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Table 1: Number of adult male prison places available for
prisoners categorised A, B or C at 31 December 1994
(March 1994 figures are shown in brackets)
Area |Category A |Category B |Category C
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central |362 (362) |1,841 (1,695) |1,361 (1,660)
Chilterns |- |932 (890) |776 (776)
East Midlands |- |1,437 (1,433) |1,526 (1,572)
East Anglia |- |992 (1,088) |1,259 (1,259)
Kent |- |1,231 (1,208) |859 (838)
London North |534 (534) |2,141 (2,039) |1,127 (1,277)
London South |301 (334) |2,964 (2,976) |151 (145)
Mercia |- |168 (168) |-
North East |1,014 (1,051) |1,173 (1,140) |1,307 (1,307)
North West |- |854 (894) |1,116 (1,097)
South Coast |- |2,213 (2,047) |721 (768)
Trans Pennine |727 (637) |2,614 (2,077) |794 (751)
Wales and West |- |1,078 (1,130) |270 (256)
Wessex |- |936 (970) |1,192 (1,304)
Yorkshire |- |320 (320) |408 (394)
Total |2,938 (2,918) |20,895 (20,075)|12,867 (13,404)
Notes:
1. Figures for Category A places comprise total number of places available in
dispersal prisons which are suitable for Category A and Category B prisoners;
and the number of places in the Category A Unit at HMP Belmarsh.
2. Figures for Category B places comprise the total number of places in
non-dispersal training prisons and local prisons. Some of the more secure local
prisons also hold Category A prisoners as and when necessary. A formal maximum
number of places for this purpose is not designated.
3. The Category B figures include 127 (145) places immigration detainees at
HMHC Haslar.
Table 2: Number of places available for convicted and sentenced Category A female prisoners Area |Category A|Category B|Category C ------------------------------------------------------- North East |48 |- |- Notes: 1. There is currently only one sentenced Category A female prisoner. 2. With the exception of those categorised A, convicted and sentenced female prisoners are not categorised, but are allocated to open or closed conditions.
Misuse of Drugs
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to introduce legislation to outlaw the illicit supply of anabolic steroids;
(2) if he will publish the minutes of the January meeting of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: The technical committee of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs met on 24 January. The meeting considered, in the light of the decision to control anabolic steroids and similar substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, precisely which substances should be brought under control. The Committee's conclusions will be considered by the full council at its next meeting on 11 May, a date which I understand it would not now be practicable to bring forward. We intend to bring forward the necessary draft order and regulations as quickly as possible thereafter. It is not the practice to publish the minutes of meetings of the advisory council or its committees.
Police Authorities
Mr. William Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the estimated percentage increase in population for each police authority area since 1979 and (b) the estimated percentage increase in police establishment since 1979.
Mr. Maclean: The information is set out in the table.
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Population <1>Police
establishment
|Percentage |Percentage
Police authority |1979 |1993<2> |increase |1979<3> |1994<3> |increase
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |1,334,000 |1,447,000 |8.5 |2,953 |3,087 |4.5
Bedfordshire |499,000 |539,000 |8.0 |947 |1,162 |22.7
Cambridgeshire |579,000 |683,000 |18.0 |1,140 |1,241 |8.9
Cheshire |926,000 |972,000 |5.0 |1,805 |1,920 |6.4
City of London |5,000 |4,000 |-20.0 |1,022 |803 |-21.4
Cleveland |569,000 |559,000 |-1.8 |1,418 |1,502 |5.9
Cumbria |470,000 |490,000 |4.3 |1,113 |1,190 |6.9
Derbyshire |898,000 |951,000 |5.9 |1,712 |1,850 |8.1
Devon and Cornwall |1,371,000 |1,526,000 |11.3 |2,673 |2,928 |9.5
Dorset |591,000 |667,000 |12.9 |1,164 |1,302 |11.9
Durham |603,000 |608,000 |0.8 |1,349 |1,389 |3.0
Dyfed-Powys |433,000 |471,000 |8.8 |934 |972 |4.1
Essex |1,377,000 |1,489,000 |8.1 |2,533 |2,950 |16.5
Gloucestershire |497,000 |544,000 |9.5 |1,116 |1,184 |6.1
Greater Manchester |2,648,000 |2,579,000 |-2.6 |6,766 |7,109 |5.1
Gwent |436,000 |450,000 |3.2 |975 |1,010 |3.6
Hampshire |1,575,000 |1,718,000 |9.1 |3,034 |3,269 |7.7
Hertfordshire |808,000 |849,000 |5.1 |1,533 |1,700 |10.9
Humberside |850,000 |884,000 |4.0 |1,939 |2,034 |4.9
Kent |1,456,000 |1,540,000 |5.8 |2,842 |3,150 |10,8
Lancashire |1,370,000 |1,421,000 |3.7 |3,138 |3,229 |2.9
Leicestershire |836,000 |910,000 |8.9 |1,706 |1,867 |9.4
Lincolnshire |534,000 |601,000 |12.5 |1,182 |1,206 |2.0
Merseyside |1,532,000 |1,441,000 |-5.9 |4,451 |4,705 |5.7
Metropolitan Police |7,353,000 |7,420,000 |0.9 |26,589 |27,736 |4.3
Norfolk |686,000 |765,000 |11.5 |1,265 |1,446 |14.3
North Wales |611,000 |656,000 |7.4 |1,309 |1,369 |4.6
North Yorkshire |663,000 |722,000 |8.9 |1,368 |1,418 |3.7
Northamptonshire |523,000 |592,000 |13.2 |978 |1,190 |21.7
Northumbria |1,446,000 |1,445,000 |-0.1 |3,325 |3,613 |8.7
Nottinghamshire |974,000 |1,028,000 |5.5 |2,260 |2,344 |3.7
South Wales |1,295,000 |1,329,000 |2.6 |3,069 |3,168 |3.2
South Yorkshire |1,301,000 |1,306,000 |0.4 |2,752 |3,031 |10.1
Staffordshire |1,000,000 |1,054,000 |5.4 |2,066 |2,215 |7.2
Suffolk |598,000 |646,000 |8.0 |1,123 |1,233 |9.8
Surrey |725,000 |770,000 |6.2 |1,602 |1,685 |5.2
Sussex |1,298,000 |1,440,000 |10.9 |2,811 |3,014 |7.2
Thames Valley |1,760,000 |2,001,000 |13.7 |3,005 |3,812 |26.9
Warwickshire |469,000 |494,000 |5.3 |876 |1,020 |16.4
West Mercia |987,000 |1,109,000 |12.4 |1,834 |2,067 |12.7
West Midlands |2,696,000 |2,634,000 |-2.3 |6,509 |6,991 |7.4
West Yorkshire |2,064,000 |2,102,000 |1.8 |5,104 |5,295 |3.7
Wiltshire |516,000 |583,000 |13.0 |1,032 |1,181 |14.4
Total |49,162,000 |51,439,000 |4.6 |118,322 |126,587 |7.0
<1> Figures exclude officers seconded to regional crime squads and central services.
<2> Population figures are provided by the OPCS. 1993 is the latest available estimate.
<3> At 31 December.
Child Witnesses
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the steering group on child evidence will next meet; and what policy decisions arose from the last meeting.
Mr. Maclean: The steering group on child evidence will next meet on 23 March.
At its last meeting, the steering group discussed the causes of delay in bringing child abuse cases to court, and the action being taken by the relevant agencies to reduce delays.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has commissioned in respect of delays faced by child witnesses in cases of alleged abuse; and if he will outline the scope of any such research project.
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Mr. Maclean: The Home Office and the Department of Health are funding research by Ms Joyce Plotnikoff and Mr. Richard Woolfson into the delays in bringing prosecutions in child abuse cases. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Government's policy to give priority to such prosecutions, to identify factors causing delay and to recommend mechanisms for reducing delays.
Reconviction Rates
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current reconviction rates for persons discharged from (a) first custodial sentences, (b) subsequent custodial sentences and (c) custodial sentences generally.
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Mr. Maclean: The information is as follows:
Percentage of offenders reconvicted within a two-year period following discharge from a custodial sentence in 1990 by whether or not the current sentence was a first custodial sentence.
|Number |Per cent.
History of |discharged |reconvicted
imprisonment
---------------------------------------------------------------------
First custodial sentence |28,298 |52
Subsequent custodial sentence |18,701 |53
All discharges<2> |47,473 |52
<1> Reconvicted of a serious offence as defined by the standard list
in Appendices 4 and 5 of Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1993.
<2> Includes 474 cases where the previous history of imprisonment is
not known.
Comparisons between reconviction rates are affected by differences in the age, sex, previous convictions and other characteristics of offenders.
Woodcock Report
Mr. Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his detailed timetable for the implementation of each of the recommendations of the Woodcock report.
Mr. Howard: I have today placed in the Library a timetable for implementation of the 64 recommendations in Sir John Woodcock's report on Whitemoor. The timetable may be subject to amendment in the light of any comments made by Sir John Learmont when he reports on his review of security in the Prison Service. I have asked Sir John Learmont to report to me by the end of the year on how far the recommendations of Sir John Woodcock have been implemented.
Prevention of Terrorism Act
Mr. Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extensions of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act were made in each month in 1994; and how many of these resulted in a criminal charge.
Mr. Howard: The information requested is shown in the table.
Extensions of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act by
outcome: United Kingdom in 1994
Number of
criminal
Number of charges
extensions
|Great |Northern |Great |Northern
Month |Britain |Ireland |Total |Britain |Ireland |Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
January |- |43 |43 |- |9 |9
February |2 |46 |48 |2 |12 |14
March |- |36 |36 |- |16 |16
April |- |81 |81 |- |14 |14
May |1 |70 |71 |<1>- |16 |16
June |1 |39 |40 |<1>- |18 |18
July |- |17 |17 |- |6 |6
August |- |41 |41 |- |14 |14
September |- |7 |7 |- |<2>3 |3
October |- |- |- |- |<2>- |-
November |- |2 |2 |- |<2>- |2
December |- |- |- |- |<2>- |-
Note:
<1> The two persons whose detention was extended in Great Britain in May
and June were both subsequently served with exclusion orders.
<2> Provisional figures.
Mr. Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exclusion orders made under the provision of the Prevention of Terrorism Act were in force in 1994; and how many were reveiwed, replaced, revoked or scrapped.
Mr. Howard: The information requested is shown in the table.
Exclusion orders: United Kingdom 1994
|Orders
|Orders |made by
|made by |Northern
|Home |Ireland
|Secretary|Secretary
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Orders in force on 1 January |71 |9
New orders made |4 |1
Orders reviewed, of which |28 |-
Orders renewed or replaced |14 |-
Orders revoked or allowed to lapse |14 |-
Deaths |3 |-
Orders in force on 31 December |58 |10
Mr. Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the review for 1994 of the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Mr. Howard: I received Mr. Rowe's report on 3 February and shall arrange for it to be made available in the usual way in good time for the debates on the future of the legislation.
Ian Greer
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.
Asylum
Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reviewed the working of the asylum appeals system; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard: I have today placed in the Library a report by the consultancy firm KPMG Peat Marwick on the operation of the asylum appeals procedures. The study arose from the commitment which was given at the time of the adoption of the Asylum Appeals (Procedure) Rules 1993 to review the new regulations after a year of operation. The consultants analysed over 200 appeal cases and looked at all aspects of the asylum appeal determination system from an operational perspective. They have produced a helpful report, and have made a number of recommendations of a mainly operational and procedural nature, which the Lord Chancellor and I are considering.
Police National Computer
Mr. Shersby: To ask the Secretary of Sate for the Home Department if he will make a statement about future arrangements for delivering the police national computer and other police information technology.
Mr. Howard: We are currently discussing with the police service proposals to set up a new body to deliver police IT more effectively and efficiently on a partnership
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basis between chief constables, police authorities and the Home Office. The discussions are based in part on proposals from the police, and are focusing on the scope for bringing into a single organisation the responsibility for centrally provided IT services, such as the police national computer, and delivery of the police information services/information technology initiative which was launched last November.Following a detailed study, I have decided that the market test of the Hendon Data Centre should not proceed to competitive tendering at present. The existing police national computer system, which is provided by the centre, has been in service since 1991 and planning for its eventual replacement has already begun. A decision about the future management of the centre and the possibility of
contracting-out the service will be taken in about 18 months when the likely nature, size and scope of the new system is clearer. Whatever arrangements are made in future for the provision of the police national computer system, the ownership and use of the criminal records held on it will remain firmly under the control of the police.
Data Protection Directive
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the nature of the data rules applying to banks recently approved by the EC; what will be the cost of the measures; what benefit will stem from the rules; and if Her Majesty's Government voted for the measures.
Mr. Nicholas Baker [holding answer 6 February 1995]: The directive is intended to help the operation of the single market by ensuring common standards of data protection within the European Union. It is likely to require the elaboration of existing United Kingdom data protection rules and will involve their application to manual as well as computerised records. The initial proposals would have imposed substantial additional costs on the banks and other data users; modifications made to the proposals in the course of subsequent negotiations have gone a significant way to reducing those burdens.
Political agreement was reached on the directive in the Foreign Affairs Council on 6 February: the UK said that it would be abstaining when the matter is put to a formal vote, probably later this month. The UK's abstention was conditional upon, among a number of other points, the Council and the Commission expressing their agreement to greater flexibility in applying the directive to existing manual records.
Prison Escapes
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of escapes from prison in each year since 1979 stating (a) which prison the prisoner escaped from, (b) what the offence of the prisoner was and (c) for how long each prisoner was at large.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 6 February 1995]: 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 Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 8 February 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for details of the number of escapes from prison in
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each year since 1979 stating (a) which prison the prisoner escaped from (b) what the offence of the prisoner was and (c) for how long each prisoner was at large.Before 20 June 1988, records were not kept centrally on escapes. The attached table lists the number of prisoners who have escaped and the prison establishment concerned from that date until 31 December 1994. A copy of this table has been placed in the Library of the House.
The information on the offence of the prisoner involved and the length of time these prisoners were unlawfully at large could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
|20 June
|1988-
|31 Dec.
Establishment |1989 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acklington |2 |6 |11 |6 |2 |3 |0
Aldington |1 |6 |6 |16 |14 |1 |4
Ashwell |7 |3 |2 |6 |1 |4 |4
Bedford |1 |0 |0 |3 |0 |0 |1
Belmarsh |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0
Birmingham |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0
Blakenhurst |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0
Blantyre House |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 |2 |2
Blundeston |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0
Brinsford |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Bristol |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0
Brixton |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |0 |0
Brockhill |0 |0 |0 |4 |0 |0 |1
Buckley Hall |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Bullwood Hall |0 |0 |0 |3 |0 |0 |0
Camp Hill |1 |1 |3 |1 |4 |1 |2
Campsfield
House |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Canterbury |0 |2 |1 |2 |0 |0 |0
Cardiff |0 |0 |1 |2 |5 |0 |0
Castington |0 |2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Channings Wood |2 |5 |3 |9 |8 |2 |6
Chelmsford |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0
Coldingley |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
Dartmoor |0 |2 |0 |1 |0 |0 |3
Deerbolt |0 |12 |5 |5 |6 |0 |4
Doncaster |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
Dorchester |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |0 |0
Dover |0 |0 |0 |7 |4 |0 |0
Downview |0 |0 |0 |3 |4 |6 |5
Durham |0 |0 |5 |0 |0 |0 |1
Eastwood Park |0 |1 |5 |1 |1 |0 |0
Elmley |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |0
Erlestoke |0 |4 |7 |4 |1 |4 |0
Everthorpe |0 |0 |0 |4 |12 |4 |2
Exeter |0 |0 |1 |0 |1 |1 |1
Featherstone |6 |4 |5 |5 |3 |10 |11
Feltham |20 |3 |0 |14 |18 |3 |0
Frankland |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0
Glen Parva |6 |0 |0 |5 |8 |2 |2
Gloucester |0 |0 |8 |3 |8 |0 |0
Guys Marsh |0 |0 |0 |0 |4 |18 |0
Haslar |0 |5 |0 |0 |7 |5 |8
Haverigg |0 |1 |6 |4 |3 |10 |5
Hewell Grange |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0
Highdown |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0
Highpoint |14 |28 |11 |15 |17 |2 |3
Hindley |6 |6 |0 |1 |3 |0 |1
Holloway |0 |0 |0 |1 |1 |0 |3
Huntercombe |0 |0 |7 |3 |4 |0 |0
Hull |0 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0
Kingston |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0
Kirklevington |0 |1 |0 |3 |1 |1 |1
Latchmere House |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |0 |0
Lancaster |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |2
Lancaster Farms |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0
Leeds |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |0 |0
Leicester |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0
Lewes |0 |1 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0
Leyhill |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0
Lincoln |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Lindholme |11 |4 |7 |29 |9 |8 |6
Littlehey |2 |0 |5 |1 |5 |7 |1
Liverpool |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
Maidstone |0 |0 |0 |1 |2 |0 |2
Manchester |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0
Moorland |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
The Mount |1 |2 |1 |12 |2 |4 |2
New Hall |0 |0 |0 |1 |9 |1 |1
Northeye |0 |5 |4 |3 |0 |0 |0
Norwich |2 |4 |9 |7 |5 |3 |0
Nottingham |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
Onley |0 |0 |2 |4 |0 |9 |2
Oxford |0 |2 |3 |3 |0 |0 |0
Parkhurst |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0
Pentonville |3 |1 |1 |0 |1 |0 |3
Portland |1 |3 |4 |24 |10 |17 |4
Preston |0 |0 |3 |1 |0 |3 |0
Pucklechurch |0 |4 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Ranby |4 |9 |29 |11 |14 |22 |9
Risley |0 |0 |0 |4 |3 |1 |4
Rochester |0 |0 |0 |3 |2 |2 |1
Rollestone |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Send |0 |0 |4 |4 |3 |3 |1
Shepton Mallet |0 |0 |4 |2 |0 |3 |0
Stafford |0 |5 |1 |1 |0 |3 |1
Stocken |1 |3 |2 |0 |3 |0 |0
Stoke Heath |0 |0 |0 |8 |0 |3 |0
Styal |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0
Sudbury |0 |0 |1 |1 |1 |0 |1
Swaleside |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |1
Swansea |0 |0 |1 |0 |1 |0 |1
Thorn Cross |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0
Thorp Arch |1 |2 |3 |0 |1 |0 |6
USK |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0
The Verne |3 |5 |3 |1 |6 |8 |2
Wandsworth |0 |0 |0 |2 |1 |0 |0
Wayland |2 |0 |7 |7 |3 |0 |1
Wellingborough |0 |0 |2 |4 |5 |7 |3
Werrington |0 |0 |0 |4 |7 |8 |9
Wetherby |0 |3 |0 |2 |3 |5 |10
Whatton |0 |3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Whitemoor |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |6
Winchester |0 |0 |0 |2 |3 |0 |0
The Wolds |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0
Wormwood Scrubs |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0
Wymott |3 |11 |5 |18 |1 |0 |0
Total |103 |161 |195 |303 |254 |204 |156
TRANSPORT
Train Cancellations and Delays
Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains arrived more than five minutes late during peak hours; how many of these cancellations were attributable to (a) train breakdowns, (b) signal failures, (c) track/points failures, (d) leaves on the line, (e) staff shortages, (f) adverse weather conditions and (g) other factors; and what percentage of peak hour
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trains arrived more than five minutes late on each of the Network SouthEast divisions in each four week period during (i) 1992, (ii) 1993 and (ii) 1994.Mr. Watts: BR publishes details of train service performance against passengers charter targets for punctuality and reliability every four weeks. However, the detailed information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Heathrow Airport (Night Flights)
Mr. Deva: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many flights land at, and take off from, Heathrow airport on average (a) between 2300 hours and 0600 hours and (b) between 2330 hours and 0630 hours.
Mr. Norris: At Heathrow, the night quota period runs from 2330 to 0600. In the 1994 summer season--27 March 1994 to 23 October 1994--there were 3,204 runway movements in the night quota period, of which 2,905 counted against the movements limit, an average of 15 per night. Data for times outside the night quota period are not readily available on an equivalent basis. Very few movements are scheduled for the period 2300 to 2329, but actual numbers of movements in this period fluctuate considerably per night depending on whether flights have been delayed from earlier in the day. Movements in the period 0601 to 0630 are mostly arrivals. Analysis of data for sample weeks during the summer shows an average of about 16 movements per night during this half hour. There can be considerable variation in the number of movements in the half hours immediately before and after 0600 on a particular night due to the weather.
Severn Bridge
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has had on diversion of traffic from the Severn bridge to rural routes in Gloucestershire.
Mr. Watts: In July last year, a study carried out on behalf of the Highways Agency by Gloucestershire county council showed that while, on average, some 2,700 more vehicles than might be expected--allowing for traffic growth--travelled west through the county each day, only 1,500 of these could be positively identified as avoiding the bridge tolls. The extra traffic was distributed fairly evenly over the M50 and three other diversion routes, the A48 (T), A40(T)/A4136 and B4215.
Roll-on-roll-off Ferries
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage reduction, or other measure of reduction, of vehicle-carrying capacity of roll-on-roll-off ferry vessels that would be occasioned by the installation of removable bulkheads.
Mr. Norris: This is a technical matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Robin Bradley to Mr. Nigel Spearing, dated 8 February 1995:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about loss of vehicle carrying capacity on ro-ro ferries if removable bulkheads are installed.
No general estimate has been made of the reduction in capacity consequent upon installing removable bulkheads on the car deck. The reduction of vehicle capacity will depend upon the size of the
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ship and the vehicle loading and stowage arrangement. During the second half of 1990 a study was made into modifications that would be needed for existing ferries to meet the requirements known as SOLAS 90. The details are contained in the International Maritime Organization paper SLF 35/inf.7 a copy which is attached, and which you may find of interest.Railway Signalling
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much will be invested in railway signalling
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infrastructure in Great Britain in 1994 95; and how much has been invested in each of the previous five years at (a) cash and (b) constant prices.Mr. Watts: In 1994 95, Railtrack expects to invest about £175 million in railway signalling infrastructure.
Investment in the previous five years in signalling and track projects is as follows. Figures for signalling alone are not available before 1992 93.
£ million cash
|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signalling and track projects<1> |91 |141 |189 |214 |242
Signalling only (included in above) |- |- |- |126 |140
£ million 1994-95
prices<2>
|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signalling and track projects |114 |164 |207 |225 |247
Signalling only (included in above) |- |- |- |132 |143
<1> Major resignalling schemes are often combined with alterations to track layouts
eg. to simplify traffic flow at junctions.
<2> Using GDP deflator.
RSS Report
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the terms of reference of the report being carried out on the RSS office in Cardiff; and on what date this report is due.
Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Robin Bradley to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 8 February 1995:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about the review being carried out on the RSS Office in Cardiff.
The terms of reference of the review are to:
(a) follow up initial work carried out by the Department's internal auditors and make such further enquiries as are necessary to ensure that the requirements of propriety and effective operation, management and control are being met throughout RSS;
(b) make recommendations on any changes to policy, procedures or practice needed to achieve the above;
(c) make recommendations on any personnel or training issues arising;
(d) consider whether the service level agreement under which RSS operates provides a suitable basis as presently written for the future management of RSS.
The review is a management review being carried out on my behalf and the report is due to be made to me by 31 March 1995.
Cycle Helmets
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current Government policy on cycle helmets; and what plans he has to change it.
Mr. Norris: The Government actively promote the benefits of cycle helmet wearing, but we have no plans to make them compulsory.
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Rail Consultants
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff are currently employed full-time and part-time on contract and as consultants on property matters for British Railways; and what were the figures for the same time last year.
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for British Rail.
Merchant Fleet
Mr. Loyden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Chamber of Shipping to discuss the future plans for the British merchant fleet.
Mr. Norris: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport meets the president of the Chamber of Shipping from time to time to discuss a range of shipping issues.
Cellos and Double Basses (Rail Transport)
Ms Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with (a) the chairman of British Rail, (b) the Musicians Union and (c) representatives of leading British orchestras concerning problems experienced by musicians transporting cellos and double basses by rail.
Ms Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he proposed to take to ensure that all British Rail staff responsible for the issuing and examination of tickets are aware of the fares policy for the transportation of cellos and double basses by rail.
Mr. Watts: This is a matter for the British Railways Board and its train operating units. However, I understand that ticket retail and examining staff are issued with manuals detailing current fares policy.
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Hunting (Damage)
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the damage caused by the York and Ainsty North hunt to the York to Harrogate railway in January.
Mr. Watts: I understand that no damage was caused either to Railtrack north-east's infrastructure or to the train operated by Regional Railways north-east.
Red Routes
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest timetable for implementation of his Department's proposals for red routes in London; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris: The traffic director for London is currently considering a revised timetable for implementing the red route measures with the objective of having the network operational in 2000.
Ian Greer
Mr. Campbell-Savours: The ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.
Rail Services
Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what external financing limits have been set for British Rail and Railtrack for 1995 96; and what estimates he has made for Government grant support to passenger services for 1995 96.
Mr. Watts: The British Rail and Railtrack EFLs have been set respectively at contributions of £817 million and £128 million. These contributions are based on an estimate of grant support, comprising franchising director and metropolitan railway grants, of £1,800 million for 1995 96. This estimate of grant includes metropolitan railway grant paid by the Scottish Office to Strathclyde regional council. These external finance contributions and the estimated level of grant support are consistent with the combined external finance limits for BR/Railtrack and European passenger services/Union Railways announced in the Budget statement last November, after allowing for a transfer of £15 million from EPS to Railtrack for investment to be carried out by Railtrack on behalf of EPS. Any adjustments to these figures will be notified to Parliament.
Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what external financing limit has been set for the railway industry in 1994 95.
Mr. Watts: The railway industry external finance limit (EFL) for 1994 95 is currently £1,496 million, as previously announced in reply to the hon. Member for West Derbyshire (Mr. McLoughlin) on 29 November 1994, Official Report column 659. However, the Government have agreed to increase the EFL by up to a further £64 million, if required, to meet certain working capital requirements. If the EFL is increased, the external finance contribution of British Rail, which is currently £272 million, will be reduced by a corresponding amount. Parliament will be notified of any adjustments.
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ISYS Warning System
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety advantages of using the ISYS warning system to avoid collisions.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 31 January 1995]: My Department is not aware of this system.
MV Derbyshire
Mr. Loyden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions he has reached arising out of the report by the Marine Accident Board on the findings of the Oceaneering Technologies investigation into the wreck of MV Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 7 February 1995]: My right hon. Friend is still considering the chief inspector of marine accidents' assessment of the material provided by the International Transport Workers Federation, and whether further action needs to be taken.
Electrical Shock Weapons
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now institute an inquiry into how British Midland Security allowed ICL Technical Plastics to carry an electro-shock weapon on a British Midland flight from Glasgow on 25 November 1994 arriving in London Heathrow at 10.20 a.m.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 7 February 1995]: My Department has made inquiries of both British Midland and BAA at Glasgow. Neither can trace the incident.
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