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Prisoners, Leeds
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of inmates at Leeds gaol were (a) unemployed and (b) homeless before entering prison for each year since 1990. [1464]
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. John Battle, dated 28 November 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the percentage of inmates at Leeds jail who were (a) unemployed and (b) homeless before entering prison for each year since 1990.
This information is not available as Leeds prison does not keep records of its previous prisoners. However, research findings from the National Prison Survey 1991 (from a random sample of the prison population) indicated that approximately 13% of the prison population had no permanent home just before imprisonment and 33% were unemployed.
Immigration
Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) admissions and (b) refusals for immigration and settlement in the United Kingdom have been made in each of the last 10 years. [1551]
Mr. Kirkhope: The information requested is given in the table.
| Persons accepted for settlement(37) | Persons overseas initially refused(38) an entry clearance for settlement(39) | Persons in the UK initially refused(40) settlement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 55,360 | n/a | 260 |
| 1986 | 47,820 | n/a | 510 |
| 1987 | 45,980 | n/a | 540 |
| 1988 | 49,280 | n/a | 490 |
| 1989 | 49,650 | 7,290 | 800 |
| 1990 | 53,200 | 8,240 | 1,060 |
| 1991 | 53,900 | 6,780 | 1,750 |
| 1992 | 52,570 | 7,300 | 2,360 |
| 1993 | 55,640 | 8,690 | 3,220 |
| 1994 | 55,110 | 9,690 | 3,020 |
| 1995(41) | 27,890 | n/a | 1,730 |
n/a not available.
(37) Including persons admitted to the United Kingdom on a temporary basis and subsequently granted settlement following a change of immigration status, as well as persons granted settlement on arrival or admitted in a category leading to settlement and subsequently granted settlement.
(38) Some were subsequently granted an entry clearance for settlement following an appeal.
(39) Includes applications for a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode.
(40)
(41) January to June, Provisional figures.
28 Nov 1995 : Column: 670
NORTHERN IRELAND
Student Costs
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total cost and what is the cost of (a) fees, (b) student maintenance, (c) student loans and (d) other to the Northern Ireland office of supporting students from Northern Ireland in places of higher education elsewhere in the United Kingdom. [1768]
Mr. Ancram [holding answer 27 November 1995]: In the 1994-95 academic year, the total cost for Northern Ireland domiciled students on first degree, or equivalent courses at institutions of higher education elsewhere in the United Kingdom was £30.8 million. Expenditure on tuition fees was £15.4 million as was that on maintenance grant, including allowances and supplementary maintenance.
The information on loans is not readily available from the Student Loans Company and could be obtained only from the company at disproportionate cost.
Information about access funds which are administered by the higher education institutions is not available.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the ratio of provision of higher education places and qualified students in Northern Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland. [1769]
Mr. Ancram
[holding reply 27 November 1995]: Available information relates to students studying in each of the four territories, and the number of students domiciled in each territory. The 1993-94 figures in respect of full-time undergraduates are as follows:
| (a) Full-time undergraduate students studying in territory | (b) Full-time undergraduate students domiciled in territory | (c) Ratio of places : students (a) : (b) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 23,000 | 30,200 | 0.8 : 1 |
| England | 755,200 | 704,100 | 1.1 : 1 |
| Wales | 52,600 | 43,800 | 1.2 : 1 |
| Scotland | 117,400 | 92,100 | 1.3 : 1 |
Legislative Repeals and Reviews
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislation from his Department passed in the last five years contains provision for statutory repeal or review. [2037]
Mr. Ancram [holding answer 27 November 1995]: In Northern Ireland the Emergency Provisions Act 1991 is required to be renewed annually in order to keep the statutes in force.
As part of the Government's deregulation initiative Northern Ireland Departments have been reviewing, on a regular basis, legislation which affects business.
28 Nov 1995 : Column: 671
Ms Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) grants and (b) other support will be available from his Department for the conservation and protection of dry stone walls from April 1996. [2329]
Mr. Ancram
[holding answer 27 November 1995]: The only scheme with this provision in Northern Ireland will be the sub-programme for agriculture and rural development. It was suspended temporarily from 24 March 1995 to allow an assessment to be made of the financial commitments to cover the applications already received. No decision has been made yet when it can be reopened.
This scheme offered 50 per cent. grant rate on a maximum expenditure of £25,000 on a variety of items including the provision, replacement and improvement of dry stone walls.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals or plans have been notified to his Department to deal with increased demand for electricity in (a) Newry (b) Armagh and (c) South Armagh. [1239]
Mr. Ancram:
My Department has been informed by Northern Ireland Electricity that the maximum demand in the Newry and South Armagh area is increasing by 2.7 per cent per annum and in Armagh by 2.5 per cent. per annum.
NIE plc have further advised that development plans covering these areas are currently being implemented. These include the provision of new substations, providing new 33kv and 11kv circuits, replacing obsolete equipment and carrying out extensive network refurbishment.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to resolve outstanding problems of low voltage supply in (a) Newry and (b) South Armagh. [1240]
Mr. Ancram:
This is primarily a matter for Northern Ireland Electricity plc. NIE has informed my Department that it is implementing an extensive programme of works in these areas.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in determining the future ownership and usage of Camlough lake, South Armagh. [1241]
Mr. Moss:
The Department of the Environment's Water Executive inherited water abstraction rights at Camlough lake at local government reorganisation in 1973. In August 1994 it published notice of its intention to vest the bed and soil of the lake. This is necessary to ensure the sufficiency of water obtained from this source for the pubic supply and to facilitate effective protection of the quality of water supplies.
A number of representations about the vesting proposals have been received. Discussions are currently underway with objectors, including those with parallel use proposals for the lake such as recreational development and hydro-electric power generation. The Water
28 Nov 1995 : Column: 672
Executive's position in such discussions is that any supplementary development must be compatible with the continuing use of the lake as a water supply source for the Newry area, especially in regard to the safeguarding of water quality. If agreement is not forthcoming in these discussions the Department will convene a local inquiry at which the outstanding issues can be presented and progress made to determining the lake's future ownership and use.
It is my understanding, as conveyed in a recent letter from my noble Friend, Baroness Denton, to the chief executive of Newry and Mourne district council, that the Director-General of Electricity Supply is still considering the complex issues involved in proposals for pumped storage electricity generation at Camlough.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what proportion of decisions to refuse incapacity benefit have been (a) overturned on appeal and (b) are pending a decision since the benefit was introduced in April; [1242]
(3) what is the average length of time taken to process an incapacity benefit appeal; [1244]
(4) how many decisions to award incapacity benefit have been issued since April; [1245]
(5) how many decisions to refuse incapacity benefit applications have been issued since April; [1246]
(6) what is the average cost of each incapacity benefit appeal. [1247]
Mr. Moss:
Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
(2) what is the total number of applications received for incapacity benefit since April; [1243]
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