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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 25 January 1996
SCOTLAND
Scottish Grand Committee
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee to be held in (a) Ayr, (b) Kilmarnock, (c) Cumnock, (d) Dumfries, (e) Stranraer, (f) Prestwick, (g) Troon and (h) Girvan. [8566]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: I am delighted with the enthusiasm now being shown by Opposition Members for my proposals to take the Scottish Grand Committee to locations throughout Scotland. Possible venues in Scotland must first of all be assessed by the House authorities before they can be added to the list of suitable locations. Decisions are then taken through the usual channels on where the Scottish Grand Committee should meet.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the annual telephone costs to (a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) his Department's non-departmental public bodies staff for each of the years (i) 1979-80, (ii) 1989-90, (iii) 1991-92, (iv) 1993-94, (v) 1994-95, (vi) 1995-96 and (vii) 1996-97; and if internal telephone directories are available to staff in all areas of (a) to (c). [11358]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the expenditure of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all external consultants including management consultants for each of the years (a) 1979-80, (b) 1989-90, (c) 1991-92, (d) 1993-94, (e) 1994-95 and (f) 1995-96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate he has made of such expenditure for 1996-97; and if he will estimate the savings accruing to his Department from the use of consultants in each of these years. [11355]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Expenditure by the Scottish Office and its associated agencies on external consultants including management consultants was:
1989-90: £2,095,000
1991-92: £10,836,000
1993-94: £5,383,000
1994-95: £4,079,000
1995-96: £5,758,000
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Not all consultancy projects are capable of being measured in terms of identifiable savings. The Scottish Office is currently preparing a report summarising the benefits obtained from major projects since April 1992. I shall write to the hon. Member on this subject as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Conservative Central Office
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters and faxes have been dispatched from his Department to Conservative central office in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [11477]
Mr. Howard: The information requested is not available.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the expenditure of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each of the years (a) 1979-80, (b) 1989-90, (c) 1991-92, (d) 1993-94, (e) 1994-95 and (f) 1995-96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate he has made of such expenditure for 1996-97; and if he will estimate the savings accruing to his Department from the use of consultants in each of these years. [11383]
Mr. Howard: The information requested in not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Absenteeism
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of absenteeism rates in days per annum for staff in his Department for each of the years (a) 1979-80, (b) 1989-90, (c) 1991-92, (d) 1993-94, (e) 1994-95 and (f) 1995-96. [11385]
Mr. Howard: Figures are not collected centrally on absenteeism.
The average number of working days lost through sick absence per staff year in the Home Office, including its agencies, for which data are available was as follows:
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Police Funding
Mrs. Jane Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to review the pensions element of the police funding allocation formula. [11902]
Mr. Maclean: No. The present mechanism for allocating money for police pensions is the best available to us. We shall continue to refine it.
Mrs. Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Minister of State's letter of 30 November 1995, if he will give details of those aspects of the police funding allocation formula which are in need of further work. [11901]
Mr. Maclean: I refer the hon. Member to the report entitled "Critical Analysis of the Police Funding Formula", produced last summer by the independent consultants Price Waterhouse. We have carried out the further work recommended by the consultants, but in some instances it has proved inconclusive and investigations will continue into 1996. Copies of the report are in the Library.
Prisoners (Mechanical Restraints)
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how often the Home Office official at Doncaster prison responsible for the punishment of inmates has authorised the use of (a) bodybelts, (b) ankle straps, (c) handcuffs and (d) special segregation unit cells since the prison was opened; [8424]
- (2) what is the (a) shortest, (b) longest and (c) average time during which inmates at Doncaster prison have been detained in a bodybelt or mechanical restraint since it opened; [8442]
(3) on how many occasions since it opened inmates in Doncaster prison have been kept in bodybelts for more than 12 hours; [8421]
(4) on how many occasions since it opened inmates at Doncaster prison have been (a) detained in a strip cell and (b) restrained by bodybelts for (i) medical or (ii) non-medical purposes. [8439]
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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 25 January 1996:
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The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the use of restraints, special segregation unit cells and strip cells at Doncaster prison since its opening in June 1994.
The use of ankle-straps has twice been authorized on one inmate, for medical reasons, to prevent him causing himself serious and permanent injury. The first occasion was for 24 hours 37 minutes and the second was for six days and 55 minutes.
The use of the special cell was authorized on 57 occasions during the period 20 June 1994 to 31 December 1994. It was also used without authorization on 44 occasions. This resulted in the operating company Premier Prison Services being issued with a default notice for use of the cell without the Controller's authorization. From 1 January to 31 December 1995 the special cell was used on 41 occasions with the authorization of the Controller of each occasion.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list for each prison in England and Wales the number of occasions that restraints were used on (a) men and (b) women prisoners during December 1995; [11603]
Bodybelts have been used on two occasions since the prison opened, once for medical and once for non-medical reasons. The longest time spent in a body belt is two hours. The shortest time spent in a body belt was 1 hour 55 minutes. This gives an average time of 1 hour 57 minutes.
- (2) how many (a) men and (b) women were placed in restraints when taken outside prisons, in England and Wales, for whatever reason, during the week beginning 1 January 1996. [11604]
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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