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Mr. Lang : There are no Forestry Commission woodlands in the Hamilton constituency.
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place a copy of the information contained in the Forestry Commission's sub- compartment data base in the Library.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 11 January 1994] : A print of the Forestry Commission's sub-compartment database would cover about 12,000 pages and form a pile of paper about 3.5 ft high. It would be impractical to place this in the Library, although I would arrange for a copy to be delivered to the hon. Member if he wished. The Forestry Commission is, however, preparing a list of all its woodlands and I shall send a copy to the hon. Member. I shall also arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.
British Rail Order
Mr. George Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will have completed consideration of the British Railways (No. 3) Provisional Order.
Mr. Lang : In line with the procedures laid down in the general orders under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936 which apply to this draft provisional order, discussions on the content of the order are taking place between my officials and the partlamentary agents acting on behalf of the promoters, British Rail. There is outstanding a petition against the draft order and if that petition is not withdrawn, an inquiry will require to be held before parliamentary commissioners. If the petition is withdrawn, I shall make arrangements for the order confirmation Bill to be introduced into Parliament as soon as possible after completion of these discussions and the necessary statutory procedures. It is hoped that the Bill will be in a position to receive Royal Assent before the Easter recess.
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Mr. Laurence Peterken
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his views were sought on 5 November 1993 on the appointment of Mr. Laurence Peterken to the post of special projects director with the national health service management executive ; whether he had already been informed of the adverse comments made about Mr. Peterken, and the comments made in the letter of 6 August referred to at the Select Committee hearing on Wednesday 1 December ; and on what date those comments were drawn to his attention.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 11 January 1994] : My right hon. Friend's views were sought on the possibility of Mr. Peterken being offered a post at national level on the afternoon of 5 November. He first became aware of the contents of the letter of 6 August on 23 November. He first became aware of some comments about Mr. Peterken's performance, both favourable and adverse, in February 1993 and of the content of Mr. Peterken's performance appraisal on 30 November.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his letter of 15 December 1993, to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill, if he will list the areas identified by the new NHS chief executive as requiring a short managerial review which will be undertaken by Mr. Laurence Peterken.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 11 January 1994] : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State did not write to the hon. Member on 15 December 1993. Pursuant to the Minister of State's letter of that date, Mr. Peterken's first task is to review the organisation of the Common Services Agency, which employs 5,000 people and provides services worth £125 million. Thereafter, he will review the arrangements within the NHS for information services and management development.
Advertising
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost of advertising by his Department has been for each year since 1979 and for each of the last 12 months.
Mr. Lang [pursuant to his answer, 16 December 1993, c. 884-85] : Expenditure by my Department on advertising for each of the last 12 months has been :
|£
--------------------------
January |51,000
February |47,000
March |362,000
April |38,000
May |51,000
June |68,000
July |72,000
August |102,000
September |60,000
October |367,000
November |194,000
December |243,000
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Road Accidents
Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the number of road accidents (a) per police officer and (b) per 100,000 population for each year since 1979 for the South Wales, Thames Valley, Kent, Lancashire, Avon and Somerset and Hampshire police authority areas ; and what were the comparable totals for all non-metropolitan and Welsh non-metropolitan police authority areas.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information on ratios of police officers to population levels are contained in the appendices to the annual reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, copies of which are in the Library.
Videos
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to regulate the availability of videos for home viewing which contain gratuitously violent material.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) on 16 December 1993, Official Report , column 780 .
Immigration Controls
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes were made in 1993 to the United Kingdom immigration control arrangements vis-a -vis other member states of the European Community ; and what proposals he has to change those arrangements in 1994.
Mr. Charles Wardle : No such changes to our immigration control arrangements were made in 1993. The possible changes outlined in my reply of 9 July 1993 to the hon. Member, at column 298 , are still under consideration. However, as indicated in my reply of 15 December 1993, Official Report , column 655 , to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence), certain changes to embarkation checks will be introduced on 1 February 1994.
Bryn Melyn
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations he has made into the background to professional qualifications and success record of the Bryn Melyn centre for young offenders prior to his comments to the media on the centre's use of away-from-base treatment on 29 December 1993.
Mr. Maclean : My right hon. and learned Friend's comments on 29 December 1993 were concerned with the relative powers under existing law of courts and social services departments to make decisions on how to deal with young offenders, and with the changes in the balance of these powers proposed in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill which is currently before Parliament.
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European Economic Area
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the provisions of the European Economic Area agreement to extend the free movement provisions of the EC's single market which came into effect on 1 January.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence) on 17 December 1993, Official Report, column 956.
Refugees
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people had their refugee status withdrawn in the last 12 months for which figures are available, and one year and two years earlier.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The available indications are that the number of such cases is small.
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the guidelines laying down the personal circumstances he takes into account in deciding whether it is appropriate in a particular case to remove the grant of exceptional leave to remain.
Mr. Charles Wardle : There are no set guidelines, but it might be appropriate not to renew exceptional leave to remain where, for instance, the particular circumstances which had led to its grant had ceased to apply.
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many dogs have been destroyed as a result of action taken under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 ;
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(2) what plans he has to amend or review the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 ;(3) what has been the annual cost to public funds of legal proceedings brought under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Information on the number of dogs destroyed, and on the cost of legal proceedings in connection with action taken under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, is not collected centrally. However, information on the number of prosecutions, convictions and cautions under the Act during 1992, the first full year of its operation, is given in the tables.
The Act is kept under continuing review. We shall shortly be issuing a further Home Office circular on aspects of the operation of the legislation, but I have no plans to amend the Act.
Defendants cautioned for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 England and Wales 1992 ------------------------------------------------------ Section 1 (2) (a) |4 Section 1 (2) (b) |2 Section 1 (2) (c) |- Section 1 (2) (d) |10 Section 1 (2) (e) |- Section 1 (3) |24 Section 3 (1)<1> |21 Section 3 (3)<1> |5 Section 3 (1)<2> |143 Section 3 (3)<2> |3 <1> Aggravated offences. <2> Non-aggravated offences.
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Defendants Proceeded Against at Magistrates Courts for Offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Aggravated Non-aggravated
offences
offences
England and Wales |Section |Section |Section |Section |Section |Section |Section |Section |Section |Section
1992
|1(2)(a) |1(2)(b) |1(2)(c) |1(2)(d) |1(2)(e) |1(3) |3(1) |3(3) |3(1) |3(3)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total proceeded against |31 |4 |3 |187 |27 |209 |310 |20 |389 |30
Proceedings discontinued |5 |1 |- |44 |6 |30 |35 |5 |37 |4
Withdrawn or dismissed |15 |- |1 |56 |11 |54 |122 |7 |168 |16
Total found guilty |11 |3 |2 |85 |10 |125 |123 |8 |181 |10
Total committed for
sentence |11 |3 |2 |85 |10 |124 |123 |8 |181 |10
Absolute discharge |4 |- |1 |6 |2 |12 |6 |- |11 |-
Conditional disharge |1 |1 |- |17 |- |40 |27 |3 |37 |4
Fine |5 |2 |1 |59 |7 |65 |49 |5 |112 |6
Unsuspended sentence of
imprisonment |- |- |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Immediate custody |- |- |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Otherwise dealt with |1 |- |- |2 |1 |7 |41 |- |21 |-
Note: There were no probation or supervision orders imposed.
Defendants found guilty at Crown Court for offences under
the
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
England and Wales 1992
|Section 3(1)|Section 3(3)
|aggravated |offences
------------------------------------------------------------
Total found guilty |8 |-
Total committed for
sentence |8 |-
Conditional
discharge |3 |-
Fine |3 |-
Otherwise dealt with |2 |-
Animal Experiments
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) designated scientific procedure establishments, (b) procedures carried out by these establishments and (c) project licence holders carrying out these procedures there were in the most recent year for which figures are available ;
(2) how many (a) Home Office inspectors by rank and (b) support staff dealt with experiments on live animals at designated establishments in the most recent year for which figures are available ;
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(3) how many (a) new project licences and (b) new personal licences for scientific procedures on animals were issued in the most recent year for which figures are available.Mr. Charles Wardle : Information about the number of designated establishments, procedures, project licence holders and inspectors is published annually in "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals : Great Britain", 1992 : Cm 2356.
Information about licences issued in 1992 is given in the report of the Animal Procedures Committee for 1992, Cm 2301.
The inspectors are given administrative support by 19 staff who are also responsible for the processing of the licensing arrangements under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present cost of (a) a personal licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, (b) a certificate designating a scientific procedure establishment and (c) a certificate designating a breeding and supplying establishment ; and how much these fees raised in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The fees to be charged in respect of 1993 are :
(a) £108
(b) £120
(c) £545
It is estimated that these fees will raise £2.4 million.
Animal Procedures Committee
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the cost of the Animal Procedures Committee in the most recent year for which figures are available ;
(2) how many full and part-time staff are presently working for the Animal Procedures Committee ;
(3) if he will list the members of the Animal Procedures Committee showing what organisation or interest they represent.
Mr. Charles Wardle : For 1993-94, the estimated cost of the Animal Procedures Committee is £16,663.
The committee is served by two part-time members of staff. The membership of the Animal Procedures Committee as at 1 January 1994 is as follows :
Professor Margaret Brazier, LLB (Chairman), Professor of Law, University of Manchester.
Dr. Michael Balls, MA PhD FIBiol, Head of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) ; Chairman of the Trustees of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME).
Mr. Edward Bernard, FIAT, Chairman, Serotec Ltd.
Professor Barry Bridges, BSc MD, former Professor of Histology, Queen's University, Belfast.
Dr. Fiona Broughton Pipkin, MA DPhil, Professor of Perinatal Physiology, University of Nottingham.
Professor Anthony Dayan, MD FRCP FRCPath FFPM FIBiol. Professor of Toxicology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
Mr. Roger Ewbank, OBE MVSc FIBiol MRCVS, Director of the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW).
Mr. Clive Hollands, Secretary to the Committee for the Reform of Animal Experimentation (CRAE).
Sir Andrew Huxley, OM FRS, Past President, Royal Society. Dr. Susan Iversen, MA PhD, Academic Head of the Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University.
Column 338
Dr. Brian Newbould, BPharm FPS PhD MCPP, formerly Director, International Research Affairs, Zeneca Ltd.Dr. Onora O'Neill, MA PhD, Principal, Newham College Cambridge. Professor Lord Soulsby, MA PhD DVSM AM DSc MRCVS, formerly Professor of Animal Pathology, University of Cambridge.
Professor Michael Spyer, BSc, PhD DSc, Professor of Physiology, Royal Free Hospital Medical School.
Dr. Anthony J. Suckling BSC PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of the RSPCA.
Deportations
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been deported under escort in 1991, 1992 and 1993 ; how many of these were arrested and/or deported under any kind of physical restraint ; how many cases involved private security guards ; how many had been previously found guilty of a criminal offence ; and what was the cost of these operations.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The numbers of deportation orders enforced and the numbers of those enforced following a court recommendation on conviction of a criminal offence were as follows :
|1991 |1992 |1993<1><2>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total |641 |873 |544
Following a court recommendation |385 |474 |259
<1> Provisional
<2> First six months
Race Relations Act 1976
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider proposing the removal from the Race Relations Act 1976 of the exemption of immigration law and practice ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No ; the existing complaints system--monitored by the new complaints audit committee--and disciplinary procedures provide adequate safeguards.
Exceptional Leave to Remain
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many cases of removal of exceptional leave to remain, in the last 12 months for which figures are available, were because of the cancellation of policies towards individual countries and how many arose from individual circumstances ;
(2) how many people granted exceptional leave to remain have had such leave (a) revoked and (b) not renewed in the past 12 months for which figures are available, and one year and two years earlier.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Complete information on the number of persons with exceptional leave whose leave was revoked is not available, but the available indications are that the number is small. The available information for 1992 suggests that the number of persons refused an extension of exceptional leave does not exceed a figure of the order of 15.
Column 339
UN Human Rights Committee
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 1993, Official Report, columns 680-81, if he will list those non-governmental organisations, hon. Members and others who will be consulted in the formation of the policies to be recorded in the United Kingdom's fourth periodic report to the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations in August.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The report will record the numerous existing Government policies, which fulfil the United Kingdom's obligations under the United Nations international covenant on civil and political rights. Information about the organisations and individuals who have been consulted in the formation of these policies is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Immigration Complaints Body
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide the full address and telephone numbers of the new immigration complaints body ; and if he will make it available to all those wishing to lodge a formal complaint about their treatment at Gatwick airport on 21 December 1993.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Anyone who feels aggrieved by his or her treatment by the immigration and nationality department should write to :
Immigration and Nationality Department
Complaints Unit
Room 1213
Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road Croydon CR9 2BY Fax : 081-759 7215
The independent complaints audit committee--CAC--recently appointed to monitor the complaints system, is not responsible for the investigation of individual complaints.
General correspondence for the CAC should be marked "Complaints Audit Committee" and sent to the above address at Lunar house.
Card Phones
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the difference in cost to the user between card phones situated in prisons and those situated elsewhere.
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 A. J. Butler to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 14 January 1994 :
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the cost to the user of calls from card phones situated in prisons, and those situated elsewhere.
Calls from card phones situated in prisons are charged on exactly the same basis as calls from BT card phones situated elsewhere.
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Anti-terrorist Measures
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities have been granted an increase in their capital budget for (a) closed circuit television schemes and (b) other anti- terrorist measures in each of the last five years.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I will write to the hon. Member.
Salman Rushdie
Mr. Gallie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to allow the author Salman Rushdie to achieve a degree of anonymity which will reduce the risk to him in the future ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Arrangements for protecting Mr. Rushdie are an operational matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. It would be inappropriate to comment further on these arrangements.
Security Service
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in preparing the building in Millbank to be used by the Security Service ; if he will give the final figure involved ; what authorisation was given for all the art, decoration and fittings for the use of the Security Service ; and by whom that authorisation was given.
Mr. Howard : The projected outturn cost of the work on Thames house is £227 million. Part of the cost relates to the specialist nature of Security Service requirements on which I am not prepared to comment further. As Thames house is a listed building, some work is being carried out as a result of the requirements of English Heritage.
Burglars
Mr. Sykes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he holds on the reconviction rates of imprisoned burglars, on a comparable basis to the figures he has quoted on domestic burglars given community service orders in 1987.
Mr. Maclean : I will write to my hon. Friend.
Deported Jamaicans
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passengers on flight KT 311 from Kingston, Jamaica, were refused entry at Gatwick airport on 15 December 1993 ; and what were the reasons for the refusals.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Thirty-eight people who arrived on flight BA 1262--KT 311 from Kingston--on 15 December 1993 were refused leave to enter of whom 33 have been removed. The reason for refusal in each case was that the immigration officer was not satisfied that the passenger was genuinely seeking entry for the period of the visit as stated by him.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors from Jamaica were held at (a) Campsfield detention centre, Oxfordshire, and (b)
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