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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 23 May 1994
PRIME MINISTER
Mobile Telephones
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 5 May, Official Report, column 614, what was the cost of calls made on (a) car and (b) portable telephones in 1993-94 ; how much this equipment cost to buy or hire ; and what were the maintenance costs.
The Prime Minister : Total call charges in the year 1993-94 for (a) car telephones were £2,021 and (b) portable telephones were £4,570.
The total cost of the equipment was approximately £6,700. There are no maintenance charges for the year 1993-94.
Duchy of Cornwall
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Prime Minister if he will enter discussions with the Prince of Wales with a view to seeking agreement to increase the voluntary contribution to the Exchequer from the Duchy of Cornwall from 25 per cent. of income to 40 per cent.
The Prime Minister : No. As explained in the report of the royal trustees dated 11 February 1993 (HC464) the Prince of Wales stopped making voluntary contributions to
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the Exchequer in April 1993. Instead he voluntarily agreed to pay income tax on his personal income in the same way as other taxpayers.Upper Limb Disorders
Dr. Marek : To ask the Prime Minister what is the present number of civil servants taking legal action against his Office as a result of work- related upper limb disorders.
Second World War Commemorations
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to be able to reply to the letter sent to him in April by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, about help for war-disabled ex-service men and women and war widows to mark the 50th anniversary of D-day.
The Prime Minister : I shall reply to the right hon. Member's letter shortly.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister if it is intended, as part of the 50th anniversary events next year to commemorate the end of the last war, to include an exhibition on the crimes committed by Italian fascists.
The Prime Minister : We have no such plans.
Parliamentary Private Secretaries
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the current list of parliamentary private secretaries and the Ministers to whom each is attached.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 16 May 1994] : The information requested is as follows :
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Parliamentary Private Secretaries
May, 1994
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Minister for Agriculture (Mrs. G. Shephard) |Mr. S. Burns
Minister of State (Mr. M. Jack) |Miss E. Nicholson
Defence
Secretary of State (Mr. M. Rifkind) |Mr. H. Bellingham
Minister of State (Mr. J. Aitken) |Mr. R. Evans
Minister of State (Mr. J. Hanley) |Mr. P. Atkinson
Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy (Mr. W. Waldegrave) |Mr. I. Taylor
Education
Secretary of State (Mr. J. Patten) |Mr. M. Carrington
Minister of State (Lady Blatch) |Mr. J. Clappison
Employment
Secretary of State (Mr. D. Hunt) |Mr. N. Evans
Minister of State (Mr. M. Forsyth) |Mrs. A. Browning
Environment
Secretary of State (Mr. J. Gummer) |Mr. J. Paice
Minister of State (Sir G. Young) |Dr. C. Goodson-Wickes
Minister of State (Mr. D. Curry) |Mr. D. French
Minister of State (Mr. R. Atkins) |Mr. J. Hayes
Foreign Office
Secretary of State (Mr. D. Hurd) |Mr. D. Martin
Minister of State (Mr. A. Goodlad) |Mr. G. Kynoch
Minister of State (Mr. D. Heathcoat-Amory) |Mr. R. Richards
Minister for Overseas Development (Lady Chalker) |Mr. M. Robinson
PUSS (Mr. M. Lennox-Boyd) |Mr. M. Robinson
Health
Secretary of State (Mrs. V. Bottomley) |Mr. K. Mans
Minister of State (Dr. B. Mawhinney) |Mr. M. Trend
Home Office
Secretary of State (Mr. M. Howard) |Dr. L. Fox
Minister of State (Mr. P. Lloyd) |Mr. O. Heald
Minister of State (Mr. D. MacLean) |Mr. J. Arnold
Law Officers Department
Attorney-General (Sir N. Lyell) |Mr. T. Devlin
Solicitor-General (Sir D. Spencer) |Mr. G. Streeter
National Heritage
Secretary of State (Mr. P. Brooke) |Mr. A. Steen
Northern Ireland Office
Secretary of State (Sir. P. Mayhew) |Mr. M. Moss
Minister of State (Sir J. Wheeler) |Mr. M. Bates
Minister of State (Mr. M. Ancram) |Mr. R. Robertson
Prime Minister |Mr. G. Bright
Privy Council Office
(Mr. T. Newton) |Mr. J. Marshall
Scottish Office
Secretary of State (Mr. I. Lang) |Mr. S. Coombs
Social Security
Secretary of State (Mr. P. Lilley) |Mr. P. Merchant
Minister of State (Mr. N. Scott) |Mrs. J. Lait
PUSS (Mr. A. Burt/Lord Astor/Mr. W. Hague) |Mr. I Bruce
Trade and Industry
President of the Board (Mr. M. Heseltine) |Mr. R. Ottaway
Minister of State (Mr. T. Eggar) |Mr. P. Luff
Minister of State (Mr. T. Sainsbury) |Mrs. A. Knight
Minister of State (Mr. R. Needham) |Mr. A. Rowe
Transport
Secretary of State (Mr. J. MacGregor) |Mr. G. Riddick
Treasury
Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. K. Clarke) |Mr. P. Oppenheim
Chief Secretary (Mr. M. Portillo) |Mr. D. Amess
Financial Secretary (Mr. S. Dorrell) |Mr. G. Brandreth
Paymaster General (Sir J. Cope) |Dr. I Twinn
Welsh Office
Secretary of State (Mr. J. Redwood) |Mr. D. Evennett
Minister of State (Sir W. Roberts) |Mr. D. Tredinnick
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Small Claims Court
Mr. Peter Atkinson : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the agencies which supply free assistance and legal advice to those people who wish to pursue claims through the small claims court.
Mr. John M. Taylor : This information is not kept centrally. The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux issues a list of all individual bureaux in England and Wales but this is being reprinted and will not be available until mid-June. In addition, advice and assistance is provided by law centres and other advice agencies in England and Wales, which are free to decide which kinds of problems to cover.
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Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what qualifications lay representatives will be required to possess before they can represent plaintiffs in the small claims court as set out in the consultation paper "Small Personal Injury Claims" ; and from which professions they will be drawn.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lay Representatives (Rights of Audience) Order 1992 allows litigants a free choice of representative to help them pursue or defend their case in court. It is a matter for the litigants themselves whom they choose. Lay representatives are required to act in an honest, reasonable and responsible manner ; if they fail to do so the court may withdraw their right of audience.
Personal Injury Cases
Mr. Peter Atkinson : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what experience or professional qualifications are required of those people who work in agencies providing free legal advice on personal injury cases.
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Mr. John M. Taylor : Individual agencies are best placed to decide the level of skills and training required. At present, only solicitors are able to obtain payment from the legal aid fund for advice given. However, the Legal Aid Board is currently working with the advice sector to define quality assurance standards for advice and assistance in areas of social welfare law. This would enable non-solicitors in agencies meeting these standards to deliver advice and assistance through the legal aid scheme. At present there are no plans to extend this to personal injury cases.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the average sum of money awarded in those personal injury cases heard in county courts in each year since 1990.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Based on sample surveys, the estimated average value of monetary awards for personal injury cases disposed of by trial at county courts in each year from 1990 to 1993 inclusive is £3,100, £3,700, £4,500 and £7,300 respectively. Corresponding figures relating to cases disposed of by arbitration are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Peter Atkinson : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many malpractice claims have been brought against general practitioners for failing to diagnose correctly the severity of personal injury for each year since 1990 ; (2) how many general practitioners have been disciplined as a result of a malpractice claim brought against them for failing to diagnose the severity of a personal injury for each year since 1990.
Mr. John M. Taylor : This information is not held centrally by the Lord Chancellor's Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
District Judges
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the average number of cases heard and the average hours worked by a district judge in each year since 1990.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Based on sample surveys, the estimated average number of cases disposed of by trial at county courts per district judge in each year from 1990 to 1993 inclusive is 18, 24, 28 and 24 respectively. Only a small part of a district judge's time is spent on trial work but corresponding figures relating to cases disposed of by arbitration and the information requested on average hours worked are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Belmarsh Magistrates Court
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what date Belmarsh magistrates court opened ; on how many occasions there has been a sitting on each weekday since the opening ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Belmarsh court complex was officially opened on 21 January 1994. The magistrates court sat for the first time on 14 March 1994. Information about the numbers of sittings is not yet available centrally.
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Equal Opportunities
Mr. Richards : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about equal opportunities for women and people of ethnic minority origin in relation to appointments to the professional judiciary in England and Wales.
Mr. John M. Taylor : In July last year, the Lord Chancellor announced a programme aimed at developing further the current procedures for judicial appointments, including measures to encourage applications by women and ethnic minority practitioners. In carrying out his responsibilities for the appointment of judges, the Lord Chancellor has always supported the principle of equality of opportunity and will continue to do so ; the Lord Chancellor does not discriminate on grounds of gender or ethnic origin.
The Lord Chancellor sets high standards for appointments to judicial office ; those appointed are selected on merit from suitably qualified candidates. The Lord Chancellor seeks to ensure that every possible step is taken to treat fairly those who apply for judicial office and that decisions are based on an assessment of suitability which is as objective as possible.
The Lord Chancellor welcomes and encourages applications from all suitably qualified legal practitioners, including women and practitioners of ethnic minority origin.
The Lord Chancellor is carrying forward his commitment to equality of opportunity in judicial appointments in the following ways : 1. Continuing to encourage women and ethnic minority practitioners to apply for judicial appointment by :--
(i) promoting awareness of opportunities for judicial appointments for women and people of ethnic minority origin among senior members of the judiciary and the profession and inviting them to encourage suitably qualified women and people of ethnic minority origin to apply ; and
(ii) publicising the opportunities for all to apply for judicial appointments in speeches, at meetings and by other suitable means ; 2. Applying age limits for judicial appointments flexibly in the case of practitioners who take a career break or who start their professional career late ;
3. Conducting reviews of all ethnic minority and female applicants for judicial appointment from time to time to ensure that suitable candidates from these groups are properly considered ;
4. Ensuring that women and ethnic minority candidates are included, wherever possible, among those under consideration for particular posts ;
5. Providing opportunities for familiarisation with the work involved in a judicial post for prospective applicants where appropriate ;
6. Taking due account of the domestic circumstances of individuals concerned wherever possible when making appointments to particular geographical locations ;
7. Recording the number of female and ethnic minority members of the full- time and part-time judiciary and taking steps to improve the information about the ethnic origin of serving office holders and applicants for judicial appointment ;
8. Arranging for an official in the judicial appointment group in my Department to :--
(i) act as a liaison point with others about equal opportunities matters in relation to judicial appointments ; and
(ii) advise on policies in this field ;
9. Undertaking to keep this programme under review in the light of general developments in the field of equal opportunities and in accordance with any changes in the procedures for judicial appointments.
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CHURCH COMMISSIONERS
Ordination of Women
Mr. Roger Evans : To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the names of the individuals and the amounts of award made to them under section 5 of the Ordination of Women (Financial Provisions) Measure 1994.
Mr. Alison : I have consulted the Pensions Board, which is concerned in the administration of this matter and shares the commissioners' view that it is not appropriate to publish details of support offered to particular individuals. Eight awards of varying amounts have been made to date under this section, depending on individual circumstances.
Mr. Roger Evans : To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the names of individuals and the amounts of award made to them under section 1 of the Ordination of Women (Financial Provisions) Measure 1994.
Mr. Alison : I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer. Awards have been made under this section to 118 individuals.
Estates Commission (Pensions)
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, who is drawing pensions after holding the offices of the First and Third Estates Commissioner, and of what amounts ; on what basis the rate of pensions is calculated ; and how many contributory years are required for a full plan.
Mr. Alison : The basis of calculation of the pensions payable to retired Church Estates Commissioners is set out in section 20 of the Church Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure, 1960, which contains the following provisions :
(1) The Commissioners shall have power to grant to any First Church Estates Commissioner or Third Church Estates Commissioner who retires from from service as such a Commissioner--
(a) if he has performed not less than fifteen years pensionable service, a pension of such amount as the Commissioners may determine not exceeding two -thirds of the salary to which he was entitled under section 9 of the Ecclesisatical Commissioner (Powers) Measure 1938 immediately before retirement ;
(b) if he has performed less than fifteen years but not less than five years pensionable service, a pension of such amount as the Commissioners may determine, being an amount not exceeding the aggregate of one thrid of the salary to which he was so entitled and one thirtieth of that salary of each completed year of pensionable service in excess of five ;
(c) if he has performed less than five years pensionable service but retires by reason of permanent disability for the performance of the duties of his office, a pension of such amount as the Commissioners may determine not exceeding one-third of the salary to which he was so entitled ;
and a pension under this subjection shall be payable for the remainder of the life to whom it is granted.
In determining the amount of the pension, if any, to be granted to a person under this subsection the Commissioners shall have regard to any superannuation benefits to which he may be entitled in respect of any other service performed by him before his pensionable service began.
No lump sum is payable on retirement other than by commutation, nor is there provision for a widow's or widower's pension, other than by allocation of pension.
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Four pensions are currently in payment at a total cost in 1993 of £84,000. It is not the commissioners' practice to publish details of payments made to particular individuals.TREASURY
Third-world Debt
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the Government's most recent proposals to reduce third-world debt.
Mr. Nelson : As a result of an initiative launched by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in 1990, the Paris Club of international creditor Governments now offers concessional rescheduling of the official bilateral debts of the poorest and most indebted countries. Such concessional reschedulings are known as Trinidad terms. Under present arrangements, 50 per cent. of the eligible debts falling due over the course of an IMF economic adjustment programme are written off. In addition, the creditors undertake to consider writing off 50 per cent. of the whole stock of debt if the debtor maintains a good record with both its debt service and IMF programme. To date, 22 countries have benefited from Trinidad terms. Over the lifetime of these agreements more than $7 billion-worth of debt will be restructured and some $2 billion-worth of debt forgiven. While these agreements represent a substantial achievement, the United Kingdom considers that more could be done to help the poorest and most indebted countries. We are thus pressing our fellow Paris Club creditors to improve the existing Trinidad terms. In particular, we hope that they will agree to give debt reduction along the lines of the Prime Minister's original proposal. This would mean : an immediate stock of debt reduction for countries which have edstablished a track record of reform under an IMF adjustment programme ; and increasing the level of debt and debt service relief, from 50 per cent. to some two-thirds on average and up to 80 per cent. for the most deserving countries on a case-by-case basis ; Last July, the Tokyo summit of G7 Heads of Government backed the United Kingdom's proposals for earlier stock of debt reductions. Despite this, negotiations within the Paris Club are proceeding slowly.
Economic and Finance Council
Mr. Simon Burns : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the most recent Council meeting of European Economic and Finance Ministers.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The Economic and Finance Council of the European Union--ECOFIN--met in Brussels on 16 May. I represented the United Kingdom.
We discussed the economic situation in the European Union on the basis of the Commission's latest forecasts and in the context of preparing to revise the broad economic guidelines. Overall, the Commission's forecasts were more optimistic than its previous ones, although it emphasised the need for action on budget deficits. I welcomed the Commission's acknowledgement of the improvement in United Kingdom unemployment and the measures to consolidate the United Kingdom's public finances. But I felt that the Commission was too
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pessimistic on the United Kingdom growth and inflation outlook. I stated that the United Kingdom was well on the way to sustained growth and low inflation. There was a presentation of the Commission's annual report on fraud and of its anti-fraud strategy, which will be discussed in greater detail at a later Council. The Council discussed the follow-up to the conclusions of the Brussels European Council on the Commission's White Paper, "Growth, Competitiveness and Employment". President Delors gave a presentation of the Commission's latest progress report. I supported a German proposal to establish a deregulation "commission" of experts to increase the pace of deregulation and the removal of unnecessary burdents on businesses. I also spoke about the need for the June ECOFIN to send clear conclusions to the Corfu European Council, and said that there was no need for new Community instruments to finance trans-European networks.There was also discussion of financial assistance to countries in central and eastern Europe. Political agreement was reached on loans to Moldova and Romania for balance of payments support, and the Council confirmed a loan to Bulgaria. The Council deferred discussion of a grant to Albania and an additional loan to Bulgaria. There were no formal votes on issues discussed at the Council.
Inheritance Tax
Dr. Strang : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures the Government have put in place to ensure that agricultural land giving qualification to inheritance tax relief at 100 per cent. is not being purchased as a means of avoiding inheritance tax relief at 40 per cent.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 19 May 1994] : Qualifying farm land has normally to be owned and farmed by the owner for at least two years before a transfer in order to obtain 100 per cent. relief. This requirement targets the relief at working farms and ensures that speculative investors in land dealing companies do not benefit.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Private Security Firms
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 May, Official Report, column 383, if he will publish in the Official Report the information which his Department is collating about the extent of the use of private security firms when it is available.
Immigration
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions of national law are applied as regards the authorisation of family members of Turkish workers to join the worker for the purposes of article 7 of association Council Decision 1/80 concluded in accordance with the Turkey EC association agreement of 1963.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Those contained in paragraph 46 of the Immigration Rules (HC 251).
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Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been implemented to give effect to article 10(2) of regulation 1612/68 EC to facilitate the admission of family members not coming within article 10(1) of the regulation but who are dependent on, or lived under the same roof in the country from whence they come, as migrant workers citizens of the Union and to favour the admission of such family members under article 1(2) of directive 73/148 EC.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Regulation 1612/68 has direct effect in United Kingdom law and does not need to be implemented separately. Article 1(2) of Directive 73/148, does not require specific implementation as it is not concerned with a Community entitlement. However, in accordance with the provisions of article 1(2) favourable consideration is given to allowing the admission of those family members who have no other entitlement to join a European economic area national resident in the United Kingdom on whom they are dependent.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the distinction between social assistance and social security as those terms are used in the Immigration (European Economic Area) Order 1994.
Mr. Charles Wardle : "Social assistance" is the term used in article 1 of directives 90/364/EEC--the general right of residence--and 93/96/EEC-- the right of residence for students--whereas directive 90/365/EEC--the right of residence for employees and self-employed persons who have ceased their occupational activity--uses the term "social security" in article 1.
"Social security" means statutory schemes, whether contributory or non- contributory, which are designed to meet the specific contingencies listed in article 4(1) of regulation (EEC) No. 1408/71 on social security or migrant workers. The term "social assistance" is not defined in EC law but is generally interpreted as covering non-contributory schemes which are often means-tested and/or based on need.
Mobile Telephones
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 May, Official Report , columns 9-10 , what was the cost of calls made on mobile telephones in 1993-94 ; how much this equipment cost to buy or hire ; and what were the maintenance costs.
Mr. Howard : Mobile telephone call charges in my Department, including executive agencies, are estimated to be about £90,000. All or nearly all mobile telephones are bought, at costs which vary from year to year and cannot be quantified except at disproportionate cost. Maintenance costs are small, as it is not deemed necessary to let maintenance contracts.
Correspondence
Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the letter on Direct Mail from the hon. Member for Neath on 10 November and the Minister of State's reply of 13 December.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I am placing a copy of the correspondence in the Library of the House.
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Police Authority Funding
Mr. Bates : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police authority (a) the standard spending assessment and (b) the actual spending broken down into (i) local authority actual spend and (ii)
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Home Office grant ; (c) the authorised establishment levels and (d) the actual establishment levels for the last year for which figures are available.Mr. Charles Wardle : The information provided in the tables is for 1992-93, which is the most recent year for which expenditure outturn is available :
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Table A
(£ million)
County and combined |1992-93 Police |1992-93 Total |1992-93 Police
police authorities
(England) |SSA<1> |local authority |current grant
|expenditure
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |63.999 |124.322 |63.404
Bedfordshire |25.127 |44.210 |22.547
Cambridgeshire |26.516 |50.027 |25.514
Cheshire |39.805 |72.966 |37.213
Cleveland |31.139 |59.802 |30.499
Cumbria |24.609 |49.501 |25.245
Derbyshire |38.354 |75.791 |38.653
Devon and Cornwall |60.702 |128.271 |65.418
Dorset |26.993 |55.644 |28.378
Durham |28.796 |53.226 |27.146
Essex |64.662 |125.833 |64.175
Gloucestershire |24.546 |48.067 |24.514
Hampshire |71.551 |135.434 |69.071
Hertfordshire |38.803 |68.523 |34.947
Humberside |42.168 |84.119 |42.901
Kent |68.381 |137.696 |70.225
Lancashire |66.943 |128.669 |65.621
Leicestershire |38.416 |72.784 |37.120
Lincolnshire |25.002 |51.065 |26.043
Norfolk |29.978 |59.084 |30.133
Northamptonshire |24.671 |50.617 |25.815
North Yorkshire |29.398 |58.444 |29.806
Nottinghamshire |48.595 |89.489 |45.639
Staffordshire |45.921 |87.742 |44.748
Suffolk |25.562 |50.731 |25.873
Surrey |39.239 |70.879 |36.148
Sussex |60.754 |115.114 |58.708
Thames Valley |85.179 |160.512 |81.861
Warwickshire |21.520 |42.489 |21.669
West Mercia |42.562 |82.670 |42.162
Wiltshire |26.495 |51.400 |26.214
Metropolitan county police authorities
Greater Manchester |144.294 |272.190 |138.817
Merseyside |97.596 |189.280 |96.533
Northumbria |74.897 |136.534 |69.632
South Yorkshire |62.880 |117.544 |59.948
West Midlands |143.595 |284.274 |144.980
West Yorkshire |110.489 |208.724 |106.449
City of London |23.187 |44.246 |22.565
Metropolitan police |750.134 |1,453.982 |756.070
Welsh police authorities<2>
Dyfed Powys |- |38.896 |19.837
Gwent |- |38.965 |19.872
North Wales |- |56.047 |28.584
South Wales |- |127.301 |64.923
Note:
<1> For the English county and combined police authorities the police SSAs shown are the police component of the
county council's SSAs.
<2> Welsh county councils SSAs do not identify separate components for individual services such as police.
|Approved |Actual
|establishment|strength
---------------------------------------------------------------------
As at 31 March 1993
County and Combined Forces
Avon and Somerset |3,087 |3,068
Bedfordshire |1,178 |1,168
Cambridgeshire |1,241 |1,265
Cheshire |1,920 |1,908
Cleveland |1,502 |1,478
Cumbria |1,187 |1,196
Derbyshire |1,850 |1,830
Devon and Cornwall |2,928 |2,910
Dorset |1,302 |1,302
Durham |1,389 |1,381
Essex |2,950 |2,936
Gloucestershire |1,184 |1,149
Hampshire |3,269 |3,275
Hertfordshire |1,684 |1,700
Humberside |2,034 |2,032
Kent |3,136 |3,146
Lancashire |3,229 |3,207
Leicestershire |1,853 |1,805
Lincolnshire |1,206 |1,200
Norfolk |1,446 |1,440
Northamptonshire |1,190 |1,199
North Yorkshire |1,418 |1,393
Nottinghamshire |2,344 |2,327
Staffordshire |2,215 |2,179
Suffolk |1,233 |1,241
Surrey |1,673 |1,693
Sussex |3,014 |3,008
Thames Valley |3,812 |3,840
Warwickshire |1,020 |1,020
West Mercia |2,053 |2,054
Wiltshire |1,181 |1,265
Metropolitan County Forces
Greater Manchester |7,077 |7,060
Merseyside |4,706 |4,669
Northumbria |3,613 |3,563
South Yorkshire |3,031 |3,032
West Midlands |6,977 |6,953
West Yorkshire |5,295 |5,037
City of London |798 |825
Metropolitan |28,118 |27,867
Welsh Forces
Dyfed-Powys |969 |967
Gwent |1,010 |1,004
North Wales |1,369 |1,360
South Wales |3,168 |3,176
|------- |-------
Total |126,859 |126,128
Belmarsh Prison
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions prisoners or charged persons have been transported between Belmarsh courts and Belmarsh prison by vehicles since the connecting security tunnel was opened ; 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. John Austin-Walker, dated 23 May 1994 :
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of occasions prisoners or charged persons have been transported between Belmarsh Courts and Belmarsh Prison by vehicles since the connecting security tunnel was opened.
Woolwich Crown Court is housed in the building adjacent to Belmarsh prison and the two are connected by the secure tunnel. Motor transport was used on twenty-two occasions to transport prisoners between the two buildings. Twenty of these journeys were as a result of the closure of Greenwich Magistrates Court for renovation. While hearings before magistrates were being held in available court space at Woolwich Crown Court it was decided to continue with the established routine for court escorts. A change in practice would have necessitated the movement of remand prisoners through the tunnel at the same time as category A and trial prisoners. The combination of these movements would have been difficult to control, and presented potential risks.
The other two journeys were police escorts and not under the control of the Prison Service.
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The tunnel is now used for all escorts whenever Woolwich Crown Court is sitting.Secure Training Units
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has put on the cost of (a) building and (b) running annually the first five secure training units for persistent juvenile offenders ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The annual cost of secure training centres is estimated to be in excess of £30 million a year. This estimate includes running, building and financing costs, because contractors will be providing the capital to build the centres. The cost of post-release supervision is also included, as are Home Office administrative costs. The actual costs will depend on the results of the competitive tendering exercise.
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