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Mr. Jack : My right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Wales hope to issue a consultation document on the amended reorganisation scheme shortly.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the contracts presently held for disposal of bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected carcases.
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Mr. Soames : The Ministry presently holds nine contracts for the incineration and 65 contracts for the transportation of carcases of cattle suspected of being affected by BSE, with companies throughout Great Britain. Specific information relating to these contracts is classified as commercial-in-confidence.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of cases of BSE by county for each month from January to December 1993.
Mr. Soames : The numbers of cases of BSE in Great Britain listed by month of confirmation and county from January to December 1993 inclusive, are as follows :
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Total number of cases by month confirmed and county-1993 County/month year |January |February |March |April |May |June |July |August |September |October |November |December |Total ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Avon |82 |63 |65 |55 |59 |53 |38 |37 |31 |57 |58 |37 |635 Bedfordshire |11 |8 |13 |7 |4 |11 |8 |6 |6 |2 |9 |13 |98 Berkshire |21 |14 |14 |8 |18 |9 |8 |13 |13 |15 |17 |7 |157 Borders |15 |20 |15 |11 |15 |15 |5 |9 |10 |10 |13 |16 |154 Buckinghamshire |46 |37 |30 |23 |33 |21 |19 |27 |19 |23 |34 |21 |333 Cambridge |14 |15 |13 |7 |12 |16 |11 |7 |6 |9 |12 |8 |130 Central |3 |9 |10 |1 |5 |2 |11 |5 |3 |4 |9 |5 |67 Cheshire |166 |172 |136 |122 |115 |142 |98 |125 |100 |109 |166 |106 |1,557 Cleveland |6 |8 |7 |4 |4 |5 |0 |9 |2 |5 |3 |5 |58 Clwyd |48 |67 |54 |53 |39 |67 |51 |50 |48 |54 |49 |44 |624 Cornwall |145 |318 |222 |209 |129 |205 |156 |79 |151 |218 |135 |157 |2,124 Cumbria |149 |134 |117 |150 |88 |94 |79 |83 |104 |90 |145 |95 |1,328 Derbyshire |96 |84 |130 |75 |54 |103 |47 |64 |79 |63 |96 |50 |941 Devon |285 |330 |250 |242 |209 |218 |214 |281 |232 |208 |253 |190 |2,912 Dorset |180 |181 |162 |203 |107 |181 |110 |163 |124 |131 |178 |102 |1,822 Dumfries |72 |58 |68 |45 |66 |66 |36 |56 |22 |68 |68 |46 |671 Durham |23 |16 |14 |12 |13 |14 |3 |12 |12 |20 |16 |16 |171 Dyfed |190 |229 |179 |157 |151 |149 |136 |119 |133 |130 |194 |136 |1,903 Essex |20 |14 |21 |13 |19 |18 |14 |18 |11 |15 |22 |14 |199 Fife |13 |8 |7 |8 |10 |6 |3 |9 |10 |8 |9 |14 |105 Glamorgan Mid |5 |4 |5 |5 |3 |4 |4 |1 |4 |1 |10 |5 |51 Glamorgan South |8 |16 |11 |5 |9 |7 |7 |8 |9 |9 |10 |7 |106 Glamorgan West |6 |2 |1 |0 |6 |3 |3 |0 |2 |6 |4 |3 |36 Gloucestershire |95 |57 |82 |52 |50 |40 |31 |47 |41 |60 |63 |34 |652 Grampian |35 |43 |29 |36 |26 |34 |29 |21 |27 |36 |47 |33 |396 Gwent |27 |37 |31 |19 |25 |11 |16 |22 |13 |13 |23 |18 |255 Gwynedd |17 |20 |19 |11 |14 |12 |9 |12 |16 |17 |17 |22 |186 Hampshire |91 |39 |106 |51 |81 |63 |51 |49 |67 |40 |72 |29 |739 Hereford & Worcester |54 |77 |52 |55 |61 |38 |35 |50 |58 |50 |70 |46 |646 Hertfordshire |17 |9 |12 |6 |19 |22 |4 |15 |8 |14 |16 |14 |156 Highland |12 |7 |7 |5 |4 |9 |4 |11 |4 |6 |9 |11 |89 Humberside |31 |19 |19 |15 |20 |16 |12 |22 |17 |16 |13 |14 |214 Isle of Wight |14 |8 |24 |14 |13 |18 |3 |5 |8 |11 |13 |6 |137 Kent |64 |17 |34 |25 |63 |52 |23 |30 |48 |25 |35 |39 |455 Lancashire |158 |105 |130 |173 |103 |125 |78 |89 |104 |95 |120 |75 |1,355 Leicestershire |88 |38 |67 |59 |37 |68 |51 |39 |61 |38 |78 |40 |664 Lincolnshire |27 |5 |24 |13 |23 |31 |11 |16 |14 |34 |25 |29 |252 London |2 |1 |8 |3 |3 |4 |0 |4 |1 |3 |1 |4 |34 Lothian |8 |8 |5 |6 |3 |8 |3 |4 |3 |9 |3 |8 |68 Manchester |9 |3 |12 |8 |12 |12 |6 |4 |4 |8 |11 |5 |94 Merseyside |2 |1 |4 |5 |0 |1 |1 |1 |5 |0 |4 |1 |25 Norfolk |106 |25 |80 |29 |95 |107 |80 |111 |76 |64 |105 |88 |966 Northamptonshire |43 |15 |30 |17 |35 |23 |15 |20 |22 |19 |23 |20 |282 Northumberland |38 |18 |32 |13 |22 |20 |13 |23 |14 |33 |19 |35 |280 Nottinghamshire |19 |18 |26 |21 |27 |19 |13 |16 |19 |9 |19 |6 |212 Orkney |2 |4 |5 |3 |2 |1 |1 |2 |2 |5 |3 |3 |33 Oxford |66 |39 |44 |44 |33 |39 |21 |49 |20 |24 |46 |29 |454 Powys |56 |59 |46 |49 |33 |47 |45 |48 |56 |36 |66 |53 |594 Shropshire |98 |98 |80 |68 |74 |90 |59 |79 |61 |71 |101 |67 |946 Shetland |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 Somerset |287 |268 |270 |220 |110 |316 |163 |167 |216 |175 |227 |116 |2,535 Staffordshire |78 |113 |97 |67 |72 |118 |70 |96 |92 |66 |74 |49 |992 Strathclyde |59 |66 |47 |29 |47 |50 |19 |32 |26 |60 |61 |44 |540 Suffolk |56 |22 |33 |35 |48 |54 |22 |44 |28 |32 |47 |43 |464 Surrey |36 |11 |32 |17 |40 |24 |16 |13 |17 |16 |26 |21 |269 Sussex East |50 |19 |36 |26 |48 |49 |13 |26 |22 |24 |50 |31 |394 Sussex West |97 |36 |62 |51 |80 |66 |42 |58 |50 |40 |58 |62 |702 Tayside |19 |13 |11 |12 |13 |4 |12 |10 |10 |17 |11 |12 |144 Tyne and Wear |3 |3 |2 |1 |1 |2 |1 |1 |0 |1 |0 |1 |16 West Midlands |3 |1 |4 |5 |3 |1 |1 |3 |2 |0 |7 |5 |35 Warwickshire |34 |27 |43 |27 |34 |29 |22 |35 |27 |30 |35 |27 |370 Wiltshire |168 |163 |166 |108 |123 |127 |79 |93 |97 |85 |145 |81 |1,435 Yorkshire North |181 |151 |164 |97 |160 |130 |106 |157 |97 |143 |93 |141 |1,620 Yorkshire South |14 |16 |24 |8 |9 |7 |12 |13 |12 |15 |5 |10 |145 Yorkshire West |29 |26 |20 |13 |21 |16 |17 |23 |12 |25 |18 |23 |243
Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many producers failed to submit applications for hill livestock compensatory allowances by the deadline of 20 February.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 1 March 1994) : We cannot say definitely how many producers failed to submit claims for HLCAs by the due date of 20 February. In 1993 we received some 14,151 claims in England ; by 20 February this year we had received 13,066. Those producers who have not claimed by 20 February will still be eligible to receive payments if claims are received by 12 March, but under EC rules they will lose 1 per cent. of the payment due for each working day by which their claim is late. A reminder to producers and others on this was given in MAFF news release 61/94. Claims received after 12 March cannot be accepted.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Child Support Agency
Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the powers of the Child Support Agency in relation to deductions from an individual's salary.
Mr. Burt : Under section 31(2) of the Child Support Act 1991, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has the power to impose a deduction from earnings order against a liable person to secure payment of the amount due under a maintenance assessment, and any arrears which may have accrued, where other methods of collection have been unsuccessful, or where the liable person specifically requests it. The decision to impose such an order will be taken in the light of the individual circumstances of each case.
Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether an employee must be informed before any deduction from salary is made to the Child Support Agency.
Mr. Burt : An absent parent will always be notified that a deduction from earnings order will come into effect before any money is deducted from his earnings.
Mr. Alan Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many parents with care are presently owed arrears from the Child Support Agency because sums collected from absent parents in receipt of income support have not been paid over by the Benefits Agency ;
(2) what steps his Department is taking to set up arrangements between the Benefits Agency and the Child Support Agency for the transfer of benefit deducted from absent parents as a contribution in lieu of child support to be paid to parents with care who are not in receipt of income support ;
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(3) how much money, deducted by the Benefits Agency from income support payable to absent parents, is waiting for transfer to the Child Support Agency to paid to parents with care.Mr. Burt : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram) by Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive of Child Support Agency on 23 February 1994 at columns 366-67.
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will break down by area CSAC the cumulative summary of the Child Support Agency performance from 5 April 1993 to 31 December 1993 which has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is the responsibility of its chief executive, Ros Hepplewhite. She will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 2 March 1994 :
I am writing to you subsequent to the Ministerial reply to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking for a breakdown by Child Support Agency Centre of the cumulative summary of Child Support Agency performance which has been laid in the Library of the House.
The information you requested, broken down by CSAC and covering the period 5 April 1993 to 31 December 1993 is attached. As a result of ongoing validation some totals differ from those previously provided, although the differences are not significant. All figures should therefore continue to be regarded as provisional and may be subject to further amendment.
I hope you find the information helpful.
Mr. Hall : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what basis the figures for amounts of money recovered by the Child Support Agency are calculated.
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 from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Mike Hall, dated 3 March 1994.
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking on what basis the figures for amounts of money recovered by the Agency are calculated.
Where the parent with care is receiving Income Support, a saving is recorded if action taken to arrange maintenance results in benefit reducing or ceasing. If the maintenance arranged is collected by the Agency, the figure for the amount recovered is obtained from the receipts into the Agency's bank account.
If the maintenance arranged is instead paid directly from the absent parent to the parent with care, a total of the amount by which benefit reduces is kept clerically. Records are similarly kept of voluntary and court-ordered maintenance payments made directly to parents with care which reduce Income Support entitlement. Where the absent parent is in receipt of Income Support, a nominal maintenance contribution of £2.20 may be deducted from his or her benefit. Totals of these maintenance deductions are periodically reported to the CSA by the Benefits Agency.
Where the involvement of the Agency results in benefit ceasing, because the maintenance arranged exceeds benefit entitlement or for some other reasons, a saving is calculated by
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multiplying the weekly amount of benefit previously in payment by the estimated number of weeks for which the claim would have continued, in the absence of CSA involvement.Where the parent with care is receiving Family Credit and Disability Working Allowance savings are determined by information from periodic scans of the relevant computer data-base. If the involvement of the Agency results in benefit ceasing, savings are estimated retrospectively, by analysis of a sample of cases. I hope this reply is useful.
Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what representations he has received from people in Coventry concerning the Child Support Agency being given access to personal information when approaching employers ;
(2) what representations he has received from employers concerning their duty to supply information to the Child Support Agency.
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 from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Robert Ainsworth, dated 2 March 1994 :
I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about representations received from the people of Coventry concerning the Child Support Agency gaining access to personal information from employers ; and representations from employers on the same subject.
There are no recorded representations from people living in Coventry concerning the Agency being given access to personal information.
Although records are not kept of individual occurrences, we are aware that one employer has contacted the Agency concerning the duty to provide information on employees. In this case, the employer was made aware of the relevant legislation, and to date, nothing further has been heard.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what resources are devoted to the prevention of fraud by the Child Support Agency.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to my right hon. Friend.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Paul Channon, dated 2 March 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the resources that the Child Support Agency devotes to the prevention of fraud.
As the Agency acts as intermediary between two parties in the arrangement of child maintenance, it has no discrete resources devoted to the prevention of fraud. Where Social Security benefits are in payment, however, and a potential fraud against the benefits system comes to light, relevant information is passed to the Benefits Agency or Employment Services to investigate.
If an allegation of misrepresentation is made which does not involve the incorrect payment of a Social Security benefit, then the child support officer will consider whether there is sufficient evidence to review the maintenance assessment.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what instructions he has given to the Child Support Agency as to their conduct when seeking information from an individual's employer.
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.
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Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Robert Ainsworth, dated 2 March 1994 :I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security concerning the instructions given to the Child Support Agency's staff when contacting employers.
The Child Support Manual stresses the need for care and the avoidance of disclosure of confidential information when contacting employers. Normally employers are contacted only where clients are unable to provide sufficient information or verification of their income for child maintenance to be assessed. Exceptionally, an employer may be approached where all other attempts to contact a client has failed.
A copy of the Child Support Manual is available in the Library. I hope this reply is helpful.
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Mr. W. J. Potts of Chelmsford (CSA Reference : 6455 WAL 1004029951) can expect a reply to his letter of 1 November 1993 to the Child Support Agency requesting a reassessment of his child maintenance assessment.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Simon Burns, dated2 March 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about correspondence between your constituent Mr. W. J. Potts, and the Child Support Agency. I am afraid that the Agency has no record of aletter from Mr. Potts dated 1 November 1993,although correspondence was received from him dated 21 November 1993, which requested a reassessment of his maintenance. This review has now been carried out, and Mr. Potts was notified of its outcome on 25 February. Please accept my apologies for the delay.
I understand that you contacted the Customer Services manager at the Belfast Agency Centre on 25 February about Mr. Potts' case, and that he replied to you by letter the same day.
Income Support
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people living in (a) each of the counties, (b) each local authority and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Yorkshire and Humberside were dependent on (i) supplementary benefit in 1979 and (ii) income support in the latest year for which data are available.
Mr. Burt : The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families with children in (a) each of the counties, (b) each local authority and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Yorkshire and Humberside were dependent on (i) supplementary benefit in 1979 and (ii) income support or family credit in the latest year for which data are available.
Mr. Burt : The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children in (a) each of the counties, (b)
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each local authority and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Yorkshire and Humberside were living in families which were dependent on (i) supplementary benefit in 1979 and (ii) on income support or family credit in the latest year for which data are available.Mr. Burt : The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Graham Case
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice he is giving to those women inquiring about the interim arrangement pending the determination of the Graham case by the European Court of Justice.
Mr. Scott : Women are informed if they are entitled to an increase in invalidity benefit as a result of the Social Security Commissioner's decision in this case. Where payment of the increase is suspended they are also advised that the suspended benefit will be paid in full if the commissioner's decision is upheld ; and that if they have difficulty managing in the meantime they should contact their local Benefits Agency office, so that the decision to suspend can be reconsidered.
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the date when the European Court of Justice will begin its hearing of the Graham case in respect of invalidity benefit ; and when a decision is likely to be announced.
Mr. Scott : The Court of Appeal decided on 18 January to refer the Graham case to the European Court of Justice. The European Court's procedure necessitates inviting all other member states to submit observations on the point at issue should they wish to do so. It normally takes about 18 months following a reference before judgment is handed down.
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days per year the chief executive of the Prison Service agency spends on his other business interests.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Under the terms of his appointment the Director- General of the Prison Service is permitted to spend a maximum of one and a half days a month in normal working hours as a non-executive director of other organisations.
Child Maintenance
Mr. Hall : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the actual and average amounts of child maintenance paid by absent parents through court orders in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. John M. Taylor : I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Racial Violence
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to help reduce racial violence ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 25 November 1993 at column 167-69 for details of the steps taken by the Government to combat racial violence.
Since then, we have reconvened the interdepartmental racial attacks group, chaired by the Home Office, as a forum for gathering information and sharing good practice on the multi-agency approach to combating racially motivated crime. The group had its first meeting on 25 February and is now developing a work programme of specific projects aimed at addressing the problem of racial attacks and harassment.
In January I gave oral evidence to the Home Affairs Committee for its current inquiry into racial attacks and harassment. The Committee's report is due to be published in April, and future Government action will be informed by the Committee's
recommendations.
Commission for Racial Equality
Lady Olga Maitland : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the annual budget over the last three years of the Commission for Racial Equality.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Commission for Racial Equality's budget over the last three years was as follows :
|£ ---------------------------------1991-92 |14,075,000 1992-93 |14,996,000 1993-94 |15,051,000
Parole
Mr. Gunnell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the statutory basis for the ineligibility for parole of those serving sentence for murder who have never admitted their guilt ;
(2) how many prisoners, serving sentences for murder, are ineligible for parole at all times having never admitted their guilt.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Prisoners serving the mandatory life sentence for murder are released on life licence, not parole. There is no statutory basis, rule or policy which automatically prevents a prisoner who denies guilt from being released from custody although a prisoner's willingness and ability to tackle their offending behaviour is an important element in the difficult process of assessing potential future risk. However, mandatory life sentence prisoners who deny their guilt can be, and have been, released on life licence if the parole board so recommends and the Secretary of State accepts the recommendation.
Mounted Police
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police forces in England and Wales have mounted police units ; and what information he has on the average cost per mounted police unit ;
(2) what consultations he has had in relation to the value for money of mounted police units ; what is the most recent report from the chief inspector of constabulary on the criteria for established mounted police units ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Charles Wardle : Eighteen police forces in England and Wales have mounted police units. These vary in size from the Metropolitan police, with 201 horses, to the Essex police, with four horses. The average size of a mounted unit is 26 horses with 34 police officers and civilian staff. The total cost of such a unit is estimated at £820,900 for the current financial year.
I have not had any recent consultations in relation to the value of money of mounted police units. Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary identifies and gives advice on good practice in the course of inspections of mounted units but there has been, as yet, no specific study of value for money or the criteria for establishing mounted units. However, the Metropolitan police is currently carrying out an efficiency scrutiny of its mounted unit.
Taylforth Libel Case
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 7 February, Official Report, column 19, what investigation has been made into police involvement in the release of the story which led to the recent Taylforth libel case, before the reporter from The Sun telephoned the Metropolitan police press bureau ; what action will be taken against officers found to have released such items to the press if discovered ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : An investigation was carried out in 1992 by the Metropolitan police, in accordance with the procedures for handling police complaints contained in part IX of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. A report was submitted to the Police Complaints Authority which concluded that the allegation of improper disclosure of information by police officers could not be substantiated. No officer has therefore faced any disciplinary proceedings in relation to the case.
Wheelclamping
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to make the maximum sum which can be charged by private wheelclampers the same as the fixed charge of the Metropolitan police for wheelclamping.
Mr. Maclean : The Government are still considering what action, if any, it would be appropriate to take in respect of wheelclamping on private land. Questions relating to charges for the release of clamped vehicles form part of this consideration.
Prison Service
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which members of senior Prison Service personnel working in the Prison Service agency received bonus payments in 1992 ; and what were the amounts.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : None, though members of the senior open structure were eligible to receive performance pay increases in accordance with the arrangements for the civil service generally. The amounts of such pay increases are personal to the individuals concerned and are not published.
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Custodial Sentences
Mr. Alison : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made to the extent to which reducing the use of custodial sentences contributes to a reduction in the levels of crime.
Mr. Maclean : Levels of crime are affected by a wide range of factors. It is possible to make some estimate of the effect of the use of custodial sentences in terms of the incapacitation of offenders. But it is not possible to make any meaningful assessment of the overall effect of custodial sentencing on crime levels because of uncertainties surrounding the effects of other factors.
Political Parties (Election Spending)
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to introduce a limit on the overall spending by political parties on election campaigns ; and if he will make a statement.
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