as an area of mathematics where there were often high standards of achievement among candidates.
Schools Capital Programme
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has held with his colleagues regarding increasing the capital programme for schools.
Mr. Forth : Decisions on central Government capital provision for schools were taken as part of the overall discussions within this year's public expenditure survey.
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will consider increasing Coventry education department's capital programme for schools.
Mr. Forth : Capital bids for 1994-95 from all local education authorities are currently under consideration. My right hon. Friend expects to announce annual capital guidelines and voluntary-aided school capital allocations to all authorities, including Coventry, later this month.
Teacher Training
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has for improving teacher training ; and when they will be implemented.
Mr. Robin Squire : My right hon. Friend has set out new standards for initial training which define the
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knowledge and skills new teachers require. Student teachers must spend more time in schools, and schools will be able to play a full part in designing and running courses. Training for primary teachers must include more time on the core subjects. Courses are already being adjusted--all secondary courses must meet the new criteria by September 1994, all primary courses by September 1996. My right hon. Friend has also made arrangements to allow groups of schools to run their own courses. The first started this September, and more will start next year.The Education Bill recently introduced in another place provides for a Teacher Training Agency to underpin these reforms. Subject to the passage of the legislation, the agency will be established in September 1994. It will fund teacher training and related courses ; accredit institutions offering initial teacher training ; and act as a central focus of information and advice about teaching as a career.
Play Groups
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what additional resources he intends to provide for improving facilities for pre-school play groups.
Mr. Robin Squire : The Department for Education is this year making available a grant of £887,000 to the national Pre-School Playgroups Association to improve the education content of playgroup provision by supporting a number of training posts. This compares with a grant of £649,500 in 1992-93. Financial support is also provided by the Department of Health and the Ministry of Defence. Grant to the association for 1994-95 is currently under consideration. Individual playgroups are self-financing and receive most of their income from fees charged to parents, grants from local authorities, and local fund-raising.
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Education Welfare Officers
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many education welfare officers were employed (a) in 1979 and (b) for the latest year for which information is available ; and if he will break the figure down by individual local education authority.
Mr. Forth : The information requested is not centrally available.
Discretionary Awards
Mrs. Browning : To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects the findings of the current national survey of local education authority discretionary award provision to be published.
Mr. Boswell : This survey was commissioned by the Calouste Gulbenkian and Sir John Cass Foundations, with the support of my Department and the Further Education Funding Council, and is being conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research. Accordingly, publication of the survey's findings is not in the Government's hands. I understand that by the middle of November only half of the local education authorities in England and Wales had been able to return the second of the two questionnaires sent to them in May. I very much hope that the remaining authorities will be able to make their returns by the end of December. The survey's steering committee, on which my Department is represented, now expects the findings to be published as a Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation document at the end of March.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Criminal Justice Act 1992
Ms Estelle Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenditure was incurred in the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1992, including the cost of training of lay magistrates ; and what was the cost of implementing the subsequent amending legislation to the Act.
Mr. Maclean : The Criminal Justice Act 1991 contained a wide range of provisions including the introduction of a framework for sentencing, new early release arrangements and provisions relating, among other things, to children's evidence, prisoner escorts and cash limits for magistrates courts. A number of Government Departments and other agencies were involved in implementing the Act. Information about the expenditure which they may have incurred specifically in relation to implementing provisions of the Act is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The training of lay magistrates is carried out by courts locally, and training about the provisions of the 1991 Act was effected within overall training budgets. It is not possible to disaggregate the costs of this training. For similar reasons, it is not possible to identify the cost of implementing the amendments made to the sentencing framework of the 1991 Act by the Criminal Justice Act 1993.
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Crime, Northumberland Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he proposes to tackle youth crime in Blyth Valley and in south-east Northumberland.
Mr. Maclean : My Department is already supporting in different ways a range of local action which has a reduction of the opportunity for, and prevalence of, crime by young people among its objectives. Thus, the local probation service is involved in a number of multi-agency initiatives. An activity project has been set up for more constructive use of leisure time and programmes are being developed to increase training and employment opportunities.
In addition, the Home Office funded Drugs Prevention Newcastle, in collaboration with the Northumbria Coalition Against Crime has produced "Dialogue on Drugs", an educational resource pack on good practice for drugs education which is being disseminated through Education Departments in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. The Government announced on 2 March 1993 further measures to tackle youth crime throughout England and Wales ranging from improving discipline in schools to giving courts a new sentence of detention, the secure training order, for persistent juvenile offenders.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of offenders appearing before the courts in south-east Northumberland were unemployed in each year since 1989 ;
(2) what percentage of offenders in Blyth Valley and south-east Northumberland were aged under 21 years in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Maclean : Information is not collected centrally on the employment status of defendants appearing before the courts. The table shows the number and percentage of offenders by age convicted at Blyth Valley, Morpeth and Wansbeck petty sessional divisions and at the Crown court who were committed by the above mentioned three courts for 1992. 1993 data will not be available until autumn 1994. From 1 April 1993 the three courts combine to form the south-east Northumberland petty sessional division.
Number and percentage of offenders aged under 21 and all ages found
guilty at Blyth Valley, Morpeth and Wansbeck petty sessional divisions
and at the Crown Court by committing Blyth Valley, Morpeth and
Wansbeck petty sessional divisions and type of offence 1992
Under 21 All ages (= 100 per
cent.)
PSD/Type of offence |Number |Per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blyth Valley
Indictable offences |176 |37 |479
Summary non-motoring offences 81 9 895
Summary motoring offences |121 |17 |701
All offences |378 |18 |2,075
Morpeth
Indictable offences |64 |32 |198
Summary non-motoring offences 58 18 317
Summary motoring offences |89 |5 |1,894
All offences |211 |9 |2,409
Wansbeck
Indictable offences |161 |39 |411
Summary non-motoring offences 92 16 579
Summary motoring offences |128 |22 |570
All offences |381 |24 |1,560
Note:-From 1 April 1993 Blyth Valley, Morpeth and Wansbeck PSD combine to form the South East
Northumberland PSD.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new strategies he intends to promote to tackle drug problems in Blyth Valley and in south-east Northumberland.
Mr. Maclean : The Government's overall strategy for tackling drug misuse is aimed at reducing both the supply of and demand for drugs throughout the United Kingdom. Through the local drugs prevention teams we are developing imaginative strategies specifically designed to tackle local drug problems in key areas. Initiatives planned by the team in Newcastle include the launch of a drugs information line and publication of information packs for both young people and parents which will also benefit those living in Blyth Valley and south-east Northumberland.
Obscenity and Violence
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many representations he has received over the last six months on videos available to children and containing pornographic material and scenes of violence ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what recent representations he has received on reform of the laws relating to obscenity ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : We have received a number of representations from hon. Members and others about the availability of pornographic and violent videos, and also about the law relating to obscenity in general. We have made clear our determination to act firmly against those who trade in obscene material, especially those engaged in the deplorable traffic in child pornography. We intend shortly to invite this House to approve legislation which will make child pornography offences under the Protection of Children Act 1978 and offences under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 serious arrestable offences--thereby giving the police increased powers of search and seizure as well as assisting them to break up child pornography rings by arresting those involved. We propose to extend existing legislation so that it will cover simulated child pornography manufactured on computer and to make other important changes to the law as it affects computer pornography. We will also be proposing that courts should have a power of imprisonment for those convicted of possessing child pornography and that the validity of search warrants under the Protection of Children Act should be extended from 14 to 28 days. In addition we propose to extend the powers of local authority trading standards officers and magistrates' courts to enforce the Video Recordings Act 1984.
Our controls on obscene materials and, in particular, on video recordings are already the toughest in Europe, and we will continue to seek suitable ways in which they might be further strengthened. Nevertheless, the final responsibility for what children watch inevitably rests in the home, and it is important that all parents and guardians should ensure that their children are not exposed to unsuitable material.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what consideration he has given to
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appointing a body other than the British Board of Film Classification to undertake statutory responsibility of the classification system under the Video Recordings Act 1984 ; (2) when was the last time he met members of the British Board of Film Classification to discuss the operation of the Video Recordings Act 1984 ;(3) if he will publish the details of the research project being carried out by the British Board of Film Classification into the impact of violent videos on children ; and when he expects to receive a copy of the report.
Mr. Maclean : The Government keep the arrangements for the control of video recordings under constant review, but we have no plans to designate any other persons to undertake the classification of video works currently carried out by the British Board of Film Classification. We believe that the BBFC fulfils its role conscientiously. My officials maintain frequent contact with them. I met Lord Birkett, a Vice-President of the BBFC, to discuss the operation of the Video Recordings Act 1984 earlier this year. The BBFC, together with the BBC, the ITC and the Broadcasting Standards Council, commissioned research into the viewing habits of young offenders and other children of comparable age. It will be for the sponsor bodies to arrange publication of the results of this research ; but I understand that this is likely to be early next year.
North Wales Police
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cautions were administered by the North Wales police for driving- related offences in each year since 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The available information relates to written warnings for alleged motoring offences and is as follows :
Written warnings for motoring offences in north Wales Year |Number --------------------------- 1990 |3,655 1991 |3,781 1992 |<1>3,326 <1> Provisional.
Press and Publicity Officers
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press and publicity officers are currently employed in his Department ; and how many were employed in (a) 1985 and (b) 1979.
Mr. Howard : There are at present 28 members of the information officer class employed as press and publicity officers in the Department's public relations branch. In addition, there are seven information officer grades similarly employed in the Prison Service and one in the national criminal intelligence service.
Precise information for 1985 and 1979 is not readily available, but comparable totals for the Department in those years are believed to be 27 and 24.
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Right of Silence
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received on the abolition of the right of silence in a criminal court ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Since the report of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice was published, we have received 13 letters from right hon. and hon. Members on this issue and 51 letters direct from members of the public and organisations.
Home Affairs Council
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of EC Home Affairs Ministers on 29 and 30 November.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The meeting on 29 and 30 November was the first Interior and Justice Council held under the provisions of the treaty on European union. The main points dealt with were as follows.
The Council agreed, for submission to the European Council on 10 and 11 December, action plans and work programmes for the areas for which under Title VI of the Treaty it is responsible.
The Council took note of the progress made on implementing the work programme on immigration and asylum adopted at Maastricht, and agreed subject to a Spanish reserve a number of matters related to asylum and the practical application of the Dublin convention. It agreed not to seek to transfer competence on the right of asylum to the Community but decided to review the matter before the end of 1995. The Council considered a report on racism and xenophobia and agreed a resolution concerning concrete measures to combat this phenomenon. The Commission gave a presentation on its proposals for Community legislation under Article 100C providing for a list of third countries whose nationals would require a visa to enter member states, and for an amendment of the draft external frontiers convention. The Council agreed that these proposals should be given further consideration when they were received.
The Council agreed broad principles to be observed in drawing up readmission agreements with third countries and will consider at a future meeting the question of the inclusion of a commitment to such agreements in Community co-operation agreements.
The Council considered means of extending cooperation with certain third countries on Title VI matters. It will examine proposals at its next meeting.
The Council noted an interim report on the work being carried out in the field of extradition and instructed officials to produce a final report by the end of 1994.
The Council considered a report by the Presidency on possible Community accession to the European convention on human rights and decided to consult the European Court of Justice about the legal consequences. The United Kingdom expressed strong reservations about the need for this at this stage, given the absence of consensus on the desirability of accession.
The Council noted preparatory work by the Europol drugs unit and progress on the Europol convention. It
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received a report commissioned by Ministers at Kolding in May 1993 on international organised crime and approved the action programme contained in it.The Council discussed the internal and external terrorist threat to member states and decided to examine ways to improve co-operation between member states on counter-terrorism.
The Council adopted recommendations and resolutions on the campaign against money laundering ; on protection of the financial interests of the Community ; on the exchange of information on environmental crime ; and on the responsibilities of organisers of sports events. It also agreed five recommendations aimed at combating trade in human beings for prostitution.
I am placing in the Library of the House the press communique issued following the meeting, and other documents approved by the Council.
Wormwood Scrubs Prison
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each of the projects now under development at Wormwood Scrubs prison, the cost of each project and if funding for each project has been approved and granted.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for these matters 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. D. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 6 December 1993 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your further Question about the current development work at Wormwood Scrubs prison. My letter of 30 November 1993 in reply to your earlier Question about the current development work at the prison explained the work being carried out at the prison and the work planned for the future (published in Hansard on 1 December 1993 col 625). In the final paragraph of my letter I said that a final decision had still to be made about the timing and phasing of proposals to complete the modernisation of the four existing accommodation wings.
Although a precise timetable has still to be determined we are currently planning to start the modernisation of A and B wings in the Autumn of 1994. The work is expected to take two years. Further modernisation work to C and D wings will be carried out after work to A and B wings has been completed. It is too early to give an indication of the likely timing of this work, which will depend on resources available in future years and priorities across the Prison Service estate.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the prison population roll at Wormwood Scrubs prison on Monday 15 November.
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. D. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 6 December 1993 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the prison population roll at Wormwood Scrubs.
On Monday 15 November 1993 there were 829 prisoners in Wormwood Scrubs.
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Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in detail the actions that his Department have taken at Wormwood Scrubs prison following the report of Mr. Justice Tumim.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 6 December 1993 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the action taken by the Prison Service at Wormwood Scrubs prison following the report of His Honour Judge Tumim.
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons made an unannounced short inspection of Wormwood Scrubs prison from 18 to 20 August 1993. The report was submitted to the Secretary of State on 22 November, and it is currently being considered.
Sunday Trading
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the days of the week on which the photographs in the White Paper "Sunday Trading--A Guide to the Options for Reform", Cm 2300, were taken.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We do not know on which day of the week most of the photographs were taken as this is for the most part irrelevant. For example, we do not know on what day of the week the photograph on page 1 of the guide--the 1950s street scene--was taken. But, where a photograph is used clearly to illustrate a specific Sunday activity, the photograph was taken on a Sunday, for example, the photograph of Sunday shopping in Edinburgh on page 5 of the guide.
Sensitive Documents Unit
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the operation of his Department's sensitive documents unit ; how many staff are employed in its operation ; and approrisoners (Attacks)
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, with reference to the subject of attacks on prisoners, he will make it his policy to ensure that the same information is available on both privately and publicly managed prisons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information on assaults on inmates in each Prison Service establishment is published in "Statistics of offences against prison discipline and punishments England and Wales 1992", Cm 2411. A copy is available in the Library of the House.
New Prisons
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much new money is to be made available for the building of the proposed new prisons in England and Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
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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. D. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 6 December 1993 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how much money is to be made available for the building of the proposed new prisons in England and Wales.
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his earlier Question on 1 December 1993 (columns 627-28).
Public Order
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the 1992 figures for prosecutions and convictions under (a) the Public Order Act 1936 and (b) sections 17 to 23 of the Public Order Act 1986 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Court proceedings data for 1992 became available on 3 December 1993 following publication of the Command Paper "Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1992" Cm 2410. Copies of the Command Paper and its four supplementary volumes are available from the Library. Requests for information regarding specific sections of the Public Order Act 1936 can be made direct to room 1824B, S1 division, research and statistics department, Home Office, Lunar house, Wellesley road, Croydon, CR0 9YD.
I will write to the hon. Member regarding sections 17 to 23 of the Public Order Act 1986.
Identity Cards
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the costs of introducing a national identity card scheme.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The costs of an identity card scheme would depend on the administrative details of the scheme and the checks required before an identity card was issued.
In 1989, it was estimated, on the basis of the costs of issuing passports, that the cost of introducing a national identity card scheme would be in the region of £350 million, excluding initial capital costs. Annual running costs were estimated to be between £50 million and £100 million. These figures were based on the unit cost of a passport--then £7.50--and assumed a scheme in which identity cards are issued to all British citizens aged 12 and over. The figures were published on 6 February 1989 at column 468 and on 10 May 1993 at column 340.
In 1991-92, the unit cost of a passport was £10.15. At this cost, the 1989 estimate of the costs of introducing a national identity card scheme would increase to about £475 million.
James Bulger
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the parents of James Bulger will be informed of what custodial tariff is to be applied to Jon Venables and Robert Thompson.
Mr. Howard : I have not yet decided the period of custody to be served for retribution and deterrence in these
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cases. When I have, I will consider what information might be given to the parents of James Bulger, and how that might best be done. In considering what information they might receive I will of course wish to take their own views fully in to account.The arrangements for determining the period of custody which those convicted of murder are required to serve in order to satify the requirements for retribution and deterrence are set out in my replies of 27 July 1993 at columns 863-65, and 4 November 1993 at columns 376-78 , to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence).
Deportation Notices
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide figures for the number of notices of intention to deport issued since the coming into force of the Immigration Act 1988.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The information requested is given in the table.
, Notices of intention to deport issued Year |Number -------------------------------------------- 1988 August to December |1,117 1989 |3,213 1990 |3,001 1991 |3,440 1992 |3,594 1993 January to September |<1>3,309 <1> provisional figure
Emergency Warning System
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the need for a nationally co-ordinated emergency warning system ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : After a review of the civil defence arrangements in the United Kingdom, it was announced on 12 November 1992 that the obsolescent national siren warning system was to be closed down and that future national arrangements for warning the public should be based on the use of radio and television broadcasts. Work is in hand for the new system.
Citizenship Applications
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of applications for British citizenship outstanding at the latest available date ; what was the corresponding figure at the same time in each of the last five years ; what is the average time currently between the receipt of a British citizenship application and a decision being taken ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : On 30 November 1993, the number of recorded outstanding applications for British citizenship was 39,638. The numbers of recorded applications outstanding at the end of November in each of the previous five years were as follows :
|Number
------------------------------
November 1988 |114,152
November 1989 |125,407
November 1990 |88,671
November 1991 |52,713
November 1992 |49,945
During November the average waiting time between the receipt of an application and a certificate being issued was 17 months for certificates of naturalisation and 13 months for certificates of registration. The latter figure includes those certificates issued to minors whose applications were submitted at the same time as their parents' application for naturalisation.
Special Constabulary
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to chief constables concerning explanations being given to those refused recruitment to the special constabulary ; what right of review or appeal exists to applicants refused admission to the special constabulary ; what is the time limit on a fresh application to join the special constabulary being made by a person refused admission ; and if he will make a statement.
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