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integrity and probity of the police service. We have recognised the importance of the commission's work by making available this year substantial extra resources to help it meet the demands on its services.FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Anglo-Israeli Relations
2. Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations between Britain and Israel. [14940]
Mr. Hurd: Bilateral relations with Israel are excellent. During his recent visit to Israel the Prime Minister and Mr. Rabin agreed that they have never been better.
Serbia
18. Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further discussions he has had with his counterparts abroad about the need to strengthen sanctions against Serbia. [14959]
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We and our partners and allies regard sanctions as an important element in our efforts to achieve a peace settlement in Bosnia. In response to President Milosevic's decision last summer to support the Contact Group plan and close the border between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to all but humanitarian goods, the United Nationals Security Council decided to suspend sanctions on international air links with Belgrade, a ferry service between Montenegro and Italy and in the fields of sporting and cultural relations. At the same time United Nations sanctions against the Bonsnia Serbs, who have refused to accept the Contact Group plan were tightened. We continue to support, together with other states, the effective enforcement of these sanctions.
UN Peacekeeping Operations
21. Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to discuss the future of peacekeeping operations with the Secretary General of the United Nations. [14962]
Mr. Hurd: We are a major troop contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, and will continue to hold regular discussions with the UN Secretary General on all aspects of peacekeeping.
We are concerned by legislative proposals in the US Congress which would severely restrict US contributions to assessed peacekeeping costs. The proposals would require the United States to deduct from its assessed contributions all costs incurred directly by the US for operations in support of UN Security Council resolutions. If these proposals were implemented the established system of financing UN peacekeeping operations would unravel. We welcome the commitment by the US Administration to oppose.
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Security Guarantees
22. Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will outline what steps the Government are taking to provide non-nuclear states with binding security guarantees; and if he will make a statement. [14963]
Mr. David Davis: We already provide non-nuclear weapon states with security assurances in which we undertake not to use nuclear weapons against them unless they attack us in association of alliance with a nuclear weapon state and further to seek UN Security Council action to provide assistance to any such state that is attacked with nuclear weapons.
Middle East Peace Process
23. Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the middle east peace process. [14964]
Mr. James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support Britain is giving to the middle east peace process. [14942]
Mr. Douglas Hogg: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's recent visit to Israel, the occupied territories and Jordan underlined Britain's firm support for the peace process. He announced an increase in aid to the Palestinians to £82 million over the three years 1994 to 1997.
Brunei
24. Sir Michael Neubert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations, including trade relations, with Brunei. [14965]
Mr. Goodlad: Britain has very close and friendly relations with Brunei. Our links are strong in many areas including trade, education and defence. The Sultan is a regular and most welcome visitor to this country.
Brunei is our 43rd largest export market. In 1994, UK exports totalled £418 million, having risen by 28.7 per cent. from the 1993 figure. In 1993, Britain's share of OECD exports to Brunei was 34 per cent.
South Africa
25. Mr. Devlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received about British relations with South Africa. [14966]
Mr. Baldry: During the state visit by Her Majesty the Queen to South Africa last week, President Mandela expressed warm appreciation for Britain's contribution to strengthening and developing these relations.
United States of America
26. Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to hold discussions with the United States Secretary of State in respect of United States relations with member states of the European Union. [14967]
Mr. Hurd: I have regular discussions with the US Secretary of State on many subjects including EU-US relations.
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32. Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with the United States of America. [14976]
33. Mr. Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British trade relations with the United States of America. [14977]
Mr. Goodlad: The US is our largest trading partner. United Kingdom exports of goods to the US were worth £16.8 billion last year, and two -way trade in services was worth over $35 billion in 1993.
United Kingdom-Iranian Relations
27. Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom-Iranian relations. [14968]
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We restored relations with Iran on 27 September 1990 on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in each other's affairs.
We and our European partners made clear at the European Council at Edinburgh in December 1992 that improvements in Iran's behaviour in a number of areas, particularly human rights, the fatwa on Rushdie and terrorism, would be important in determining the extent to which closer relations and confidence in Iran could be developed. This remains European Union policy.
Georgia
28. Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new plans he has to improve bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Georgia. [14970]
Mr. Douglas Hogg: During Georgian Head of State Eduard Shevardnadze's visit to the UK in February my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that a British embassy will be opened in Tbilisi later this year. The UK has recently doubled its technical assistance programme through the know how fund to £1.2 million for projects in the near term.
The British Council plans to expand its teachers' resource centre in Tbilisi to a general information centre, and to promote the teaching of modern English.
World Service
29. Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current grant in aid from the Foreign Office to the BBC World Service; and what percentage increase he expects for the next funding triennium; and if he will makea statement. [14971]
Mr. Baldry: The grant in aid to the BBC World Service in the current financial year is £175.2 million. It will rise to £178.8 million in each of the following two years of the current triennium, that is 1995 96 and 1996 97.
Discussions on the level of funding for the next triennium from 1997 98 to 1999 2000 will begin early next year. The actual funding for that triennium will be determined during the 1996 public expenditure survey.
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Britain in the World" Conference
30. Sir Fergus Montgomery: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the "Britain in the World" conference taking place in London on 29 March. [14972]
Mr. Hurd: The conference on Britain in the world is taking place today. It has been organised by the Royal Institute of International Affairs, in association with Her Majesty's Government, as part of the institute's 75th anniversary celebrations.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave the opening speech. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales gave a lunch-time address. The hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) will speak this afternoon. So will I.
I hope the conference will stimulate an open and lively debate on Britain's overseas interests.
European Legislation
31. Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the number of proposals for new legislation being put forward by the European Commission for 1995; and what the figure was in each of the last three years. [14975]
Mr. David Davis: We welcome the emphasis on subsidiarity in the Commission's work programme for 1995. We will examine carefully every proposal which is tabled, on the basis of subsidiarity and the national interest.
The number of proposals for new legislative initiatives tabled by the Commissions in the last three years is:
1992: 89
1993: 75
1994: 42
NATO Information Budget
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current NATO information budget; what are its main purposes; what was the budget (a) five and (b) 10 years ago in real terms; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Davis: The budget of the NATO office of information and press for 1995 is 192,583,000 Belgian francs. In 1990, the figure was 171,400,000 Belgian francs. The figure for 1985 is not available. The purpose of NATO's information work is to create and reinforce a positive climate of informed public opinion concerning the alliance, encourage informed dialogue about the alliance and current issues, and explain current policy.
Mrs. Patricia Bland
Mr. David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the authorities in the Republic of Ireland with regard to the legal difficulties encountered by Mrs. Patricia Bland, a British subject, arising out of the incestuous rape of her daughter. [16048]
Mr. Baldry: None. The legal process is continuing: the case is still before the Irish courts. It is a matter for them.
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Treaties and Agreements
Mrs. Anne Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Congleton of 28 February, what steps he is taking to identify all those treaties and agreements to which the United Kingdom is a signatory but of which his Department has lost sight; if he will list those treaties and agreements so far identified; if he will indicate in each case the main provisions of the treaty or agreement and the action which he now proposes to take to comply with the provisions of those treaties and agreements; and if he will make a statement. [16524]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 27 March 1995]: Treaty records, which were opened in 1835, show that the United Kingdom is now signatory to some 2,460 multilateral and 9,273 bilateral treaties.
The treaties cover a wide range of subjects and most fall to other Government Departments to administer. Each treaty would need to be researched individually to determine its present status. The information sought is not therefore readily available from treaty records and could be provided only after lengthy research at disproportionate cost.
Somalia
Ms Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made as to the implications for human rights of the introduction of Sharia law in parts of Somalia. [14938]
Mr. Baldry: Parts of Somalia have long suffered from anarchy and general lawlessness. There is evidence that in some areas the introduction of Sharia law, with broad consent, has improved the security of ordinary people. Whatever the system of law, it is important that it is applied fairly and with respect to the dignity of the individual.
Burundi
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken by the international community to assist the Government of Burundi to reform its army so that it is acceptable to both Hutus and Tutsis in the country. [16604]
Mr. Baldry: The Government of Burundi has not requested assistance in reforming its army. Should it do so, we believe that the international community would be willing to consider the request.
Nigeria
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made about the widespread arrests in Nigeria, with particular reference to General Obasanjo, and others who were working for a return to democratic rule. [15533]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 23 March 1995]: We have urged the Nigerian Government to ensure that former President Obasanjo is subject to due process of law: and is either released or promptly charged. I understand that he remains under house arrest, andthat others recently arrested remain in detention,including Shehu Yar'Adua, leading member of the National Constitutional Conference. The Commonwealth
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Secretary-General and the European Union have also issued statements expressing concern, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.WALES
Animal Diseases
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of goat pox were reported in each year since 1985. [15974]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: No cases of goat pox have been recorded in Wales since 1991 when the disease became notifiable. This disease is not know to have ever occurred in the UK.
Clinical Outcome Indicators
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to publish health service clinical outcome indicators similar to those published in December 1994 by the Secretary of State for Scotland, in respect of individual health authorities and hospitals in Wales. [15870]
Mr. Richards: The Welsh Office is working with the medical and nursing professions to agree suitable clinical outcome indicators for Wales, and the best method of publishing them.
Public Relations
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines his Department has issued to its agencies and other public bodies under its authority in respect of the employment of public relations companies and the procedures to be adopted in relation to requesting tenders for public relations companies. [16209]
Mr. Redwood: No general guidance has been issued to public bodies.
The guidance applying to Government Departments is set out in a Cabinet Office letter, reprinted as annex 2 to "Publicity Services For Government Departments", NAO 1989--HC 46. The general principles of value for money and propriety are applicable to public bodies, and the letter is referred to in "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: A Guide for Departments", Her Majesty's Treasury/Cabinet Office 1992, which has been issued to non- departmental public bodies in Wales. Normal tendering procedures should be followed in appointing public relations companies.
Bridge Strengthening Works
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost of bridge reinforcement work undertaken on main roads in Wales in 1993 94; and if he will make a statement. [16781]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Cost of the bridge strengthening works undertaken on trunk roads in Wales in 1993 94 was £2,407,000. The remainder of the main road network is the responsibility of the eight Welsh county councils.
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Hill Farmers (Income)
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if off-farm income was included in the formula for determining the average income of Welsh hill farmers in 1993 94; and if he will make a statement. [16783]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The estimates of Welsh hill farm income for 1993 94 included only those miscellaneous off-farm receipts which were derived from use of the farm business resources. They took account of such items as contracting work which involved farm labour and machinery, but then excluded any income earned by the farmer from employment or self-employment away from the farm and not involving farm resources, investment income pensions and the like.
Dental Services
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives are being pursued by the Health Education Council for Wales to educate the public about the benefits of regular brushing and cleaning of teeth; and if he will make a statement. [16773]
Mr. Richards: The Health Education Council has no remit in Wales.
Drug Abuse
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of local government reform on the work of those engaged in combating drug abuse; and if he will make a statement. [16836]
Mr. Richards: We have allowed adequate time for shadow authorities to plan services and to put arrangements in place to ensure that those services are delivered to at least the same standard following reorganisation as before.
Countryside Council for Wales
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report , column 260 , on which date he intends to publish his action plan for the Countryside Council for Wales; to whom he will circulate this publication; and what scope he has allowed for consultation with the full council on its contents as soon as it has been published. [16930]
Mr. Redwood: The action plan will be issued shortly with a press notice and will be available on request. The Countryside Council for Wales have been consulted during the formulation of the plan.
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report , column 260 , if he will list those individuals and organisation whose advice he (a) sought and (b) used in constructing the action plan for the Countryside Council for Wales. [16949]
Mr. Redwood: Advice from the Countryside Council for Wales, on which a wide range of interests is represented, was sought and used in preparation of the action plan. In addition, I took account of views expressed to me by a variety of interests during the preparation of the plan.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Prison Overcrowding
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons are currently assessed to be overcrowded; and if he will list them, indicating the number of places by which they exceed their quota. [16688]
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 28 March 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 29 March 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many prisons are currently assessed to be overcrowded. The attached table, which will be placed in the Library of the House, lists the 50 prisons in which, on 28 February, the number of prisoners exceeded the Certified Normal Accommodation in use and by how much.
|Number of
|prisoners
|in excess
|of CNA in
|CNA in use|Population|use
-------------------------------------------------------------
Birmingham |567 |821 |254
Blakenhurst |649 |652 |3
Bristol |464 |470 |6
Brixton |484 |639 |155
Brockhill |111 |130 |19
Camp Hill |378 |403 |25
Canterbury |184 |267 |83
Cardiff |321 |441 |120
Channings Wood |482 |569 |87
Chelmsford |251 |403 |152
Cookham Wood |120 |139 |19
Dartmoor |538 |560 |22
Doncaster |771 |780 |9
Dorchester |147 |205 |58
Durham |448 |643 |195
Exeter |260 |385 |125
Feltham |844 |854 |10
Gartree |277 |280 |3
Glen Parva |767 |771 |4
Gloucester |202 |265 |63
Grendon |190 |199 |9
Holloway |517 |526 |9
Hull |328 |404 |76
Leeds |814 |1,066 |252
Leicester |192 |352 |160
Lewes |312 |318 |6
Lincoln |444 |625 |181
Lindholme |567 |583 |16
Liverpool |973 |1,274 |301
Low Newton |198 |245 |47
Manchester |830 |899 |69
New Hall |169 |200 |31
North Sea Camp |201 |205 |4
Northallerton |150 |194 |44
Norwich |333 |348 |15
Pentonville |559 |731 |172
Preston |342 |488 |146
Pucklechurch |56 |69 |13
Reading |182 |185 |3
Rochester |294 |301 |7
Send |113 |124 |11
Shepton Mallet |158 |192 |34
Shrewsbury |168 |281
Stafford |358 |517 |159
Swansea |151 |229 |78
Swinfen Hall |182 |183 |1
The Wolds |320 |330 |10
Wormwood Scrubs |714 |822 |108
Wandsworth |922 |968 |46
Winchester |261 |364 |103
Note:
CNA in use does not include those places which are not
available for immediate use, for example: damaged cells,
cells affected by building works and cells not being used
because of a shortage of staff resources.
Prison Service
Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made on increasing private sector involvement in the Prison Service. [17602]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: In addition to existing plans for private sector involvement in the Prison Service, Lowdham Grange prison near Nottingham will be rebuilt as a 500-bed, category B prison to be operated by the private sector. This will increase from 12 to 13 the number of prisons to be operated by the private sector in the initial phase of the private sector programme.
Four prisons are already under private management and tendering for the first two of the six entirely new prisons to be designed, constructed, managed and financed by the private sector is nearing completion.
The programme of contracting out court escort and custody work is being accelerated. Contracts covering south-west England and south Wales, south- east England and the west midlands and central Wales will be let early in 1996. This builds on the considerable success of the programme so far. Escapes have been reduced by 40 per cent. in east midlands and Humberside and the courts are receiving a better service.
The combined effect of those prison and escort contracts already let will be cost savings of £18 million a year for the taxpayer.
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prisoners with 24-hours access to sanitation excluding new and renovated accommodation for each of the past 12 months in prisons in England and Wales. [16265]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: 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 for Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 29 March 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about access to sanitation in prisons in England and Wales.
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In the 12 months up to the end of February of this year 24 hour access to sanitation was provided for an additional 2202 prison cells, excluding new and renovated accommodation. The following table shows the month by month breakdown.
Month |Additional cells |Percentage of
|(excluding new and|prisoners with
|renovated) |access
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1994 |388 |91
April 1994 |38 |91
May 1994 |128 |91
June 1994 |151 |92
July 1994 |292 |92
August 1994 |247 |92
September 1994 |319 |93
October 1994 |163 |94
November 1994 |82 |94
December 1994 |297 |95
January 1995 |30 |95
February 1995 |67 |95
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prisoners who are held two or three to a cell in units of accommodation which are certified as being suitable for only one person for each of the past 12 months in prisons in England and Wales. [16230]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: 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. George Howarth, dated 29 March 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners who are held two or three to a cell in units of accommodation which are certified as being suitable for only one person for each of the past 12 months in prisons in England and Wales.
The information is given in the attached table.
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