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Taxation
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown), of 14 December, Official Report, column 626, what are the numbers of (a) men and (b) women below (i) the tax threshold and (ii) the national insurance contribution threshold, by standard region of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Hague : I regret that information is not available in the form requested.
Statutory Sick Pay
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the average duration of sickness for those in receipt of statutory sick pay (a) in total and (b) by region.
Mr. Hague : The estimated average number of statutory sick pay days paid in Great Britain in the period 1 April 1991 to 4 April 1992 is 15. This information is not available by region.
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the total number of firms defined as small for the purposes of special compensation for statutory sick pay (a) in total in the United Kingdom and (b) in each region.
Mr. Hague : Subject to parliamentary approval, the existing threshold of small employers' relief will rise from
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£16,000 to £20,000 in 1994-95. We estimate that 750,000 employers in Great Britain will be eligible under the new definition. This information is not available by region. Figures for Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.Benefits Claimants
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people will still be in receipt of special transitional additions in 1994-95 and the percentage of benefit increase taking effect in April.
Mr. Burt : Due to the very small numbers presently in receipt of special transitional addition it is impossible to give an accurate forecast of the number likely to be in receipt in 1994-95. The latest figures available are for February 1993 when 500 people were receiving a special transitional addition. Special transitional additions will increase in April by 3.5 per cent.
Independent Living Fund
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time between the date of application and an award from the independent living--1993--fund.
Mr. Scott : I am informed by the director of the fund that the average time taken for an application to the independent living--1993--fund to progress from initial contact to an offer of payment is 11 weeks. It takes on average a further five weeks for the offer to be accepted by the client and for payment arrangements to be made by the fund.
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the projected underspend of the independent living fund during 1993-94 ; and if this amount will be carried over into the 1994-95 budget.
Mr. Scott : Total provision for the independent living fund is £124 million in 1993-94. The projected underspend
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of the independent living--1993--fund during 1993-94 is £3.5 million. There is no projected underspend for the independentliving--extension--fund. Normal Government accounting rules will apply to any unspent provision.
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for a review of a current award have been made to the independent living--extension--fund ; and how many awards have been increased as a result of this application.
Mr. Scott : I am informed by the director of the fund that the information requested is not available. However, in October 1993 the trustees of the fund initiated a programme of reviews for those clients who, for a number of reasons, were not able to make full use of the original amounts offered to them. Increased funding has now been offered to 766 clients, of whom 166 have accepted the offer made. The value of the increases now in payment is £5,958.40 per week, an average increase of £35.89 per week per client.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Skinner : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are employed by the Child Support Agency ;
(2) how many full-time staff on clerical officer grade or below employed by the Child Support Agency are (a) male and (b) female.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter form R. Hepplewhite to Mr. Dennis Skinner, dated 21 January 1994 :
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking for details about the staffing of the Child Support Agency.
At 1 Janaury 1994, the Agency had 4,937 members of staff, of whom 4,156 were full-time and 781 part-time. Of full-time staff employed in clerical grades and below, 663 were male and 1,696 female. You may also wish to know that work is undertaken on behalf of the Agency by the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency. On 1 January 1994, 440 members of staff at the Centre in Belfast were engaged on work relating to parents with care who live in mainland Britain. Of full-time staff at clerical grades and below employed in this work, 113 were male and 228 female.
I hope you find this information useful.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many copies of the leaflet on proposed changes to child support maintenance have been printed ; when they will be available at local Department of Social Security offices ; what has been the cost of the leaflet ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : Five hundred thousand copies of the leaflet, "Proposed Changes to Child Support Maintenance" were printed. They have been available from local offices since the second week of January. The leaflets were printed at a total cost of £21,691--zero VAT.
Girocheques
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) pursuant to his answer of 10 December 1993, Official Report, column 409, if he will make it his policy
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that the Benefits Agency shall monitor centrally the number of girocheques issued by the Employment Service agency on behalf of his Department and the number of replacement girocheques issued to claimants ;(2) how many girocheques have been issued by his Department for each of the last five years ; and what was the total value of the girocheques issued for each of those years.
Mr. Burt : The administration of payment of benefit by girocheque is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 20 January 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about girocheques issued by the Department of Social Security.
The number of girocheques issued by the Department of Social Security in each of the last five years are as follows :
|DSS issued(million)|Value of DSS issues
|(£ million)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988-89 |30.884 |2,292
1989-90 |34.484 |2,619
1990-91 |14.470 |2,814
1991-92 |36.190 |3,304
1992-93 |27.863 |3,509
As you will be aware from my reply of 9.12.93., the Employment Service acts as our agent in the provision of girocheques to those who are unemployed and claiming Income Support. Data relevant to the number of girocheques issued cannot be separately identified as some girocheques are paid for a combination of benefits.
We are advised of the number of girocheques issued by Employment Services and we are able to identify the total amount paid in respect of both Department of Social Security and Employment Service benefits. However, as a number of girocheques are issued for a combination of benefits administered by both Agencies, it is not possible to state how many girocheques were issued for Benefit Agency payments only, Employment Service payments only, or a combination of payments in respect of both Agencies.
Within the Benefits Agency we are constantly monitoring the volume of losses of all Instruments of Payment including girocheques. Methods of preventing and reducing Instrument of Payment fraud are being developed in conjunction with Post Office Counters Ltd, Royal Mail and the Employment Services. One of the areas we are seeking to improve is the Management Information System providing details of girocheque issues and losses. We are examining our systems to determine the detail we require to combat girocheque fraud. The decision on what information we collate centrally and subsequent implementation will be made after considering the costs involved and usefulness of such information.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Market Testing
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what stage the market-testing process has reached in the DSS offices in Ayrshire ; when he expects contracts to be awarded for these services ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : The market testing process in the DSS offices in Ayrshire is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
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Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 20 January 1994 :The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about the progress of the market testing exercise in DSS offices in Ayrshire.
The Benefits Agency is market testing accommodation and office services and management training services to all the Agency's offices in Scotland. Tenders for the provision of management training have been received and a contract will be awarded in the near future. Invitations to tender for messenger and security services have been issued and a contract is expected to be awarded in March. Invitations to tender for typing and telephonist services are expected to be issued in about six months time and a contract awarded about two months later.
I hope that my reply has been helpful.
Loans
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each scheme operated by his Department under which loans are available, the objectives of the scheme, the number of unrecovered loans, the total value of unrecovered loans, the average number of unrecovered loans for each year since 1990, the average value of unrecovered loans for each year since 1990 and the annual cost of recovering loans.
Mr. Scott : The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available. Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 20 January 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about loan schemes which are operated by his Department.
The Social Fund (SF) scheme is intended to help people to meet large intermittent or unexpected expenses. There are two types of interest free loans available from the SF--Budgeting Loans (BL) and Crisis Loans (CL). BLs are available to people who have been on Income Support for at least 26 weeks to help with important expenses which are difficult to budget for out of weekly benefit. CLs are available to people who need financial help to meet expenses in an emergency or a disaster, whether they are receiving any benefit or not. However, a CL can only be awarded if it is the only way to prevent serious risk, or serious damage, to the health or safety of that person or a member of his family.
The table at Annex A provides details of the number and total amount of unrecovered loans for each of the financial years ending March 1990 to March 1992 (latest year available).
SF loans are normally recovered by weekly deductions from benefit. Customers can only repay one loan at a time, so recovery of any subsequent loans is deferred to a later date. The amount outstanding therefore includes loans which have been deferred and also loans where recovery is continuing, but which have only been partially repaid.
You also asked for the annual cost of recovering loans. Unfortunately this information is not available.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Annex A
Year End Date |Number of loans |The value of the
|loans
|unrecovered |unrecovered
|(Thousands) |£ (Millions)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
31 March 1990 |814.95 |107.691
31 March 1991 |992.90 |138.783
31 March 1992 |1,312.30 |178.376
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Housing Benefit
Ms Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 11 January on housing benefit to private sector tenants, if he will provide a breakdown by each housing authority in Great Britain of the amount of DSS subsidy and local authority expenditure for the years 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Mr. Burt [holding answer 14 January 1994] : The information is not available in the form requested for the financial year 1989-90. In view of the amount of data involved, I am arranging for copies of the available information to be placed in the Library.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Central Drugs Co-ordination Unit
Mr. Page : To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans the Government have to set up a central drugs co-ordination unit.
Mr. Newton : My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced in a written answer on 16 December 1993, Official Report , column 780 , that a central drugs co-ordination unit was to be attached to the Privy Council Office. The unit will come into being on 24 January 1994 and report to me as chairman of the Cabinet Committee on drugs issues.
Parliamentary approval to this new service will be sought in a spring supplementary estimate for the Privy Council vote--class XIX, vote 3. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure, estimated at £40, 000, will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Flight ULE 966
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of (a) 22 December regarding the detention of passengers on flight ULE 966 from Jamaica and (b) 10 January regarding the detention of the pregnant wife of Mr. Graham Doughty of Nottingham.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I replied to the hon. Member's letters of 22 December and 10 January on 12 and 18 January respectively.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what redress he will offer Mrs. Maria Doughty of Honeymead drive, Daybrook Lane, for being held at Gatwick airport on 22 December 1993 before being allowed to join her husband in Nottingham.
Mr. Charles Wardle [holding answer 20 January 1993] : I have written to the hon. Member about this case. I do not believe that any redress is justified.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the Jamaicans, detained from flight JQ001, were transferred to prison detention after leaving the Campsfield detention centre ; and which prisons were used.
Mr. Charles Wardle : One who was transferred to HM prison Pentonville.
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Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent flight ULE 966 from Kingston, Jamaica on 21 December 1993 was targeted by immigration officials ; and at what level in his Department such decisions are taken.
Mr. Charles Wardle : For the reasons given in my letters of 12 and 18 January to the hon. Member, prior arrangements were made by immigration service managers at Gatwick, in consultation with senior officers at immigration service headquarters to enable a potentially large number of individual interviews to be conducted. Every decision to refuse entry was individually authorised by an officer of chief immigration officer or inspector grade, as the immigration rules require.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline the nature of the contingency planning that took place in relation to flight ULE 966 from Kingston, Jamaica, that arrived on 21 December 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The contingency planning included arrangements for the disembarkation of the aircraft in stages, the provision of a gate lounge where passengers could sit while awaiting interview, and making available additional immigration officers from the other Gatwick offices. The immigration service was also provided with a passenger manifest 3 hours prior to the aircraft's arrival. Further details are contained in my letters of 12 and 18 January to the hon. Member.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason passengers on board flight ULE 966 were segregated into distinct groups before they were allowed to disembark ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Passengers on board flight ULE 966--JQ0001-- were not segregated into groups before being allowed to disembark. European Community nationals and a number of unaccompanied children were invited to leave the aircraft first. The other passengers were asked to disembark progressively in groups by row number.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specific evidence he has linking any of the 178 Jamaicans arriving on flight ULE 966 on 21 December 1993 who were detained, with criminal activity or with drug pushing.
Mr. Charles Wardle : There is no evidence that any of these passengers is involved in criminal activity.
Theft
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Home Department (1) how many prisoners convicted for theft were unemployed at the time of their arrest ;
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(2) what were the educational attainments of prisoners convicted for theft at the time of their conviction for the latest available date.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 D. Lewis to Mr. Frank Field, dated 21 January 1994 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions as to how many prisoners convicted for theft were unemployed at the time of their arrest, and what were the educational attainments of prisoners convicted for theft at the time of their conviction for the latest available date.
No information is held centrally on convicted prisoners' employment status at the time of arrest. However, the National Prison Survey, conducted in January and February 1991, found that 59 per cent. of convicted prisoners whose principal offence was burglary or another offence involving theft were not in paid work just before they came to prison ; 31 per cent. said they were unemployed seeking work. The National Prison Survey can also provide information on prisoners' educational qualifications. It found that qualifications of convicted prisoners whose principal offence was burglary or another offence involving theft were as follows :
|Per cent.
-----------------------------------------------------
Degree or teaching qualification |1
Other higher qualification |2
A level or equivalent |2
O level or equivalent |36
Apprenticeship |7
Foreign qualification |<1>-
Commercial |<1>-
Any other qualification |3
No qualification |48
<1>Less than one.
About one third of those with O level or equivalent qualifications said that some had been attained in prison, as did about a half of those with higher qualifications.
The National Prison Survey had a total sample of almost 4,000 offenders. The total number of respondents in the sample convicted of burglary and other offences involving theft was 675. The statistics presented here are estimates, and there may be some sampling error. There are no more detailed or up-to-date figures held centrally.
Terrorism
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the incidents of terrorist activity in Great Britain since 21 February 1989 attributable to groups (a) connected with Northern Ireland and (b) not connected with Northern Ireland.
Mr. Howard : The list classifies acts of terrorism according to the definitions in section 14(2) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.
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Incidents of terrorist activity in Great Britain since 21 February 1989
Date |Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland
22 September 1989 |Royal Marines School of Music, North Barracks, Deal, Kent |Device exploded. Eleven people killed and 21 people injured.
15 November 1989 |Kelso Place, Kensington |Device made safe.
18 November 1989 |Married Quarters, Messines Road, Colchester |Device exploded. Two people injured.
16 January 1990 |Army HQ, SE District, Aldershot |Device made safe.
20 February 1990 |Combined Services Recruitment Centre, Rutland Street, Leicester |Device exploded. Two people injured.
25 February 1990 |Army Recruiting Office, New Road, Halifax |Device exploded.
14 May 1990 |Service Education Centre, Eltham, South London |Device exploded. Five people injured.
16 May 1990 |Army Recruiting Centre, Wembly, Middlesex |Device exploded. One person killed and four people injured.
1 June 1990 |Lichfield Railway Station, Staffordshire |One person killed and two people injured in shooting.
9 June 1990 |Honourable Artillery HQ, City Road, London |Device exploded. 19 people injured.
12 June 1990 |West Green House, Hartley Witney, Hampshire |Device made safe.
21 June 1990 |RAF Stanmore Park, Uxbridge |Device exploded.
25 June 1990 |Carlton Club, St. James, London |Device exploded. 20 people injured.
6 July 1990 |The Strand, London WC2 |Device exploded.
20 July 1990 |Stock Exchange, London |Device exploded.
30 July 1990 |The Dog House, Hankham, near Pevensey |Device exploded. One person killed.
6 August 1990 |Woronzow Road, St. Johns Wood, London |Device made safe.
13 August 1990 |Pye Barn, Moulsford, Didcot |Device made safe.
10 September 1990 |Army and Navy Recruiting Office, Derby |Device exploded.
17 September 1990 |Army Information Office, Finchley, London |One person injured in shooting.
18 September 1990 |Milford, Staffordshire |Two people injured in shooting.
27 September 1990 |Royal Overseas League, Park Place, London WC1 |Device made safe.
24 January 1991 |Territorial Army Firing Range, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire |Device exploded.
7 February 1991 |Downing Street, London SW1 |Three mortar bombs fired. One person injured.
18 February 1991 |Paddington Station, London |Device exploded.
18 February 1991 |Victoria Station, London |Device exploded. One person killed and 38 people injured.
25 February 1991 |Napsbury Lane, St. Albans |Device exploded.
3 April 1991 |Preston Railway Station, Preston, Lancashire |Devices made safe.
5 April 1991 |Arndale Shopping Centre, Manchester |Devices exploded.
28 June 1991 |Beck Theatre, Hayes, Middlesex |Device made safe.
30 June 1991 |Royal Navy and RAF Recruiting Office, Fishergate Centre |Device made safe.
5 August 1991 |Cambridge Public House, Charing Cross Road, London |Device exploded.
29 August 1991 |London Underground Depot, Hammersmith |Devices made safe.
31 August 1991 |Bargain Bookshop, Charing Cross Road, London |Device made safe.
15 November 1991
St. Albans, Hertfordshire |Device exploded. Two people killed and one person injured.
1 December 1991 |The Discount Furniture Store Habitat,The World of Leather, The Reject Shop, Tottenham Court Road |Devices exploded.
2 December 1991 |Littlewoods, Oxford Street, London W1 |Devices exploded.
7-8 December 1991 |Various locations in Blackpool |Devices discovered.
8 December 1991 |Arndale Centre, Manchester |Devices exploded.
14 December 1991 |Brent Cross Shopping Centre |Devices discovered.
15 December 1991 |Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, London WC2 |Device exploded.
16 December 1991 |Railway line near Clapham Junction |Device exploded.
23 December 1991 |Ilford Underground Depot |Device exploded.
|Neasden Underground Depot |Device exploded.
|Train at Harrow-on-the-Hill |Device exploded.
10 January 1992 |Whitehall Place London SW1 |Device exploded.
17 January 1992 |Marquis of Granby Public House, Shaftesbury Avenue, London |Devices exploded.
30 January 1992 |Elephant & Castle Underground Depot, London |Devices discovered.
3 February 1992 |Neasden Underground Depot |Device discovered.
7 February 1992 |London Underground Sidings between Barking & Upney Stations |Device exploded.
11 February 1992 |Telephone box, Parliament Street, London |Device made safe.
28 February 1992 |London Bridge Railway Station, London |Device exploded. 29 people injured.
29 February 1992 |Crown Prosecution Service, Furnival Street, London |Device exploded. Two people injured.
1 March 1992 |White Hart Lane BR Station, Tottenham, London N17 |Device made safe.
10 March 1992 |Near Wandsworth Common Railway Station, London |Device exploded.
6 April 1992 |Bridle Lane, near Piccadilly Circus, London |Device exploded.
10 April 1992 |St. Mary Axe, City of London |Device exploded. Three people killed, 91 people injured.
11 April 1992 |Staples Corner, Junction of M1 and North Circular |Device exploded.
13 April 1992 |Army Careers Information Office, Derby |One person killed in shooting.
9/10 May 1992 |Metro Centre, Gateshead |Devices exploded.
7 June 1992 |Royal Festival Hall, London |Device exploded.
8 June 1992 |A64 Leeds-York near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire |One person killed and one person injured in shooting.
10 June 1992 |Wilcox Place, Victoria Street |Device exploded.
15 June 1992 |St. Albans Street, near Piccadilly Circus |Device exploded.
17/18 June 1992 |Marks and Spencer, Leeds |Device made safe.
|Stop and Shop, Leeds |Device exploded.
|Waterstones Bookshop, Leeds |Devices discovered.
25 June 1992 |Coleman Street, City of London |Device exploded. One person injured.
30/31 July 1992 |Milton Keynes (Shops, Library) |Device exploded.
25 August 1992 |Shropshire Regimental Museum and two furniture shops, Shrewsbury |Devices exploded.
6 September 1992 |London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London |Device exploded.
17 September 1992 |Madame Tussaud's, Marylebone Road, London |Devices exploded.
|The Planetarium, Marylebone Road, London |Device exploded.
|Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London |Devices exploded.
7 October 1992 |Junction of The Haymarket and Panton Street, Piccadilly |Device exploded. Five people injured.
|Near Centre Point, Flitcroft Street, London WC2 |Device exploded.
8 October 1992 |Tooley Street, London SE1 |Device exploded. One person injured.
|Melcombe Street, London NW1 |Device exploded.
9 October 1992 |Royal British Legion, Nursery Road, Southgate N14 |Device exploded.
|Car Park, Arnos Grove Underground Station |Device exploded.
10 October 1992 |Paddington Green PS, Harrow Road, Paddington, W2 |Device exploded. One person injured.
12 October 1992 |Sussex Arms Public House, Long Acre, Covent Garden |Device exploded. One person killed and four people injured.
19 October 1992 |Novotel Hotel, Shortlands, Hammersmith, W6 |Device exploded.
|Oxenden Street, London SW1 |Device exploded. Two people injured.
21 October 1992 |Railway Line, near Silver Street Station, Edmonton |Device exploded. Two people injured.
|Princess Louise Territorial Army Centre, Hammersmith Road, W6 |Device exploded. Three people injured.
|Railway Line, near Harrow Road (Junction with Furness Road) NW10 |Device exploded.
22 October 1992 |Sewage Pipe, Wick Lane, E3 |Device exploded.
25 October 1992 |25-28 Morpeth Terrace, London SW1 |Device exploded.
30 October 1992 |Whitehall, London SW1 (near Downing Street) |Device exploded.
14 November 1992 |Stoke Newington Road, London, N16 |Device discovered. One person injured in shooting.
15 November 1992 |Canada Tower, Canary Wharf |Device made safe.
16 November 1992 |Collingwood Street, Bethnal Green, E1 |Device made safe.
1 December 1992 |Stephens Street/Tottenham Court Road |Device made safe.
3 December 1992 |Deansgate and Cateaton Street, Manchester |Two Devices exploded. 11 people injured.
9 December 1992 |Woodside Park Underground Station, North London |Device exploded.
10 December 1992 |Wood Green Shopping Centre, London |Two devices exploded. 11 people injured.
16 December 1992 |John Lewis Department Store, Oxford Street |Device exploded. One person injured.
|Cavendish Square, Oxford Street |Device exploded.
22 December 1992 |Hampstead Tube Station |Device exploded.
6 January 1993 |Reject Shop, Plaza Shopping Centre, Oxford Street |Device exploded.
|Dillon's Bookshop, Northumberland Avenue |Device exploded.
|C & A, Oxford Street |Device exploded.
|Video Shop, 60 Oxford Street |Device exploded.
28 January 1993 |Harrods, Brompton Road, SW1 |Device exploded. Two people injured.
3 February 1993 |Train at Kent House Station, Kent |Device exploded
|South Kensington Tube Station, London |Device exploded
7 February 1993 |Quarry at Westbury-Sub-Mendip, Somerset |Two men arrested attempting to break into explosives store.
10 February 1993 |Cadogan Place, London SW1 |Device exploded.
26 February 1993 |Warrington, Cheshire |One person injured in shooting.
|Warrington, Cheshire |Device exploded.
27 February 1993 |Camden High Street, London |Devices exploded. 18 people injured.
20 March 1993 |Bridge Street, Warrington, Cheshire |Two small devices exploded in litter bins in shopping area. Two children killed and 55 people injured, four extremely seriously.
7 April 1993 |Argyle Square, London WC1 |Small device exploded in builder's skip. No injuries.
23 April 1993 |North Shields, Northumbria |Small device exploded at oil refinery. No injuries.
24 April 1993 |Bishopsgate, London EC2 |Very large HME device exploded in tipper truck. One man killed and 44 people injured. Very extensive damage.
24 April 1993 |Manor House, N4 |Small device exploded in hijacked minicab, no injuries.
9 May 1993 |Galleries Shopping Centre, Bristol |Two incendiary devices ignited causing little damage.
12 May 1993 |Reject Shop, Cornmarket, Oxford |Small device discovered-had malfunctioned.
9 June 1993 |Gateshead, Tyne and Wear |Device exploded at gas installation. Some damage.
10 June 1993 |North Shields, Northumbria |Device exploded at oil refinery.
28 August 1993 |Wormwood Street, London (City) |Small device discovered and made safe. No damage, no injuries.
16 September 1993 |Curzon Phoenix Cinema, Charing Cross Road |Two small malfunctioned incendiary devices found. No damage, no injuries.
|MGM Cinema, Shaftsbury Avenue |One small malfunctioned incendiary device found. No damage, no injuries.
2 October 1993 |Finchley Road, London |Three small devices exploded. Five people injured some localised damage. One device found and made safe.
4 October 1993 |Tottenham Lane, London |Two devices exploded. No injuries. Some localised damage.
|Archway Road, London |Two devices exploded. No injuries. Some localised damage.
|Highgate High Street, London |One device exploded. No injuries, some localised damage. A second device discovered and made safe.
8 October 1993 |Junction of Coles Green Road and Humber Road near the North Circular Road junction at Staples Corner. |One device exploded. No injuries. Some localised damage.
|Outside the Blacklion Public House at 295 West End Lane |One device exploded. No injuries. Some localised damage.
|Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London |Devices exploded.
24 October 1993 |Reading British Rail Station |One device made safe. One device exploded causing some damage to railway equipment. No injuries.
|Basingstoke British Rail Station |One device made safe.
|Railway line, Dorton near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire |Small device exploded. Minor damage, no injuries.
29 October 1993 |Edwardes Square, Kensington High Street, London |Small device exploded beside a car. Extensive damage to car, no injuries.
14 December 1993 |Railway line near Woking station. |Small device exploded on railway line. Slight damage to line. No injuries.
16 December 1993 |Railway line near Brookwood and Farnborough stations |Two devices discovered disrupted by means of a controlled explosion.
20 December 1993 |King Edward Buildings, Sorting Office, London EC1 |Postal device discovered. Made safe. No damage, no injuries.
|Travellers Tavern, Elizabeth Street, Victoria, London SW1 |6 devices discovered in suitcases. No injuries. One ignited, minor damage.
|Mount Pleasant Sorting Office, Rosebury Avenue, London EC1 |Package exploded. No injuries, minor damage.
|Northfields Tube Station, Ealing, London W13 |Small device exploded in a litter bin. No significant damage. No injuries.
(b) Other acts of terrorism
9 April 1989 |Haigh and Hochland, Manchester |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
9 April 1989 |W. H. Smith, Moseley, West Midlands |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
9 April 1989 |Dillons, London |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
9 April 1989 |Collets, London |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
9 April 1989 |Books for a Change, London |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
13 May 1989 |Penguin Bookstore, London |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
6 July 1989 |Collets, London |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
3 August 1989 |Beverley House Hotel, London |Terrorist killed by own bomb.
3 September 1989 |Liberty's, London |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'. Passer-by injured.
3 September 1989 |London Bookshop |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
13 September 1989 |Penguin Bookstore, Peterborough |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling the Satanic Verses'.
|Penguin Bookstore, York |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
|Penguin Bookstore, Guildford |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling or thought to be selling the Satanic Verses'.
14 September 1989 |Penguin Bookstore, Nottinghamshire |Firebomb attack on bookshop selling, or thought to be selling, the Satanic Verses'.
29 October 1993 |Turkish Airlines Office, London |Petrol bomb thrown.
4 November 1993 |Turkish Embassy, Belgrave Square, London |Petrol bombs thrown. Minor damage. No injuries.
|Turkish Airlines Office, London |Petrol bombs thrown. No injuries.
|London Islamic Turkish Association Centre, N16 |Petrol bombs thrown. Extensive fire damage. No inuries.
|British Telecom Office (wrongly identified as T C Zjraat Bank), EC2 |Bricks and petrol bombs thrown. Minor injuries.
|Sabanci Turkish Bank, EC2 |Petrol bomb thrown. Minor damage. Member of public injured.
Mr. Keith Whitehouse
Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether Keith Whitehouse's name was placed on the police national computer, in accordance with Home Office rules, in order to alert police forces that he was wanted, after he failed to return from home leave in January 1991 :
(2) whether Keith Waterhouse was eligible for home leave under the Home Office rules barring leave for prisoners suffering from mental disorder ; and when he was given home leave from HMP Risley in January 1991.
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 D. Lewis to Mr. Tony Blair, dated 21 January 1994 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the eligibility of Keith Whitehouse for home leave from prison in January 1991 and whether his name was placed on the Police National Computer after he failed to return to Risley prison on 11 June 1991. I have set out the circumstances and background in some detail because I think you will find it helpful in this tragic case. In January 1991 Mr. Whitehouse, then known as Nico Constantine or Keith Nicholas Constantine, was at Featherstone prison not Risley. He was a category C prisoner and was granted home leave between 18 and 21 January 1991 so that he could arrange a date for his wedding. He returned to Featherstone on time.
He was later transferred to Lancaster prison and then moved to Risley in May 1991. He was allowed another period of home leave between 5-11 June, which had been agreed at Lancaster. The governor of Risley had no reason to interfere with that
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decision. He failed to return and was unlawfully at large until his arrest on 28 November 1991. He would have been released from prison at the end of his sentence on 29 August 1991.Prisoners who are "considered to be mentally ill or suffering from mental disorder, or who have been committed to prison as a place of safety" are ineligible for consideration for home leave. The definition of mental disorder is considered to be a condition requiring psychiatric care or treatment under the terms of the 1983 Mental Health Act. Mr. Whitehouse had been described in a report to court in 1990 as having a "psychopathic personality disorder", but he was not considered mentally ill and did not require psychiatric treatment. On each occasion when he was considered for home leave, prison doctors considered his case. They did not find any medical reason to suggest leave should not be granted.
When a prisoner escapes, absconds or fails to return from temporary absence such as home leave it is the responsibility of the governor to inform the local police force. This was done within four hours of Mr. Whitehouse's failure to return on 11 June 1991. The Cheshire Police incident log confirms that Keith Nicholas Constantine was reported as unlawfully at large from Risley. I am advised that it is now impossible to confirm whether Cheshire Police then passed his details to the Police National Computer, as this data would have been deleted from the computer after 13 months.
I naturally regret the very tragic outcome in this case. But I am satisfied that Mr. Whitehouse's requests for home leave were properly considered according to the rules that existed in 1991. His failure to return was properly reported to the police.
Revised instructions now apply to requests for home leave. In particular, governors are required to make a rigorous risk assessment in each case, which is aimed at reducing the likelihood of further tragedies occurring.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female nationals of other European countries were either remand or sentenced prisoners being held in prisons in England and Wales as of 10 January.
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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 D. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 21 January 1994 : Male and Female Nationals from other European Countries-- The home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many (a) male and (b) female nationals of other European countries were either remand or sentenced prisoners being held in prisons in England and Wales as of 10 January.
The latest available provisional information is for prisoners in Prison Service establishments on 30 September 1993. On that date there were 1,022 males (of whom 309 were remanded and 713 were sentenced) and 46 females (of whom 17 were remanded and 29 were sentenced) recorded as nationals of European countries other than the United Kingdom. These figures exclude those for whom a nationality was not recorded.
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Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female nationals of each African country were either remand or sentenced prisoners being held in prisons in England and Wales on 10 January.
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 D. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 21 January 1994 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many (a) male and (b) female nationals of each African country were either remand or sentenced prisoners being held in prisons in England and Wales on 10 January.
The latest available information is given in the attached table.
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