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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 17 October 1995
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Agencies
Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the Government's intentions for HMSO and the other agencies for which he is responsible. [37635]
Mr. Freeman: I have appointed Coopers and Lybrand to consider urgently the options for the future of HMSO, with a view to privatisation provided that satisfactory arrangements can be made for the future provision of services to Parliament. The future of HMSO has been uncertain for too long and I am anxious to set in place quickly arrangements which will secure the long-term interests of the taxpayer as well as HMSO's staff and customers, among whom Parliament is particularly important. I believe that these interests are most likely to be secured by privatisation of all but a very small part of HMSO. Consultation is under way with the House authorities about the safeguards necessary to ensure the future provision of the services which Parliament receives from HMSO. I shall be making an oral statement to the House as soon as these consultations are sufficiently advanced and we have received advice from our financial advisers and decided on the way forward.
The Government intend to sell Chessington Computer Centre as a single viable business in a way which will ensure that it retains its reputation for the provision of high quality services to Government Departments and the wider public sector. Freedom from the constraints of operating within Government will make Chessington better able to serve existing customers and to attract new customers in wider markets. I believe that this is the best way to secure the long-term interests of the taxpayer as well as those of the staff and customers of the business. I have appointed KPMG Corporate Finance to assist with the sale of Chessington. Formal expressions of interest for the business will be sought early in the new year.
I have also appointed Coopers and Lybrand to advise urgently on ways of increasing private sector involvement in the Occupational Health and Safety Agency, Recruitment and Assessment Services, the Central Office of Information and the Civil Service College. My aim is not only to secure savings for the taxpayer, but also to maintain the best interests of the agencies' customers and staff.
Outsourcing Contracts
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many outsourcing contracts were granted by his Department or agencies in each year since 1990, indicating the nature and value of each contract; and if any additional work was added and of what value to (a) Hoskyns/Cap Gemini Segeti, (b) AT and T Istel,
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(c) EDS, (d) Sema Group, (e) Datasolve, (f) ITN Net, (g) Andersen Consulting, (h) Centre File, (i) BIS, (j) Telecom Capita, (k) ICL, (l) Digital Equipment, (m) CFM, (n) Siemens, (o) Nixdorf, (p) CMG and (q) Logica. [36966]Mr. John Horam: The nature of current outsourcing contracts let by my Department and agencies since 1990 with the firms listed is set out in the table. Individual contract values, representing the total anticipated cost of the contracts, have been aggregated to preserve commercial confidentiality. The estimated total value of the contracts is £5,239,149. Further information is available only at disproportionate cost.
|Outsourcing
|contracts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Hoskyns/Cap Gemini Segeti |Management of project risk.
|Software services.
(b) AT & T Istel |Software, connection and
|training and line rental.
|Viewdata information service.
(d) Sema |Maintenance and support for
|hardware.
(i) BIS |Training call-off contract.
(k) ICL |Support for corporate strategy.
|Software services.
|Hardware maintenance (2
|contracts).
(l) Digital |System maintenance.
(n)/(o) Siemens/Nixdorf |Call-off contracts for Personal
|Computers.
(q) Logica |Technical support to review
|Government Data Network
|(GDN) security policy.
|Government
|Telecommunications Network
|(GTN) Managed Network
|Services Agreement.
|Open Systems Environment
|(OSE) advice and profiles (3
|contracts).
|Strategic Consultancy services.
|Consultancy support for
|performance monitoring.
|Technical support to assist
|Telecommunications staff.
|Central Support Staff audit of
|GDN billing system.
|Review of GDN security policy.
|IT System supply and support
|contracts.
Civil Service Pension Scheme
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what plans he has to market test the civil service pension scheme; and if he will make a statement; [37296]
(2) what provision has been made for in-house bids from civil servants to administer the civil service pension scheme; and if he will make a statement. [37295]
Mr. Horam: An order will be laid, under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, in the next parliamentary Session to enable Departments to market
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test administration of the civil service pension scheme. I intend to make a further statement on the matter at that stage.ENVIRONMENT
Sustainable Development
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the Government are responding to the House of Lords Select Committee report on sustainable development, published on 18 July. [37942]
Mr. Clappison: The Government published their response to the Lords Select Committee report on sustainable development on 12 October. We did so in
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order that the House should have ample opportunity to consider it before the report is debated on 26 October. Copies of the response have been formally laid before the House and placed in the House Library.Farming and Forestry (Accidents)
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of recorded accidents in the farming and forestry industry in each of the last three years; and how many have been fatal. [37134]
Sir Paul Beresford: The table shows the total number of fatal and other accidents in the agriculture and horticulture and forestry sectors reported to all enforcing authorities between 1991 92 and 1993 94.
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Year Non-Fatal major Over three-day (1 April toFatal injuries industries (c) injuries (d) Total 31 March) |(a) |(b) |(a) |(b) |(a) |(b) |(a) |(b) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1991-92 |46 |7 |495 |39 |1,308 |213 |1,849 |259 1992-93 |45 |6 |525 |49 |1,361 |164 |1,931 |219 1993-94 |37 |4 |593 |53 |1,246 |142 |1,876 |199 (a) Agriculture and horticulture sector. (b) Forestry. (c) As defined under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations -RIDDOR- but chiefly amputations, serious fractures and other injuries causing hospitalisation. (d) An injury causing incapacity for normal work for more than three days and reportable for employed and self-employed persons only.
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Liquid Effluent Treatment Plants
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his departmental ruling on the applicability of the waste management licensing regulations as applied to liquid effluent treatment plants. [36776]
Mr. Clappison: On 1 May 1994, the Government brought into force a new waste management licensing system under part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. On 25 July 1995, I announced that we had decided to extend from 31 July 1995 to 31 March 1996 the transitional arrangements made for the introduction of certain requirements of the new system. The Waste Management Licensing (Amendment No.2) Regulations 1995 give effect to this decision. Whether or not the operation of a liquid effluent treatment plant needs a licence must be determined on the facts of the case. The effect of the 1995 regulations is that, where a licence is necessary, operators of treatment plant will have until 31 March 1996 to apply for a licence.
In the meantime, we are considering whether a case may be made for the exemption of some treatment plant from licensing. In doing so, it is necessary to have regard to the terms of article 11 of the amended EC framework directive on waste and the need to ensure that waste is treated without causing environmental pollution or harm to human health.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the local authority associations about the area cost adjustment; and if he will make a statement. [37941]
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Mr. Curry: I met leading members of the local authority associations on 16 October. The local authority representatives whom I met are considering my proposals for an independent review of the adjustment. The aim would be to establish a method of carrying out the adjustment which commanded the widest degree of acceptance among authorities in all parts of the country, had a sound conceptual basis and was practical to apply.
I proposed that the review should be steered by a leading academic. It should also have someone knowledgeable about local government finance, nominated by the local authority associations, and someone familiar with central Government processes, nominated by the Secretary of State. Research would be commissioned to assist the review in its work. We would seek a report from the review in June 1996.
Leisure Activities
Mr. Mans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government's response to the Environment Select Committee's report on "The Environmental Impact of Leisure Activities" will be published. [37943]
Mr. Clappison: Our response is being published today, as a supplementary memorandum, to the Committee's report on "The Environmental Impact of Leisure Activities".
We welcome the Committee's report, and we are pleased to note the general thrust of the Committee's findings. We share its view that there is no evidence that tourism and leisure pose a serious, immediate or intrinsic threat to the environment. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the need for effective management to take account of potential impacts. These impacts are most likely to be felt and be best resolved at the local level, taking account both of the diversity of the countryside and the knowledge and experience of local communities.
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We strongly agree with the Committee that the economic benefits which tourism and leisure can bring to rural areas should be more widely recognised. We also welcome the Committee's endorsement of the principles of "green tourism" and their contribution towards securing a sustainable tourism industry.We have addressed many of these issues in the context of the rural White Paper, which acknowledges the distinctive nature of the countryside, its value to the nation, and the importance of vibrant local communities.
Ministerial Transport
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the security implications of using hire car companies to transport Government Ministers rather than directly employed drivers. [37149]
Sir Paul Beresford [holding answer 16 October 1995]: Ministers, in the main, are provided with cars and drivers through the Government car service. All GCS drivers are security cleared to an appropriate level.
During busy periods, the Government car service will sometimes use private companies under contract. In all cases, drivers have the necessary security clearances. Very occasionally, to meet unusual requirement, a private company may be employed which is used so infrequently that security clearances are not justified. In such cases, the involvement of a Minister is not advertised to the company in advance. No substantive security implication therefore arises.
Renewal Areas
Mr. Rooker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 25 April, Official Report , column 471 , if he will make a progress statement on the research work being undertaken in renewal areas by Austin Mayhead and Co. Ltd. for his Department. [37477]
Mr. Clappison: The research has now been completed and a draft final report is due to be delivered to the Department by Austin Mayhead on 31 October.
Nuclear Waste Repository, Cumbria
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made for the provision of daily transcripts to be made available to (a) participants and (b) outside interested parties of the proceedings of the public inquiry into the application by UK Nirex to construct a rock characteristics laboratory in connection with its nuclear waste repository development programme which began in September in Cumbria. [36753]
Mr. Clappison: The arrangements for the public inquiry into the appeal by UK Nirex Ltd. are matters for the Planning Inspectorate agency and Cumbria county council. I have asked the agency's chief executive to write separately to the hon. Member.
Letter from J. Greenfield to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 16 October 1995:
The Secretary of State for the Environment has asked the Inspectorate's Chief Executive to answer your question about arrangements for providing transcripts of the inquiry, currently being
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held, into the application by UK Nirex Ltd for a rock characterisation facility at Sellafield. I am replying in the absence of Mr Shepley.There is no requirement in the Inquiry Procedure Rules for daily transcripts to be made available, either to participants or to interested parties. The only formal record of the proceedings is the Inspector's report to the Secretary of State which will be issued to the main parties with the decision letter.
However, I understand that one of the interested parties, the National Anti -Dump Network (NAND) is making daily transcripts. Cumbria County Council has agreed to produce photocopies of these and a limited number are periodically being made available at the inquiry venue. I should stress that this is a purely voluntary arrangement, and that the transcripts will not form part of the formal inquiry documentation to be included in the Inspector's report.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
European Regional Development Fund
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make an assessment of the operation of the system by which European regional development funds are filtered through to local authorities and other organisations; and what currently available tables he has for take-up of European development funds by the United Kingdom, in percentages, in relation to other member states. [37279]
Mr. Oppenheim: Grants are decided and offered by Government Departments after a procedure, agreed by a monitoring committee for the area concerned, which includes scoring applications against project selection criteria and consultation with members of the committee, for example in working groups.
The projects selection criteria have only recently been introduced. I will make an assessment in due course.
The European Commission's most recent annual report on the implementation of the reform of the structural funds includes tables for commitments and payments for the period 1989 1993. These show that the UK committed all allocations from the European regional development fund. Payments to the UK made by the end of 1993 were 86.8 per cent., 68.1 per cent. and 76.3 per cent. of these commitments for objectives 1, 2 and 5(b) respectively. Payments for the Community as a whole were 86.2 per cent., 71.3 per cent. and 77.0 per cent. Payments can continue until the end of 1995.
Regional Development Grant
Mr. Harvey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of total regional development grants in the last five years have been allocated to each English and Welsh county and to Scotland. [35725]
Mr. Oppenheim: The information requested, based on offers of regional selective assistance accepted between 1 April 1990 and 31 March 1995, is as follows:
|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------
England
Cambridgeshire |0.10
Cheshire |1.09
Cleveland |2.16
Cornwall |1.50
Cumbria |0.86
Derbyshire |0.09
Devon |1.05
Dorset |0.09
Durham |2.06
East Sussex |0.01
Essex |0.07
Gloucestershire |0.08
Greater London |0.14
Greater Manchester |3.50
Hereford and Worcester |0.45
Humberside |3.35
Isle of Wight |0.05
Kent |0.19
Lancashire |1.14
Leicestershire |0.06
Lincolnshire |0.12
Merseyside |4.04
Norfolk |0.04
North Yorkshire |0.01
Northamptonshire |0.25
Northumberland |1.25
Nottinghamshire |0.36
Shropshire |0.45
South Yorkshire |2.26
Staffordshire |0.19
Suffolk |0.01
Tyne and Wear |3.83
Warwickshire |0.54
West Midlands |4.68
West Yorkshire |0.73
Wales
Clwyd |5.84
Dyfed |0.81
Gwent |5.81
Gwynedd |1.11
Mid Glamorgan |8.53
Powys |0.13
South Glamorgan |0.95
West Glamorgan |2.14
Scotland |37.90
Mr. Harvey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total regional development grant per head allocated to each English and Welsh county and Scotland in the last five years; and what was the English average. [36724]
Mr. Oppenheim: The information requested, based on offers of regional selective assistance accepted between 1 April 1990 and 31 March 1995, is as follows:
|Grant per head £
------------------------------------------------------------
England
Cambridgeshire |2.11
Cheshire |16.04
Cleveland |55.05
Cornwall |45.05
Cumbria |24.91
Derbyshire |1.32
Devon |14.29
Dorset |1.94
Durham |48.36
East Sussex |0.28
Essex |0.60
Gloucestershire |2.21
Greater London |0.30
Greater Manchester |19.43
Hereford and Worcester |9.22
Humberside |54.19
Isle of Wight |5.22
Kent |1.78
Lancashire |11.48
Leicestershire |0.93
Lincolnshire |2.89
Merseyside |39.88
Norfolk |0.74
North Yorkshire |0.21
Northamptonshire |6.06
Northumberland |58.08
Nottinghamshire |4.96
Shropshire |15.39
South Yorkshire |24.67
Staffordshire |2.64
Suffolk |0.14
Tyne and Wear |48.12
Warwickshire |15.80
West Midlands |25.37
West Yorkshire |4.97
Average Grant Per Head<1> |10.85
Wales
Clwyd |200.96
Dyfed |32.86
Gwent |184.45
Gwynedd |65.88
Mid Glamorgan |224.15
Powys |15.07
South Glamorgan |33.18
West Glamorgan |82.20
Scotland |105.78
<1>Based on total population for England.
Assisted Areas
Mr. Harvey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the United Kingdom assisted area population resides in Devon and Cornwall. [36723]
Mr. Oppenheim: The percentage of the UK assisted area population resident in Devon and Cornwall is 5.03 per cent.
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Rooker: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive the report of Lord Justice Scott on the inquiry into arms sales to Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [37110]
Mr. Lang [holding answer 16 October 1995]: I understand from Sir Richard Scott that he has virtually finished the section of his report dealing with prosecutions arising from exports to Iraq in the period 1984 to 1990. He is currently completing the writing of his recommendations chapter.
I understand that the inquiry is engaged in seeking comments on criticisms of individuals made by Sir Richard Scott in the prosecutions section of the report. When Sir Richard has received those comments, he will consider them and, as appropriate, revise the report.
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It is impossible to predict with certainty how soon the report will be completed. This depends on a number of factors, including the extent and promptness of the responses to the draft extracts which have been, and continue to be, sent to people.Subject to that, I am informed that the inquiry's own present expectation is that the final text will be completed in early December. The report will then be printed and published as soon as practicable thereafter.
Newspaper Carriage Charges
Mr. Sykes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions are taking place between the Director General of Fair Trading, the newspaper wholesalers and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents in relation to newspaper carriage charges. [36953]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: There have been no such discussions involving the Office of Fair Trading since the Director General of Fair Trading announced his decision on 21 August not to refer the wholesale distribution of newspaper to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
PRIME MINISTER
Priorities
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Prime Minister what are his priorities for the remaining period of his premiership. [36028]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the speech that I made on 13 October, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Outsourcing Contracts
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Prime Minister how many outsourcing contracts were granted by his Department or agencies in each year since 1990, indicating the nature and value of each contract; and if any additional work was added and of what value to (a) Hoskyns/Cap Gemini Segeti, (b) AT and T Istel, (c) EDS, (d) Sema Group, (e) Datasolve, (f) ITN Net, (g) Andersen Consulting, (h) Centre File, (i) BIS, (j) Telecom Capita, (k) ICL, (l) Digital Equipment, (m) CFM, (n) Siemens, (o) Nixdorf, (p) CMG and (q) Logica. [36996]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 16 October 1995]: For this purpose my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service on 16 October 1995.
DEFENCE
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) of 17 March, Official Report , column 735 , if he will now make it his practice to release historic details of nuclear weapons numbers in the United Kingdom arsenal. [36840]
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Mr. Arbuthnot: Information on the size of our nuclear forces since the 1970s was published in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1995, Cm 2800, pages 38 39. We have no current plans to release further details of our nuclear weapons numbers.
Rosyth Naval Base
Mr. Bill Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the sale of Rosyth naval base; and if he will make a statement. [37738]
Mr. Arbuthnot: I have now received the results of the recent tender exercise for the sale of the naval base. After careful analysis, and the submission of revised bids following further discussions with all the complaint bidders, the tender submitted by the Rosyth 2000 consortium was judged to be the best offer in terms of producing convincing business plans for the regeneration of the area and representing a fair return to the taxpayer for the sale of the base. The consortium has been selected as our preferred tenderer and our negotiations with the company will now continue to ensure a smooth transition of the naval base to civilian use by the end of March 1996. I am confident that Rosyth 2000 has the expertise and financial resources to sustain the regeneration of the area that we all wish to see.
Military Survey Defence Agency
Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key performance targets have been set for the Military Survey defence agency for 1995 96. [37877]
Mr. Soames: The Military Survey defence agency key targets for 1995 96 are:
(1) To complete the endorsed in-year production programme, recognising that this may be impacted upon by unforeseeable, higher priority operational and emergency requirements.
(2) To implement by 31 March 1996 those three-year review study recommendations applicable to the agency, to include the development of customer agreement procedures.
(3) To implement by 31 March 1996 the military survey fundamental review redesign report, stage 1, part 2.
(4) To implement by 1 April 1998 a capability to support a specified geographic requirement package; initially to have costed the geographic implications for the Department by 31 March 1996. (5) To improve the work unit cost of the production programme by 31 March 1996 by 3 per cent., in accruals terms, from an agreed 1 April 1995 baseline.
These key targets take forward much of the work of previous targets and prominence is given to the agency's core outputs. They also drive the management reforms possible because of agency status. More detail on these reforms, including those applicable to the agency and fundamental reviews, are contained in the agency's 1994 annual report, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House shortly.
SCOTLAND
Roads
Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the proposed capital allocation for roads in the
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Angus unitary authority for the years 1996 97, 1997 98 and 1998 99. [36456]Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Capital allocations for roads and transport for the new unitary authorities in Scotland, including Angus, have still to be determined for these years.
Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the capital allocation for roads in Tayside region in each year since 1983, at 1994 prices. [36405]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The annual roads and transport capital allocations for Tayside regional council since 1982-83 at 1994 prices are set out in the table.
£ million Year |Allocation |1994-95 prices ------------------------------------------------------------ 1982-83 |6.50 |11.68 1983-84 |6.97 |11.97 1984-85 |8.20 |13.41 1985-86 |8.00 |12.40 1986-87 |8.25 |12.42 1987-88 |8.20 |11.72 1988-89 |7.50 |10.04 1989-90 |8.40 |10.51 1990-91 |8.50 |9.85 1991-92 |9.50 |10.36 1992-93 |9.10 |9.54 1993-94 |9.00 |9.16 1994-95 |8.85 |8.85 1995-96 |8.20 |7.96 Some capital allocations prior to 1995-96 include in year supplementary allocations.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Transfer of Land Report
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether he plans to implement recommendations in the Law Commission's report on Transfer of Land--Obsolete Restrictive Covenants, Law Com. No. 201. [37634]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Due to concerns about the potential costs to the public of using the scheme recommended by the Law Commission, and following careful consideration of representations from the public in this regard, it is not the Government's intention to implement the commission's recommendations. However, the matter will be kept under review following implementation of the commission's recommendations in Law Com. No. 127 for a scheme of land obligations.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Upper Waiting Hall (Exhibitions)
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the work of the Henley management college to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
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Mr. Michael J. Martin: I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 13 November to Friday 17 November 1995.
WALES
Regional Selective Assistance
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs were created or safeguarded as a result of regional selective assistance granted to companies in Ynys Mo n in each year since 1990. [36654]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information is not available in the precise form requested. Regional selective assistance offers accepted between 1 July 1990 and 30 September 1995 where some payments have been made are forecast to create or safeguard 521 jobs. To date, 343 jobs have been accounted for.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Detention Centres (Emotional Disturbances)
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish his assessment of the significance of emotional disturbance among young people as a factor associated with inmates of detention centres, indicating his estimate of the proportion of the cost accounted for by such young people; and if he will make a statement. [36631]
Miss Widdecombe: Detention centres and youth custody centres were replaced by young offender institutions in 1988.
Two studies have been commissioned by the Home Office into the mental health of sentenced and unsentenced prisoners. Both include findings on young males in prison, although data on young females were not collated separately from data on adult females. The report of the first study was published in May 1991 under the title "Mentally Disordered Prisoners". The report of the second study, "Mental Disorder in Remand Prisoners" was received by the Home Office in late September 1995.
The 1990 study showed that 33 per cent. of sentenced young male offenders in the sample group were diagnosed as suffering from some form of psychiatric disorder, including harmful or dependant misuse of substances. The corresponding figure for unsentenced young male offenders in the 1995 study was 53 per cent. of the sample group. No figures are available on the cost of maintaining inmates with emotional or mental health problems, as opposed to those without such problems.
Smoke Alarms
Mr. Thurnham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the reduction in fire deaths attributable to the installation of smoke alarms. [37133]
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Mr. Howard: None. However, United Kingdom fire statistics for 1993 reveal death rates for fires in dwellings which are discovered by smoke alarms are lower than those which are not discovered by smoke alarms; three deaths per 1,000 fires compared with nine deaths per 1, 000 fires.
Prisons Ombudsman
Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he authorised the office of the prisons ombudsman to refuse to investigate complaints which are received in a prisoner's own handwriting. [37195]
Miss Widdecombe: Complaints to the prisons ombudsman are never rejected because they are hand-written. The vast majority of complaints received by the prisons ombudsman are in the prisoner's own writing and are carefully considered to see whether they are eligible for investigation within the terms of the ombudsman's remit. It is, of course, helpful to the ombudsman's office if handwritten letters are legible. The ombudsman also accepts complaints from prisoners written in foreign languages. The detailed procedures are set out in the document, "The Prisons Ombudsman: A Note on Arrangements" a copy of which is available in the Library.
Operation Bumblebee
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the trends in domestic burglaries in London since the inception of Operation
Bumblebee. [37170]
Mr. Maclean: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that prior to the launch of Operation Bumblebee in June 1993, the number of domestic burglaries recorded for the financial year 1992 93 was 127,611. A total of 15,136--11.8 per cent.--of these offences were cleared up. By 31 March 1995 the number of recorded burglaries had fallen to 106,558, while the number of crimes cleared up had risen to 20,666--19.4 per cent.
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