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Television Licence Fine Defaulters
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) women and (b) men were imprisoned and for how long for their failure to pay a fine for not possessing a television licence in each of the past five years; how many were on income support or in receipt of other social security payments; and if he will make a statement. [5036]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Information on the number of fine default receptions to prison for failure to pay a fine for not possessing a television licence is not
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available centrally. Information is available on the number of fine default receptions to prison in respect of all offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. Failure to possess a television licence is one such offence. The available information is set out in the table below. The
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totals represents less than 1 per cent. of all fine default receptions in any one year. Information is not collected centrally on whether individuals received for fine default are in receipt of income support or other social security benefits.
| Number | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 15 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 41 |
| Female | 5 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 |
| Total | 20 | 31 | 35 | 31 | 54 |
| Length of sentence | |||||
| Male: | |||||
| Less than 7 days | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 11 |
| 7 days | 7 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 22 |
| 8-13 days | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 days | 3 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| 15-29 days | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 30 days/1 months | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 41 |
| Female: | |||||
| Less than 7 days | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 7 days | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 |
| 8-13 days | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 days | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 15-29 days | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 days/1 month | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 5 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 |
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Deportees
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the prisons within which (a) illegal immigrants and (b) other deportees are detained while awaiting deportation to their countries of origin; what was the number of these detainees in each of the prisons concerned in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [4829]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 12 December 1995:
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(13) Less than 0.1.
(14) Components may not add to totals due to rounding.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question relating to the prisons within which illegal immigrants and other deportees are detained whilst awaiting deportation to their countries of origin.
Illegal immigrants and persons awaiting deportation can be detained within any penal establishment but are normally held in the nearest local prison.
Information on the number of persons held as illegal immigrants and persons awaiting deportation is not collected in the form requested. Information is, however, collected monthly on the average population of such detainees and the tables below show the average in each of the past four years.
1991 1992 1993 1994
(a) Illegal immigrants
Aberdeen 0.1 0.8 0.7 1.4
Barlinnie 0.1 0.3 1.4 0.3
Cornton Vale (13)-- -- -- --
Dumfries 0.1 0.8 (13)-- 0.3
Edinburgh 0.4 1.3 1.4 1.2
Greenock 0.7 6.8 8.0 8.8
Inverness (13)-- 0.1 (13)-- (13)--
Perth 0.6 0.2 0.2 (13)--
Scotland(14) 1.9 10.2 11.7 12.1
(b) Persons awaiting deportation
Aberdeen (13)-- -- -- --
Barlinnie -- -- (13)-- --
Dumfries (13)-- -- -- --
Edinburgh 0.4 0.2 -- 0.2
Greenock 0.1 0.1 -- --
Inverness -- (13)-- (13)-- 0.1
Scotland 0.5 0.3 (13)-- 0.3
Prisons (Drugs)
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many relatives and friends of prisoners and those prisoners on remand were apprehended while attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into prisons in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement; [4831]
(2) if a person convicted of attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into a prison is allowed to visit prisoners; and if he will make a statement; [4834]
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(3) what was the number of (a) prison officers and members of prison staff and (b) other officially approved visitors to prisons who were apprehended while attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into prison in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [4833]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The subject of the questions relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 12 December 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your three Questions on drugs in prison, which made particular reference to attempted smuggling by visitors to prisons and prisoners, and by prison staff.
All prisons face the risk of prisoners' visitors seeking to bring illegal drugs into establishments and take a variety of measures to prevent it. Appropriate action is taken where there are reasonable grounds for suspicion, and any visitor who is caught is referred to the police. Records are not, however, maintained centrally of the numbers of arrests or convictions. There are no recorded examples of anyone who could be described as an "officially approved" visitor who has been apprehended while bringing illegal drugs into an establishment. At present, a police investigation is proceeding into allegations that drugs were brought by staff into another.
Civil Servants
Mr. George Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to increase the civil service support for the Scottish Office ministerial team; and what estimate he has of the annual cost of these plans. [5508]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: On the basis of an interim official study, some additions are being made to the support provided to Ministers to reflect a greatly increased work load. This in part reflects my desire to invite groups from all walks of life in Scotland to meet me and to follow up on their suggestions. It also reflects the intensive programme of visits carried out by my Ministers. There will be no additional costs as they will be met from within existing resources.
Staffing will be further reviewed when we have the outcome of a Scottish Office efficiency unit review which is currently under way.
Landfill Tax
Mr. George Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the costs of the new landfill tax to Scottish local authorities over the next three years. [5510]
Mr. Kynoch: The costs of the landfill tax and the offsetting reductions in national insurance employers' contributions will be estimated and taken into account in discussions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities about the local government finance settlement for 1997-98.
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Housing Benefit
12. Mr. Colin Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the numbers of households in receipt of housing benefit. [3580]
Mr. Lilley: The number of housing benefit recipients in Great Britain at the end of May 1995 stood at 4,734,000.
Long-stay Hospital Care (Benefit)
14. Mr. Bill Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance is given to benefit officers when advising clients who are likely to lose their homes through loss of benefit due to long stay hospital care; and if he will make a statement. [3582]
Mr. Roger Evans: Appropriate guidance is provided to all staff on the action to be taken on benefits when a person goes into hospital.
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