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Mr. Rendel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have resigned from each police force since January 1993 ; how many of the resignations since January 1993 are attributable to debts payable to the Child Support Agency ; and how many of the resignations since January 1993 cite the Child Support Agency as the reason for the resignation.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The numbers of resignations for the period January to December 1993 are shown in the tables. Information on the reasons for an officer's resignation is not held centrally.
Table showing resignations from police forces from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1993 Force |Resignations --------------------------------------------- Avon and Somerset |20 Bedfordshire |14 Cambridgeshire |9 Cheshire |12 Cleveland |4 Cumbria |14 Derbyshire |6 Devon and Cornwall |9 Dorset |15 Durham |6 Dyfed Powys |5 Essex |19 Gloucestershire |12 Greater Manchester |39 Gwent |5 Hampshire |22 Hertfordshire |15 Humberside |8 Kent |34 Lancashire |29 Leicestershire |10 Lincolnshire |8 Merseyside |19 Norfolk |17 Northamptonshire |16 Northumbria |19 North Wales |14 North Yorkshire |6 Nottinghamshire |9 South Wales |7 South Yorkshire |14 Staffordshire |18 Suffolk |13 Surrey |8 Sussex |31 Thames Valley |41 Warwickshire |5 West Mercia |19 West Midlands |50 West Yorkshire |35 Wiltshire |8 City of London |6 Metropolitan |99 |--- Total |769
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grants have been made to the National Alliance of Women's Organisations from the Home Office voluntary services unit since 1979 ; what assistance will be available in the future ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No grants have been made by the voluntary services unit to the National Alliance of Women's Organisations. As I made clear on 2 February, column 703, in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Ms Anderson), there are insufficient resources to fund this organisation in 1994-95.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from women's voluntary organisations regarding reductions in core funding from the voluntary services unit for the National Alliance of Women's Organisations.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The voluntary services unit has not provided the National Alliance of Women's Organisations with any core funding. Since 1 February, seven letters about the funding of this body have been received in the Home Office from other women's voluntary organisations.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy with regard to the funding of voluntary organisations representing women's issues ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Women's issues are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 1 March, Official Report, column 634, how many (a) men and (b) women fine defaulters in prison on 31 January had failed to pay fines valued at between (a) less than £50, (b) between £50 and £100, (c) between £100 and £250, (d) between £250 and £500 and (e) in excess of £500.
Mr. Maclean : This information is not collected centrally.
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Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has carried out into the effect of street lighting on levels of crime.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The most recent Home Office research on street lighting and crime and the fear of crime was published in August 1991-- crime prevention unit paper 28 "The Influence of Street Lighting on Crime and Fear of Crime" and crime prevention unit paper 29 "The Effect of Better Street Lighting on Crime and Fear : a Review". Copies of both are in the Library of the House.
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the legal powers of the Charity Commission to investigate malpractice within charities ; and what is the range of penalties open to the Charity Commissioners to penalise trustees if malpractice is found.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Under section 8 of the Charities Act 1993, the Charity Commission, or a person appointed by it, may institute inquiries with regard to charities or a particular charity or class of charities, either generally or for a particular purpose. If malpractice is found, the commission can :
(a) suspend and, if necessary, remove trustees ;
(b) appoint additional trustees ;
(c) freeze bank accounts ;
(d) prohibit all further fund raising ;
(e) stop further actions by the trustees in dealing with the charity's property ;
(f) refer the matter to the appropriate authorities for them to consider legal proceedings for the recovery of charity property or to compensate the charity for any loss ;
(g) refer the matter to the police.
In less serious cases, the commission may simply give charities a warning and ensure that faults are put right. If necessary, the commission will monitor the activities of the charity.
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the legal obligations of the Charity Commission to publish details of its investigations into malpractice among charities.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The commission is not legally obliged to publish details of investigations it undertakes. The commission does, however, have discretion, where it thinks appropriate to publish the investigator's report in full or to publish extracts from, or statements about, the report.
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the legal powers of the Charity Commission to compel charities to hand over lists of their donors ; and what is the range of penalties open to the Charity Commission to penalise charities if they refuse to do so.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Charity Commission has the power to require any person to provide it with information or documents which relate to a charity and which it is necessary for the commission to have in order to discharge its functions properly.
If a person refuses to provide information sought by the commission using this power, the commission may apply to the High Court to have the person dealt with as if he had disobeyed a court order.
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Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 December, Official Report, column 948, how many people were interviewed during the course of the Charity Commission's investigation into the relationship between the Foundation for Business Responsibilities and Aims of Industry ; who they were ; and how much money had been paid to Aims of Industry in each year between 1988 and 1991.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Charity Commission that no personal interviews were held during the inquiries made into the relationship between the Foundation for Business Responsibilities and Aims of Industry.
The published accounts of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities do not show details of payments made to Aims of Industry as expenditure broken down other than into the categories of accommodation, service charges and research. Charities are not required to provide further detail in their accounts.
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints of unlawful political activity by charities have been investigated by the Charity Commission since 1990 ; and in how many cases the commission found against the charity concerned.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Since 1990 a total of 76 complaints about improper political activity have been investigated. Of these, 24 were upheld.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy actively to promote the wider use of mediation by providing appropriate funding ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The role which mediation might play in the criminal justice system was examined by an inter-departmental working group in 1992. Within the sphere of the Home Office's responsibilities, it was concluded that mediation or reparation might usefully complement a caution. The efficacy of a number of schemes which link mediation with a caution is being examined. Victim-offender mediation has been taken forward by individual probation services and funding has been provided to local mediation schemes under 10 of the safer cities projects.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist for the representation of the European Commission on the body known as steering group I which reports to the article K4 committee under the intergovernmental co-operation procedures ; and what opportunities will exist for the examination of the work of steering group I by the European and United Kingdom Parliaments.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The European Commission is fully associated with work under title VI of the treaty on European Union, and its representatives attend all meetings of steering group I.
The Government have put forward proposals for parliamentary scrutiny by the United Kingdom Parliament of the work carried out under title VI which includes that carried out by steering group I.
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Article K6 of the treaty sets out the basis on which the European Parliament will be informed and consulted on the work carried out under title VI.Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if articles of the main agreement establishing the European Economic Area which extend the right of free movement to nationals of Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden are directly enforceable ; and what plans he has to allow them to be relied upon as a basis for legal actions in the United Kingdom courts.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Since 1 January 1994, when the European Economic Area agreement came into force, nationals of Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have been treated in the same way as European Community nationals for immigration purposes. An Order in Council section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, the Immigration (European Economic Area) Order 1994, will shortly be laid before Parliament in order to transpose into United Kingdom law the relevant European Community directives relating to the rights of free movement and residence for European Economic Area nationals.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will take action to ensure that the assessment bonuses part of future police pay is directed to those who most effectively serve their community ;
(2) if the payment of housing allowances, which will be discontinued for police officers recruited after September, will still be payable to policemen currently serving but who do not purchase their own house until after that date ;
(3) if he will ensure that all police officers whose duties require them to work in plain clothes and not a uniform continue to receive adequate tax- free allowances.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland have asked the police negotiating board to make recommendations on police pay, overtime and allowances by Easter.
Ms Hoey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual Acts of Parliament contain legislation relating to dogs ; if he will list their titles ; and if he will consider introducing a single consolidated Dogs Act.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The following legislation relates exclusively to dogs :
Dogs Act 1871
Dogs Act 1906
Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953
Breeding of Dogs Act 1973
Guard Dogs Act 1975
Dangerous Dogs Act 1989
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Breeding of Dogs Act 1991
There are references to dogs, or provisions relevant to dogs, in a number of other Acts, including general animal welfare legislation. We have no current plans to seek consolidation of the law in this area.
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Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the reasons for the variation of provisions cost per prisoner varying from £9.03 to £12.11 per week.
Mr. Charles Wardle : 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 Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 8 March 1994 :
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the variation in the costs of inmates' food.
Costs per head will vary for a number of reasons, which will include the mix of religious and cultural backgrounds of inmates in a particular establishment which will influence the number of ethnic and religious diets to be provided.
The regime of an establishment will also have some impact upon food costs ; for example, the provision of packed meals for inmate working parties, whether bread is produced in-house or purchased and the use of frozen meals where inmates return late to the establishment. Establishments with large health care facilities may have a higher requirement for more expensive medical diets.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the full results of the first stage of the joint Home Office-university of Salford study on the settlement of refugees in Britain ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The report on the first stage of this study is currently being examined. A date for publication has not yet been decided.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the sale of DTELS on 28 February with specific reference to the issue of employee consultations over the pension scheme of National Transcommunications Ltd.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The sale of DTELS to National
Transcommunications Ltd.--NTL--was completed on 1 March. Staff and unions were aware throughout the sale process that it was a requirement that the purchaser should provide a pension scheme which was broadly comparable with that provided by the principal civil service pension scheme.
Unions were informed on 26 January that the Government Actuary's Department --GAD--had confirmed that NTL's intended arrangements met this requirement.
A GAD representative attended a meeting with the unions on 10 February. There were then GAD presentations to staff in the week beginning 14 February, in which the benefits available under the NTL scheme were explained and compared with the PCSPS. Union representatives were sent copies of the GAD certificate of pension comparability on 16 February. Further information on the safeguards within the existing scheme and the further benefits negotiated by the Department were sent to the unions on 23 February together with answers to a
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number of questions which they had raised at an earlier meeting. Arrangements were made on 24 February that each member of DTELS staff should receive a copy of the GAD certificate of pension comparability together with answers to questions which had been raised in the course of the earlier presentations.Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide financial assistance to the families of murder victims, whose bodies cannot be released by coroners for cremation, to meet the costs of storage.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend has no such plans.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought by the police relating to animal welfare in (a) 1991, (b) 1992 and (c) 1993 ; and how many were successful.
Mr. Maclean : Information for 1991 and 1992 is given in the tables. 1993 data will not be available until autumn 1994.
Table A: Number of prosecutions brought by the police for offences relating to animal welfare by result England and Wales 1991 Offence |Police prose-|Convictions |cutions ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cruelty to animals |437 |326 Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, sections 22(3), 23 and 25(3) |1 |1 Protection of Animals Act 1911 (as amended) |337 |254 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 section 8 |- |- Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 |- |- Protection of Animals (Cruelty to Dogs) Act 1933 |10 |7 Protection of Animals Act 1934 |1 |1 Pet Animals Act 1951 |2 |- Act 1954 |10 |5 Animal Health Act 1981, sections 40-42, 46, 49 and orders under sections 8, 9, 37, 38, 39 and 43 |24 |19 Slaughterhouses Act 1974 |- |- Abandonment of Animals Act 1960, section 1 |19 |16 Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 |4 |3 Riding Establishments Acts 1964 and 1970 |- |- Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, sections 1, 2 and 6 |1 |1 Badgers Act 1973 |19 |12 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 9 |2 |- Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 11 |4 |4 Other |3 |3 Diseases of Animals Act |47 |31 Wild Birds Protection Acts |76 |63
Table B: Number of prosecutions brought by the police for offences relating to animal welfare by result England and Wales 1992 Offence |Police prose-|Convictions |cutions ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cruelty to animals |475 |367 Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, sections 22(3), 23 and 25(3) |3 |2 Protection of Animals Act 1911 (as amended) |359 |283 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 section 8 |4 |4 Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 |- |- Protection of Animals (Cruelty to Dogs) Act 1933 |5 |4 Protection of Animals Act 1934 |- |- Pet Animals Act 1951 |2 |- Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954 |10 |9 Animal Health Act 1981, sections 40-42, 46, 49 and orders under sections 8, 9, 37, 38, 39 and 43 |24 |19 Slaughterhouses Act 1974 |- |- Abandonment of Animals Act 1960, section 1 |26 |22 Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 |1 |1 Riding Establishments Acts 1964 and 1970 |- |- Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, sections 1, 2 and 6 |2 |2 Badgers Act 1973 |32 |16 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 9 |3 |3 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 11 |1 |1 Other |3 |1 Diseases of Animals Act |27 |15 Wild Birds Protection Acts |62 |43
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many pedal cyclists were prosecuted for road traffic offences in each of the past five years ;
(2) how many pedal cyclists were prosecuted for failing to stop at traffic lights in each of the past five years.
Mr. Maclean : Information for 1988 to 1992 is given in the table. 1993 data will not be available until the autumn 1994.
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Number of defendants prosecuted for offences connected with pedal cycles, 1988 to 1992 England and Wales Offence description |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riding to common danger |8 |17 |7 |7 |5 Being towed |8 |6 |2 |3 |3 Neglect of traffic directions |248 |217 |182 |150 |138 More than one person carried |74 |57 |58 |35 |34 Riding on footpath |585 |453 |483 |333 |313 In relation to pedestrian crossings |14 |13 |11 |9 |11 Failing to obey signal |29 |62 |53 |48 |29 Failing to comply with brake regulations |149 |201 |96 |69 |42 Reckless and dangerous driving by a pedal cyclist |14 |17 |26 |17 |30 Careless driving by a pedal cyclist |67 |77 |67 |89 |77 Driving under the influence of drink and drug by a pedal cyclist |222 |261 |211 |191 |108 Taking part in unauthorised cycle race |- |- |1 |3 |1 Promoting unauthorised cycle race |- |- |1 |1 |- Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 sec. 17(4) |34 |36 |42 |18 |31 Highways Act 1980 sec. 137(1) |4 |5 |8 |5 |4 Take or ride a pedal cycle without consent |350 |361 |312 |288 |270 Lighting and reflector offences |1,593 |1,381 |1,578 |950 |547 Other offences |9 |1 |17 |12 |16 |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- All offences |3,408 |3,165 |3,155 |2,228 |1,659 Note: The offence of "failing to comply with traffic light signals" may be recorded under "Neglect of traffic directions", "Failing to obey signal" or "Other Offence."
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his estimate of the number of mobile phones stolen each year ;
(2) what representations he has received from manufacturers and retailers of mobile phones about the theft of their products ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he will make the rechipping of mobile phones illegal.
Mr. Maclean : The Government are aware of estimates that between 10,000 and 12,000 mobile phones are stolen each month ; however, no information on the number of such thefts is recorded centrally and we have no reliable means of making any estimate.
Nevertheless, we share the concern that the number of thefts seems to be increasing, and have received a number of representations on this subject from hon. Members and others, including the Federation of Communication Services. The Home Office is supporting the Department
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of Trade and Industry in its discussions with the mobile phone industry on what measures can be taken to reduce the theft of mobile phones, but we have no plans to make rechipping a criminal offence. Not all rechipping is carried out in relation to stolen telephones, and it would not be appropriate to criminalise what may be an entirely legitimate activity, for example in connection with the repair of mobile phones, or the legitimate sale of second-hand mobile phones. Those who steal mobile phones, or handle stolen goods are, of course, already guilty of criminal offences under the law as it stands.Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will produce a table showing the deaths by fire of (a) infants, (b) adolescents, (c) adults and (d) the elderly for the latest 20 years.
Mr. Charles Wardle [holding answer 1 March 1994] : The available information is shown in the table.
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Fire-related deaths<1> by age from fires attended by local authority fire brigades 1963 to 1992 United Kingdom Age groups: (a) 1963-68; (b) 1969-73; (c) 1974-77; (d) 1978-88; (e) 1989-92 Year Number of deaths by age group (a) |0-5 |6-15 |16-65 |66+ (b) |0-4 |5-14 |15-64 |65+ (c) |0-4 |5-14 |15-59 |60+ |Unspecified|Total (d) |0-4 |5-14 |16-64 |65+ (e) |0-4 |5-16 |16-64 |65+ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1963 |131 |31 |285 |361 |6 |814 1964 |110 |39 |265 |264 |3 |681 1965 |155 |36 |264 |240 |7 |702 1966 |145 |34 |301 |295 |2 |777 1967 |119 |33 |308 |303 |13 |776 1968 |158 |42 |349 |293 |18 |860 1969 |154 |35 |311 |340 |11 |851 1970 |128 |38 |315 |338 |17 |836 1971 |111 |45 |324 |321 |17 |818 1972 |134 |60 |410 |437 |25 |1,066 1973 |130 |54 |437 |394 |23 |1,038 1974 |120 |66 |346 |475 |31 |1,038 <2>1975 |<3>- |<3>- |<3>- |<3>- |<3>- |920 1976 |79 |65 |324 |421 |5 |894 1977 |80 |53 |255 |326 |<4>135 |849 1978 |64 |53 |375 |380 |<4>71 |943 1979 |71 |56 |457 |498 |14 |1,096 1980 |91 |55 |415 |412 |<4>61 |1,034 1981 |63 |48 |433 |419 |7 |970 1982 |79 |36 |417 |377 |8 |917 1983 |75 |50 |415 |359 |1 |900 1984 |84 |44 |402 |350 |3 |883 1985 |95 |40 |418 |419 |5 |977 1986 |94 |40 |437 |381 |5 |957 1987 |84 |45 |438 |355 |4 |926 1988 |87 |44 |423 |354 |7 |915 1989 |81 |56 |472 |288 |3 |900 1990 |63 |40 |487 |300 |6 |896 1991 |83 |54 |396 |267 |14 |814 <5>1992 |58 |32 |411 |295 |9 |805 <1>Excluding fire brigade deaths and for 1974 to 1981 deaths from fires due to terrorist activity. <2>Figures estimates due to industrial action, no estimates made for age of casualty. <3>Not available. <4>Age of casualty not give due to industrial action. <5>Provisional. Source: Home Office fire statistics.
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new measures he plans to help young people in the North West region to find employment.
Miss Widdecombe : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on Tuesday 22 February, Official Report, column 198.
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest official figures for the numbers of unemployed ; and what the corresponding figures were for 1979.
Miss Widdecombe : On the consistent seasonally adjusted basis, claimant unemployment in the United Kingdom stood at 2,787,600 in January 1994 and 1,100,100 in January 1979.
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures for the North West.
Miss Widdecombe : In the North West region, seasonally adjusted claimant unemployment stood at 308,100 or 10.3 per cent. of the work force in January 1994. This is a fall of 26,400 compared with a year ago.
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees were employed in manufacturing industry a year ago and at the latest date for which figures are available.
Miss Widdecombe : In December 1993, there were 4,176,000 employees in manufacturing industries in Great Britain. This compares to 4,190, 000 employees in
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December 1992--a fall of 14,000 jobs over the year. The changing distribution of employment away from manufacturing and towards services is a trend shared by all western industrial nations. However, the output of United Kingdom manufacturing industry in the December quarter showed an annual increase of 2.2 per cent. This reflects a substantial improvement in productivity, up by 3.2 per cent. over the same period.Mr. Etherington : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the projected number in each of the 13 careers service pathfinder areas of local education authority careers service staff to be (a) made redundant or (b) given early retirement in 1994-95 and 1995-96.
Miss Widdecombe : This information is not available. It is for careers service providers to decide how best to manage their resources to deliver the highest quality of service.
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