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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 Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the average certified accommodation and the average prisoner population for each month at Blakenhurst since the prison opened and at the Wolds for each month since April 1992.
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I attach tables showing the prison population and Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) at the Wolds and Blakenhurst for the last day of each month.Population and CNA of the Wolds at the last day of each month 1992 to 1994 Last day of |CNA<1> |Population Month ------------------------------------------------ 1992 April |320 |48 May |320 |100 June |320 |112 July |320 |143 August |320 |172 September |300 |197 October |300 |221 November |320 |238 December |320 |214 1993 January |320 |304 February |320 |318 March |320 |309 April |320 |310 May |320 |310 June |320 |317 July |320 |317 August |320 |318 September |320 |322 October |320 |327 November |320 |320 December |320 |320 1994 January |320 |322 February |320 |323 <1> The operational capacity was lower than the CNA during the period when the establishment was being opened.
Population and CNA of Blakenhurst at the last day of each month 1992-94 Last day of month |CNA<1> |Population ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1993 May |20 |21 June |120 |136 July |200 |247 August |300 |318 September |400 |433 October |550 |563 November |649 |614 December |649 |556 1994 January |649 |621 February |649 |563 <1> The operational capacity was lower than the CNA during the period when the establishment was being opened.
Telephone Conversations (Taping Guidelines)
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the guidelines issued to the Prison Service concerning the tape recording of telephone conversations between prisoners and third parties ; and if he will make a statement.
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 Derek Lewis to Mr. Derek Fatchett, dated 28 March 1994 :
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the guidelines issued to the Prison Service concerning the tape recording of telephone conversations between prisoners and third parties.
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Guidance on the operation of telephones for prisoners' use including the tape recording of conversations are set out in Prison Service Circular Instructions 21/1992 and Circular Instruction 50/1988, copies of which are in the Library.Staff and Prisoner Assaults
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many staff assaults have occurred at The Wolds prison since it opened ; and what is the average rate of staff assaults per 100 prisoners ;
(2) how many recorded prisoner on prisoner assaults have taken place in each month since The Wolds prison opened ;
(3) how many staff assaults have occurred at Blakenhurst since the prison opened ; and what is the average rate of assaults per 100 prisoners.
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 Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994 : Assaults at the Wolds and Blakenhurst--
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about assaults on staff at Blakenhurst and the Wolds and on prisoners at the Wolds.
The Wolds opened in April 1992. During its first year of operation there were 36 assaults on staff proved at adjudication, equivalent to 18 per 100 average population of prisoners. In the eleven months to February 1994 there were 29 such assaults, equivalent to an annual rate of 10 per 100 average population. Blakenhurst opened in May 1993 and in the first ten months of its operation there were 81 assaults on staff, equivalent to an annual rate of 28 per 100 average population. This experience is consistent with that of new public-sector prisons, where the number of assaults is often higher in the period after opening and then declines.
I attach a table showing the monthly figures of prisoner on prisoner assaults at the Wolds.
The Wolds |Assaults on
|prisoners
------------------------------------
1992
April |0
May |0
June |0
July |0
August |1
September |0
October |1
November |4
December |3
1993
January |0
February |3
March |4
April |1
May |1
June |1
July |0
August |0
September |0
October |1
November |0
December |0
1994<1>
January |2
February |1
<1>Provisional.
Ethnic Minorities
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many full-time equivalent teaching posts have been approved for each local education authority in (i) 1993-94 and (ii) 1994-95 for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 in (a) maintained schools, (b) voluntary-aided schools and (c) central teams which provide a service throughout the authority ; (2) how many full-time equivalent teaching posts have been approved for each parliamentary constituency in (i) 1993-94 and (ii) 1994-95 for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 in (a) maintained schools and (b) voluntary-aided schools ;
(3) if he will list, for each constituency, the schools with teacher posts approved for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 in (i) 1993-94 and (ii) 1994-95.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 21 March, Official Report, columns 34-36, to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn), in which I set out, in relation to each relevant local education authority, numbers of posts designated to be filled by qualified teachers, approved for funding under section 11.
Comprehensive information is not available centrally about the current allocation of approved posts to individual schools within local education authority projects and such information could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost. As to the position with regard to 1994-95, an encouraging proportion of authorities have notified us of their intentions to make good the shortfall arising from the reduction in section 11 funding. However, many authorities have yet to inform us of their plans.
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent teaching posts have been approved for each grant-maintained school for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for (a) 1993-94 and (b) 1994-95 ; and what was the total grant in each case under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Comprehensive information is not available centrally about the current allocation of posts approved for funding under section 11 to grant maintained schools. The available information is shown in the table.
Grant-maintained schools are eligible to apply for funding direct. In some cases, schools which were already grant maintained applied successfully at the time of the last applications round and have had their own projects since 1 April 1992. Information in relation to those is shown in the table.
Other schools, which have since opted for grant-maintained status, were originally covered under local education authority projects. Local agreement is often reached for such schools to remain within those projects, notwithstanding their change of status. In such instances, section 11 grant continues to be paid to the local authority, and it is the responsibility of the school to make the contribution to the total cost which the authority would otherwise have made.
Alternatively, a school may leave the local education authority project and apply to set up its own. In such cases, the number and type of posts approved are agreed between
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the school and the local education authority as being the allocation appropriately made to the school by the local education authority immediately before. Section 11 grant is then paid to the school at a level consistent with contemporary practice in relation to the payment of grant to the local authority, and it is the responsibility of the school to pay the balance of the total cost. Information about such schools is included in the table.For convenience, the local authority area in whose area a school is located is indicated.
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Approved posts Grant
Name |LEA |1993-94 |1994-95 |1993-94 |1994-95
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashcroft |Bedfordshire |0.5 |0.5 |3,444 |3,549
*Ash Green |Warwickshire |0.4 |0.4 |5,637 |6,217
Avon Valley |Warwickshire |1.0 |1.0 |11,669 |11,750
Beechview |Buckinghamshire |0.6 |0.6 |6,963 |6,995
Bridgewater and
Brindley Hall |Buckinghamshire | 0.75 | 0.75 |13,230 |13,111
Burntwood |Wandsworth |4.0 |4.0 |57,024 |55,687
Claremone |Harrow |1.0 |1.0 |13,519 |13,629
Copland |Brent |2.5 |2.5 |37,853 |33,860
Deacons |Cambridgeshire |4.5 |4.5 |33,315 |24,823
Francis Bacon |Hertfordshire |4.0 |4.0 |23,107 |24,645
Graveney |Wandsworth |5.0 |5.0 |71,186 |69,720
Greenford |Ealing |3.4 |3.4 |46,819 |39,461
Greenwood Dale |Nottinghamshire |2.0 |2.0 |25,783 |26,111
Hall Green |Birmingham | 0.85 | 0.85 |9,326 |9,320
*Hamilton |Buckinghamshire |3.0 |3.0 |40,946 |41,410
*Hendon |Barnet |2.0 |2.0 |26,645 |28,041
Holly Hall |Dudley |0.4 |0.4 | 1,186** |3,778
Holy Trinity |Kent | 0.87 | 0.87 |10,308 |10,819
London Oratory |Hammersmith
| and Fulham |3.1 |3.1 |39,595 |38,025
Myton |Warwickshire | 1.45 | 1.45 |20,254 |19,888
Northampton Boys |Northamptonshire|1.0 |1.0 |16,809 |13,372
Northolt |Ealing |1.2 |1.2 |5,802 |5,379
Oldfield |Avon |0.3 |0.3 |3,881 |3,645
Radcliffe |Buckinghamshire |1.0 |1.0 |10,400 |10,478
Raines Foundation |Tower Hamlets |1.0 |1.0 |26,803 |27,146
*Reading Girls |Berkshire |1.0 |1.0 |12,410 |12,733
Robert Napier |Kent |0.5 |0.5 |1,239 |1,220
Small Heath |Birmingham |4.6 |4.6 |50,057 |50,626
Stratford |Newham |3.0 |3.0 |53,106 |54,277
Wood End |Ealing |1.3 |1.3 |8,968 |6,815
*Wrenn |Northamptonshire|2.0 |2.0 |27,188 |27,351
Notes:
1. Figures in relation to posts are in full-time equivalent terms.
2. The figures for Deacons include 1 instructor post and 1 bilingual assistant post; and for Small Heath, 1 home/school
liaison assistant post. All others are designated teacher posts.
3. As to 1994-95, figures relate to posts eligible for funding from 1 April 1994. It is a matter for each school to
decide, within its overall financial provision, how it intends to proceed in the light of reductions in section 11
funding. Schools marked* have indicated that they propose to make no substantive change in 1994-95. In other cases,
responses are awaited from schools.
4. At present, section 11 grant is paid quarterly in arrears on the basis of actual expenditure incurred by the grant
recipient. The 1993-94 grant expenditure figures relate to grant paid in respect of the school's own expenditure in the
three quarters from 1 April to 31 December 1993.
5. In the case marked**, the expenditure is from 1 September 1993, the operative date for the school's project.
6. With effect from 1994-95, section 11 grant will be paid on the basis of an annual budget allocation. The figures for
1994-95 show the budget allocation which has been notified to each school in relation to the school's expenditure in
1994-95.
7. The table does not include schools whose new project proposals are in the process of consideration, or who have not
yet been notified of a budget allocation figure for 1994-95.
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent his Department will retain responsibility for funding teaching posts under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 after the creation of the single regeneration budget from April 1995 ; what will be the proportion of the funding thus retained ; and what proportion will be transferred to the single regeneration budget.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Around 55 per cent. of the total provision in relation to 1994-95 for teaching and other posts approved for funding under section 11 will form part of the single regeneration budget when it comes into operation on 1 April 1994. The Home Office will continue to administer the balance of funding remaining under section 11 in respect of approved teacher and other posts.
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Civil Servants
Ms Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of (a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.
Mr. Howard : The figures requested are given in the table below which sets out the total number of non-industrial Home Office staff by grade--including those in agencies, on outward secondment or maternity or special leave--and the number who are male and female and full-time and part-time employees. The information was extracted from the Home Office personnel system on 25 March 1994.
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Grade |Part-time|Part-time|Full-time|Full-time|Total
|Female |Male |Female |Male
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrative Trainee (New) |0 |0 |2 |6 |8
Administrative Assistant |350 |17 |1,241 |577 |2,185
Administrative Officer |560 |30 |2,541 |1,287 |4,418
Assistant Director |0 |0 |0 |9 |9
Assistant Librarian |1 |0 |8 |4 |13
Assistant Statistician |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Assistant Storeperson |0 |0 |8 |96 |104
Assistant Division Officer |0 |0 |0 |4 |4
Assistant Identification Officer |0 |0 |8 |6 |14
Assistant Immigration Officer |3 |0 |19 |17 |39
Assistant Information Officer |0 |0 |3 |4 |7
Assistant Inspector Fire Services 1 |0 |0 |0 |14 |14
Assistant Inspector Fire Services 2 |0 |0 |0 |2 |2
Assistant Inspector Fire Services 3 |0 |0 |0 |12 |12
Assistant Scientific Officer |8 |0 |62 |22 |92
Assistant Chief Officer (HD Opps Study) |0 |0 |0 |2 |2
Church of England Chaplain |0 |1 |5 |91 |97
Church of England/Roman Catholic Part-time Chaplain |23 |95 |3 |6 |127
Chaplain General Prisons |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Chief Immigration Officer |5 |0 |48 |309 |362
Chief Inspector Animals Sp. Inspector |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Chief Typing Manager |0 |0 |4 |0 |4
Commandant |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Communication Officer 2 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Communication Officer 3 |0 |0 |2 |13 |15
Consultant Vol Sers Unit |0 |0 |2 |0 |2
Divisional Officer Grade 1 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Divisional Officer Grade 2 |0 |0 |0 |2 |2
Executive Officer |166 |8 |1,018 |936 |2,128
Farm Manager 1 |0 |0 |0 |9 |9
Farm Manager 1a |0 |0 |0 |14 |14
Farm Manager 2 |0 |0 |0 |10 |10
Farm Manager 3 |0 |0 |1 |28 |29
Farm Manager 4 |0 |0 |0 |19 |19
Farms and Gardens Officer |0 |0 |0 |4 |4
Fireground Supervisor |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Foreman |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Governor 1 |0 |0 |0 |39 |39
Governor 2 |0 |0 |7 |78 |85
Governor 3 |0 |0 |14 |103 |117
Governor 4 |0 |0 |39 |275 |314
Governor 5 |0 |0 |29 |409 |438
Governor 5 (Aps) |0 |0 |6 |19 |25
Grade 1 (Permanent Secretary) |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Grade 2 (Deputy Secretary) |0 |0 |0 |8 |8
Grade 3 (Under Secretary) |0 |0 |7 |21 |28
Grade 4 |0 |0 |0 |3 |3
Grade 5 |5 |1 |18 |71 |95
Grade 6 |3 |0 |10 |89 |102
Grade 7 |27 |0 |131 |457 |615
Graphics Officer |1 |0 |2 |11 |14
Graphics Technical Grade |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Head of Department 3 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Head of Department 5 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Head of Department 6 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Head of Department iv |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Head Pharmacist |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Higher Tcoms Technical Officer |0 |0 |0 |18 |18
Higher Executive Officer |79 |1 |411 |704 |1,195
Higher Executive Officer (D) |0 |0 |8 |18 |26
Higher Graphics Officer |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Higher Instructional Officer |0 |0 |2 |26 |28
Higher Professional and Technical Officer |0 |0 |5 |126 |131
Higher Scientific Officer |16 |0 |66 |96 |178
Higher Psychologist |1 |1 |33 |11 |46
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector Constabulary |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector Fire Services |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Her Majesty's Inspector Constabulary |0 |0 |0 |5 |5
Her Majesty's Inspector Fire Services 1 |0 |0 |0 |2 |2
Her Majesty's Inspector of Fire Services 2 |0 |0 |0 |7 |7
Her Majesty's Inspector-Territorial |0 |0 |0 |4 |4
Immigration Officer |75 |7 |747 |1,377 |2,206
Information Officer |0 |0 |13 |6 |19
Insp. Animals SP Insp. |0 |0 |2 |15 |17
Inspector (Police) |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Inspector Immigration |0 |0 |1 |69 |70
Instructor |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Instructional Officer 1 |0 |0 |146 |892 |1,038
Instructional Officer 2 |0 |0 |0 |2 |2
Interpreter |0 |0 |2 |5 |7
Lecturer Grade 2 |0 |0 |6 |18 |24
Legal Officer |0 |0 |3 |1 |4
Librarian |0 |0 |5 |2 |7
Matron Housekeeper 0-150 |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Medical Officer |0 |5 |8 |72 |85
Medical Officer (P/T) |4 |104 |0 |0 |108
Night Patrol |5 |2 |75 |851 |933
Nursing Grade A |2 |0 |1 |1 |4
Nursing Grade C |2 |0 |46 |4 |52
Nursing Grade D |3 |0 |97 |23 |123
Nursing Grade E |1 |0 |93 |43 |137
Nursing Grade F |13 |0 |75 |19 |107
Nursing Grade G |0 |0 |20 |8 |28
Nursing Grade H |0 |0 |5 |1 |6
Personal Secretary |43 |0 |451 |3 |497
Principal Lecturer |0 |0 |0 |3 |3
Pharmacist |5 |0 |8 |5 |18
Pharmacy Technician |2 |0 |19 |2 |23
Physical Education Officer |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Principal Medical Officer |0 |0 |2 |6 |8
Principal Officer |0 |0 |44 |1,306 |1,350
Principal Officer (Aps.) |0 |0 |9 |24 |33
Principal RC Chaplain |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Prison Auxiliary |12 |1 |303 |1,297 |1,613
Prison Officer |3 |7 |1,802 |17,026 |18,838
Prison Officer (Aps.) |0 |0 |20 |18 |38
Prof. and Technology Officer |0 |1 |11 |85 |97
Psychologist |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Psychological Assistant |2 |0 |26 |14 |42
Psychologist-Graduate Trainee |0 |0 |19 |8 |27
R.C. Chaplain |0 |2 |1 |13 |16
Registered Catering Manager |0 |0 |0 |5 |5
Research Officer (Social Science) |0 |0 |9 |7 |16
Scientific Officer |15 |0 |50 |51 |116
Senior Instructional Officer |0 |0 |1 |1 |2
Senior Telecommunications Technical Officer |0 |0 |0 |2 |2
Senior Research Officer |1 |0 |5 |4 |10
Senior Assistant Statistician |0 |0 |2 |6 |8
Senior Divisional Officer |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Senior Executive Officer |20 |3 |115 |289 |427
Senior Information Officer |0 |0 |3 |5 |8
Senior Lecturer |0 |0 |0 |3 |3
Senior Legal Assistant |0 |0 |1 |1 |2
Senior Librarian |0 |0 |1 |1 |2
Senior Medical Officer |0 |1 |5 |35 |41
Senior Officer |0 |0 |164 |3,350 |3,514
Senior Personal Secretary |2 |0 |40 |0 |42
Senior Pharmacist |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Senior Prof. and Technical Officer |0 |0 |1 |149 |150
Senior Psychologist |2 |0 |27 |19 |48
Senior Scientific Officer |9 |1 |22 |165 |197
Shop Assistant |1 |0 |0 |0 |1
Shop Manager |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Staff Principal Pharmacist |0 |0 |0 |5 |5
Storeperson |0 |8 |21 |437 |466
Stores Officer Grade A |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Stores Officer Grade B |0 |0 |0 |4 |4
Stores Officer Grade C |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Stores Officer Grade D |0 |0 |1 |4 |5
Sup Insp Animals Sp Insp |0 |0 |0 |3 |3
Support Grade Band 1 |14 |0 |88 |47 |149
Support Grade Band 2 |173 |12 |262 |273 |720
Support Manager 1 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Support Manager 2 |0 |0 |3 |1 |4
Support Manager 3 |0 |0 |11 |1 |12
Technical Officer Grade 1 |0 |0 |4 |14 |18
Technical Officer Grade 2 |0 |0 |3 |5 |8
Telecom Engineering Tech |0 |0 |0 |4 |4
Telecom Technical Engineer 2 |0 |0 |0 |4 |4
Telecoms Technical Officer |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Telephonist |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Temporary Prison Officer |2 |0 |2 |0 |4
Trainee Graphics Officer |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Trainee Typist |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Typing Manager |0 |0 |32 |0 |32
Typist |255 |0 |492 |1 |748
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
|1,914 |308 |11,194 |34,246 |47,662
North Wales Police Authority
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend Home Office circular 176/1976 with a view to ensuring that the North Wales police authority can consider, in the appointment of a new chief constable, an officer or officers currently on the senior officer list who can speak Welsh ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The circular was introduced after careful consideration and discussion with the local authority associations and police staff associations and the policy outlined in it has been adhered to consistently since 1976. The principles underpinning the guidance in the circular are still valid.
Male Offenders
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of male offenders reconvicted within two years commenced (a) probation with day centre on 4A requirements, (b) probation without requirements and (c) community service, in 1987.
Mr. Maclean : Reconviction statistics relate to "standard list" offences as defined in appendix 4 of "Criminal Statistics England and Wales, 1992". It is estimated from a sample of persons commencing supervision under the probation service in 1987 that the proportions of males reconvicted within two years were :
|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community service orders |56
Probation orders with a day centre or 4A requirement |66
Probation orders with no such requirement |54
Source: Reconvictions of those given Probation and Community Service
Orders in 1987. Home Office Statistical Bulletin Issue 18/93.
Marriage Registrars
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which section within his Department liaises with marriage registrars.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The Home Office has no direct liaison with registrars. From time to time, staff in the immigration and nationality department are in contact with the registrar general of the Office of Population and Census Surveys.
HIV Infection (Prisons)
Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for reducing the risk of HIV infection in prisons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : HIV/AIDS policy for prisoners already places strong emphasis on preventive measures,
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notably educational and counselling services. Following a wide-ranging review of policy and practice the potential for further risk reduction measures is being considered.It will be appreciated that these are sensitive and difficult issues which need to be considered carefully, the more so because I understand that the first report has been received of an identified case of HIV transmission within prisons in England and Wales. The Public Health Laboratory Service has been asked to investigate the case and, if appropriate, advise on the further measures necessary to reduce the risk of other similar occurrences.
The Wolds Prison
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what means are in place to monitor services at The Wolds prison which Group 4 contract out to third parties ;
(2) what steps have been taken to enable a comparative cost analysis between The Wolds and the public sector following the criticisms made by the Prison Chief Inspector last year ; (3) if he will publish the reports made by the Crown Monitor at The Wolds ;
(4) how much Group 4 will be paid to run The Wolds prison ; and how any originally agreed sum has been subsequently varied ;
(5) how many disturbances have occurred at The Wolds prison since it opened ;
(6) how many custody officers are currently working at The Wolds prison ; and what information he has as to how many custody officers have resigned or been sacked by Group 4 since The Wolds opened.
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 Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994 : HM Prison Wolds
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Wolds prison.
On 28 February 1994 155 people certificated as prisoner custody officers (PCOs) were employed at Wolds prison. In 1992 four PCOs resigned and in 1993 ten did so. Two have been dismissed, both in 1993. In 1994 12 PCOs have resigned. It is believed that some of these have accepted offers of PCO posts elsewhere.
The Controller monitors all the services delivered under the contract, including those which, with Prison Service permission, are subcontracted. There are no plans to publish the Controller's reports. These are internal management reports and it would not be appropriate to release them. Reports by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons and the Board of Visitors have been published.
The Prison Service has made public the cost of operating Wolds on several occasions, before and after publication of the Chief Inspector's report, including responses to a number of Parliamentary Questions and at the time of the publication of the Chief Inspector's report on Wolds in August 1993, the announcement of the plans for private sector involvement in the
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Prison Service in September 1993, and the announcement of award of the contract for Doncaster prison in January this year. Comparative cost analysis has also been undertaken and published at the time of the latter announcements. I should point out that the ability to draw meaningful comparisons is limited because the Wolds is the only adult remand prison. In addition, the Prison Service publishes comparative information about the performance of all prisons, directly and privately managed, on a regular basis in its Annual Report. Information on Wolds was included in the Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts for 1992-93 which was published in November 1993 (Cm 2385). The report shows that the net operating costs for Wolds for that financial year were £5.5 million and the cost per prisoner place per week was £333. The net operating cost includes all costs associated with the operation of Wolds, including payments made to Group 4. Figures for the 1993-94 financial year will be included in the next annual report.Group 4 is currently paid at the rate of £4.8 million a year for the management of Wolds. Amounts paid to Group 4 are included in the total costs of operating Wolds referred to above. The contract with Group 4 allows for variations to be made to the services required under the contract and for annual reviews of the contract price in line with the movements of the appropriate prices and earning indices published by the Department of Trade and the Department of Employment. In the life of the contract the most significant changes have been variations to reflect the transfer of the court escort function from Wolds prison to the new court escort and custody service in Humberside and the East Midlands in April 1992 ; and the movements in the relevant indices.
Finally, you also requested information on disturbances at the prison. Details of incidents between the opening of the prison and 29 June 1993 have already been provided to Parliament (Official Report : 26 July 1993, col. WA 75-79). Since that time there have been three instances of concerted indiscipline, making a total of 28 incidents in all.
Pentonville Prison
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what improvements have been made in Pentonville prison relating to criticisms made by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons ; which points of criticism remain unresolved ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what representations he has received concerning conditions in Pentonville prison.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answers 25 March 1994] : Judge Tumin made 128 recommendations in his report of November 1993. There were five main recommendations ; the Prison Service has accepted four, of which one is already being implemented. The further 123 recommendations to the governor have largely been implemented or are in the process of being implemented.
Some 17 recommendations are under active consideration. The remaining eight recommendations require further discussion. In line with the main recommendations, it is expected there will be full access to sanitation by the end of 1994 and "slopping out" will no longer be necessary. There is an agreed strategic plan for building work ; B wing is being refurbished and work should be completed by May 1995. Work to refurbish and extend the kitchen started in October 1993 and modernisation of the health care centre is intended for the financial year 1996-97. A review of staffing in the health care centre is currently being evaluated and a working group has been established to consider other health care issues. Computer software for budget management is to be provided.
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The remaining main recommendation was to review the policy of holding immigration detainees in Pentonville. The majority of people detained under immigration powers are already housed in Immigration Service accommodation. There will, however, remain a certain number of immigration detainees who will need to be accommodated in prisons because of their behaviour.There have been no formal representations from interested outside bodies or pressure groups about conditions generally at Pentonville.
Deaths (Police Cells)
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) deaths and (b) suicides of Prison Service prisoners occurred in police cells in 1993 :
(2) how many deaths there were in police cells in 1993 ; and how many were suicides.
Mr. Charles Wardle [holding answer 14 February 1994] : The numbers of persons who died in police cells or detention rooms in 1993 are as follows :
|Total |Suicide|Inquest
|deaths |verdict|awaited
|reached
----------------------------------------------------
Provincial forces |12 |2 |2
Metropolitan police |6 |0 |0
None of the deaths involved Prison Service prisoners.
NORTHERN IRELAND
National Continence Week
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what projects his Department instigated in respect of National Continence Week.
Mr. Ancram : The Department of Health and Social Services funded an advertising campaign on television and in the local press during National Continence Week which was supported with editorial coverage. It produced and distributed more than 50,000 leaflets, posters and stickers to promote the national help and advice line and encourage sufferers to seek treatment. The Department also collaborated with health and social services boards in drawing up a full programme of local events.
Agriculture (Incomes)
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will show the average income of (a) farmers and (b) farm workers in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, using 1985 as a constant, in each year since 1980 showing these incomes as a percentage of the average wage.
Mr. Ancram : Estimates of cash farm income in Northern Ireland for 1986-87 onwards are given in the table. Figures for previous years are not available on a consistent basis. Estimates of average farm income are not comparable with the average wage.
Estimates of the earnings of full-time hired agricultural workers in Northern Ireland are also given in the table.
Column 571
Earnings of
full-time hired
agricultural
workers (£/week)
|<1>Estimated cash
|income (£/farm) |<2>Real terms |<3>Percentage of
Year |current terms |Year |Current terms |1985 prices |average wage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980-81 |n/a |1980 |66.54 |94.12 |66.7
1981-82 |n/a |1981 |71.60 |90.52 |62.7
1982-83 |n/a |1982 |77.01 |89.65 |61.9
1983-84 |n/a |1983 |85.86 |95.61 |64.3
1984-85 |n/a |1984 |88.60 |93.96 |61.2
1985-86 |n/a |1985 |90.44 |90.44 |58.9
1986-87 |12,600 |1986 |102.40 |99.03 |63.6
1987-88 |14,500 |1987 |104.47 |97.00 |59.2
1988-89 |15,600 |1988 |111.75 |98.89 |58.9
1989-90 |19,000 |1989 |121.70 |99.92 |58.9
1990-91 |16,600 |1990 |129.09 |96.84 |57.2
1991-92 |16,300 |1991 |143.52 |101.72 |58.4
1992-93 |19,700 |1992 |145.07 |99.09 |53.8
1993-94<4> |21,600 |<4>1993 |153.15 |102.99 |54.2
n/a=Not available.
<1>Farm Business Survey account years ending on average in mid-February.
<2>Deflated by the Retail Price Index.
<3>Average earnings of all industries and services in Northern Ireland.
<4>Provisional.
Source: Northern Ireland New Earnings Survey.
Farm Workers
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total number of (a) farmers and (b) farm workers in Northern Ireland in each year since 1980.
Mr. Ancram : The information requested is given in the table. The figures are from the June agricultural censuses for each year and include estimates for minor holdings not covered by the census :
|Farmers, |Working |All other farm-
|partners and |spouses |workers
|directors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |38,471 |5,833 |19,215
1981 |38,579 |5,459 |19,225
1982 |38,406 |5,183 |19,336
1983 |38,526 |5,033 |19,866
1984 |38,285 |4,863 |19,976
1985 |37,761 |5,275 |20,209
1986 |37,552 |5,374 |19,627
1987 |37,129 |5,304 |19,550
1988 |37,417 |5,008 |19,630
1989 |36,709 |4,903 |20,084
1990 |36,302 |4,741 |19,992
1991 |35,991 |4,562 |19,259
1992 |36,224 |3,908 |18,997
1993 |34,408 |5,790 |19,426
Isle of Man
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met Ministers of the Isle of Man to discuss transport links, promotion of the common Celtic heritage and other matters of mutual interest.
Sir John Wheeler : Ministers from the Isle of Man had a meeting with Lord Arran on 14 October 1992. Those present were the Finance Minister, Minister of Health and Social Security and junior Health Minister all of whom were in Northern Ireland to discuss and seek advice on acute hospital planning.
The meeting also touched on opportunities for co-operation on a range of health service matters.
Column 572
There has to date been no necessity for Ministers from both Governments to meet to discuss transport links or the promotion of the common Celtic heritage.Civil Servants
Ms Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of (a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.
Sir John Wheeler : The information requested is provided in the tables.
Home civil servants at 1 March 1994 (
non-industrial and industrial
staff)
(a) Male (b) Female
Grade |(i) FT |(ii) PT|(i) FT |(ii) PT
------------------------------------------------
1 |1 |- |- |-
2 |2 |- |- |-
3 |4 |- |- |-
4 |2 |- |- |-
5 |9 |- |- |-
6 |5 |- |- |-
7 |20 |- |4 |1
<1>SEO |4 |- |3 |-
HEO D |3 |- |1 |-
HEO |7 |- |14 |-
AT |- |- |1 |-
<2>EO |12 |- |14 |-
SPS |- |- |7 |-
TM |- |- |1 |-
AO |9 |- |9 |1
PS |- |- |15 |-
AA |2 |- |4 |1
Typist |- |- |13 |3
CM1 |1 |- |- |-
CM3 |1 |- |- |-
Chef 1 |2 |- |1 |1
SMG 3 |1 |- |- |-
SGB 1 |6 |- |- |-
SGB 2 |4 |- |1 |2
GHJCC 6 |2 |- |- |-
GHJCC 2 |2 |- |2 |10
Notes:
(a) Casual staff and prison service staff are
not included.
(b) Casual staff and prison service staff are
not included.
<1>SEO equivalent grades are included.
<2>EO equivalent grades are included.
Northern Ireland Civil Servants
Non-Industrials as |Male |Male |Female |Female
at
24 March 1994 |Full time |Part time |Full time |Part time
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Service
Grades
Head of Service |1 |- |- |-
Permanent Secretary |6 |- |- |-
Under Secretary |30 |1 |- |-
Grade 4 |2 |- |- |-
Assistant Secretary |100 |- |12 |-
Senior Principal |30 |- |- |-
PO |341 |- |49 |6
PO (London) |- |- |1 |-
DP |491 |1 |153 |10
DP (London) |- |- |1 |-
SO |574 |- |385 |34
SO (A) |9 |- |2 |-
AT |5 |- |1 |-
EOI |590 |3 |699 |90
Social Sec Officer (1) |271 |1 |528 |91
EOII |492 |- |889 |91
EOII (London) |- |- |2 |-
AO |983 |2 |2,248 |304
AA |808 |1 |2,181 |193
Social Sec Officer 2A |98 |- |178 |15
Social Sec Officer 2B |528 |6 |1,159 |192
AO (London) |- |- |1 |-
AA |1 |- |- |1
Accountant Gd 7 |2 |- |1 |-
Accountant DP |4 |- |- |-
Accountant SO |19 |- |6 |-
Accountant EOI |3 |- |1 |-
Auditor SO |26 |- |8 |-
Auditor DP |12 |- |1 |-
|--- |- |--- |---
Total General Service
Grades |5,426 |15 |8,506 |1,027
Other Grades |6,549 |25 |2,751 |360
|--- |- |--- |---
Total Non-Industrials |11,975 |40 |11,257 |1,387
Industrials as at 1 February 1994
Craft |642 |0 |1 |0
Non Craft |3,620 |2 |40 |5
|--- |- |- |-
Total Industrials |4,262 |2 |41 |5
Total Northern Ireland
Civil Servants |16,237 |42 |11,298 |1,392
Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what assessment he has made of how many of those pupils currently covered by the assisted places scheme would have entered private education without the support offered by the scheme ;
(2) what safeguards are used by his Office to ensure that schools covered by the assisted places scheme meet recognised educational standards ;
(3) how much his Office has spent on the operation of the assisted places scheme in each year since 1981 ; how many pupils have been covered by the scheme in each year since 1981 ; and if there was any overspend on the budget allocated in each of these years ; (4) if he will list those schools in Northern Ireland which have pupils under the assisted places scheme in the current academic year ; how many pupils are supported at each institution ; and how much it cost his Office to provide this support ;
Column 574
(5) how much it costs his Department annually to publicise and administer the operation of the assisted places scheme ;(6) what assessment has been made of the assisted places scheme by his Office ;
(7) if he will list the 20 independent schools which currently have the highest proportions of their school rolls made up by pupils covered by the assisted places scheme ; and if he will give the percentage of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme and the size of the school rolls ;
(8) what level of fee is charged by each institution covered by the assisted places scheme in the current academic year.
Mr. Ancram : There is no assisted place scheme or equivalent in Northern Ireland.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Egg and Poultry Industries
Mr. Gill : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the best estimate of the number of regulations affecting the egg and poultry industries currently in force.
Mr. Jack : My Department has responsibility for 33 regulations that apply specifically to the egg and poultry industries. Twenty-one of these are EC rules for marketing and international trade, six covering eggs and 10 covering poultry and five applying to both. There are a further 26 regulations covering livestock and food commodities which also affect the egg and poultry industries. The veterinary medicines directorate also has responsibility for regulations made under the Medicines Act 1968 which affect these industries.
Food Farming and Fishing Industries
Mr. Gill : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many regulations affecting the food farming and fishing industries have been either relaxed or rescinded during the course of this Parliament.
Mr. Jack : Up to the end of February 1994, 11 statutory instruments which imposed burdens on the food, farming or fishing industries had been rescinded and 18 had been relaxed. These figures do not, however, reflect other deregulatory activities undertaken by the Department, for example, the deregulation of the milk and potato markets as provided for in the Agriculture Act 1993, measures proposed under the Deregulation Bill, or deregulation gains won in Brussels.
Building Projects
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what major building projects, valued at over £1 million are being or have been wholly or partly financed since 1989 in (a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Wakefield by her Department ; and what was the cost of each project to her Department.
Mr. Jack : The Ministry is not funding, and has not funded since 1989, either wholly or in part, any such building projects in these four towns.
Column 575
Dairy Farmers
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dairy farmers there were in England in each year since 1985.
Mr. Jack : The number of farms classified as dairy farms in England, is given in the table. The figures are taken from the June agricultural census ; figures for June 1993 are not yet available.
Number of dairy
farms in England<1> (
excluding minor
holdings)
|Number
---------------------
1985 |28,300
1986 |27,583
1987 |26,138
1988 |24,767
1989 |23,849
1990 |23,174
1991 |22,701
1992 |21,712
<1> Up to and
including June 1992,
farms were
classified as
"dairy" if the dairy
enterprise,
including followers,
accounted for over
one-third and
commonly over
two-thirds of total
standard gross
margin and was the
largest enterprise
group. A new system
of farm
classification was
introduced in 1993
under which farms
were classified as
dairy if the dairy
cows accounted for
over two thirds of
total SGM. Under
this new system the
number of dairy
farms in 1992 was 19,
115.
Common Agricultural Policy
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the (a) amount and (b) percentage of CAP money being paid to farmers in the United Kingdom (i) in each of the three years prior to June 1992 and (ii) in each year since June 1992 ; and what was the total amount of CAP expenditure in each of these years.
Mr. Jack : Information on CAP expenditure by member state, consisting of direct aid to farmers, and indirect aid through market support measures, for example, is available for 1989 to 1992 from the annual financial reports of the guarantee section of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, copies of which were deposited in the Library of the House of Commons. For 1993, provisional figures show total CAP payments to the United Kingdom of 2,736 mecu--£2,149 million --7.9 per cent. of corresponding total provisional expenditure of 34,585 mecu--£27,170 million. It is important to note that the first year in which the CAP reform agreement of June 1992 has a full budgetary impact is 1994.
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