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Shops (Business Rates)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to vary the business rate levy to reflect the ability of shop-owners to pay the business rate; [8597]

(2) what plans he has to change the business rate levy on vacant shops in inner-city areas. [8589]

Sir Paul Beresford: None.

Environmental Pollution Report

Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates and on what matters, in connection with the 18th report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution, "Transport and the Environment", he has made representations to the Secretary of State for Transport. [9093]

Sir Paul Beresford: There have been frequent contacts between my Department and the Department of Transport about the report since its publication in October 1994, including discussions at both ministerial and official levels.

Green Ministers

Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish the minutes of the meetings of the Green Ministers; [8672]

(2) when the Green Ministers last met; who attended; and what issues were discussed; [8673]

(3) if he will publish a list of the contacts of green officials for each Government Department; [8674]

(4) if he will publish a regular six-monthly list of environmental appraisals by Government Departments. [8675]

Mr. Clappison: Green Ministers last met on 6 July 1995 and discussion included progress on priorities and targets in the 1995 "This Common Inheritance" annual report and possibilities for the 1996 report, indicators of sustainable development, quality in town and country and green housekeeping activities. Almost all Green Ministers attended or were represented at that meeting. A further meeting scheduled for 2 November had to be postponed and will now take place on 29 January. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will discuss then with colleagues whether minutes of meetings and a list of official contacts should be published.

The Government are committed to reporting further on the use of environmental appraisal in Government policy, but we have already published "Environmental Appraisal in Government Departments", a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.

15 Jan 1996 : Column: 371

Housing Stock

Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce new measures to assist local authorities to tackle the maintenance problems of the housing stock. [9476]

Mr. Clappison: None. Local authorities have very substantial resources available to maintain their housing stock and they should ensure that they use this money effectively. About £2,320 million per year is being spent on the repair and maintenance of local authority housing, which in real terms is 86 per cent. more per dwelling than 16 years ago.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Parole

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of prisoners is currently notified of their parole decision after their parole eligibility date in respect of each prison; [7007]

(2) what plans he has to increase resources to (a) eliminate delays and (b) reduce the backlog of parole eligibility cases; [7009]

(3) what assessment he has made of (a) the cost and (b) the impact on prisoner morale of notifying prisoners of parole eligibility after their parole eligibility date. [7008]

Miss Widdecombe: Although parole delays cause an increase in the total number of prisoners in custody at any one time, the marginal cost for each establishment is low.

I do not think parole delays are acceptable. They are unfair to prisoners and an inefficient use of resources. I have asked officials to take steps to reduce the delays. The measures taken include: issuing an instruction to governors stressing the importance of completing parole dossiers on time and of avoiding the transfer of prisoners just before parole board interviews; giving the parole board extra temporary staff, and securing the appointment of sufficient parole board members to undertake interviews and panelling works.

Provisional figures for 1995 show that, for those establishments holding the majority of prisoners eligible for parole, the percentages of prisoners who received their parole decisions after their parole eligibility date, or its anniversary, are given in the table.

Prison	Percentage of prisoners receiving late parole notifications
Acklington	57
Albany	79
Ashwell	70
Askham Grange	58
Aylesbury	79
Belmarsh	79
Birmingham	79
Blantyre House	84
Blundeston	67
Bristol	55
Brockhill	82
Buckley Hall	76
Bullingdon	82
Camp Hill	72
Canterbury	89
Castington	38
Channings Wood	82
Coldingley	78
Dartmoor	81
Deerbolt	73
Dover	64
Downview	77
Durham	62
East Sutton Park	71
Elmley	78
Erlestoke	86
Everthorpe	86
Featherstone	81
Ford	71
Frankland	46
Full Sutton	55
Garth	72
Glen Parva	93
Grendon	68
Haverigg	69
Hewell Grange	93
Highdown	77
Highpoint	74
Hollesley Bay	86
Holme House	53
Huntercombe	70
Kirkham	86
Kirklevington	65
Lancaster	94
Latchmere House	83
Leeds	96
Leyhill	89
Lindholm	71
Liverpool	80
Littlehey	80
Long Lartin	82
Maidstone	77
Manchester	73
Moorland	69
The Mount	92
North Sea Camp	82
Nottingham	82
Parkhurst	76
Pentonville	100
Portland	91
Ranby	77
Risley	86
Rochester	76
Shepton Mallet	69
Stafford	87
Standford Hill	84
Stocken	85
Styal	77
Sudbury	85
Swaleside	56
Swinfen Hall	88
Usk	79
The Verne	69
Wakefield	89
Wandsworth	76
Wayland	78
Wealstun	68
Whatton	87
Whitemoor	81
Wymott	88

15 Jan 1996 : Column: 373

Correspondence

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Sunderland, South will receive a reply to his letter of 24 November regarding Alan and Michael Guy, Ref. 2235/95. [9062]

Mr. Kirkhope: My private secretary replied to the hon. Member's letter on 8 January. The allegations that Alan and Michael Guy were wrongfully convicted are currently being reviewed and I hope to be able to send the hon. Member a substantive reply to his letters about this case very soon.

Miscarriages of Justice

Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the time taken to investigate each alleged miscarriage of justice considered by his Department in the last three years; and which of these were referred to the Court of Appeal; [7783]

(2) how many cases were referred to the Court of Appeal following investigation by his Department in each of the last 10 years. [7782]

Mr. Kirkhope: The number of cases referred in recent years to the Court of Appeal is given in the table:

References to the Court of Appeal under section 17(1)(a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 in respect of conviction 1988-94

Year	Cases	Defendants
1988	3	6
1989	7	20
1990	10	12
1991	8	11
1992	8	9
1993	8	9
1994	9	12
1995	18	20

Detailed information about the time taken to consider individual cases is not available. During the past three years, it has taken, on average, about two months to consider a case, but the time taken varies considerably according to the extent and nature of inquiries which may need to be made. At the beginning of December 1995, there were 50 cases which had been under consideration for more than 12 months.

Doncaster Prison

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what considerations led to adjudication in respect of punishment of prisoners at Doncaster prison being carried out by Home Office controllers; and what assessment he has made of the effect on discipline at the prison. [8055]

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 A. J. Butler to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 15 January 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the Office, to reply to your recent Question about adjudications at Doncaster prison being carried out by Controllers.

15 Jan 1996 : Column: 374

The Criminal Justice Act 1991 specifically prevents Directors of contracted-out prisons from carrying out adjudications. This function is instead carried out by Controllers, in accordance with section 85(3) of the Act. To change this provision would require legislation to amend the Act.
The power to adjudicate on prisoners is quasi-judicial and can, in some instances, mean detaining them in custody for longer as a consequence of a disciplinary award. In passing the 1991 Act Parliament has taken the view that only members of the judiciary and a limited number of state servants should have the power to take away a person's liberty.
The Chief Inspector of Prisons also considered this matter during his inspection of other contracted-out prisons, at Wolds and Blakenhurst. He felt that the current arrangements offered the best safeguards for prisoners at present.
There is no indication that discipline within the prison has been affected in any way by adjudications being carried out by the Controller.

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