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will also be given limited access to the system, for the purpose of conducting preliminary security vetting checks. Limited direct access has also been approved in principle for the Forensic Science Service to allow the addition of markers to indicate that a sample has been taken and whether a DNA profile is available, and to ensure that their separate DNA database is appropriately weeded.Asylum Seekers
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 5 April, Official Report , columns 1240-41 regarding asylum applications in 1994, if he will provide the comparable statistics for the period from 1 August 1993 to 31 December 1993, in the same format. [20582]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: The information requested is provided in the table.
Decisions during the period August to December 1993, excluding
dependants, on applications for asylum<1> made before and after the
Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act, 1993
Number of principal applicants
|Pre-act applications|Post-act |Total
|applications
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total decisions<2> |<4>585 |<4>3,355 |4,745
Recognised as a
refugee and granted
asylum |70 |175 |245
Not recognised as a
refugee but granted
exceptional leave
to remain<3> |110 |680 |790
Total refusals |<4>405 |<4>2,500 |3,710
Refused asylum and
ELR after full
consideration |405 |2,140 |2,545
Refused on safe
third country
grounds |0 |360 |360
Refused under para.
340 of the
Immigration Rules<4> |- |- |805
<1> Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5.
<2> Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.
<3> Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.
<4> Figures for refusals under para. 340 for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim
within a reasonable period (para. 180F prior to 1 October 1994) are not available split between pre- and
post-Act cases.
Immigration Detainees
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of (a) hunger strikes and (b) suicides by (i) male and (ii) female immigration detainees in prisons in England and Wales during each of the last three years. [20356]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: The available information is as follows:
May 1992-AprilMay 1993-AprilMay 1994-April
1993 1994 1995
|Male |Female|Male |Female|Male |Female
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hunger Strikers |<1>- |<1>- |74 |- |50 |-
Suicides |- |- |- |- |- |-
<1> Records of hunger-strikers in prisons prior to May 1993 do
not distinguish between immigration detainees and others.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department regarding keeping immigration detainees being held in prison in England and Wales informed of the position of their cases; which service is responsible for it; and if he will make a statement. [20355]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: All immigration detainees, including those held in prisons, receive written notification from the Immigration Service, on a monthly basis, of the progress of their case. Asylum applicants receive, in addition, a report from the asylum division on the position reached in considering their application.
Airlines
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state for each year since 1987 the total sum paid in carriers' liability by each airline. [20394]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: The administration of the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 involves the Home Office in sensitive discussions with air and sea carriers. These are conducted on a "commercial in confidence" basis, and to disclose information on individual carriers, including the level of charges paid by each airline, would represent a breach of confidentiality, which could jeopardise both the carriers' commercial operations, and our own debt recovery programme.
The total sums paid between 1987 and the end of 1994 by all carriers, together with total--cumulative--charges outstanding at the end of each year are as follows:
£ millions
Year |Paid |Total outstanding
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987 |1,403,000 |2,361,000
1988 |2,274,000 |4,680,000
1989 |1,721,000 |10,170,000
1990 |3,433,000 |15,653,000
1991<1> |7,581,000 |19,440,000
1992 |4,789,000 |25,775,000
1993 |11,500,000 |22,003,000
1994 |8,652,000 |<2>24,527,000
Total paid |41,353,000
<1> Charge increased from £1,000 to £2,000 per improperly documented
passenger on 1 August 1991.
<2> Of this sum, £9.269 million is currently the subject of settlement
discussions.
Wandsworth Prison
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the board of visitors at Wandsworth prison as to the physical conditions in A wing; and if he will make a statement of his Department's policy to improve conditions there. [20357]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: 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 B. Landers to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 26 April 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what representations he had received from the Board of Visitors at Wandsworth prison about the physical conditions in A wing and what plans there are to improve the conditions there.
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The Board of Visitors raised their concerns about the physical conditions on A wing in their Annual Report for 1994.A wing will be closed at the end of January 1996 for major refurbishment, although showers have already been installed. A wing already provides better accommodation and facilities than would be available to prisoners in police cells. The delay in closing A wing was necessary in order to avoid the locking out of prisoners into police cells in the London area this year.
Police National Computer
Mr. Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what bodies other than police forces have access to the police national computer or criminal records; what safeguards exist against misuse; and what sanctions can be taken to remove access when individuals or organisations misuse the data. [20583]
Mr. Maclean: The following bodies other than police forces currently have direct access to the police national computer: HM Customs and Excise
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (vehicles application only)
National Ports Office
National Identification Service
Scottish Criminal Record Office
National Criminal Intelligence Service
Regional criminal intelligence offices
Regional crime squads, including the Scottish crime squad The following four organisations have access for maintenance, development, or training purposes only:
Hendon data centre
Home Office technical and policy division
Central police national computer training centre
Police staff college, Bramshill
In addition, I announced to the House on 22 March at column 200 that limited direct access for security vetting purposes would be made available to six Government Departments and agencies. Data on stolen vehicles is also supplied directly on tape from the police national computer to HPI (Equifax), CCN Group Limited and the Association of British Insurers.
All data on the police national computer so far as it relates to identifiable individuals is subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984, and the provisions of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 are also relevant. All transactions undertaken on the police national computer are automatically logged. Security arrangements are formalised in access agreements which have been or will be concluded with each user. These agreements specify, amongst other matters, the purposes for which the data may be used, security procedures, and arrangements for audit, including external compliance audits to be conducted by Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary. Provisions exist for terminating direct access should this prove necessary. There are also statutory and administrative arrangements under which the police conduct criminal record checks on individuals on behalf of a range of employers and licensing authorities, without the recipients of the information having direct access to the police national computer. These bodies are listed in the
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applications for registration completed separately by each data user and subsequently entered on the register held by the Office of the Data Protection Registrar.Vulnerable Prisoner Units
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of vulnerable prisoner units in prisons in England and Wales as of 24 April (a) for men and (b) for women. [20353]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 26 April 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the Office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of vulnerable prisoner units for men and women in prisons in England and Wales as of 24 April.
The latest available information is for 30 June 1994, when there were 38 vulnerable prisoner units for males and three for females.
Prisoners (Rule 43)
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) men and (b) women, who were on rule 43 in prisons in England and Wales on 17 April. [19953]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: 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.
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Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 26 April 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General to reply to your recent Question about the number of men and women who were on Rule 43 in prisons in England and Wales on 17 April.The latest available information is for 30 June 1994. On that date the number of inmates held on Prison Rule 43 or Young Offender Institution Rule 46 for their own interests or for good order and discipline were as follows:
|Good order and|Own interest
|discipline
------------------------------------------------------------
Males |302 |887
Females |8 |0
Total |310 |887
At the Fire Service college, there were two claims in 1992-93 involving amounts of £5,774 and £4,241. The average was £5,007.
Relocation Costs
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each agency and the central Department for which he is responsible (a) the total amount of removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officials who were required to relocate as part of their employment, (b) the amount of each of the highest three claims that were concluded and settled and (c) the average amount of each claim in each of the last three years. [19658]
Mr. Howard: Following is the available information about expenditure on removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officials of my Department.
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£000
|1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95
|(provisional)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home Office (excluding HM
Prison Service, the Forensic Science
and the Fire Service College) |3,944 |3,758 |2,646
HM Prison Service<1> |<2>37,500 |29,830 |18,189
Forensic Science Service |n/a |96 |71
Fire Service College |10 |nil |nil
<1> Prison Service figures cover payments made centrally but exclude payments made locally.
<2> Figure includes repayable advances of salary which cannot be identified centrally.
It is not possible to identify the highest claims that were concluded and settled in any one year or the average amount of each claim in any one year in other parts of the Home Office without disproportionate cost.
Prison Service Director
Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Director General of the Prison Service's contract ceases; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard [pursuant to his reply 20 January 1995, column 695]: Mr. Lewis's original contract was for three years from 6 January 1993 extendable to five years by agreement. He was informed in March 1995 that the Home Office would not be offering him the two-year extension.
His contract has, however, been varied so that as from 22 April 1995 he continues to serve as Director General
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for a period of 12 months which may be rolled forward on a month-by-month basis. The contract will in any event not continue beyond 6 January 1998.NORTHERN IRELAND
Local Enterprise Development Unit
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the results of the survey of the client companies of the Local Enterprise Development Unit on the success of its total quality policy as announced in section 6.22 of the Northern Ireland expenditure plans and priorities 1994 95 to 1996 97; and how these results are being made available. [19864]
Mr. Ancram: LEDU's 1994 "Client Company Quality of Service Survey" showed an overall rate of satisfaction for its services of 78 per cent. among its clients. An analysis of the survey results was published in LEDU's "Business Brief" magazine in February 1995, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.
Column 569
Damage to Property (Compensation Claims)
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the reasons for the trend in the level of outstanding claims for damage to property in Northern Ireland between 1990 and 1994; and what provision he intends to make to deal with these outstanding claims as quickly as possible. [19873]
Sir John Wheeler: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Compensation Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Denis Stanley. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from D. A. Stanley to Ms Marjorie Mowlam, dated 21 April 1995:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply, on behalf of the Compensation Agency, to your recent Question regarding claims for criminal damage to property.
The following table shows the number of criminal damage claims outstanding at each year ending 31 March from 1991 to 1995 along with the projected figure for the end of the current year:
Year |Number of claims
|outstanding at year
|end
------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |4,213
1991-92 |6,238
1992-93 |6,432
1993-94 |6,612
1994-95 |2,795
1995-96 |<1>950
<1> Estimated.
The number of claims outstanding at the end of any year is directly related to the numbers of new claims received in that year. The rising trend over the three years up to 1993 94 reflected the terrorist bombing campaign over this period when, in particular, town centres were targeted resulting in a large number of claims involving commercial property, much of which took considerable time to rebuild.
A significant downturn in new claims occurred in 1994 95 particular following the paramilitary ceasefires of last Autumn. As a consequence, a substantial reduction was made in the number of outstanding claims. On the assumption that this downturn in new claims will continue, it is estimated that by the end of 1995 96 the number of outstanding claims will have been reduced to about 950. The Agency remains committed to processing claims as quickly as possible. Resources and procedures are targeted at ensuring that the Agency provides the best possible service to the innocent victims of violent crime.
Arrests
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many arrests were made in Northern Ireland in each year since 1991. [20480]
Sir John Wheeler: Figures for all arrests are not held centrally and to obtain these would incur disproportionate cost. Arrests under the Police and Criminal Evidence Order and section 14 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act are set out below:
|PACE |Section 14 PTA
------------------------------------------------------------
1991 |145 |1,620
1992 |267 |1,748
1993 |441 |1,640
1994 |628 |1,503
Conviction Rates
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many convictions there have been
Column 570
for offences committed in Northern Ireland in each year since 1991. [20479]Sir John Wheeler: The number of persons convicted of offences in Northern Ireland in each year since 1991 is as follows:
1991: 33,303
1992: 33,459
1993: 35,085
1994: 34,216
Housing Associations (Capital Grants)
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to reduce the capital grants available to housing associations in Northern Ireland. [20536]
Mr. Moss: None. The capital grants available to housing associations in Northern Ireland increased from £41.4 million in 1994 95 to £45.7 million in 1995 96.
Emergency Provisions Act
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been (a) arrested and (b) convicted under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 in each year since 1991. [20228]
Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 24 April 1995]: Figures for arrests under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The number of persons convicted under the Act is as follows:
Year of court |Number ------------------------------------------ 1991 |2 1992 |233 1993 |241 1994 |177
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by category of offence each (a) arrest made and (b) conviction obtained under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 in each year since 1991. [20229]
Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 24 April 1995]: Figures for arrests under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Convictions for offences under the Act are as follows:
Year of court |Conviction obtained |Number of persons
|convicted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991 |Unattended parking within control zone |2
1992 |Unattended parking within control zone |184
|Insecure vehicle |25
|Failing to rendervehicle incapable ofbeing driven |16
|Possessing information useful to terrorists |3
|Failing to answer question of security forces |2
|Failing to stop for member of security forces |1
|Possessing items for terrorist purposes |1
|Recording information useful to terrorists |1
1993 |Unattended parking within control zone |179
|Insecure vehicle |30
|Failing to render vehicle incapable of being driven |14
|Possessing items for terrorist purposes |10
|Possessing information useful to terrorists |6
|Attempting to elicit information useful to terrorists |1
|Wearing hood in public place |1
1994 |Unattended parking within control zone |129
|Insecure vehicle |29
|Possessing items for terrorist purposes |6
|Failing to lock doors |3
|Failing to render vehicle incapable of being driven |2
|Belonging to proscribed organisation |2
|Arrange meeting to support proscribed organisation |2
|Possessing information useful to terrorists |2
|Collecting information useful to terrorists |1
|Recording information useful to terrorists |1
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people have been (a) arrested and (b) convicted for offences under (i) section 27, (ii) section 28 and (iii) section 29 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 in each year since 1991; [20230]
(2) how many people have been (a) arrested and (b) convicted under (i) section 53, (ii) section 54 and (iii) section 54A of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 in each year since 1991. [20231]
Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 24 April 1995]: Figures for arrests under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The number of persons convicted under specific sections of the Act is as follows:
Section |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994 ------------------------------------------------ 27 |0 |0 |0 |0 28 |0 |0 |0 |4 29 |0 |0 |0 |0 53 |0 |0 |0 |0 54 |0 |0 |0 |0
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether this in each case is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20502]
Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 25 April 1995]: The information requested is as follows:
Column 571
|Publish |Publish register
|Publish annual |Publish annual |Publish minutes |agendas of |of members'
Name of body |report |accounts |of meetings |meetings |interests
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Agriculture:
Livestock and Meat Commission |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Pig Production Development Committee |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Agricultural Wages Board |Yes(S) |<1>No |No |No |No
Agricultural Research Institute |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Foyle Fisheries Commission |Yes(S) |Yes(V) |No |No |No
Fishery Harbour Authority |Yes(V) |Yes(V) |No |No |No
Fisheries Conservancy Board |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Department of Economic Development:
Labour Relations Agency |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
NI Commissioner for the Rights
of Trade Union Members |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Northern Ireland Tourist Board |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Local Enterprise Development Unit |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Fair Employment Commission |Yes(S) |Yes(V) |No |No |No
Equal Opportunities Commission |Yes(S) |Yes(V) |No |No |No
General Consumer Council |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Construction Industry Training Board |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Enterprise Ulster |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Ulster Sheltered Employment Ltd. |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Department of Education:
Belfast Education and Library Board |Yes(V) |Yes(S) |Yes(V) |No |No
South Eastern Education and Library Board |Yes(V) |Yes(S) |Yes(V) |No |No
North Eastern Education and Library Board |Yes(V) |Yes(S) |Yes(V) |No |No
Southern Education and Library Board |Yes(V) |Yes(S) |Yes(V) |No |No
Western Education and Library Board |Yes(V) |Yes(S) |Yes(V) |No |No
Youth Council for NI |Yes(V) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Arts Council for NI |Yes(V) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
NI Museums Council |Yes(V) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Sports Council for NI |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Ulster Museum |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools |No |Yes(S) |No |No |No
NI Council for the Curriculum,
Exams and Assessment (NICCEA) |No |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Staff Commission for Education and
Library Boards |No |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Department of the Environment:
Fire Authority for NI |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Langanside |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
NI Housing Executive |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
NI Transport Holding Company |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
NI Local Government Officers'
Staff Commission |Yes(V) |Yes(V) |No |No |No
Department of Finance and Personnel:
The Department does not sponsor any executive non-departmental public bodies.
Department of Health and Social Services:
National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and
Health Visiting for Northern Ireland |Yes(S) |Yes(S) |No |No |No
Northern Ireland Council for
Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education |No |No |No |No |No
Mental Health Commission for
Northern Ireland |Yes(S) |<2>Yes(S) |No |No |No
(S) Statutory requirement. (V) Voluntary.
<1> Report is published bi-annually.
<2> Report is published biennially.
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have (a) a statutory requirement to admit members of the public to all board
Column 574
or committee meetings; and (b) a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public. [20882]Sir John Wheeler: The information requested is as follows:
Column 573
Statutory
requirements to
|Admit members of |Admit members of
|the public to all |the public to all
|board/committee |sub-committee |Hold open meetings
Executive |meetings |meetings |for the public
Non-Departmental
Public Bodies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Education
Belfast Education and Library Board |Yes |Yes |No
South-Eastern Education and Library Board |Yes |Yes |No
North-Eastern Education and Library Board |Yes |yes |No
Southern Education and Library Board |Yes |Yes |No
Western Education and Library Board |Yes |Yes |No
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools |Yes |No |No
NIO
Boundary Commission-Public inquiries only
In respect of all other executive non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland, the answer is Nil.
Column 573
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
British High Commission, Nairobi
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total cost to date of building the new British high commission office in Nairobi. [20940]
Mr. Goodlad: The total cost to date of building the British high commission office in Nairobi is £4,989,917 including consultants' fees.
Column 574
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have (a) a statutory requirement to admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public. [20887]
Column 575
EDUCATION
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department have (a) a statutory requirement to admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public.
Mature Students
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many mature students were registered for degrees at British universities in the last three years for which figures are available. [20790]
Mr. Boswell: The latest available data on all home domiciled, first year, full-time and part-time mature students on higher education courses at publicly funded institutions in Great Britain was published in September 1994 in statistical bulletin 16/94. The numbers of mature students enroling on a first degree course are shown in the table.
Thousands
Academic year
beginning
|1990|1991|1992
------------------------------
Full-time |34.7|50.5|66.4
Part-time |14.6|21.2|27.1
Illiteracy
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current reported rate of illiteracy; and what were the figures for each of the previous four years. [20725]
Mr. Boswell: The number of people in England and Wales who cannot read and write at all is minimal. However, the Basic Skills Agency estimates that one in six adults in England and Wales is unable to read, write and/or speak in English at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general. There is no evidence that this proportion has changed significantly in recent years.
Barnsley and Doncaster Training and Enterprise Council
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the contract of the current chairman of the Barnsley and Doncaster TEC was terminated; when the new chairman will be appointed; and what organisations were or are being consulted over this appointment. [20739]
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