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In all the circumstances, I do not believe that a meeting would contribute towards the efforts of the police to locate Mr. Lumb, and I cannot add to the information that the hon. Member has already been given.Metropolitan Police Committee
Mr. Fishburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants there were for membership of the Metropolitan police committee; and when the appointments will be announced.
Mr. Maclean: One hundred and six applications have been received from persons wishing to be considered for membership of the Metropolitan police committee. The Home Secretary announced during the debate on the policing of London on 2 December that Sir John Quinton will chair the committee. The other 11 members will be appointed shortly, in consultation with the chairman.
Extending Baton
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in England and Wales have undertaken trials of the extending baton; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean: Twelve forces in England and Wales conducted trials of the expandable side-handled baton between 1 March and 31 May. Six forces have trialled other types of expandable baton. I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply on 23 November, Official Report , column 158-9 .
Asylum
Sir David Steel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum cases are currently pending which are of more than six years duration; and for what reasons they have taken so long to process.
Mr. Nicholas Baker: At 31 October 1994--the latest date for which the information is available--the estimated number of applications outstanding is 53,300. Information on the number of these cases waiting longer than six years and the reason for the delay is not collated centrally.
Knife Offences
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of convictions in magistrates courts covering the Greater London area over the carrying of a knife as an offensive weapon in each of the last three years.
Mr. Maclean: The information is given in the table.
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Number of offenders convicted at magistrates' courts in the Metropolitan Police District and City of London Police
Force Areas and
England and Wales for offences involving carrying weapons 1991-1993
Area/Offence |1991 |1992 |1993
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metropolitan Police District
Carrying of offensive weapons without lawful authority or excuse<1> |860 |632 |663
Carrying article with blade or point in public place<2> |736 |750 |771
City of London
Carrying of offensive weapons without lawful authority or excuse<1> |12 |11 |6
Carrying article with blade or point in public place<2> |1 |3 |4
England and Wales
Carrying of offensive weapons without lawful authority or excuse<1> |3,499 |3,200 |2,808
Carrying article with blade or point in public place<2> |1,736 |1,846 |1,853
<1> Prevention of Crime Act 1953, Section 1. May include a small number of offences involving truncheons etc.
<2> Criminal Justice Act 1988, Section 139.
Shotgun Certificates
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shotgun certificates were issued by Welsh police forces in each year from 1989 to 1993; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean: The information requested is published annually in Home Office statistical bulletins, "Firearms certificate statistics, England and Wales", table 4, copies of which can be found in the Library. The bulletin references are: 26/90, 23/91, 19/92, 23/93 and 22/94.
Police Authorities
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the budgeted capital expenditure cost for setting up each of the new police authorities of England and Wales; and if he will list any planned items of capital spending over £10,000 by any of the new police authorities in their first year.
Mr. Maclean: This information is not centrally available. Police authorities are not required to notify the Home Office of detailed expenditure plans.
Mrs. Maddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much will be spent on members' allowances by the new police authorities of England and Wales in their first year; and how much was spent on members' allowances by the old police authorities of England and Wales in their final year.
Mr. Maclean: The allowances paid to councillor and independent members of new police authorities depend on the amount of work they undertake on behalf of the authority. If all members undertake sufficient work to claim the maximum amount of allowances available, the total expenditure would be £1,863,000 in a financial year. Magistrate members of new police authorities may claim a financial-loss allowance and the total expenditure will depend on the amount of their loss.
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Existing police authorities are part of the local government structure. Information is not held centrally about the level of allowances paid to existing councillors.Pepper Sprays
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the use of pepper sprays on deportees;
(2) whether the use of capsicum pepper sprays was considered during the joint Home Office and Metropolitan police review of deportation procedures.
Mr. Nicholas Baker: Those conducting the joint Home Office and Metropolitan police review of deportation procedures were aware of the existence of capsicum pepper sprays. However, such sprays have never been used in connection with removal from the United Kingdom and they were not referred to in the conclusions of the review, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 12 January 1994.
Crime Statistics
Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what analysis he has made of the reasons for the increases in crime levels from 1987 to 1992 shown in the 1993 crime statistics.
Mr. Maclean: Changes in crime levels are regularly monitored through analysis of recorded crime rates and the British crime survey. Successive studies over a long period have shown a wide range of factors which can influence levels of recorded crime, including the willingness of victims to report offences and the availability of opportunities to commit crime.
Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what comparison he has made of the rate of increase in crime in England and Wales and other developed nations between 1987 and 1992.
Mr. Maclean: Information showing international comparisons of the rate of increase in recorded crime was published for the first time, in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales, 1993" on 2 November 1994. A copy of table 1.2 follows:
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Table 1.1 Crimes<1> recorded by the police - main developed countries
Percentage increase
Country |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 |1987-92 |1991-92
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Ireland |63,860 |55,890 |55,417 |57,200 |63,500 |67,532 |6 |6
Scotland |481,230 |469,986 |493,385 |535,864 |592,774 |589,562 |23 |-1
Republic of Ireland |85,358 |89,544 |86,792 |87,658 |94,406 |95,391 |12 |1
France |3,170,970 |3,132,694 |3,266,442 |3,492,712 |3,744,112 |3,830,996 |21 |2
Belgium |293,631 |314,778 |336,377 |353,492 |382,667 |386,474 |32 |1
Germany |4,444,108 |4,356,726 |4,358,573 |4,455,333 |<2>5,302,796|<2>6,291,519|<3>- |-
Austria |391,291 |400,621 |423,025 |457,623 |468,832 |502,440 |28 |7
Netherlands |1,042,120 |1,056,740 |1,066,130 |1,052,510 |1,083,730 |1,168,490 |12 |8
Norway |198,877 |220,338 |237,319 |235,256 |223,122 |234,992 |18 |5
Sweden |949,367 |955,043 |1,003,910 |1,076,289 |1,045,306 |1,051,770 |11 |1
Denmark |524,323 |536,880 |536,564 |527,421 |519,755 |563,821 |8 |8
Finland |317,290 |336,595 |391,259 |438,094 |391,940 |393,109 |24 |-
Portugal<4> |251,588 |252,204 |261,931 |281,200 |315,300 |332,344 |32 |5
Italy |1,867,035 |1,894,327 |2,053,522 |2,501,640 |2,647,735 |2,390,539 |28 |-10
Greece |303,182 |311,179 |287,177 |330,803 |- |- |<1>9 |-
U.S.A<5> |13,509,000 |13,923,000 |14,251,000 |14,756,000 |14,873,000 |14,438,000 |7 |-3
Canada<5> |2,368,956 |2,390,007 |2,425,936 |2,627,193 |2,899,006 |2,848,091 |20 |-2
Japan |1,577,954 |1,641,310 |1,673,268 |1,636,628 |1,707,877 |1,742,366 |10 |2
Australia<5> |1,070,367 |1,987,273 |1,125,661 |1,149,478 |1,274,893 |1,273,948 |19 |-
New Zealand |406,627 |418,928 |425,623 |449,479 |484,507 |499,003 |23 |3
Notes:
<1> More serious offences. In many countries defined as against the `penal code' or `criminal code' and excludes less serious crimes (
misdemeanours). The range of offences covered differ between each country and some countries (eg Portugal) acknowledge double counting
in the collection of such statistics. Comparisons based upon absolute figures are therefore misleading.
<2> Includes former East Germany in 1992 but part of East Germany in 1991.
<3> 1987-1990 only.
<4> FBI Uniform Crime Index covering murder and non-negligent manslaughter, manslaughter by negligence, forcible rape, robbery, assault,
burglary, larceny - theft of motor vehicles, theft and arson, but excludes offences such as drugs, included in other countries figures.
<5> Data for financial years 1992 = 1991-92 etc.
Source:
Mainly statistical contacts in each country.
Live Animal Exports
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost to Devon and Cornwall police of providing escorts and protection for those transporting live animals for export from Millbay docks in Plymouth.
Mr. Maclean: I understand from the chief constable that police officers have been deployed at Millbay docks to prevent the possibility of a breach of the peace. Police officers are not being used to escort loads to the docks.
The operation began on 28 November, and continues whenever necessary. No estimate has been made of the total cost, but the force is handling the matter by redeployment of officers and extra costs to the police budget are not expected.
Prisoners (Drugs)
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates of British prisons without a previous involvement with hard drugs have died in prison from heroin or methadone use or became infected with HIV in each of the past 10 years.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 24 November 1994]: 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. Paul Flynn, dated6 December 1994: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners without a previous involvement with hard drugs who have died from heroin or methadone, or who became infected with HIV in each of the past ten years.
I am afraid that the information requested is not available.
WALES
Unemployment
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been unemployed for two years or more up to the latest available date.
Mr. Redwood: In October 1994 the number of claimants in Wales who had been unemployed for over two years was 23,398.
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Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many long-term unemployed people there are in (a) Clwyd and (b) Alyn and Deeside.
Mr. Redwood: In October 1994 the number of claimants who had been unemployed for more than 52 weeks in Clwyd and Alyn and Deeside were 4,538 and 785 respectively.
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in each county of Wales under the age of 24 years have been out of work for more than a year; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: The number of claimants aged 24 and under, who at October 1994 had been unemployed for more than 52 weeks, for each county in Wales, are shown in the following table:
County |Persons --------------------------------- Clwyd |869 Dyfed |724 Gwent |1,338 Gwynedd |790 Mid Glamorgan |1,727 Powys |144 South Glamorgan |1,517 West Glamorgan |998 Source: NOMIS.
Since October 1993 the total number of claimants in this category in Wales has fallen by over 16 per cent.
Drug Misuse
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what procedures he has instituted to monitor the expenditure and effectiveness of the £2.3 million divested by his office to local health authorities in Wales for the prevention of drug misuse this year.
Mr. Richards: Action to tackle drug misuse is included in the annual plans of health authorities and is a priority for attention in 1995-96. Achievements against health plan objectives are monitored regularly by the Welsh Office and are discussed at annual review meetings with health authorities.
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Training
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to assist women and to promote their training on their return to the labour market after having children.
Mr. Richards: The eligibility rules for training for work allow women returning to the labour market to enter the programme immediately provided that an individual has not been in the labour market for a continuous period of two years for domestic reasons. The out of school childcare grant initiative is stimulating the childcare market in Wales for school-age children by pump-priming the setting up costs of after school and holiday arrangements. The Welsh Office provides a grant to Chwarae Teg to assist its work in expanding the role of women in the workforce by raising awareness of equal opportunities and encouraging good practice by employers. More generally, the consultation document, "People and Prosperity: A Challenge to Wales" has stimulated debate about developing the potential of women in the workforce. My right hon. Friend will shortly be publishing an action plan to follow up "People and Prosperity".
Water Rates
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on the subject of the level of water rates in Wales in 1991, 1992, 1993 and the current year.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The numbers of representations received are as follows:
1991: 31
1992: 25
1993: 44
1994: 37
Council House Sales
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will permit Alyn and Deeside district council to use 100 per cent. of the moneys accrued from the sale of council houses; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: As between debt redemption and new expenditure, Alyn and Deeside district council is able
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to use 100 per cent. of the moneys accrued from the sale of council houses.Beaches
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many beaches in Wales have been awarded a blue flag to date; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Since the scheme's introduction in 1987, a total of 14 blue flags have been awarded to beaches in Wales.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many blue flag awards were awarded to Welsh beaches in each year from 1991 to 1993.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information requested is as follows: 1991: 3
1992: 2
1993: 3
Entertainment Budget
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was his Department's budget for entertainment in each year from 1990 to 1993; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: Expenditure figures for Welsh Office hospitality were given in my answer to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) 24 October, Official Report , column 421 22 .
Youth Training
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of those leaving youth training today gained qualifications in Wales; and what was the figure two years ago in each of the counties of Wales.
Mr. Richards: The information is not available in the format requested. Youth training is delivered by the seven training and enterprise councils in Wales, whose boundaries do not correspond with the eight counties. West Wales TEC covers the counties of both west Glamorgan and Dyfed; North West Wales TEC covers the county of Gwynedd plus the districts of Rhuddland and Colwyn of the county of Clwyd; North East Wales TEC covers the remaining districts of Clwyd. The following figures therefore relate to the areas served by the seven TECs and to the last two years for which information is available. Figures for 1990 91 are not comparable.
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Proportion of qualifications gained by those leaving youth training ------------------------------------------ Gwent |34.2|48.5|45.5|78.4 Mid Glamorgan |38.3|53.9|47.8|79.4 North East Wales |41.2|31.4|89.4|94.0 North West Wales |43.5|58.2|40.8|67.7 Powys |30.3|39.2|31.4|64.9 South Glamorgan |28.1|45.4|39.1|71.7 West Wales |32.8|46.0|40.6|59.9 Wales |35.8|50.3|46.7|72.4 Source: Employment Department YT Follow-up Survey.
Library Books
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average cost per head of the population for expenditure on library books in each of the counties of Wales.
Mr. Richards: The information requested is given in the following table:
Gross current expenditure on library
books by county area, 1992-93<1>
|£ per head
--------------------------------------
Clwyd |1.36
Dyfed |2.46
Gwent |1.54
Gwynedd |1.59
Mid Glamorgan |3.65
Powys |1.57
South Glamorgan |2.03
West Glamorgan |1.87
Source:
Local authority outturn returns.
Note:
<1> Expenditure on books which has
been identified separately from other
library expenditure. Includes
expenditure by those district
councils which provide library
services.
Housing Associations
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many tenancies were provided by housing associations in each of the districts and boroughs of Wales in 1993; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Information on new lettings and re-lettings in the financial year 1993 94 are set out in the following table, taken from the report of the Welsh Federation of Housing Associations. It includes transfers by existing tenants to a new address--where no new tenancy is created--and mutual exchanges--transfers between existing tenants of different social landlords. Lettings in sheltered accommodation are included, but not lettings for special needs. The table also excludes shared ownership and deferred ownership tenancies.
Lettings by local authority districts in 1993-94
Local Authority |Tenancies
----------------------------------------------------
Aberconwy |174
Afan |114
Alyn and Deeside |135
Arfon |223
Blaenau Gwent |209
Brecknock |95
Cardiff |1,793
Carmarthen |155
Ceredigion |160
Colwyn |167
Cynon Valley |330
Delyn |182
Dinefwr |147
Dwyfor |91
Glyndwr |145
Islwyn |221
Llanelli |208
Lliw Valley |150
Meirionnydd<1> |38
Merthyr Tydfil |354
Monmouth |200
Montgomery |227
Neath |127
Newport |615
Ogwr |368
Preseli |168
Radnor |103
Rhondda |228
Rhuddlan |244
Rhymney Valley |281
South Pembrokeshire |106
Swansea |931
Taff-Ely |260
Torfaen |384
Vale of Glamorgan |330
Wrexham Maelor |287
Ynys Mon |90
|--------
Total |<2>10,040
<1> Provisional figure.
<2> Includes Transfers (1,423) and exchanges and
Exchanges (550).
Tree Preservation
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of whether tree preservation order policy is sufficient to enable local authorities to protect woodland areas in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The Government have recently reviewed various proposals for changes to the present arrangements for tree preservation. We have concluded that the system in use now enables local planning authorities to provide sufficient protection to woodlands and that they should continue to be able to place preservation orders on woodlands. Copies of the Government's conclusions on the review are available in the Library of the House.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the jobseeker's allowance scheme as it may affect Wales.
Mr. Redwood: The introduction of the jobseeker's allowance will help unemployed people in Wales into jobs, will help to secure better value for money for taxpayers and will improve services for unemployed people themselves.
Horticulture
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed on a full-time basis in horticulture in Wales at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Information is not available on the numbers of people working specifically in horticulture. However, according to the 1993 June agricultural and horticultural census there were, at 1 June, 558 people working whole-time on main holdings classified as horticultural holdings whole-time refers to those workers whose main occupation is farming and who work, on average, more than 39 hours per week. A holding is classified as horticultural if more than two thirds of its standard gross margin results from horticultural enterprises. Results at this level of detail are not yet available for the June 1994 census.
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Council House Building
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many council houses were built in 1993 by each of the local authorities in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information is published in table 2.6 of "Welsh Housing Statistics No. 14 1994", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Housing associations are able to attract private finance contributions in building housing. In 1991 the Welsh Office set a target of housing associations providing 10,000 homes over three years and this target has been exceeded.
Agriculture
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were directly employed in agriculture in Wales at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Provisional results from the 1994 June agriculture and horticultural census show that there were an estimated 64,500 people working on holdings in Wales on 1 June. This total comprises: all farmers, partners and directors and their spouses; salaried managers; family and hired workers normally employed on a holding for some part of each month throughout the year, and any seasonal or casual workers employed at the time of the census. The figure includes estimates for small holdings not surveyed in the June census.
Job Vacancies
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many job vacancies there are in the county of Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Redwood: There were 1,758 unfilled vacancies at jobcentres in Clwyd on 7 October 1994. This represents an increase of 7 per cent. on the October 1993 figure. The vacancy figures do not represent the total number of vacancies. Latest estimates suggest that nationally about one third of all vacancies are notified to jobcentres; and about one quarter of all placings are made through jobcentres.
Tranquillisers
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of people who have been treated for addiction to tranquillisers; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Richards: The Welsh Office has no information on which to base an estimate of the number of people who have been treated for addiction to tranquillisers.
NHS Staffing
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of redundancies among national health service staff (a) by grade and (b) by reason for each of the last five years.
Mr. Richards: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Operating Theatre Sessions
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many operating theatre sessions have been cancelled in each region in each of the last five years.
Mr. Richards: The number of operating sessions cancelled and unused, for Wales and each district health authority area, is given in the following table.
|1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |309 |392 |225 |629 |834
East Dyfed |255 |154 |179 |215 |252
Gwent |551 |753 |639 |451 |796
Gwynedd |189 |281 |208 |223 |279
Mid Glamorgan |2,005 |700 |1,181 |1,010 |789
Pembrokeshire |62 |51 |103 |117 |144
Powys |14 |13 |9 |13 |24
South Glamorgan |2,082 |1,984 |962 |1,326 |1,348
West Glamorgan |554 |414 |538 |500 |206
|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------
Wales |6,021 |4,742 |4,044 |4,484 |4,672
Colleges of Further Education
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish any details for the latest available three years of increases in salaries of (a) principals, (b) other senior staff and (c) junior staff of colleges of further education; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Richards: The salaries of staff in further education colleges were the responsibility of the local education authorities until 1 April 1993. Since that date, it has been a condition of grant to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales that the sector takes into account the Government's requirements on public sector pay. However, colleges are free to negotiate their own pay and conditions arrangements with their employees. Details of salaries are not held centrally, although it is also a
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condition of grant to the funding council that the institutions it funds must disclose the salaries of senior staff in their annual accounts. The first set of accounts for the colleges since they became independent will be for the period 1 April 1993 to 31 July 1994.Osteoporosis
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many instances there have been in the last year of patients with osteoporosis at the Wrexham Maelor hospital having (a) a limb or (b) more than one limb accidentally broken while in the hospital.
Mr. Richards: While this is a matter for the Wrexham Maelor Hospital NHS trust, I understand that during 1994 3
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patients with osteoporosis have suffered a fracture of a limb with, sadly, one of these suffering fractures of two limbs.School of Governors
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide the most up to date figures on all the costs relating to the preparation, publishing and distribution of all literature and letters sent to (a) governors of grant-maintained schools and (b) governors of all schools.
Mr. Richards: This information is not available.
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has already received from health authorities on their plans to meet the standards required in the code of practice for the identification and assessment of children with special educational needs; and what guidance he has sent them to ensure that the additional needs of all children are met whether or not they have statements.
Mr. Richards: In response to the code of practice, planning guidance was issued in DGM(94)96 which advises health authorities to agree with local authorities the provision to be made for children, including those with special educational needs.
Commissioners' health plans should be submitted to the Welsh Office by the end of March 1995 for consideration and approval by the Department.
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