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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 28 April 1994
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Performance Targets
Sir Fergus Montgomery : To ask the Attorney General if he will announce the key performance targets for executive agencies in his Department for 1994-95 ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : I informed the House on 29 March, Official Report, columns 16-17, that I would be establishing the Government Property Lawyers as an executive agency of the Treasury Solicitor's Department on 1 April 1993.
The agency has had a successful first year. It has achieved the key performance targets which I set it. I congratulate the chief executive and his staff.
I have set the following targets for the agency which are similar to those for 1993-94 but contain significant improvements : For 1994-95 : to recover the full operating cost of the agency ; to achieve 6,000 new instructions from its clients ; to increase the number of completions effected to an average of 83 per case-holder, equivalent to a total of 6,050 ; to maintain and improve the quality of service, in particular by keeping the proportions of cases completed satisfactorily (i.e. without requiring rectification by reason of any fault of the agency) on or before the target date at or above 99.5 per cent.
Over the three year period of the strategic plan : to achieve a steady reduction in operating costs of an average of 2.5 per cent. per year in real terms.
I wish the chief executive and his staff a further successful year.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what amounts were paid in the last 10 years for which figures are available to (a) solicitors, (b) barristers and (c) by way of disbursements in relation to criminal legal aid in the magistrates and higher courts.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Table (a) gives a breakdown for criminal cases tried in the magistrates courts during the period 1983-84 to 1992-93. Detailed information on payments to solicitors and barristers in the higher criminal courts is available only for the last nine years and is set out at table (b) . A breakdown of disbursements in the higher criminal courts is only available from 1988-89.
Table (a)
£ million
|Solicitors |Barristers |Disbursements
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |54.991 |4.846 |2.483
1984-85 |60.104 |5.307 |2.790
1985-86 |71.227 |6.857 |3.347
1986-87 |76.313 |7.309 |3.649
1987-88 |99.372 |9.914 |4.626
1988-89 |110.422 |11.903 |5.312
1989-90 |130.785 |14.849 |6.214
1990-91 |152.495 |15.650 |7.055
1991-92 |186.043 |17.562 |8.791
1992-93 |175.689 |16.776 |8.652
Table (b)
£ million
|Solicitors |Barristers |Disbursements
----------------------------------------------------------------------
<1>1984-85 |33.723 |34.316 |-
<1>1985-86 |36.360 |38.932 |-
<1>1986-87 |42.601 |49.225 |-
<1>1987-88 |47.591 |52.494 |-
1988-89 |47.407 |65.335 |6.555
1989-90 |53.381 |74.095 |7.570
1990-91 |60.982 |87.881 |8.949
1991-92 |72.955 |103.789 |10.726
1992-93 |91.752 |117.082 |13.094
<1> Disbursements included in totals for solicitors and barristers.
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the courts and the tribunals in England and Wales for which legal aid, subject to eligibility, (a) is and (b) is not available.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Under the Legal Aid Act 1988, and subject to the various eligibility tests, legal aid is available as follows : Civil legal aid is available for proceedings before :
The House of Lords in the exercise of its jurisdiction in relation to appeals from the courts of England and Wales ;
the Court of Appeal ;
the High Court ;
any county court ;
specified family proceedings in the magistrates courts ; the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Lands Tribunal ; a commons commissioner appointed under section 17(1) of the Commons Registration Act 1965 ;
the Restrictive Practices Court under part III of the Fair Trading Act 1973, and any proceedings in that court in consequence of an order made, or undertaking given, under that Part of that Act. However, it is not available for those proceedings specified in part II of schedule 2 to the Legal Aid Act.
Criminal legal aid is available for proceedings before : The magistrates courts ;
the Crown Court ;
the criminal division of the Court of Appeal or the Courts-Martial Appeal Court ;
the House of Lords in the exercise of its jurisdiction in relation to appeals from either of those courts.
Assistance by way of representation--ABWOR--is available for : Specified civil proceedings in the magistrates courts ; a party, at a hearing in any proceedings in a magistrates' court, who is not receiving and has not been refused representation in connection with those proceedings, where authority has been given by the court ;
specified criminal proceedings in magistrates courts where the client has not previously received and is not otherwise receiving representation or ABWOR in connection with the same proceedings ; a party, at a hearing in any proceedings in a county court, who is not receiving and had not been refused representation in connection with those proceedings, where authority is given by the court ; a person in connection with an application for a warrant of further detention, or for an extension of such a warrant, made in respect of that person to a magistrates court under section 43 or 44 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
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proceedings before Mental Health Review Tribunals under the Mental Health Act 1983 ;a discretionary life prisoner whose case is referred to the parole board under sections 34(4) or (5) or 39(4) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 ;
a prisoner who has been permitted by the governor or equivalent to be legally represented in proceedings before him.
Legal aid is not available for proceedings before any other venue. However, those within the relevant financial eligibility limits may receive advice and assistance from a solicitor under the green form scheme prior to a hearing.
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the total receipts in the last 10 years for which figures are available in relation to awards of costs, contributions and otherwise in relation to (a) legal aid in criminal cases in the higher courts, (b) legal aid in criminal cases in the magistrates courts, (c) magistrates courts duty solicitor schemes, (d) police station duty solicitor schemes and (e) advice on criminal matters under the legal aid scheme.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Total payments to the legal aid fund in respect of costs, contributions and other receipts in respect of criminal legal aid during the last 10 years are as shown. No costs, contributions or other receipts are received in respect of magistrates courts and police station duty solicitors schemes.
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Year |Higher Criminal |Magistrates Courts|Green Form (£m)
|Courts (£m) |(£m)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |0.581 |1.410 |1.622
1984-85 |0.626 |1.240 |2.182
1985-86 |0.629 |1.132 |2.692
1986-87 |0.763 |1.298 |3.014
1987-88 |0.910 |1.756 |3.580
1988-89 |0.710 |2.113 |3.930
1989-90 |0.750 |2.649 |3.758
1990-91 |1.000 |3.254 |4.044
1991-92 |1.000 |2.033 |4.494
1992-93 |1.265 |3.267 |4.896
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total net cost in the last 10 years for which figures are available of (a) legal aid in criminal cases in the higher courts, (b) legal aid in criminal cases in the magistrates courts, (c) magistrates courts duty solicitor schemes, (d) police station duty solicitor schemes and (e) advice on criminal matters under the legal advice scheme.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The table shows the total net cost of criminal legal aid expenditure in the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down in the form requested.
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£ million
Year |Higher Courts |Magistrates' Courts|Duty Solicitor |Duty Solicitor |Green Form
|magistrates' courts|police station
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |58.905 |60.765 |- |- |35.858
1984-85 |67.398 |66.816 |0.537 |- |44.139
1985-86 |74.663 |80.219 |3.368 |0.568 |51.716
1986-87 |91.067 |85.772 |3.915 |16.618 |49.918
1987-88 |99.176 |112.266 |4.879 |23.183 |56.885
1988-89 |118.586 |125.273 |5.300 |25.534 |54.132
1989-90 |134.206 |148.828 |6.522 |30.969 |62.430
1990-91 |156.821 |171.646 |7.071 |37.031 |72.016
1991-92 |186.470 |209.996 |7.989 |53.615 |95.165
1992-93 |220.404 |197.393 |10.156 |61.439 |118.746
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the amounts and the proportions of legal aid fund moneys paid to (a) solicitors, (b) barristers and (c) Queen's counsel for each of the last five years in (i) criminal, (ii) family, and (iii) other civil matters.
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Mr. John M. Taylor : It is not possible to distinguish between the amounts paid specifically to Queen's counsel from the total sum paid to all barristers in family and other civil proceedings. The amounts and proportions of final legal aid bill payments to solicitors and barristers, excluding disbursements, for each of the last five years for which figures are available in (i) criminal, (ii) family and (iii) other civil matters, are as follows :
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Gross expenditure on criminal legal aid
|Solicitors (£ |Proportion of |Barristers (£ |Proportion of |Queen's Counsel (£|Proportion of |Disbursements (£ |Proportion of |Total criminal
|million) |criminal |million) |criminal |million) |criminal |million) |criminal |expenditure (£
|expenditure (per |expenditure (per |expenditure (per |expenditure (per |million)
|cent.) |cent.) |cent.) |cent.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988-89 |197.6 |68.9 |77.2 |26.9 |10.2 |3.5 |11.9 |4.1 |286.7
1989-90 |232.2 |69.3 |88.9 |26.6 |11.6 |3.5 |13.8 |4.1 |334.9
1990-91 |269.5 |69.3 |103.5 |26.6 |14.7 |3.8 |16.0 |4.1 |389.1
1991-92 |335.4 |70.4 |121.4 |25.5 |16.0 |3.4 |19.5 |4.1 |476.2
1992-93 |356.9 |69.6 |133.9 |26.1 |24.4 |4.8 |21.7 |4.2 |512.5
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1/2
Gross expenditure on legal aid for family matters
|Solicitors (£ |Proportion of family|Barristers (£ |Proportion of family|Disbursements (£ |Proportion of family|Total family
|million) |expenditure (per |million) |expenditure (per |million) |expenditure (per |expenditure
|cent.) |cent.) |cent.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988-89 |133.6 |83.6 |14.3 |8.9 |12.0 |7.5 |159.9
1989-90 |140.8 |83.5 |15.0 |8.9 |12.9 |7.6 |168.7
1990-91 |160.5 |82.7 |18.4 |9.5 |15.2 |7.9 |194.2
1991-92 |198.7 |82.4 |24.1 |10.0 |18.4 |7.6 |241.2
1992-93 |247.7 |83.8 |32.1 |10.9 |15.8 |5.3 |295.7
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´
Gross expenditure on other civil legal aid
|Solicitors (£ |Proportion of other|Barristers (£ |Proportion of other|Disbursements (£ |Proportion of other|Total other civil
|million) |civil expenditure |million) |civil expenditure |million) |civil expenditure |expenditure
|(per cent.) |(per cent.) |(per cent.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988-89 |95.8 |71.8 |20.6 |15.4 |17.1 |12.8 |133.5
1989-90 |116.9 |71.8 |25.5 |15.7 |20.3 |12.5 |162.7
1990-91 |142.4 |72.5 |29.8 |15.2 |24.2 |12.3 |196.4
1991-92 |199.8 |72.5 |43.9 |15.9 |32.0 |11.6 |275.7
1992-93 |269.2 |73.0 |56.7 |15.4 |42.9 |11.6 |368.8
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many solicitors or solicitors' offices and barristers received payments during 1992-93 in the ranges (a) £1 to £5,000, (b) £5,001 to £10,000, (c) £10,001 to £20,000, (d) £20,001 to £40,000, (e) £40,001 to £60,000, (f) £60,001 to £80,000, (g) £80,001 to £100,000, (h) £100,001 to £120,000 and (i) £120,001 and over in respect of payments made from the legal aid fund.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The number of solicitors' offices receiving payments within these ranges in 1992-93 was as follows :
|Number
--------------------------------
£1-£5,000 |3,001
£5,001-£10,000 |873
£10,001-£20,000 |1,180
£20,001-£40,000 |1,623
£40,001-£60,000 |1,134
£60,001-£80,000 |718
£80,001-£100,000 |549
£100,001-£120,000 |412
£120,001 and over |1,827
The Legal Aid Board does not keep records in the form requested of payments to barristers, and it could be produced only at disproportionate cost. However, the following information is held on the numbers of barristers receiving payments within given ranges in 1992-93 :
|Number
-------------------------------
£1-£1,000 |1,553
£1,001-£2,000 |681
£2,001-£4,000 |893
£4,001-£6,000 |728
£6,001-£8,000 |617
£8,001-£10,000 |499
£10,001-£12,000 |385
£12,001-£14,000 |349
£14,001 and over |2,115
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Judges
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many advertisements and in which publications, and at what cost, the Lord Chancellor has placed for new judges since his speech at the Lord Mayor's dinner for judges on 7 July 1993 ; and how many responses he has received to these advertisements.
Mr. John M. Taylor : No advertisements have so far been placed for judges. However, eight advertisements have been placed for other judicial appointments since7 July 1993, details of which are shown in the table. The total cost was £663.54.
Work in currently in progress on the development of detailed proposals for the introduction of the measures announced in the Lord Chancellor's speech to Her Majesty's judges, and an announcement will be made soon.
Advertisements placed for judicial appointments since 7th July 1993
Office |Publication |Number of
|applications
|received
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deputy Social Security Commissioners/Deputy Child Support Commissioners (Scotland) |Journal of the Law Society of Scotland |38
|Scots Law Times
Deputy Taxing Masters |The Law Society Gazette |25
|Bar News
Mental Health Review Tribunals (Legal Members-part-time) |The Law Society Gazette |49
|Bar News
Part-time Immigration Adjudicators (Scotland) |Journal of The Law Society of Scotland |49
|Scots Law Times
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Mr. Boateng : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the total amount spent on judges' lodgings in England and Wales for each of the last 10 years.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The table sets out expenditure on judges' lodgings since 1987-88.
|£ million
------------------------------
1987-88 |2.3
1988-89 |2.9
1989-90 |2.7
1990-91 |3.3
1991-92 |3.7
1992-93 |<1>5.5
1993-94 |<2>
<1> £5.0 million excluding
building purchase.
<2> Not yet available.
The Department took over responsibility for collating information on expenditure from the Property Services Agency in 1988 and in 1990 took over full responsibility for the maintenance and administration of the lodgings. For this transitionary period the costs are based on estimates. Figures for the years prior to 1987-88 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Photo-identity Cards
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of how much crime would be reduced by the introduction of national photo-identity cards for those aged 12 years and above ;
(2) what estimate he has made of how much car-related crimes would be reduced by the introduction of (a) photo-identity cards and (b) photo- driving licences.
Mr. Charles Wardle : No such estimates have been made.
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Home Department has and what studies it has undertaken in respect of the introduction of a photo-identity card for all United Kingdom subjects aged 12 years and above.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The Government currently have no plans to introduce a photo-identity card for all United Kingdom subjects aged 12 years and above. The last formal study undertaken of this question was completed in 1989. This is, however, an issue which we consider important and keep constantly under review.
Police National Computer
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to employ workers abroad to programme and load the police national computer ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the conversion of the national collection of criminal records into digital form for entry on the police national computer. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to make an announcement on this matter shortly.
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Blakenhurst Prison
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 April, Official Report, columns 643-44, on what date the settlement was reached between United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. and the Prison Service regarding the amount of money to be withheld under the terms of the contract to manage Blakenhurst prison, in the light of the incident on 24 February ; what sum of money has been withheld from United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. as an appropriate financial remedy ; and how this amount was arrived at.
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 A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 28 April 1994 :
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about Blakenhurst prison.
The matter was finalised on 28 March. The sum withheld was £41, 166.90, exclusive of VAT, which in our judgment represented the extent to which the required level of service had not been delivered in February. The areas where the service was not considered to be up to the required standard were outlined in Derek Lewis' letter of 12 April Official Report, column 3.
Nuclear Weapons
Dr. Reid : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibilities agencies accountable to his Department are required to assume in the event of an accident or incident involving United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No agencies involved in an incident involving United States nuclear weapons are accountable to my Department. The response of the emergency services is a local one and is determined by the local circumstances.
Dr. Reid : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether local police forces are required to assume primary responsibility in responding to an accident or incident involving United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The role of the police in the response to an incident, including one involving United States' nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom, is one of co-ordinating the local level response of the emergency services and other agencies.
ANZAC Day
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in the restrictions on the movement of vehicular traffic in Whitehall were made on 25 April ANZAC day, in 1994, as against those made in previous years ; what consultations took place about the changes, and by and with whom ; what was his involvement ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that consultations took place between his officers and representatives of
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the New Zealand and Australian high commissioners on the arrangements to be made for ANZAC day. As this year it fell on a weekday during the parliamentary session, the commissioner was required by the sessional order to keep the streets leading to Parliament free and open. It was possible to close Whitehall for the whole of the ceremony in 1993 and 1992 only because Parliament was not sitting on either of the days in question.Cremations
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest available annual figure for the number of people cremated in England.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Annual cremation figures are collected by the Federation of British Cremation Authorities and were most recently published in volume 37 of the federation's journal "Resurgam". This indicates that 386,673 cremations took place in England in 1993.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what law or guideline governs the payment of money to doctors for the signing of authorisation for the cremation of a deceased person ; how many doctors are required to authorise each cremation ; and if he will publish the guidance issued by his Department in relation to this matter.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The main requirements governing cremation procedures in England and Wales are contained in the Cremation Regulations 1930, as amended by the Cremation Regulations 1952, 1965, 1979 and the Cremation (Amendment) Regulations 1985. All applications for cremation have to be authorised by the medical referee for the crematorium, who must be a registered medical practitioner of not less than five years' standing with suitable experience and qualifications. There is no statutory basis for the payment of money to medical referees for the authorising of cremation ; in the case of municipal crematoriums, the fees are set by the local government management board following negotiation with the British Medical Association. For privately run crematoriums, there is a BMA-recommended fee.
Law Commission
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ask the Law Commission to review the law on hearsay evidence and evidence of previous misconduct, as recommended by the Royal Commission on criminal justice.
Mr. Howard : I have today asked the Law Commission to undertake a major review of the law of evidence. I have suggested that the terms of reference should be to consider the law of England and Wales relating to hearsay evidence and evidence of previous misconduct in criminal proceedings ; and to make appropriate recommendations, including, if they appear to be necessary in consequence of changes proposed to the law of evidence, changes to the trial process.
Racial Discrimination
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been achieved with respect to publishing an annual report to assist those
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in the criminal justice system in avoiding racial discrimination within that system, as laid down in section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Maclean : A publication on race and the criminal justice system was issued in October 1992 along with a similar publication on gender. In 1993 the Home Secretary's statutory responsibilities under section 95, which deals with information on race, gender and costs, were discharged by distributing information on the costs of the criminal justice system. Additionally, an information sheet on race specifically for the Judicial Studies Board was published. A further general publication on race will be distributed shortly.
Male Rape
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is now his proposed time scale for the introduction of an offence of male rape ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The Government have no plans to create such an offence.
Prison Service Chaplaincy
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to strengthen the Prison Service chaplaincy with an increase in prison numbers ; 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 A. J. Butler to Mr. Harry Greenway, dated 28 April 1994 :
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about plans to strengthen the Prison Service Chaplaincy in view of the increase in the prison population.
It is for individual governors to agree with their area managers how best available resources can be deployed to meet the religious and other needs of prisoners in their establishments. In general, the Prison Service looks to more effective and efficient use of the resources it has and a re- ordering of priorities in order to meet its goals, including the goal of providing value for money for the taxpayer.
Deportation Orders
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders have been served in (a) the first quarter of 1993, (b) the third quarter of 1993 and (c) the first quarter of 1994.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The available information relates to deportation orders made rather than those served. There were 359 and 297 such orders made in the first and third quarters of 1993 respectively. Corresponding information for the first quarter of 1994 is not yet available. Deportation orders are not made in respect of persons removed under the supervised departure procedures ; there were 363 and 300 such removals in the first and third quarters of 1993 respectively.
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Prisoner Interviews
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the procedures that must be followed for a newspaper to be allowed to interview a prisoner being held in a prison establishment in England and Wales.
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 A. J. Butler to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 28 April 1994 : The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the procedures that must be followed for a newspaper to interview a prisoner being held in a prison establishment in England and Wales. Prison Service Standing Order 5A 37 states that visits to inmates by journalists or authors in their professional capacity should not in general be allowed. Any interview which is allowed can take place only with the consent of both the governor and prisoner concerned.
Sheehy Inquiry
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 December, Official Report, column 665-66, regarding the cost of the Sheehy inquiry (a) how many days Miss Jenny Rumble spent in actual discussions in Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America ; at what cost ; and what were her qualifications to be sent on such duties and (b) how many days Mr. E. Caines spent in discussions in Australia ; and at what cost.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The dates of all the visits which were undertaken by the members and the secretary of the inquiry were published in the appendices of volume 2 of the inquiry's report. The visits included discussions with the New South Wales police, the Australian federal police in Canberra and the New Zealand police service. Details of the overall expenditure of the inquiry were given in my reply to the hon. Member on 2 December 1993, at column 665-66 . The management of expenditure within these sums was the responsibility of the inquiry.
Police Posts (Privatisation)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to prevent criminals from participating in, and benefiting from, his plans to privatise police posts ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : In any case where work previously done by police officers is contracted out, the Government take steps in order to ensure that the appropriate security procedures are in place.
Surveillance
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the confidentiality of citizens who allow the police to use their houses for surveillance.
Mr. Maclean : I can assure the hon. Member that the police go to great lengths to safeguard the identities of those who allow them to use their houses for surveillance.
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The Government are determined to do whatever they can to ensure that people who assist the police should not face intimidation. Courts already have discretion to allow witnesses to conceal their addresses from the public and the defendant. A new offence of witness intimidation, contained in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill, will make it easier to prosecute anyone who seeks to intimidate or take revenge on witnesses, jurors or any person assisting the police.Immigration
Mr. Dicks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many individuals from Somalia have been granted leave to enter Britain since January 1991 ; and how many dependent relatives have been allowed to accompany them ;
(2) how many individuals from the former Yugoslavia have been granted leave to enter Britain since January 1991 ; and how many dependent relatives have been allowed to accompany them.
Mr. Charles Wardle [holding answer 27 April 1994] : Information on the total numbers, including dependent relatives, given leave to enter the United Kingdom is given in the table. The figures include persons who have applied for asylum at ports--and their dependants- -and who have been granted asylum or exceptional leave. They exclude persons granted temporary admission. The total numbers of dependent relatives are not available separately.
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