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Libraries (Internet Connections)
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many libraries and what percentage of the total are currently linked to the Internet; what is the estimated cost of linking those libraries not hitherto connected; and if she will make a statement. [38585]
Mr. Sproat: We do not have precise information about the total number of public libraries with Internet connections, but we believe that a minimum of 35 out of 167 library authorities--over 20 per cent.--have connections to the Internet or are about to become connected. The cost of connection depends very much on how a library wishes to use the Internet but a basic package could cost from about £2,000, including hardware.
Millennium Commission Funding
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals she has to reinforce compliance with the principle for Millennium Commission funding that it shall not replace, but be additional to already available sources of Government funding, while maintaining the principle of matching Millennium Commissions funding only with private funding. [38415]
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 20 October 1995]: National Lottery funding is additional to existing provision. Millennium Commission projects can attract partnership funding from any eligible source, including public and private funds.
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Employee Fraud
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total number of cases of all forms of fraud committed by employees of her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for each year from 1991 92 to 1994 95; and for each of these years, what was the total monetary sum (i) misappropriated in such frauds and (ii) subsequently recovered. [39133]
Mr. Sproat: The information requested is as follows:
|1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95
--------------------------------------------------------
Total number of cases of fraud committed
by employees of
(a) DNH |Nil |1 |Nil
Total monetary sum
(i) misappropriated |- |£31.70 |-
(ii) recovered |- |Nil |-
(b) its agencies |Nil |Nil |Nil
(c) its NDPBs |6 |6 |9
Total monetary sum
(i) misappropriated |£202,422|£10,913 |£80,759
(ii) recovered |£138,637|£6,155 |£76,270
The figures for the year 1991 92, prior to the establishment of my department in April 1992, are not available.
Pay Delegation Plan
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will provide in respect of her plan for pay delegation submitted to the Treasury (a) a description of the staff in each bargaining unit covered by the plan, distinguishing staff in HQ functions, agencies and agency candidates and in other identifiable business units and (b) proposals for trade union recognition in each bargaining unit and the negotiating machinery to be put in place in each bargaining unit. [38272]
Mr. Sproat: The pay delegation plan that my Department submitted to the Treasury covered staff in the Department of National Heritage only. The Royal Parks Agency and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency are preparing separate delegation plans in consultation with my Department. The information requested for each bargaining unit is: Department of National Heritage
The pay delegation plan covers all staff in my Department at grade 6 and below. This is currently 334 staff in grades as follows:
|Staff
-------------------------------
Grade 6 |8
Grade 7 |48
SEO and equivalent |24
HEO and equivalent |71
EO and equivalent |61
AO and equivalent |59
AA and equivalent |24
Secretarial group |26
Support grades |13
My Department is recognising all relevant unions for pay bargaining purposes and is currently in discussion with the trade unions about a procedural agreement which will enable negotiations to take place about changes to terms and conditions and pay progression. Royal Parks Agency
The Royal Parks Agency already has delegated pay authority for the royal parks constabulary and negotiates this with the National Union of Civil and Public Servants. My Department is in discussion with the RPA about its delegation plan for all remaining staff, apart from the chief executive-- currently 98 staff in the following grades:
|Staff
---------------------------------------
Grade 6 |1
Grade 7 |3
SEO |4
SPTO |2
HEO |9
HPTO |1
EO |15
AO |27
AA |1
Typist |2
Park Manager |4
Assistant Park Manager |7
Park Supervisor |13
Groom |6
Cartographer |1
Wildlife Officer |1
Assistant Wildlife Officer |1
It has not yet finalised its negotiating arrangements with its trade unions for these staff.
Historic Royal Palaces Agency
The Historic Royal Palaces Agency already has delegated pay authority for its industrial staff. The agency is in discussion with my Department about a pay delegation plan covering all other staff in the agency, except the chief executive and any other staff who may form part of the new senior civil service. These staff number 394 staff in the following grades, excluding the chief executive.
|Staff
-------------------------------
Grade 5 |6
Grade 6 |1
Grade 7 |15
SEO and equivalent |18
HEO and equivalent |26
EO and equivalent |47
AO and equivalent |141
AA and equivalent |140
Industrial staff |55
The agency has held preliminary discussions with all the unions currently represented, but has not yet reached agreement on formal negotiating arrangements.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Child Support Agency (Inquests)
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many suicide cases evidence relating to the activities of the Child Support Agency has been presented at a coroner's inquest since April 1993. [37593]
Mr. Kirkhope: Information about the evidence submitted at individual inquests is not held centrally.
Mobile Phone Fraud
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the figures for the incidents for (a) each category of mobile phone cloning reported and/or investigated and (b) each category of mobile phone theft reported and/or investigated by each police force in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in each of the last two years for which figures are available and the totals for the last five years. [38344]
Mr. Maclean: The information is not collected centrally. However, I understood that the mobile telecommunications industry has provided some estimates on mobile phone fraud as part of its contribution to the work of the industry and Government study group on mobile phone fraud. I understand that a copy of the briefing paper containing these estimates is in the Library.
Burglaries (Amersham and Slough)
Mr. Tim Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the incidence of burglary in the Amersham and Slough police areas in the latest quarter for which figures are available and for the corresponding quarter a year earlier. [38438]
Mr. Maclean: The information is not available centrally although figures for the 12 months to June 1995 for Thames Valley as a whole are published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 19/95, a copy of which is available in the Library.
Fine Defaulting (Young Offenders)
Mr. Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by individual centres the numbers of young people who have been committed to young offenders' centres for defaulting on fines in each of the last six years. [39277]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Mark Fisher, dated 24 October 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking, if he will list by individual centres the numbers of young people who have been committed to young offenders' centres for defaulting on fines in each of the last six years.
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The information requested is in the attached table and is for young people aged under 21 for the years 1990 to 1994. Data for 1989 is not available.
Receptions of young people into young offender institutions.
Establishment |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Closed YOIS (male)
Brinsford |- |- |- |97 |51
Deerbolt |1 |- |- |- |-
Dover |1 |- |- |1 |-
Feltham |84 |26 |185 |237 |218
Glen Parva |184 |37 |214 |323 |321
Guys Marsh |- |- |- |- |-
Hollesley Bay |- |1 |- |- |1
Huntercombe |- |1 |- |1 |-
Lancaster Farms |- |- |- |19 |66
Moorland |- |5 |24 |13 |-
Northallerton |- |- |- |21 |-
Wetherby |133 |181 |- |- |-
Total closed YOIS
(male) |403 |251 |423 |712 |657
Open YOIS (male)
Guys Marsh |- |- |- |2 |-
Hatfield |- |- |- |1 |1
Thorn Cross |- |2 |1 |12 |-
Usk |- |- |- |6 |32
Total open YOIS
(male) |- |2 |1 |21 |33
Short sentence YOIS (male)
Eastwood Park |6 |26 |176 |- |-
Hollesley Bay |96 |107 |61 |- |-
Lowdham Grange |9 |4 |- |- |-
Werrington |3 |6 |- |- |-
Wetherby |29 |609 |703 |- |-
Total short sentence
YOIS (male) |143 |752 |940 |- |-
Juvenile YOIS (male)
Feltham |- |- |51 |35 |-
Lancaster farms |- |- |- |- |1
Werrington |- |- |5 |- |-
Total Juvenile YOIS
(male) |- |- |56 |35 |1
Total all YOIS (male) |546 |1,005 |1,420 |768 |691
Closed YOIS (female)
New Hall |23 |6 |12 |22 |14
Styal |- |- |- |- |-
Total closed YOIS
(female) |23 |6 |12 |22 |14
Open YOIS (female)
Drake Hall |1 |- |2 |12 |21
Total open YOIS
(female) |1 |- |2 |12 |21
Total all female YOIS
(female) |24 |6 |14 |34 |35
Total all YOIS |570 |1,011 |1,434 |802 |726
Police Funding (Merseyside)
Mr. Parry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will now announce the date of his proposed visit to Liverpool and Mersyside to
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discuss funding of the police authority; and if he will make a statement; [38832](2) if he will list the hon. Members and organisations who have asked him to visit Merseyside to discuss police funding and the recent disturbances on Liverpool streets; and if he will make a statement; [38833]
(3) what representations he has received from Merseyside police authority and hon. Members concerning police funding; and if he will make a statement. [38834]
Mr. Maclean: I have received invitations from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) and the chairman of the Merseyside police authority to visit Merseyside. I would be happy to visit the area when a suitable opportunity arises and when it would be practical to do so.
I have received a number of representations from right hon. and hon. Members, local councils, and members of the public about the funding of Merseyside police. The police funding formula has been subject to some further developmental work this year. I cannot say at present how this will affect the allocation of funding to Merseyside for 1996 97. I have, however, taken note of the views of the police authority.
Special Constables
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide funding to police forces to assist the recruitment of special constables and improvements to their conditions and training. [39830]
Mr. Maclean: We have established a new challenge fund for special constables. It includes £4 million of Government grant in 1995 96. Police forces in England and Wales are being invited to bid for money to help to resource an increase in the size of their local special constabularies and to help bring the training and equipment of special constables to a more consistent standard.
We have asked forces to look for other sources of support, such as local sponsorship, to boost the fund. Sponsors are also invited to contribute on a national basis.
The special constabulary makes a valuable contribution to the policing of this country by supplementing the efforts of the regular force. Specials provide an important and visible link between the police and local communities. I hope that the fund will not only increase numbers towards the Government target of 30,000 but improve the quality of the assistance special constable can give to regular police officers.
We have issued guidance to all forces in England and Wales about bidding for grants from the fund. I am placing a copy of it in the Library.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the split between operations and policy in each agency which reports to him. [38853]
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Mr. Howard: There are four executive agencies within the Home Office: the Prison Service, the United Kingdom Passport Agency, the Forensic Science Service and the Fire Service College. In all cases, responsibility for day-to-day management is delegated to the chief executive, and responsibility for policy rests with me. This division is reflected in the framework document of each of these agencies, copies of which are in the Library.
Police Stations
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations in each county in England have (a) closed permanently and (b) restricted their opening times in each year since 1987. [38568]
Mr. Maclean: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations in each English county are in premises shared with (a) the fire brigade, (b) the local authority and (c) other organisations. [38569]
Mr. Maclean: This information is not collected centrally.
Closed Circuit Television
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral answer of 17 October, Official Report, column 142, when he expects to announce where the 10,000 CCTV cameras will be; what will be the rules of the competition for them; and if he will make it his policy that cameras will be allocated regardless of party political affiliations. [38720]
Mr. Maclean: I am currently considering the detailed funding arrangements for the support of further closed circuit television schemes. A challenge competition will be run and bidding guidance explaining the rules for the competition is being drawn up. Copies will be distributed shortly. The bids will be judged against the criteria set out in that guidance.
Prison Cell Sharing
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) male and (b) female prisoners currently share two to a cell designed for (i) one and (ii) two; [38292]
(2) how many (a) female and (b) male prisoners currently share a cell with three or more other inmates; and if he will make a statement; [38290]
(3) how many (a) male and (b) female prisoners currently share three to a cell designed for (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three. [38291]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the temporary 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. Martin Redmond, dated 24 October 1995:The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about cell sharing in the Prison Service.
The only information recorded centrally is about the number of prisoners sharing two and three to a cell designed for one. At the end of September 1995 there were no prisoners sharing three to a cell designed for one. On that date there were 8,440 male prisoners and 56 female prisoners sharing two to a cell designed for one.
Child Prostitution
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to hold centrally information in respect of the number of cases of child prostitution that are reported in England and Wales; and if he will make a
statement. [38298]
Mr. Maclean: Statistics on cautions and convictions for soliciting offences committed by children are already held centrally. Details are contained in the table.
Convictions and cautions for soliciting offences for children under
the age of sixteen years
|Number
|convicted/
Offence |Legislation |Year |cautioned
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common prostitute |Street Offences Act|1992 |145
loitering or soliciting for |1959 section 1 |1993 |183
the purposes of |<1>1994 |194
prostitution
(Female only offence)
Soliciting by a man |Sexual offences Act|1992 |6
(Male only offence) |1956 section 32 |1993 |4
|<1>1994 |4
<1> Provisional.
Police Discipline (Blackburn)
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary proceedings were taken against a police officer of the Lancashire police force in respect of the loss and recovery in Blackburn town centre in June 1994 of police revolvers; and if he will make a statement. [38969]
Mr. Maclean: Police disciplinary matters are the responsibility of individual chief officers. However, I understand that the officer concerned was reprimanded at a disciplinary hearing for neglect of duty in respect of this incident and has been removed from firearms duties.
Rohan Thomas
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he was informed that Scotland Yard had allowed Rohan Thomas into the United Kingdom to help with investigations that were being undertaken by the Metropolitan police; and on what date he granted permission. [38391]
Mr. Maclean: The granting of leave to enter this country is a matter for the immigration service alone. Rohan Thomas presented a passport in a false identity and was given leave to enter the United Kingdom for six months as a visitor on 28 March 1993. The immigration service was informed of his true identity a few days later.
Column 542
He was served with notice of intention to remove him as an illegal entrant after he was apprehended on 19 June 1993.Family Passports
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his policy whereby husbands on dual passports are eligible to travel alone without their wives, but wives are not allowed to travel without their husbands; and if he will make a statement. [38414]
Mr. Kirkhope: Family passports, which included details of the passport holder's wife or husband, were discontinued in 1988, through those issued previously remain valid until their normal date of expiry. It is still possible to include particulars of children under 16 years of age on the passports of either or both parents. In accordance with international practice, only the person in whose name the passport is issued may travel on it alone.
Fire Service College
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firefighters have been trained at the Fire Service College in each of the last five years. [38160]
Mr. Kirkhope: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Fire Service College under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from N. K. Finlayson to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 24 October 1995:
Your Parliamentary Question seeking information relating to the number of Firefighters trained at the Fire Service College in each of the last five years, has been referred to me by the Home Secretary as falling within my delegated authority.
In each of the 5 years up to and including the year 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995, the following numbers of students from United Kingdom Fire Brigades were trained at the Fire Service College. 1990 91: 3,915 students
1991 92: 4,187 students
1992 93: 4,383 students
1993 94: 4,571 students
1994 95: 4,297 students
Witness Intimidation
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken to prevent intimidation and harassment of witnesses (a) before, (b) during and (c) after completion of trials. [37971]
Mr. Maclean: The Government have introduced provisions in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which make it an offence to intimidate a witness, juror or someone assisting the police. The relevant section, section 51, came into force on 3 February this year.
Responsibility for the protection and relocation of witnesses rests with the police. They will consider in each case the degree of intimidation and assess the capability of those making the threats to carry them out.
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Sri Lankan Tamil Prisoners
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons or detention centres at which Sri Lankan Tamils are being held while their application for asylum is being considered. [37644]
Mr. Kirkhope: Information for Sir Lankan Tamils is not recorded separately. As at 17 October 1995, all Sri Lankan nationals detained pending consideration of their applications for asylum were held at the immigration detention centre, Campsfield house.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the longest period to date that a Sri Lankan Tamil has been held in custody pending a decision on their application for asylum. [37646]
Mr. Kirkhope: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Prison Costs
Mr. Grocott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average weekly cost of imprisonment in each category of prison (a) in 1985, (b) in 1990 and (c) in the latest year for which figures are available. [37958]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Bruce Grocott, dated 24 October 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the average weekly cost of imprisonment in each category of prison.
The attached table gives the average weekly net operating cost per inmate for the years 1984 85, 1989 90 and 1993 94, which is the latest year for which figures are readily available.
Net operating cost per prisoner per week in cash terms (£) Category of |1984-85 |1989-90 |1993-94 establishment ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Local prisons and remand centres |241 |309 |441 Contracted out establishments |- |- |385 Dispersal prisons |482 |554 |659 Category B training prisons |255 |318 |404 Category C training prisons |196 |257 |336 Adult male open prisons |164 |218 |269 Young offender closed establishments |269 |346 |415 Young offender open establishments |294 |459 |473 Young offender remand establishments |- |- |420 Female establishments |363 |433 |540
Fear of Crime
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give details of recent meetings he has had with representatives of women's organisations to discuss crime and the fear of crime; [37522]
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(2) what recent representations he has received from women's organisations on the subject of crime and fear of crime. [37521]Mr. Maclean: Although there have been no further meetings since my reply to the hon. Member on 22 March at column 202 , a number of wide- ranging representations have been received from women's organisations on issues relating to domestic violence issues. Many of these were received during the preparation of the recently published inter-agency circular on domestic violence.
Domestic Violence
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve recorded information about incidents of domestic violence against women. [37520]
Mr. Maclean: Measures aimed at improving the quality of information on incidents of domestic violence are to be considered at forthcoming meetings of the official and ministerial groups on domestic violence.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Rugby Football in Schools
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will conduct an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the banning of Gavin Gordon from playing Rugby Union for Campbell college, Belfast; and if he will make a statement. [38527]
Mr. Ancram: The Irish Rugby Football Union has advised the headmaster at Campbell college that there is now no restriction on the selection of Gavin Gordon for the school's rugby team. His selection for the team is therefore a matter for the school.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy with regard to the playing of Rugby League by pupils in state schools in Northern Ireland. [38528]
Mr. Ancram: None. While team games are an important element of the physical education curriculum for Northern Ireland schools, the Government do not prescribe which team games should be played. That is a matter for schools to decide.
Paramilitary Arms and Explosives
Mr. John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a further statement on progress towards the decommissioning of arms and explosives held by paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland. [36901]
Mr. Ancram: No paramilitary arms or equipment have been decommissioned to date. The Government believe that progress on this issue is essential to create the necessary trust and confidence for successful all-party talks. I remain hopeful that progress can, and will, be made.
Column 545
Employee Fraud
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of cases of all forms of fraud committed by employees of his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies for each year from 1991 92 to 1994 95 and for each of these years, what was the total monetary sum (1) misappropriated in such frauds and (2) subsequently recovered. [39132]
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