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Mr. Charles Wardle : The information available relates to people detained under Immigration Act powers on 22 June, who had applied for asylum at some stage. It is set out in the table :
(a) Nationality |Numbers
-----------------------------------------------------
Algeria |57
Angola |12
Azerbaizhan |1
Bangladesh |8
Bulgaria |1
Cameroon |2
China |3
Colombia |6
Cyprus |7
Djibouti |1
Egypt |4
Ethiopia |4
Ghana |62
India |117
Iran |1
Iraq |3
Israel |2
Ivory Coast |12
Jamaica |1
Kenya |7
Lebanon |1
Liberia |8
Libya |2
Morocco |3
Mozambique |1
Nationality doubtful |5
Nepalese |2
Niger |5
Nigeria |99
Pakistan |13
Peru |1
Poland |5
Romania |10
Russia |2
Sudan |4
Sierra Leone |11
Singapore |1
Slovakia |9
Somalia |6
South Africa |4
Sri Lanka |25
Tanzania |2
Thailand |1
Togo |3
Tunisia |1
Turkey |36
Uganda |3
Ukraine |1
Yugoslavia (former) |3
Zaire |28
|-------
Total |606
Column 425
(B) By gender
|Number
----------------------
Males |565
Females |41
Total |606
(C) By length of detention
|Number
-----------------------------
Over 12 months |18
6-12 months |101
2-6 months |318
1-2 months |68
Under 1 month |101
Total |606
(D) By place of detention
|Number
----------------------------------
Immigration Service
Campsfield House |135
Harmondsworth |94
Gatwick Beehive |8
Queens Building |11
Stansted |7
Port Detention |7
Newhaven |6
Prison Service
Aberdeen |1
Belmarsh |4
Blakenhurst |8
Brinsford R C |4
Bristol |4
Bullingdon |1
Brixton |3
Canterbury |31
Cardiff |1
Chelmsford |4
Dover |23
Durham |2
Elmley |1
Erlestoke |3
Exeter |5
Feltham |4
Glen Parva |1
Gloucester |1
Greenock |8
Haslar<1> |93
High Down |11
Holloway |3
Hull |4
Leeds |4
Lewes |3
Liverpool |3
Norwich |5
Pentonville |18
Reading |1
Risley |1
Rochester |1
Shrewsbury |1
Strangeways |9
Swaleside |1
Swansea |1
Wandsworth |7
Winchester |8
Winson Green |38
The Wolds |1
Wormwood Scrubs |6
Police Cells |10
|--
Total |606
<1> Haslar Holding Centre is
primarily an Immigration Service
Detention Centre, although
managed by the Prison Service.
(E) By immigration status at the time of application Application |Illegal |Subject to made at Post |entrants |deportation following |action arrival in the United Kingdom ------------------------------------------------------------ 303 |258 |45
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers and other immigration detainees were being held in police stations during each of the past three months.
Mr. Charles Wardle : On 22 June, 10 people who had at some stage claimed asylum were detained in police cells under Immigration Act powers. Historical information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Police (Firearms)
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were fully trained in the use of firearms in (a) 1983 and (b) 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : There were 13,020 authorised firearms officers in England and Wales on 31 December 1983, and 6,769 on 31 December 1993. The drop in numbers reflects decisions by chief officers of police to concentrate their firearms capacity in a smaller number of highly trained officers.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers sustained firearm injuries in the course of their duty in (a) 1983 and (b) 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : In 1985, the earliest year for which figures are readily available, 16 police officers were injured by firearms in the course of their duty in England and Wales, none fatally. In 1992, 11 police officers were injured, one, a special constable, receiving fatal injuries.
Information for 1993 is not yet available.
Prison Births
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) of 10 May, Official Report, column 73, regarding babies born in prison, what were the circumstances in which one baby was born in prison in the year 1987-88 and two babies in 1988-89 ; at what prison the mothers were being detained ; and if he will make a statement in respect of his Department's instructions about mothers giving birth in prison.
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 Philippa Drew to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 June 1994 :
Column 427
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the circumstances in which one baby was born in prison in the year 1987-88 and two babies in 1988-89 ; at what prison the mothers were being detained ; and if he will make a statement in respect of his Department's instructions about mothers giving birth in prisons. The establishments where the mothers were being detained at the time of birth were :1987-88 : HMP Styal
1988-89 : HMP Holloway
1988-89 : HM Remand Centre Risley
In each case the babies were born in prison establishments because the progress of labour was too fast to allow the mother to be taken to hospital in time. It is the usual practice for mothers to be delivered at a designated local hospital. On the rare occasions that the birth takes place in a prison establishment, the birth certificate does not show that the birth took place in prison. It instead indicates the area in which the establishment is located.
Police Officers (Abuse of Authority)
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were charged with abuse of their authority in (a) 1983 and (b) 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Figures are not collected centrally on the categories of disciplinary charges leading to disciplinary proceedings.
Substantiated complaints from members of the public of oppressive behaviour by police officers numbered 207 in 1993 : assault--94 ; oppressive conduct or harassment--41 ; unlawful or unnecessary arrest or detention--72. Equivalent figures are not available for 1983.
Firearms
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of firearms circulating illegally in Britain ; and what assessment he has made of whether the number is increasing.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I have made no such estimate. The Government take the illegal possession of firearms very seriously, but I am aware of no hard evidence which would indicate that it is increasing.
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have had their firearms certificate withdrawn for misuse in each of the last five years.
Mr. Charles Wardle : This information is not available centrally.
Police Injuries
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work days were lost by police officers who sustained injuries in the course of their duty in (a) 1983 and (b) 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Information on the number of injuries is not held centrally. In 1990, the earliest year for which complete figures are readily available, a total of 53,626 days' sick absence resulted from assaults on police officers in England and Wales. In 1992 the equivalent figure was 47,023. Information for 1993 is not yet available.
Column 428
Life Sentences
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were serving a life sentence and were released from prison after serving less than 10, 15 or 20 years, in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is shown in the table.
Time served under sentence<1> Year of |Less than |10 less than|15 less than release |10 years |15 years |20 years ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1983 |49 |44 |7 1984 |39 |18 |7 1985 |23 |32 |5 1986 |19 |19 |6 1987 |15 |24 |8 1988 |31 |31 |3 1989 |20 |42 |10 1990 |14 |41 |16 1991 |21 |35 |9 1992 |20 |44 |18 1993<2> |15 |29 |24 <1> Other than those released on compassionate grounds. <2> Figures for 1993 are provisional.
Fire Service
Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for the future role of the fire service ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : There are no plans at present to change the role of the fire service as laid down in the Fire Services Act 1947, as amended.
The role of the fire service and other bodies responsible for enforcing fire safety legislation is currently being considered in the light of the report of the interdepartmental scrutiny of fire safety legislation which was published on 22 June. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House. The Government are committed to full consultation on the report's recommendations before considering whether changes should be made to current legislative and enforcement regimes.
TRANSPORT
Roadworthiness Checks
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mrs. Jackson) of 21 March, Official Report, columns 105-7, how many spot checks on the roadworthiness of vehicles were carried out in the year 1993-94 ; what was the number of traffic enforcement spot checks carried out in the same year ; and how many spot checks are planned by the Vehicle Inspectorate for the current financial year.
Mr. Key : The following is the information :
Roadworthiness Inspections
|1993-94
------------------------------------------------------
PSV spot checks |<1>24,521
HGV spot checks |<2>120,335
LGV spot checks |<3>20,035
Taxis and Non-testable vehicles |1,558
<1>Excludes 5,165 special checks on emissions.
<2>Excludes 3,342 special checks on lighting and 10,
589 on emissions.
<3>Excludes 33,103 special emission checks on cars
and light goods vehicles.
Note:
In 1993-94 the Inspectorate was not asked by
Departmental customers to conduct full roadworthiness
spot checks on cars.
|1994-95
|(planned)
------------------------------------------------------
PSV spot checks |<1>24,442
HGV spot checks |<2>120,413
LGV spot checks |<3>18,960
Taxis and Non-testable vehicles |1,303
<1>Excludes 4,869 special checks on emissions.
<2>Excludes 3,372 special checks on lighting and 9,
129 on emissions.
<3>Excludes 33,807 special emission checks on cars
and light goods vehicles.
Traffic Enforcement Inspections Type of vehicle |1993-94 |1994-95 (Planned) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Heavy Goods |240,379 |306,000 Public Service |34,574 |34,000 Light Goods |19,230 |13,157
Road Schemes
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the result of the cost benefit analysis calculations for (a) the Swainswick and Batheaston bypass on its own and (b) the Swainswick and Batheaston bypass together with the road schemes connected to its northern and its eastern end ;
(2) if he will list the financial years in which funds have been allocated for the road schemes connecting with (a) the northern end and (b) the eastern end of the Swainswick and Batheaston bypass.
Mr. Key : These questions are operational matters for the Highways Agency. The chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, will be writing to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 27 June 1994 :
I am writing in response to your two recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport about trunk road schemes near Bath. These are matters for which the Highways Agency is now responsible.
The results of the cost benefit analyses for these schemes are as follows :
(a) A4/A46 Batheaston/Swainswick bypass
Net present value (low growth) £3.2 million
Net present value (high growth) £17.7 million
Benefit : Cost ratio 1.32 : 1
(b) A46 Upper Swainswick--M4 Tormarton improvements
Net present value (low growth) £13.1 million
Net present value (high growth £42.2 million
Benefit : Cost ratio 2.78 : 1
(c) A36 Beckington--East of Bath improvement
Net present value (low growth) £4.3 million
Net present value (high growth) £42.2 million
Benefit : Cost ratio 1.60 : 1
The results are dependent on future economic growth and figures are given separately for low and high growth, which are equally likely scenarios. The benefit to cost ratio is an average which is a useful indicator of returns from investments.
Column 430
Calculations have not been carried out for all the schemes together. There could be additional benefits with the completion of all three schemes, but each is justified in its own right in any event.We are at a comparatively early stage in the development of the A46 Upper Swainswick--M4 Tormarton Improvements and the A36
Beckington--East of Bath Improvement. They are still subject to the successful completion of statutory procedures. Apart from the costs of preparation, funds have not been allocated at this stage. The claims of these schemes on our limited rsources will be assessed against other competing demands at the relevant time.
Transport Supplementary Grant
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what formula officials within his Department adopt to determine whether a scheme qualifies for transport supplementary grant.
Mr. Key : No set formula is adopted. Criteria for eligibility for transport supplementary grant--TSG--are set out annually in a local authority circular on transport policies and
programmes--TPP--submissions. The most recent circular, for 1995-97, is local authority circular 2/94, published on 25 May 1994. My right hon. Friend and I consider bids for TSG on their merits against the criteria and competing bids, within the resources available.
Newly Qualified Drivers
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic accidents involving newly qualified drivers were reported in (a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : Information about the number of traffic accidents involving newly qualified drivers is not available. However, a high proportion of newly qualified drivers who have recently passed their test are under 22 years of age. The following table shows the number of accident involved car drivers who were under 22 years of age, since 1990.
Number of car drivers (
under 22 years of age)
involved in injury road
accidents
Great Britain 1990-93
|Drivers
------------------------
1990 |56,561
1991 |51,017
1992 |48,687
1993 |43,823
West Coast Main Line
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the terms of reference and scope of the feasibility study being undertaken into the upgrading of the west coast main line by Railtrack and West Coast Main Line Development Company Ltd.
Mr. Freeman : Railtrack and WCML Development Co. Ltd. have published a summary of the terms of reference and scope of the study in a document entitled "The West Coast Main Line, Progress on the Feasibility Study". I have placed copies in the Library.
Column 431
Disabled People (Road-crossing Facilities)
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made by local authorities with provision of road-crossing facilities for (a) the visually disabled and (b) other disabled ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : The Department of Transport has worked closely with local authorities since 1986 to give guidance on the use of dropped kerbs at road crossings to help wheelchair users in conjunction with tactile surfaces to provide guidance and warning to visually impaired pedestrians. The Department's guidance in this area is very widely followed by local authorities all over the country.
In addition to tactile surfaces, audible signals at ordinary pelican crossings have been in use for some 25 years. More recently, the "Bleep and Sweep" audible unit has been developed by the Department for use at staggered pelican crossings. This provides a directional sound which overcomes the danger of confusion to visually impaired pedestrians. A tactile cone has also been introduced which provides guidance to pedestrians who are both deaf and blind. Most recently, puffin crossings have been introduced on a trial basis by the Department. These have the major advantage for elderly and disabled pedestrians that the amount of crossing time can be extended to accommodate the needs of those who move more slowly.
Local authorities are being encouraged to include these facilities in both new designs and modifications.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to visit Paisley Gilmour Street railway station to evaluate its accessibility to disabled and infirm people ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 22 June at column 245.
Road Accidents
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities occurred in accidents involving (a) light goods vehicles and (b) cars over the last five years.
Mr. Key : The information requested is shown in the table.
Fatalities in accidents involving LGVs and cars: GB 1988 to 1993
Casualties
Year |Accidents involving|Accidents involving
|an LGV |a car
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988 |563 |3,967
1989 |588 |4,300
1990 |550 |4,183
1991 |501 |3,704
1992 |415 |3,466
1993 |370 |3,069
Column 432
EDUCATION
Bullying
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will produce a children's charter advising children on their rights generally and on the matter of bullying in particular ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend has no plans to produce such a charter. The Department has, however, already published a leaflet of guidance for children setting out what they should do if they are bullied.
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what decisions his Department has taken in respect of TECs in the last 12 months ; and if he will make a statement on his Department's other involvement with TECs over the same period.
Mr. Boswell : The Employment Department takes the lead on the majority of decisions concerning TECs. This Department has been strengthening its relationships with TECs, for example, through a series of regional seminars this year hosted by DFE Ministers and senior officials at which issues of mutual concern and interest have been discussed.
Student Loans
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many former students with student loans are not currently making repayments as their earned income has failed to reach 85 per cent. of average incomes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell : This is a matter for the Student Loans Company. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Ethnic Minorities
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children of New Commonwealth origin he estimates will be taught English with resources obtained from the single regeneration budget ; and what total amount of section 11 funding is being transferred into the single regeneration budget.
Mr. Robin Squire : Information is not readily available for the current year in the form requested in the first part of the question. The bidding round for the single regeneration budget for 1995-96 does not close until September this year. It will be up to local bidding partnerships to decide what priority to give to the needs of ethnic minority children and to bid accordingly. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has transferred, for incorporation into the single regeneration budget, the following financial year amounts from his Department's section 11 provision :
|£ million
------------------------------
1994-95 |60.5
1995-96 |53.0
1996-97 |53.0
Column 433
WALES
Heart Disease
13. Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level of coronary heart disease in Wales ; and what was the figure 10 years ago.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : In 1992, the latest year for which figures are available, there were 9,198 deaths in Wales from coronary heart disease representing 3.2 deaths per 1,000 population. In 1983, the figure was 9,880, representing 3.5 deaths per 1,000 population.
Development Board for Rural Wales
15. Mr. Jonathan Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent consultations he has had on the future of the Development Board for Rural Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend and I have consulted widely on the review and we are carefully considering the responses received. My right hon. Friend will announce his conclusions before the summer recess.
District Nurses
16. Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of unremunerated hours worked by district nurses in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : This information is not held centrally.
Local Government
17. Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on decentralisation schemes for local government in Wales.
Mr. Redwood : I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the debates in the House at Report stage of the Local Government (Wales) Bill on 15 and 16 June. I will issue guidance under clause 27 of the Bill in due course.
Welsh Language Act
18. Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made on the implementation of the Welsh Language Act 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Good progress is being made. Most importantly, the Welsh Language Board is preparing statutory guidelines for Welsh language schemes about which it will consult later this year and which my right hon. Friend will put before the House thereafter.
Port Talbot Hospital
19. Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of Port Talbot hospital.
Column 434
Mr. Gwilym Jones : West Glamorgan health authority is proposing to close this hospital and to move on to improved arrangements for health care, including a new modern hospital at Baglan.
Housing (Disabled People)
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of Welsh housing stock is constructed or adapted to meet the needs of physically disabled people at the latest date for which information is available ; if he will break this information down into categories of housing tenure ; what plans he has to enhance the availability of such housing stock ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : In the 1994 housing strategies and operational plans round, local authorities reported 2,678 local authority and 1, 511 registered housing association properties as meeting the particular requirements of disabled people. These figures represent 1.27 per cent. of total local authority stock--as at 1 April 1994--and 3.62 per cent. of total registered housing association stock--as at 31 May 1994-- respectively. Figures are not available for the private sector. Disabled facilities grants, local authority expenditure on aids and adaptations and the special needs policy of Housing for Wales are the main vehicles for ensuring an adequate supply of adapted housing.
Public Bodies
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total funding unaccounted for, or misused by, non-departmental public bodies in Wales during the year 1993-94 ; if he intends refunding such money to local authorities or relevant bodies which have suffered difficulties because of this mismanagement ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The accounts for non-departmental public bodies for 1993-94 are currently being audited and will be laid before Parliament in due course.
Consultants
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many contracts and for what total sum were let out by his Department and agencies for which it is responsible to (a) Coopers and Lybrand, (b) KPMG Peat Marwick, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) Price Waterhouse, (e) Arthur Andersen, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) other services in (1) 1980 to 1983, (2) 1984 to 1987, (3) 1988 to 1991 and (4) 1992-93.
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