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Prison Population
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all prisoners in England and Wales on 1 January of each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement. [4308]
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. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 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 was the total number of (a) male and (b) female and (c) all prisoners in England and Wales on the 1st of January each year since 1991.
The available information relates to the population in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on the last day of the month. Information has therefore been provided in the attached table for 31 December for each year since 1990.
Muhammed Naviede
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the (a) closed and (b) open prisons Muhammed Naviede has been held in since his prison sentence was imposed; [4502]
(2) which body is funding the private medical treatment being given to prison inmate Mohammed Naviede at St. Thomas's hospital, London; what has been the weekly cost of treatment; and when it is expected to conclude; [4501]
(3) what has been the number of prison officers and the hours they have spent guarding Mohammed Naviede, while at St. Thomas's hospital; what has been the total cost to date; and who is responsible for paying this cost. [4503]
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.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 11 December 1995:
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The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about Mr Mohammed Naviede, who is at Brixton prison.
Mr. Naviede was convicted and sentenced on 7 July for fraud. Since this date he has been detained at Brixton prison and no decisions have been made to transfer him to open conditions.
Mr. Naviede was admitted to St. Thomas's Hospital as a NHS patient on 30 August. He elected to have the private treatment available at this hospital. The costs of the private care were not met by the Prison Service and we are, therefore, unable to comment upon who paid for the medical treatment and what the weekly costs were.
Mr. Naviede was at St. Thomas's Hospital until 18 September. Prison officers guarded him for the entire period. A total of six prison officers were deployed for each 24 hour period in line with standard security practice.
The Prison Service is responsible for paying for the staffing costs involved in the escort and guarding of prisoners. Approximately £11,500 was spent on staffing resources for this period. The same costs would have been incurred had Mr. Naviede received National Health Service treatment.
Director General of the Prison Service
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to appoint a permanent Director General of the Prison Service; and what procedures have been instituted to vet applicants for the post of Director General of the Prison Service; [3262]
(2) what criteria will be used to judge applicants for the post of Director General of the Prison Service; and what priority will be accorded to independence of judgment. [3263]
Mr. Howard: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 5 December 1995, Official Report, column 204.
EU Research and Development
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the indicative contributions to the EU budget in respect of research and development for his Department in 1993-94. [1912]
Mr. Howard: Table 2.1 of the statistical supplement to "Forward Look of Government-funded Science, Engineering and Technology 1995" contains indicative figures for the United Kingdom's contributions to the European Community budget in respect of research and development. Departments' policy responsibilities are subject to change and can vary from year to year. My Department currently has an 0.07 per cent. share of the indicative contribution of the United Kingdom in respect of this part of the Community's budget.
Ministerial Broadcasts
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions during the parliamentary Session 1994-95 when he gave broadcast interviews on radio or television in respect of his ministerial responsibilities, indicating for each date and the main topic under headings of (a) the BBC Radio 4 "Today" programme, (b) other sound broadcasts and (c) television broadcasts. [4467]
Mr. Howard [holding answer 6 December 1995]: During the parliamentary Session 1994-95 I gave a great many broadcast interviews in response to requests from the media. These interviews covered a wide range of Home Office responsibilities.
Detailed information is not available in the form requested.
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Income
37. Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what income is received annually by the Church Commissioners from non-church building based congregations. [3323]
Mr. Alison: The commissioners do not receive income directly from congregations. They do receive income from dioceses towards clergy stipends, which is then paid out directly to clergy with their monthly stipend payments. This income is mainly derived from parishes, but the commissioners have no information on individual parish contributions to such sums.
Turnbull Commission
38. Mr. Jenkin: To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what representations the Church Commissioners will be making to Lambeth palace concerning the report of the Turnbull commission on the future of the Church of England. [3325]
Mr. Alison: The commissioners welcome the aim of improving the machinery of the Church at national level in support of the ministry and mission to the whole nation and look forward to taking a constructive part in the debate on the Turnbull report and its vision.
The board of governors has identified three key principles which need to be safeguarded in the planning and implementation of the proposed structures. These are:
These concerns have been transmitted to the archbishops orally and in writing. In addition, the commissioners are represented on the archbishops' advisory group which is following up the Turnbull report.
(i) the important Church/state link, which is exemplified in the commissioners' constitution, in recognition that the Church of England is the established Church;
Arising from these principles are a number of important matters which will need to be addressed including the protection and handling of the commissioners' charitable responsibilities and the interplay between asset management and distribution, for example, the balance between their pensions liabilities and the support of the active ministry.
(ii) the impartiality which the commissioners deliver in the discharge of many of their responsibilities, especially those under the Pastoral Measure 1983; and
(iii) the need within the timetable for adequate consultation and detailed planning to ensure that any change is right for the Church and delivers a national service as good as, or better than, that provided now.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the
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consequences of the proposals of Her Majesty's Government concerning arrangements for asylum and immigration to cease to pay existing benefit to certain categories of person after 8 January 1996, on the administration and finances of local authorities for support of families with children required by section 17 of the Children Act 1989. [4613]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: Proposals on social security payments to asylum seekers and other persons from abroad were presented to the Social Security Advisory Committee on 11 October. The committee has carried out a public consultation on these proposals and has received representations from many individuals and organisations, including housing associations and local authorities. The committee has evaluated those responses and we are currently studying its report. The effect on local authority responsibilities under the Children Act will be taken into account in the preparation of the Government's reply.
European Directives
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November, Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5069]
Mr. Burt: It is the policy of this Department to ensure that we do not gold-plate European directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in the UK. We take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in the light of this policy.
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