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Prison Population
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Howarth) of 17 March, Official Report, column 761 , if he will list the prisons which his Department regards as significantly over the average level of overcrowding in all prisons. [18209]
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. Jim Cunningham, dated 19 April 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about those prisons which are regarded as significantly over the average level of overcrowding in all prisons.
Column 197
On 31 March 1995 the total population of the 133 prison establishments in England and Wales was 51,121. The total Certified Normal Accommodation in use at those establishments was 49,441. The percentage overcrowding in the prison estate as a whole was, therefore, 3%.Of those 133 establishments, 45 had a population in excess of their Certified Normal Accommodation in use. The average percentage by which the population of these 45 establishments exceeded their Certified Normal Accommodation in use was 22%. In 18 of these 45 establishments, the population exceeded the Certified Normal Accommodation in use by a percentage greater than 22%. These establishments are shown in the attached table.
Prison establishments with a population of
more than 22 per cent.
higher than their certified normal
accommodation in use on
31 March 1995
Establishment |Percentage
|overcrowding
-------------------------------------------
Birmingham |45
Brixton |23
Canterbury |49
Cardiff |48
Chelmsford |57
Dorchester |42
Durham |41
Exeter |53
Leeds |31
Leicester |80
Lincoln |42
Low Newton |40
Pentonville |31
Preston |39
Shepton Mallet |32
Shrewsbury |83
Stafford |48
Swansea |46
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources are available to deal with overcrowding in prison. [18217]
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. Jim Cunningham, dated 19 April 1995 :
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the resources available to deal with overcrowding in prisons. The majority of prisons are not overcrowded. Overcrowding is concentrated principally in some local prisons and remand centres. This is because of the need to hold unsentenced prisoners close to the courts.
Our first priority is to ensure that existing accommodation is fully utilised. In addition, there is a substantial programme for the building of new accommodation. By the end of the decade, this will provide 6,400 new prison places through the building of new prisons and new houseblocks at existing prisons.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria his Department uses to determine the funding given to prisons in the United Kingdom with particular reference to prison numbers and overcrowding. [18216]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Funding for prisons in England and Wales takes account of the need to accommodate the projected prison population with minimum overcrowding in accordance with agreed standards and policies.
Funding for prisons in Scotland and in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the relevant Secretaries of State.
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Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the official cell capacity and (b) the inmate prison population in each prison in England and Wales on 24 March. [17236]
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. Tom Cox, dated19 April 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the official cell capacity and the inmate population of each prison in England and Wales on 24 March 1995.
The information is given in the attached table.
Establishment |Certified normal|Population
|accommodation in
|use
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Acklington |658 |631
Albany |436 |422
Aldington |127 |122
Ashwell |404 |385
Askham Grange |146 |112
Aylesbury |230 |224
Bedford |303 |300
Belmarsh |792 |589
Birmingham |567 |828
Blakenhurst |649 |653
Blantyre House |95 |95
Blundeston |408 |376
Brinsford |477 |464
Bristol |464 |483
Brixton |484 |619
Brockhill |111 |129
Buckley Hall |90 |90
Bullingdon |644 |631
Bullwood Hall |125 |119
Camp Hill |378 |421
Canterbury |184 |274
Cardiff |321 |476
Castington |300 |283
Channings Wood |482 |587
Chelmsford |251 |393
Coldingley |292 |292
Cookham Wood |120 |140
Dartmoor |538 |548
Deerbolt |417 |393
Doncaster |771 |768
Dorchester |147 |209
Dover |316 |287
Downview |287 |288
Drake Hall |255 |249
Durham |448 |632
East Sutton Park |94 |92
Elmley |637 |624
Erlestoke |270 |265
Everthorpe |318 |249
Exeter |260 |397
Featherstone |599 |573
Feltham |844 |847
Ford |536 |445
Frankland |447 |400
Full Sutton |567 |555
Garth |512 |507
Gartree |277 |300
Glen Parva |767 |789
Gloucester |202 |243
Grendon |190 |200
Guys Marsh |240 |238
Hollesley Bay |365 |354
Haslar |127 |127
Hatfield |180 |175
Haverigg |394 |381
Hewell Grange |174 |165
Highdown |629 |617
Highpoint |679 |642
Hindley |263 |236
Holloway |517 |531
Holme House |649 |646
Hull |328 |400
Huntercombe |240 |231
Kingston |154 |110
Kirkham |644 |528
Kirklevington |86 |80
Lancaster Farms |364 |320
Lancaster |238 |235
Latchmere House |151 |137
Leeds |828 |1,096
Leicester |192 |354
Lewes |312 |302
Leyhill |410 |398
Lincoln |444 |608
Lindholme |567 |594
Littlehey |593 |563
Liverpool |1,253 |1,255
Long Lartin |362 |354
Low Newton |198 |263
Maidstone |494 |473
Manchester |830 |900
Moorland |620 |592
Morton Hall |168 |168
New Hall |169 |200
North Sea Camp |201 |205
Northallerton |150 |194
Norwich |333 |348
Nottingham |222 |214
Onley |520 |512
Oxford |106 |114
Parkhurst |253 |227
Pentonville |559 |746
Portland |382 |396
Preston |342 |497
Pucklechurch |56 |75
Ranby |347 |334
Reading |182 |164
Risley |794 |764
Rochester |294 |266
Rudgate |287 |278
Send |113 |134
Shepton Mallet |158 |205
Shrewsbury |168 |304
Spring Hill |210 |206
Stafford |358 |529
Standford Hill |384 |375
Stocken |396 |394
Stoke Heath |300 |277
Styal |250 |245
Sudbury/Foston |428 |407
Swaleside |512 |507
Swansea |151 |205
Swinfen Hall |182 |185
Thorn Cross |240 |191
The Mount |484 |470
The Verne |552 |548
The Wolds |320 |323
Thorp Arch |166 |166
Usk/Prescoed |245 |228
Wormwood Scrubs |714 |804
Wakefield |727 |713
Wandsworth |922 |994
Wayland |580 |554
Wellingborough |344 |305
Werrington |114 |110
Wetherby |160 |135
Whatton |216 |213
Whitemoor |534 |496
Winchester |261 |350
Woodhill |566 |520
Wymott |432 |414
Total |49,314 |51,112
Note:
Certified normal accommodation is the uncrowded capacity of an
establishment.
Certified normal accommodation 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.
Portland Young Offenders Institution
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements were made to evacuate those detained in the young offenders institution, Portland, during the unexploded bomb defusing emergency on 1 and 2 April; and if he will make a statement. [18917]
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. Rhodri Morgan, dated 19 April 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the evacuation arrangements at Portland Young Offender Institution when an unexploded bomb was recently discovered in the vicinity.
Based upon expert advice received by the Major in charge of the bomb disposal squad, action was taken to relocate 90 inmates within the establishment but away from those areas which may have been at risk if the bomb had exploded.
Throughout the emergency high levels of supervision and control were exercised.
John Martin Scripps (Home Leave)
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) who made the decision to grant John Martin Scripps temporary home leave from Mount prison in October 1994; and which Ministers were involved in approving the decision to grant him temporary home leave; [17960]
(2) what inquiries or investigations have been set up into the decision in October 1994 to grant temporary home leave to John Martin Scripps; [17957]
(3) if he will give details of all previous occasions on which John Martin Scripps, who absconded from Mount prison in October 1994 while on temporary home leave, failed to return from such leave; [17958] (4) if he will outline what factors were taken into account in determining the suitability of John Martin Scripps for temporary home leave from Mount prison in October 1994. [17959]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
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Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 19 April 1995:The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the decision to grant John Martin Scripps temporary home leave.
On 2 October 1982 Mr. Scripps was sentenced to three years imprisonment for burglary. Whilst serving that sentence he was granted home leave from Spring Hill prison and failed to return on 5 June 1984. He was unlawfully at large until 15 March 1985 during which time he committed further offences for which he was sentenced to two years imprisonment concurrent to the sentence he was serving. Mr. Scripps completed this sentence on 25 November 1986.
On 22 January 1988 Mr. Scripps was sentenced to seven years imprisonment on charges of importing drugs. After serving the initial part of his sentence in Wandsworth and Swaleside prisons he was re-categorised from Category B to Category C and transferred on 24 January 1989 to Highpoint prison. On 1 June 1990 he was granted home leave and failed to return.
Mr. Scripps was arrested at Heathrow airport in November 1990 and charged with two offences of smuggling drugs. He was convicted and sentenced to six years imprisonment, consecutive to the seven years he was already serving.
In September 1993 Mr. Scripps applied for home leave and this was considered under the criteria set out in Circular Instruction No. 43/1992, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The application was refused but in December 1993 he re-applied and this was granted for home leave to be taken in February 1994. He returned on time and he was granted a further home leave in April 1994 from which he returned on time.
On 24 August 1994 Mr. Scripps applied to take further home leave in October and this was approved by the appropriate governor grade. These applications are not required to be put to Ministers and none was involved in making these decisions about Mr. Scripps.
The area manager has set up an investigation into the decisions to grant Mr. Scripps home leave and, in particular, to establish what factors were taken into account in determining Mr. Scripps' suitability. I shall write to you again once this information is available.
On 4 April, the Home Secretary tabled amendments to the Prison Rules introducing tighter control on the temporary release of prisoners and, under these, Mr. Scripps would not have been eligible for release on temporary licence during his current sentence.
Parkhurst Prison (Security)
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when (a) he and (b) the Director General of the Prison Service was informed of security problems at HM prison, Parkhurst prior to the breakout in January; and if he will publish or place in the Library details of such warnings; [17291]
(2) when he received a warning from the former governor of HM prison, Parkhurst, Mr. John Marriott, of potential security problems at the prison. [17290]
Mr. Howard: I explained in my statement to the House on 10 January the extent to which I was made aware of the security concerns at Parkhurst and the action which was taken as a result. As I indicated in that statement, I have asked Sir John Learmont and Sir John Woodcock to carry out an independent assessment of events at Parkhurst. This will include the issue of any warnings about security at Parkhurst which were given before the escapes on 3 January. The findings of their report will be published.
Women Fine Defaulters
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women served
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custodial sentences for fine defaulting in each year since 1989. [17206]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 Ms Janet Anderson, dated 19 April 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many women served custodial sentences for fine defaulting in each year since 1989.
The number of women received into prison for fine default in the years requested are as follows:
|Number
----------------------
1989 |868
1990 |845
1991 |976
1992 |1,044
1993<1> |1,342
1994<1> |1,440
<1> Provisional
figures.
Information on the population of female fine defaulters from 1982 1992 is published in "Prison statistics England and Wales" (Cm 2581, Table 7.1 of the 1992 edition). The average time served is also shown in that table and is about one week.
The average number of females serving sentences for fine default at any given time in 1993 and 1994 were 21 and 22 persons respectively.
WALES
Publicity
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the total expenditure on (a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his Department is responsible, for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995 96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000; (2) pursuant to his answer of 13 February, Official Report, column 530, what was the total expenditure on all publicity by his Department's non-departmental public bodies for the years (a) 1992 93 and (b) 1993 94. [17193]
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 17 March 1995]: A list containing the information requested has been placed in the Library of the House. The Welsh Office publicity budget for 1995 96 is under review.
Advertising
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each non-departmental public body and agency for which he has responsibility and, for each, list separate figures for the spending by that body or agency on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) other promotion materials
Column 203
and activities, (e) the tota ls in each year of (a) to (d) and (f) the proportion of (e) that was spent on recruitment advertising for each year since 1979 80 or for each year of its existence if it has been created since then; and what are his latest estimates of (a) to (f) for the years 1994 95 and 1995 96. [17638]Mr. Redwood: The available information is set out in the following table. The expenditure cannot be broken down into the categories asked for and non-departmental public bodies do not keep separate records of publicity expenditure for earlier years.
NDPBs' Publicity Budgets
|1994-95 |1995-96
|(projected out-turn)|(planned spend)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACAC (Curriculum and Assessment Authority) |36 |50
Arts Council of Wales |46 |50
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation |2,400 |1,900
Countryside Council for Wales |182 |93
Development Board for Rural Wales |1,260 |775
Further Education Funding Council for Wales |58 |61
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |42 |44
Housing for Wales |61 |148
Land Authority for Wales |120 |120
Residuary Body for Wales |nil |3
National Library of Wales |25 |30
National Museum of Wales |160 |200
Royal Commission on Ancient
and Historical Monuments in Wales |26 |15
Sports Council for Wales |123 |110
Wales Tourist Board |3,551 |4,507
Wales Youth Agency |28 |16
Welsh Development Agency |6,400 |6,000
Welsh Language Board |100 |45
Welsh National Board for Nursing and
Midwifery and Health Visiting |20 |nil
Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments<1>
£000
|1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95 |1995-96
|projected outturn|planned spend
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Publicity |243 |280 |374 |450 |410
<1> Cadw became an agency 1 April 1991. Since 1 April 1994 figures include expenditure, which cannot be separately identified,
on the "Makers of Wales" campaign.
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, for 1992 93 and 1993 94, separate figures for the spending by his Department on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) other promotion materials and activities, (e) the totals in each year of (a) to (d) and (f) the proportion of (e) that was spent on recruitment advertising; and what are his latest estimates for the years 1994 95 and 1995 96. [17637]
Mr. Redwood: Welsh Office publicity expenditure for the last three years is as follows:
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£000
|TV |Radio |Press |Other |Total |Of which recruitment
|advertising
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1992-93 |77 |nil |350 |1,547 |1,974 |54
1993-94 |6 |nil |269 |1,083 |1,358 |47
1994-95 |8 |nil |247 |1,470 |1,725 |71
The publicity budget for 1995-96 is under review.
Health Promotion Authority for Wales
Mr. Rhodri Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 27 March 1995, Official Report , column 424 , what was the principal reason for the selection of the one Health Promotion Authority for Wales board member not reappointed with effect from 1 April of the four whose term expired on 31 March. [17745]
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 31 March 1995]: Mr. Griffiths has recently been appointed to a new post on the board of the University Dental NHS trust hospital.
Education Expenditure
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on the question of the funding of education during the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [18889]
Column 204
Mr. Richards: My right hon. Friend and I have received many representations on the question of the funding of education over the last 12 months. The funding of education is, however, a local government responsibility. We have made it clear that, in our view, there is sufficient scope for local authorities in Wales to fund education appropriately from within the overall settlement they have had. By long- standing arrangement, it is for local authorities in Wales to decide their priorities for spending.
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the expenditure per pupil in each county council for (a) 1992 93, (b) 1993 94, (c) 1994 95 and (d) 1995 96. [19507]
Mr. Redwood: The latest figures available for 1992 93 are contained in tables 10,11, 14 and 15 of the Welsh Office "Education Finance Bulletin", issued on 24 March 1995 by
Column 205
the training and education intelligence unit. A copy is available in the Library of the House.Dental Services
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dental practitioners with fewer than three years' post-qualification experience there are in the county of Gwynedd; and if he will make a statement. [18887]
Mr. Richards: According to information supplied by the Gwynedd family health services authority, there is one general dental practitioner with less than three years' post-qualification experience in the county of Gwynedd.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations on the delivery of dental services he has received from people living in the county of Powys; and if he will make a statement. [19043]
Mr. Richards: In the last 12 months, four individual representations on the subject of general dental services were received from, or on behalf of, people living in the county of Powys. The Montgomery community health council also submitted a petition signed by 1,661 persons, some of whom resided outside Powys.
Religious Education
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received for Welsh Office funding of courses to promote his policies in the field of religious education in schools; and what plans he has to fund courses in addition to the money made available through grant for education support and training. [18859]
Mr. Richards: I have received one recent representation about the funding of religious education courses. GEST itself provides a sound mechanism for funding such courses.
Children's Oral Health
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment his Department has undertaken within the last five years into the state of oral health of children (a) aged under eight and (b) aged between nine and 12 years; and if he will make a statement. [18881]
Mr. Richards: The dental health of all age groups between five and 15 years is surveyed decennially across the United Kingdom. The most recent survey is for 1993 and was published in 1994. A copy is available in the Library of the House.
Opencast Coal Mining
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Coal Authority over plans to develop potential opencast coal mining in south Wales. [19323]
Mr. Redwood: I met with the chairman and chief executive of the Coal Authority on 8 March. Opencast coal mining was one of a number of issues which were touched upon. There was no discussion of specific sites.
Column 206
TACP Architects
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what work has been given by him or any quango accountable to him to the architects TACP in the last five years. [19114]
Mr. Redwood: Work commissioned from TACP Architects since 1990 91 is as follows:
Agency |Work
1990-91
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Development Board for Rural Wales |Landscaping, structural planting and surveys
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation |Landscape design
Welsh Office |Landscaping scheme at Cadoxton, Barry
Welsh Development Agency |Architectural design, planning,
|landscaping and environmental assessment
1991-92
Development Board for Rural Wales |Landscaping structural planting studies and surveys
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation |Landscape design
Welsh Office |Landscaping at Penpedairheol, Mid Glamorgan
Welsh Development Agency |Architectural design, planning,
|landscaping environmental
1992-93
Development Board for Rural Wales |Landscaping structural planting studies and surveys
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation |Landscape design
Welsh Development Agency |Architectural design planning, landscaping
|and environmental assessment
1993-94
Development Board for Rural Wales |Landscaping structural planting studies and surveys
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation |Landscape design
Welsh Office |Landscape advice and landscaping at Cadoxton, Barry
Countryside Council |Research on the distribution and environmental
|value of traditional orchards
|and associated features
Welsh Health Common Services Authority |Architects for the day centre Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor
Welsh Development Agency |Architectural design, planning,
|landscaping and environmental assessment
1994-95
Development Board for Rural Wales |Landscaping structural planting studies and surveys
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation |Landscape design
Welsh Health Common Services |Post-contract works at Wrexham Maelor
Welsh Development Agency |Architectural design, planning,
|landscaping and environmental
Practice and Fund Managers
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral statement to the Welsh Grand
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Committee on 4 April, Official Report, Welsh Grand Committee , columns 1-8, what statistical information he has on the number of practice managers and fund managers in post in each year since April 1991; and by what legal authority their salaries are paid. [19254]Mr. Redwood: Although information on the numbers of staff employed by general medical practitioners has been collected for a number of years, the number of practice managers was collected, as a separate category, for the first time at 1 April 1994 when there were 523--373 whole-time equivalent--in Wales. Information on fund managers has not yet been collected as a separate category.
General medical practitioners are self-employed contractors to the NHS and, as employers, are responsible for the salaries of their staff.
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department gave consent to contract splitting in relation to the contract awarded to KLR and Co., consultants to the Welsh Development Agency on information technology and general financial management; if he will list the principal points in which his consent to contract splitting would affect the tendering and approval procedures; and if he will make a statement. [19222]
Mr. Redwood: KLR and Co. was contracted to provide cover for the vacant post of chief finance officer on 9 March 1995. This was in addition to the contract under which KLR and Co. was engaged to review the agency's information systems on 23 December 1994. These were separate contracts and my consent was not required. Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the legal opinion of Vernon Pugh QC on the agency's involvement in the assembly and disposal of land for the Tesco superstore at Gadlys road, Aberdare; on what date he received a copy of council's opinion; and if he will make a statement. [19339]
Mr. Redwood: None. The opinion was received in my office on 22 March.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the total cost to the agency of the Grant Thornton report into the Tesco--Cynon Valley superstore land deal, if his departmental consent was required for the commission to Grant Thornton; and if he will make a statement. [19255]
Mr. Redwood: None. The commissioning of the report did not require my Department's consent, although I agreed that the agency should commission an investigation.
Mr. David Griffiths
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the principal points of (a) agreements and (b) disagreement in his meeting with former Health Promotion Authority for Wales board member Mr. David Griffiths on 3 April; what offers he made to Mr. Griffiths regarding his reinstatement on another non-departmental
Column 208
public body in (i) health or (ii) another field; and if he answered Mr. Griffiths's request for answers to his letter regarding the conduct and control of senior officers and board members and their overseas travel at the Health Promotion Authority for Wales. [19256]Mr. Redwood: On 3 April 1995, I met with directors of education in Wales. Mr. Griffiths was present in his capacity as director of education for Gwent. The meeting was concerned only with various education matters.
Mr. Griffiths has been invited to serve as a non-executive director of the University Dental Hospital NHS trust and he has accepted that appointment.
I have answered the points Mr. Griffiths raised with me.
Hinkley Point A
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he or officials of his Department were consulted by the nuclear installations inspectorate in regard to the prospective safety implications for Wales over the decision announced on 3 April to give Nuclear Electric permission to extend the operating life of the Hinkley Point A magnox reactor. [19306]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The nuclear installations inspectorate recently completed is assessment of Nuclear Electric's periodic safety review for Hinkley Point A. This concluded that safety remains adequately high for continued operation of the plant.
Although the Welsh Office was not specifically consulted about it, the review included detailed consideration of the risks to the general public in the UK, including Wales.
Horse Disease
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of cases of equine encephalomyelitis in each year since 1985. [19265]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: No cases of equine encephalomyelitis have occurred in Wales since 1985.
Warble Fly
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of cases of warble fly in (a) 1984 and (b) 1994. [19261]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
School Buildings
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated total expenditure required to clear the backlog of repairs to school buildings, per county council. [19508]
Mr. Redwood: Such information is not held centrally. Local education authorities are responsible for the repair and maintenance of school buildings.
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