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Private Detective Agencies
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the use of private detective agencies and security companies by his Department.
Mr. Heseltine : My Department does not use private detective agencies. Private sector security firms are contracted to provide access control to departmental premises.
Launch Aid
Mr. Davidson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much money has returned to the Government as partial repayment of launch aid for aircraft and engine programmes in each of the last 25 years ;
(2) how much public money has been used in launch aid for specific aircraft and engine programmes in each of the last 25 years.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answers 3 May 1994] : The information is as follows :
£ million
Airframes Aeroengines
(including
helicopters)
Year |Payments|Receipts|Payments|Receipts
------------------------------------------------------
1969-70 |0.2 |1.9 |0.1 |1.5
1970-71 |0 |1.0 |0.7 |2.3
1971-72 |0 |0.4 |56.6 |1.5
1972-73 |0 |0.4 |49.2 |1.3
1973-74 |1.6 |0.4 |15.7 |1.3
1974-75 |1.6 |5.2 |41.4 |1.6
1975-76 |2.1 |0.5 |3.1 |2.7
1976-77 |2.0 |0.4 |10.6 |2.6
1977-78 |0.5 |0.3 |0 |14.6
1978-79 |0 |0.4 |16.0 |6.8
1979-80 |0 |0.4 |105.1 |4.0
1980-81 |0 |0.5 |62.2 |8.7
1981-82 |0 |0.4 |92.6 |8.3
1982-83 |10.0 |0.4 |53.7 |12.7
1983-84 |10.7 |0.4 |74.3 |7.9
1984-85 |64.2 |0.4 |19.9 |10.2
1985-86 |81.6 |0.5 |22.7 |15.2
1986-87 |91.7 |0.5 |27.3 |22.2
1987-88 |52.6 |0.4 |0 |28.3
1988-89 |97.7 |0.3 |0 |21.5
1989-90 |133.6 |10.5 |0 |31.9
1990-91 |141.1 |34.5 |0 |17.3
1991-92 |78.7 |55.7 |0 |27.3
1992-93 |31.4 |41.1 |0 |33.6
1993-94 |0.6 |29.5 |0 |<1>23.8
<1> Provisional figure.
Note:
All amounts are at cash prices.
Overseas Mail
Mr. Davidson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's policy in respect of the criteria to be used in determining which airline should carry British mail abroad.
Mr. McLoughlin [holding answer 3 May 1994] : Decisions about which airlines are used to carry British mail abroad are a commercial matter for the Post Office.
Steel Production
Mr. Hardy : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what agreement was reached by the Council of Ministers at its recent meeting in Luxembourg in regard to excessive steel production capacity and unfair trading practices by steel producers and regional or national administrations in other EC member states.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 3 May 1994] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friends the Members for Basildon (Mr. Amess) and for Colchester, North (Mr. Jenkin) on 29 April, Official Report, columns 348-49.
Local Government
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what provisions of the Children Act 1989 and the Registered Homes Act 1984, as amended, have been considered by his interdepartmental scrutiny of local government enforcement ; what proposals have arisen as a result ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neil Hamilton [holding answer 3 May 1994] : The interdepartmental scrutiny team is looking at all aspects of local government enforcement as they affect business and this will be reflected in their report. This includes social services activities. The scrutiny team will complete its investigations and make recommendations to Ministers by the end of May.
I understand that the specific legislation mentioned is being considered under a separate review by the Department of Health, but that the review and scrutiny teams are in regular contact.
Radio Frequencies
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the probable level of interference with aeronautical radio navigation services of high-powered national broadcasting on the 105 to 108 MHz radio frequencies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin [holding answer 3 May 1994] : Broadcasting services in the frequency band 87.5 to 108 MHz have the potential to cause interference to
Column 511
aeronautical radio navigation services. It is the Government's responsibility, however, to ensure that any planned new radio station will not cause unacceptable interference. The assessment of potential interference is a complex task involving not only the power and frequency of a proposed new transmitter, but those of existing transmitters and, in particular, the dispositions of transmitters relative to each other, to airports and to flight paths. These assessments are made by the Radiocommunications Agency, in my Department.It is not possible to carry out an assessment of the interference potential of radio stations in the band 105 to 108 MHz until the details of all proposed broadcasting transmitters are known. However, in preparation for the opening of that band, some hypothetical studies were made by the Radiocommunications Agency which led it to the opinion that transmitting powers as high as 40KW may be acceptable in locations and at frequencies that are favourable. The Radio Authority is currently conducting a public consultation exercise about the possible service options in this new band of frequency spectrum, which the Government have made available for independent radio. These options range from the provision of a new national radio service to the provision of numerous low power and highly localised services. Having reached a decision, the Radio Authority will present a detailed transmitter plan for the proposed services to the Radiocommunications Agency for clearance. Until then, it is not possible to comment further, but I am confident that it will be possible to agree a plan which is fully compatible with aeronautical navigation services.
Coal Industry
Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last met representatives of trade unions within the coal industry to discuss redundancy schemes and payments after 30 April ; what was the conclusion of those meetings ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 3 May 1994] : Both my hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and I meet representatives of trades unions from within the coal industry from time to time to discuss a wide variety of matters affecting the industry. I understand that British Coal is currently discussing with the unions the redundancy arrangements to apply after 30 April.
Directors (Disqualification)
Mr. Wallace : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many adverse reports on directors have been submitted by insolvency practitioners in Scotland to the company directors disqualification unit in Edinburgh in each year since 1986.
Mr. Neil Hamilton [holding answer 3 May 1994] : The numbers of unfitted conduct reports on directors, submitted by insolvency practitioners in Scotland to the company directors disqualification unit in Edinburgh since 1986, are as follows :--
|Number
---------------------
1986 |nil
1987 |67
1988 |189
1989 |152
1990 |173
1991 |181
1992 |154
1993 |241
Mr. Wallace : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many disqualifications of directors of companies registered in Scotland have taken place under the Company Directors Disqualification Act in each year since 1986.
Mr. Neil Hamilton [holding answer 3 May 1994] : Since 1986 the number of disqualification orders made under section 6 of the Company Directors Disqualification act 1986 against directors of companies registered in Scotland is as follows :
|Number
---------------------
1986 |Nil
1987 |Nil
1988 |3
1989 |4
1990 |12
1991 |17
1992 |54
1993 |54
Gross Domestic Fixed Capital
Ms Armstrong : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the amount of manufacturing investment gross domestic fixed capital formation in each region in 1991 ; and if he will provide a consistent series of figures back to 1979.
Mr. Nelson : I have been asked to reply.
The latest available estimates of gross domestic fixed capital formation by region within manufacturing for 1988 to 1990 were published in the December 1992 issue of "Economic Trends", available in the House of Commons Library. Estimates for 1991 are to be published in the May 1994 issue of "Economic Trends". Information prior to 1988 is not available on a consistent time series basis.
PRIME MINISTER
Sir Peter Levene
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Dame A. Rumbold) of 10 March, Official Report, column 319, if he will list all the relevant interests of Sir Peter Levene, and any issues so far identified where a potential conflict of interest exists.
The Prime Minister : Sir Peter Levene is chairman of Canary Wharf Ltd. and its subsidiaries, deputy chairman of Wasserstein Perella and Co. Ltd., and an alderman of the City of London. No issues which involve a conflict of interest for Sir Peter Levene have arisen under the arrangements which I set out in my answer to the right hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Dame A. Rumbold) on 10 March, column 319.
Column 513
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Cox : To ask the Prime Minister when he expects the Scott inquiry report to be published ; and in what form he intends to make known the Government's observations on the findings of the inquiry.
The Prime Minister : On the question of the timing of the publication of Lord Justice Scott's report, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) on 15 March, Official Report, column 645.
It is too early to say in what form the Government will make their observations on the report.
Miss Beata Brookes
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Prime Minister whether the re-appointment of Miss Beata Brookes to be chairman of the Welsh Consumer Council was referred to his public appointments unit ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 3 May 1994] : The re- appointment of Miss Brookes was referred to the public appointments unit before my views were sought. This is in line with the answer I gave on 14 May 1993, Official Report, column 583.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Driving Offences
Mr. Miller : To ask the Attorney-General in what form statistics are collected by the Crown Prosecution Service relating to the prosecution of drivers for (a) drink driving offences, (b) other offences and (c) offences causing death.
The Attorney-General : The Crown Prosecution Service maintains no central records relating to the prosecution of drivers in respect of specific offences. Details are recorded on individual case files. Offence- based figures are available in the "Criminal Statistics England and Wales" published by the Home Office.
Privatisation (Consultants)
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with privatisation programmes in which his departments have been engaged since 1980.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Prisoners
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of prisoners in custody in England and Wales on the first day of each month from April 1992 until the latest month for which figures are available ;
(2) what was the total number of remand prisoners in custody in England and Wales on the first day of each month from April 1992 until the latest month for which figures are available.
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.
Column 514
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 4 May 1994 :The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about (a) the total number of prisoners and (b) the number of remand prisoners in custody on the first day of each month from April 1992 until the latest month for which figures are available. The available information for the number of prisoners in custody is for the last day of each month. It is given in the attached table for the period March 1992 to February 1994.
Prison population<1> by type of custody: England
and Wales-March
1992 to February 1994
|Total |Sentenced|Total<2>
|remand
--------------------------------------------------
1992
March |10,678 |36,751 |47,746
April |10,646 |36,721 |47,738
May |10,294 |36,057 |46,696
June |10,404 |36,065 |46,832
July |9,942 |36,603 |46,875
August |10,128 |35,929 |46,350
September |10,020 |35,589 |45,835
October |9,605 |34,019 |43,905
November |9,459 |33,333 |43,064
December |9,490 |31,845 |40,606
1993
January |9,433 |31,793 |41,561
February |9,933 |32,461 |42,882
March |9,996 |32,661 |43,195
April |9,997 |32,796 |43,391
May |10,181 |32,805 |43,585
June |10,632 |33,046 |44,246
July |10,572 |33,653 |44,830
August |11,407 |33,616 |45,633
September |11,445 |34,139 |46,211
October |11,829 |34,445 |46,886
November |11,895 |34,585 |47,153
December |10,763 |33,818 |45,214
1994
January |12,109 |34,089 |46,902
February |12,109 |35,095 |47,906
<1> Includes prisoners held in police cells.
<2> Includes non-criminal prisoners.
Prisons (Drug Abuse)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action is being taken to seek to reduce the incidence of drug abuse at each HM prison, HM remand centre and HM detention centre in (a) South Yorkshire, (b) North Yorkshire, (c) West Yorkshire and (d) Humberside ;
(2) how often cells and other parts of the building are searched for drugs by staff and sniffer dogs at each HM prison and HM remand centre and HM detention centre in (a) South Yorkshire, (b) North Yorkshire, (c) West Yorkshire and (d) Humberside.
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. Martin Redmond, dated 4 May 1994 :
Column 515
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the action being taken to reduce the incidence of drug abuse at prisons in Yorkshire and Humberside and the searching of cells and other parts of prison buildings.All prisons in Yorkshire and Humberside search cells and other areas of the prison on a daily, but random basis. Searches using dogs trained in drug detection are carried out at the more secure prisons in Yorkshire and Humberside. For example, Full Sutton uses dogs every six weeks, Leeds every three months and Hull uses them to search non living accommodation weekly. All prisons in the area will make special searches with or without dogs when security intelligence indicates need.
Security measures including the use of X-ray scanners for parcels, increased searching of visitors and prisoners and using security information to target other searches within the establishment, are aimed at preventing drugs being brought into prison.
All prisoners are warned of the dangers of drug abuse and are offered drug counselling about the dangers of drug abuse. There are also courses to help prisoners tackle their drug problem. Some establishments run self help or drug awareness groups.
In addition to these general measures, the establishments have tailored their programmes for tackling drug abuse to meet the differing needs of their prisoner population.
For example, in South Yorkshire, Moorland prison and young offenders institution screens all prisoners on admission offering those with a serious drug problem immediate treatment in the Health Care Centre. In North Yorkshire, Northallerton remand centre targets a Personal Social Education course at those in need using outside agencies to assist in counselling. Full Sutton prison has introduced a confidential telephone line.
Prisons in West Yorkshire have similar approaches. Rudgate has a trained drugs worker to help identify those with drug problems and refer them for specialist help. New Hall and Wakefield prisons offer drug rehabilitation courses through probation and local agencies. In Humberside, Hull prison is training two dogs specifically for drug searching and female Prison Auxiliaries have been recruited for searching female visitors.
Chelmsford Prison
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home department (1) when work will be completed on sanitation at Chelmsford prison to enable slopping out to be ended ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what measures are being taken to reduce prisoner numbers at Chelmsford prison.
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 A. J. Butler to Mr. Simon Burns, dated 4 May 1994 : The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about Chelmsford prison.
Integral sanitation has now been installed in most of the cells at Chelmsford. The work to complete the installation in the remaining 65 cells is scheduled to be completed in September this year. On 26 April there were 363 prisoners in Chelmsford prison. Although the prison's certified normal accommodation is 217, its operational capacity is 381. Chelmsford serves the courts in Essex and its prison population is determined by the numbers remanded or awaiting trial or sentence.
Sentenced prisoners are quickly transferred to training prisons in the region, in order to reduce pressure on places in Chelmsford. As another measure to ease this pressure, the prison's Bail Information Unit interviews remand prisoners in order to alert the courts to cases suitable for conditional bail.
Two new houseblocks are to be built and the first should be ready for occupation in 1996. These are intended to allow existing double cells to be converted for single use. The net effect of each block will be to provide 37 extra places.
Column 516
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of prisoners in Chelmsford prison in each of the last six months.
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. Simon Burns, dated 4 May 1994 : The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the average number of prisoners in Chelmsford prison in each of the last six months.
The available information for the historical prison population is for the last day of each month. It is given in the attached table for the period October 1993 to March 1994.
Prison population in Chelmsford: October 1993 to March 1994 End of month |Population --------------------------------------- 1993 October |321 November |359 December |315 1994 January |321 February |349 March |364
Firearms
Mr. Robathan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has about the origins of firearms and shotguns used in the pursuit of crime ;
(2) what proportion of firearms and shotguns used by criminals in criminal activity are believed to have been licensed, purchased legally and in the possession of an authorised person.
Mr. Charles Wardle : No statistical information is available. Firearms are only rarely recovered from scenes of crime and, in cases where they are, identifying marks have, almost invariably, been erased. Tracing the firearms back to their source is therefore extremely difficult. There is, however, no evidence to suggest any widespread use of legally held firearms by criminals in crime.
Prison Population
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the certified accommodation and the actual population at each prison in England and Wales at the latest possible date.
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. Doug Hoyle, dated 4 May 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 certified accommodation and actual population at each prison in England and Wales.
Column 517
The attached table shows the certified normal accommodation (CNA) and population in all establishments in England and Wales on 28 April 1994.
Certified normal accommodation (CNA) and population of
prisons in
England and Wales on 28 April 1994
Establishment |Certified |Population
|normal
|accommodation
-----------------------------------------------------------
Acklington |658 |623
Albany |436 |380
Aldington |127 |114
Ashwell |404 |385
Askham Grange |126 |112
Aylesbury |241 |214
Bedford |302 |279
Belmarsh |841 |750
Birmingham |558 |761
Blakenhurst |649 |608
Blantyre House |95 |95
Blundeston |408 |379
Brinsford |547 |471
Bristol |423 |450
Brixton |483 |585
Brockhill |135 |133
Bullingdon |635 |630
Bullwood Hall |125 |113
Camp Hill |378 |377
Canterbury |184 |233
Cardiff |334 |411
Castington |300 |285
Channings Wood |594 |551
Chelmsford |230 |363
Coldingley |292 |276
Cookham Wood |120 |117
Dartmoor |538 |508
Deerbolt |450 |395
Dorchester |138 |192
Dover |316 |219
Downview |287 |270
Drake Hall |255 |214
Durham |399 |574
East Sutton Park |81 |86
Elmley |627 |592
Erlestoke |250 |229
Everthorpe |228 |227
Exeter |274 |381
Featherstone |599 |570
Feltham |842 |758
Finnamore Wood |106 |52
Ford |536 |449
Frankland |447 |419
Full Sutton |604 |550
Garth |512 |496
Gartree |277 |273
Glen Parva |767 |773
Gloucester |211 |252
Grendon |190 |178
Guys Marsh |240 |177
Hollesley Bay |365 |315
Haslar |145 |141
Hatfield |180 |173
Haverigg |405 |352
Hewell Grange |156 |165
High Down |549 |520
Highpoint |679 |606
Hindley |280 |303
Holloway |517 |460
Holme House |649 |633
Hull |328 |426
Huntercombe |226 |207
Kingston |154 |135
Kirkham |644 |611
Kirklevington |74 |72
L'caster Farms |364 |358
Lancaster |260 |255
Latchmere House |145 |137
Leeds |814 |1,155
Leicester |192 |331
Lewes |282 |346
Leyhill |410 |390
Lincoln |444 |624
Lindholme |567 |514
Littlehey |593 |554
Liverpool |931 |1,253
Long Lartin |362 |349
Low Newton |198 |248
Maidstone |485 |471
Manchester |470 |505
Moorland |635 |639
Morton Hall |168 |167
New Hall |169 |170
North Sea Camp |201 |199
Northallerton |150 |151
Norwich |457 |467
Nottingham |222 |211
Onley |516 |464
Oxford |109 |10
Parkhurst |286 |240
Pentonville |559 |700
Portland |420 |332
Preston |382 |496
Pucklechurch |56 |60
Ranby |347 |350
Reading |182 |158
Risley |751 |705
Rochester |294 |232
Rudgate |287 |267
Send |113 |110
Shepton Mallet |158 |175
Shrewsbury |168 |288
Spring Hill |210 |209
Stafford |532 |533
Standford Hill |384 |372
Stocken |396 |392
Stoke Heath |300 |274
Styal |180 |203
Sudbury |413 |330
Sudbury Foston |96 |92
Swaleside |512 |500
Swansea |155 |212
Swinfen Hall |182 |181
Thorn Cross |209 |180
The Mount |484 |474
The Verne |552 |520
The Wolds |339 |364
Thorp Arch |166 |166
USK |241 |231
W'wood Scrubs |714 |894
Wakefield |718 |684
Wandsworth |821 |825
Wayland |580 |553
Wellingborough |314 |312
Werrington |110 |107
Wetherby |196 |150
Whatton |216 |210
Whitemoor |534 |472
Winchester |368 |386
Woodhill |566 |511
Wymott |432 |284
|--- |---
Total |48,218 |48,350
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his latest projections of prison population growth for the next 12 months.
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.
Column 519
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 4 May 1994 : The Secretary of State has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Question about the latest projections of prison population growth for the next twelve months.The latest population projection is described in paragraph 2.5 and Annex 1 of the HM Prison Service Corporate Plan 1994-97, a copy of which is enclosed. The projection is for an average population of 48, 800 for 1994- 95 and a population of 50,800 by March 1995. The projection is subject to considerable uncertainty as the population reflects what happens elsewhere in the Criminal Justice System.
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average certified normal accommodation and the average prisoner population, at each prison since 1980.
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. Doug Hoyle, dated 4 May 1994 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what was the average certified normal accommodation and the average prisoner population, at each prison since 1980.
The information you have requested is published annually in the "Report on the work of the Prison Department" for years 1980-84 and 1985-86 to 1991-92 and in the "Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts" (Volume 2, Cm. 2385) for 1992-93. Copies of these publications are available in the House of Commons library.
Security
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of private detective agencies and security companies by his Department.
Mr. Howard : I know of no instance where a private detective agency has been employed by my Department. I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George) on Tuesday 26 April, column 98, for information in respect of security companies employed by my Department.
Prison Hostages
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hostage incidents in prisons in each of the last five years have involved women staff.
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. Doug Hoyle, dated 4 May 1994 : The Home Secretary has sked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of hostage incidents in prisons in each of the last five years involving women staff.
There was one such incident in 1989 and two in 1991.
Column 520
Civil Servants (Career Breaks)
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants in his Department, including those working for agencies, have taken career breaks in each of the past five years ; and how many of those civil servants were prison officers.
Mr. Howard : The number of civil servants in the Home Office, excluding the Prison Service, who have taken a career break in each year since 1989 is set out in the table. This information was taken from the Home Office personnel information system on 29 April 1994.
Number of civil
servants who have
taken a career break
|Number
----------------------
1989 |6
1990 |22
1991 |50
1992 |39
1993 |25
<1>1994 |5
<1> To date.
I have asked the Director General of the Prison Service to write to the hon. Member about career breaks in the Prison Service.
Prison Building
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his future prison building plans.
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. Doug Hoyle, dated 4 May 1994 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the new prison building programme.
A further six new prisons are planned under the prison building programme. On 2 September 1993 the Home Secretary announced that the design, construction, management and potential financing of future new prisons would be contracted out to the private sector. It is intended that all six of the planned new prisons will be procured in this way.
Sites at Fazakerley in Merseyside and at Bridgend in South Wales have been identified for the first two prisons. The proposals to build a prison on the Fazakerley site was the subject of a non-statutory public local inquiry held between 26 October and 10 November 1993 and we are awaiting the outcome. We have outline planning clearance to build a prison on the site at Bridgend. If we obtain planning clearance for a new prison on the Fazakerley site we expect construction work on the site and on the Bridgend site to begin in 1995-96 and the two prisons to open as early as possible in 1997-98.
Work is currently in progress to identify suitable sites for the other four prisons and it is too early to indicate a timetable for their construction and opening.
Notifiable Offences
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answers to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) of 26 April, Official Report, columns 98-102, regarding notifiable offences in 1993, if he will show (a) the total offences, (b) burglary, (c) theft, (d) criminal damage,
Column 521
(e) theft from a vehicle and (f) theft of a vehicle in each police authority area (i) per uniformed officer and (ii) per thousand of population.Mr. Maclean : The available information is given in the tables.
Notifiable offences recorded by the police-1993
England and Wales
Police force area |Offences per |Offences per
|police officer |1,000 population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |57 |122
Bedfordshire |50 |110
Cambridgeshire |51 |97
Cheshire |42 |83
Cleveland |54 |140
Cumbria |36 |89
Derbyshire |50 |97
Devon and Cornwall |41 |80
Dorset |39 |78
Durham |47 |111
Essex |38 |77
Gloucestershire |52 |113
Greater Manchester |51 |142
Hampshire |44 |86
Hertfordshire |33 |67
Humberside |69 |160
Kent |50 |105
Lancashire |42 |95
Leicestershire |53 |111
Lincolnshire |43 |88
Merseyside |30 |98
Metropolitan Police District<1> |32 |124
Norfolk |44 |84
Northamptonshire |50 |101
Northumbria |59 |148
North Yorkshire |43 |80
Nottinghamshire |67 |155
South Yorkshire |51 |121
Staffordshire |44 |94
Suffolk |35 |67
Surrey |31 |68
Sussex |37 |78
Thames Valley |51 |101
Warwickshire |44 |93
West Mercia |40 |75
West Midlands |47 |125
West Yorkshire |60 |144
Wiltshire |32 |72
Dyfed-Powys |25 |53
Gwent |39 |89
North Wales |35 |74
South Wales |52 |125
|------- |-------
Total |43 |108
<1> Including City of London.
Notifiable offences of burglary recorded by the police-1993
England and Wales
Police force area |Offences per |Offences per
|police officer |1,000 population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |13 |28
Bedfordshire |13 |29
Cambridgeshire |12 |22
Cheshire |12 |23
Cleveland |13 |33
Cumbria |9 |22
Derbyshire |14 |27
Devon and Cornwall |11 |21
Dorset |7 |14
Durham |10 |23
Essex |9 |18
Gloucestershire |15 |32
Greater Manchester |14 |38
Hampshire |10 |19
Hertfordshire |8 |16
Humberside |23 |54
Kent |9 |20
Lancashire |9 |21
Leicestershire |13 |28
Lincolnshire |11 |22
Merseyside |7 |23
Metropolitan Police District<1> |6 |24
Norfolk |12 |24
Northamptonshire |13 |27
Northumbria |17 |44
North Yorkshire |12 |23
Nottinghamshire |17 |39
South Yorkshire |17 |40
Staffordshire |13 |29
Suffolk |7 |14
Surrey |8 |17
Sussex |9 |19
Thames Valley |10 |20
Warwickshire |12 |26
West Mercia |9 |16
West Midlands |14 |38
West Yorkshire |19 |45
Wiltshire |7 |16
Dyfed-Powys |5 |10
Gwent |7 |16
North Wales |9 |18
South Wales |12 |29
|------- |-------
Total |11 |27
<1> Including City of London.
Notifiable offences of theft recorded by the police-1993
England and Wales
Police force area |Offences per |Offences per
|police officer |1,000 population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |32 |69
Bedfordshire |26 |57
Cambridgeshire |29 |56
Cheshire |20 |40
Cleveland |29 |74
Cumbria |18 |44
Derbyshire |23 |45
Devon and Cornwall |21 |41
Dorset |22 |45
Durham |25 |58
Essex |20 |41
Gloucestershire |29 |61
Greater Manchester |25 |68
Hampshire |23 |45
Hertfordshire |17 |35
Humberside |31 |72
Kent |28 |59
Lancashire |22 |50
Leicestershire |27 |57
Lincolnshire |22 |44
Merseyside |14 |47
Metropolitan Police District<1> |16 |61
Norfolk |23 |44
Northamptonshire |24 |49
Northumbria |24 |61
North Yorkshire |22 |42
Nottinghamshire |33 |76
South Yorkshire |23 |55
Staffordshire |20 |42
Suffolk |18 |35
Surrey |16 |36
Sussex |19 |40
Thames Valley |29 |57
Warwickshire |22 |46
West Mercia |22 |42
West Midlands |21 |57
West Yorkshire |28 |68
Wiltshire |16 |37
Dyfed-Powys |12 |25
Gwent |21 |48
North Wales |17 |36
South Wales |24 |59
|------- |-------
Total |22 |54
<1> Including City of London.
Notifiable offences of criminal damage recorded by the police-1993
England and Wales
Police force area |Offences per |Offences per
|police officer |1,000 population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |7 |15
Bedfordshire |6 |14
Cambridgeshire |6 |11
Cheshire |6 |12
Cleveland |10 |24
Cumbria |6 |16
Derbyshire |9 |17
Devon and Cornwall |5 |10
Dorset |5 |9
Durham |8 |19
Essex |6 |12
Gloucestershire |5 |10
Greater Manchester |9 |24
Hampshire |7 |13
Hertfordshire |5 |11
Humberside |10 |22
Kent |8 |18
Lancashire |8 |18
Leicestershire |8 |16
Lincolnshire |7 |14
Merseyside |5 |16
Metropolitan Police District<1> |6 |24
Norfolk |5 |10
Northamptonshire |8 |16
Northumbria |14 |35
North Yorkshire |5 |10
Nottinghamshire |11 |25
South Yorkshire |8 |18
Staffordshire |7 |14
Suffolk |5 |10
Surrey |4 |9
Sussex |6 |13
Thames Valley |8 |16
Warwickshire |6 |13
West Mercia |6 |11
West Midlands |7 |19
West Yorkshire |9 |21
Wiltshire |5 |10
Dyfed-Powys |5 |11
Gwent |7 |15
North Wales |6 |12
South Wales |12 |28
|------- |-------
Total |7 |18
<1> Including City of London.
Notifiable offences of theft from a vehicle recorded by the police-1993
England and Wales
Police force area |Offences per |Offences per
|police officer |1,000 population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |12 |26
Bedfordshire |10 |21
Cambridgeshire |9 |17
Cheshire |7 |14
Cleveland |6 |16
Cumbria |7 |17
Derbyshire |9 |18
Devon and Cornwall |8 |16
Dorset |7 |13
Durham |7 |15
Essex |7 |13
Gloucestershire |13 |27
Greater Manchester |8 |21
Hampshire |9 |17
Hertfordshire |7 |15
Humberside |10 |23
Kent |8 |18
Lancashire |7 |17
Leicestershire |9 |19
Lincolnshire |5 |11
Merseyside |4 |12
Metropolitan Police District<1> |5 |21
Norfolk |9 |17
Northamptonshire |8 |17
Northumbria |7 |17
North Yorkshire |7 |13
Nottinghamshire |9 |22
South Yorkshire |8 |19
Staffordshire |8 |16
Suffolk |5 |9
Surrey |6 |13
Sussex |7 |14
Thames Valley |11 |22
Warwickshire |9 |18
West Mercia |7 |13
West Midlands |8 |21
West Yorkshire |10 |23
Wiltshire |5 |12
Dyfed-Powys |3 |6
Gwent |7 |15
North Wales |6 |13
South Wales |9 |21
|------- |-------
Total |7 |18
<1> Including City of London.
Notifiable offences of theft of a vehicle recorded by the police-1993
England and Wales
Police force area |Offences per |Offences per
|police officer |1,000 population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |8 |18
Bedfordshire |7 |16
Cambridgeshire |5 |10
Cheshire |5 |9
Cleveland |9 |24
Cumbria |3 |6
Derbyshire |5 |10
Devon and Cornwall |3 |5
Dorset |3 |6
Durham |7 |15
Essex |4 |7
Gloucestershire |4 |9
Greater Manchester |8 |22
Hampshire |3 |6
Hertfordshire |4 |7
Humberside |7 |15
Kent |6 |12
Lancashire |4 |9
Leicestershire |6 |13
Lincolnshire |3 |6
Merseyside |3 |11
Metropolitan Police District<1> |3 |10
Norfolk |3 |6
Northamptonshire |6 |13
Northumbria |8 |20
North Yorkshire |4 |7
Nottinghamshire |7 |16
South Yorkshire |7 |17
Staffordshire |5 |10
Suffolk |2 |4
Surrey |3 |6
Sussex |3 |5
Thames Valley |6 |12
Warwickshire |5 |10
West Mercia |4 |8
West Midlands |6 |15
West Yorkshire |8 |18
Wiltshire |2 |5
Dyfed-Powys |1 |3
Gwent |4 |8
North Wales |2 |5
South Wales |7 |17
|------- |-------
Total |5 |12
<1> Including City of London.
Somali Refugees
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to assist Somalis with refugee status or with permission for an extended stay in the United Kingdom who wish to return to help in the redevelopment of their country without losing the right to return if the situation in Somalia deteriorates.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Any refugee or person with exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom is free to seek to re-establish themselves in their country of origin, but this must raise the question whether they continue to have a well-founded fear of persecution or a humanitarian case for exceptional leave.
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