29 Feb 1996 : Column: 625
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 29 February 1996
HOME DEPARTMENT
Immigration
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Hawkins) on 13 February, Official Report, column 514, if he will define the term parliamentary interest. [16146]
Mr. Kirkhope: In my answer of 13 February, Official report, column 514, the term parliamentary interest refers to cases in which a Member of Parliament or a noble Lord has made representations about the proposed removal of somebody from the United Kingdom.
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been issued to Home Office presenting officers and adjudicators regarding the period of time in which couples are expected to become self-supporting in the United Kingdom where one spouse has been granted entry clearance; when such guidance was issued; and if he will make a statement. [18206]
Mr. Kirkhope: No such guidance has been issued to presenting officers. The period of time in which couples are expected to become self-supporting will depend on the facts of the particular case. Guidance to adjudicators is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor.
Dartmoor Prison (Death)
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects the medical report into the death of Mr. Dennis Stevens in Dartmoor prison to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the causes of Mr. Stevens' death; [17336]
- (2) for how long Mr. Dennis Stevens was kept in a body belt in Dartmoor prison prior to his death on 18 October 1995; [17338]
(3) what representations he has received alleging (a) improper procedures and (b) inadequacy in existing procedures in matters relating to the death of Mr. Dennis Stevens in Dartmoor prison; what response he has made; when he expects all the information on this case to be disclosed; and if he will make a statement. [17337]
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. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 29 February 1996:
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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 the death of Mr. Dennis Stevens in Dartmoor prison.
Mr. Stevens was in a body belt for 24 hours prior to being discovered dead in his cell on the morning of 18 October 1995.
There have been two post-mortems, the second attended by a pathologist representing Mr. Stevens' family. At the second post-mortem, it was agreed that further specialist forensic analysis was required. The coroner will open the inquest once the result of that analysis, which is being carried out in the United States, is available.
A number of Members, prisoners' rights groups and others have written to express concern about the circumstances surrounding Mr. Stevens' death. They have been advised that a senior prison governor has conducted an enquiry into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Stevens' death and a separate enquiry into the control and restraint methods used has been commissioned. These enquiries will be in addition to the formal policy enquiry, which is underway.
The results of the enquiries into this tragic incident cannot be made available until the inquest. However, I can assure you and Mr. Stevens' family that the service will respond promptly and positively to any recommendations made by the coroner.
Construction Skills Certification Scheme
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to ensure that personnel on its prison construction sites have construction skills certification scheme accreditation. [17437]
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. Pearson to Mr. John Spellar, dated 29 February 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your Question about construction skills certification scheme accreditation on prison construction sites.
It is the duty of the main contractor with whom the Home Office enters into a contract, to ensure that personnel on construction sites have the necessary skills.
The Home Office is considering the introduction of clauses in construction contracts to bring to bear on the main contractor an obligation to ensure that personnel on prison construction sites have construction skills certification scheme accreditation.
Metropolitan Police
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors, other than population, determine Metropolitan police officer numbers per division. [17429]
Mr. Maclean: The deployment of manpower within the Metropolitan police district is a matter for the commissioner. I understand, however, that the allocation of officers to divisions takes account of, among other things, the number of crimes reported, calls for assistance, arrests, traffic accidents and incidents of disorder. In addition, officers in charge of divisional operational command units have some flexibility within their overall budget to decide on the mix of police officers, civil staff and other resources which will best meet local policing needs.
Mr. Booth:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent reports by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary on Metropolitan police areas 3 and 4. [18765]
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Mr. Howard:
Yes. I have today placed in the Library a note of the recommendations from these reports, together with the commissioner's responses and my responses, which take into account the advice I have received from the Metropolitan Police Committee.
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British companies have been granted licences under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1982 to (a) handle, (b) store, (c) distribute and (d) manufacture electric shock devices in the last two years. [17363]
Mr. Maclean:
Section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968 prohibits the possession, purchase, acquisition, manufacture, sale and transfer of electric shock weapons without the authority of the Secretary of State. No company has been granted authority under this section specifically in respect of electric shock weapons in the last two years.
Mr. David Nicholson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to magistrates courts about sentencing in respect of repeated offences of theft and shoplifting goods of significant value. [17508]
Mr. Maclean:
The Government do not issue guidance on sentencing. The Magistrates Association issues sentencing guidelines for its members, which are available in the Library, and guidance is provided by Court of Appeal judgments in individual cases.
Mr. Stephen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of the asylum appeals passed by the tribunal to the adjudicator in 1994 were allowed by the adjudicator; and how many of these were appeals by port-of-entry applicants; [17540]
(3) how many of (a) the asylum appeals allowed by the adjudicator and (b) those allowed by the tribunal in 1994 were made by port-of-entry applicants. [17541]
Mr. Kirkhope:
The information requested is not available.
Ms Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 15 February, Official Report, column 706, in respect of 9 February only, how many appliances attended the scene, what time the last appliance left and from which stations the appliances were drawn. [17518]
Mr. Sackville:
The deployment of appliances is an operational matter for the London fire and civil defence authority. The hon. Member may therefore wish to invite the chief officer to provide the details which she has sought.
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Sir Andrew Bowden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department has taken to meet the special needs of older people in prison. [17519]
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. Pearson to Sir Andrew Bowden, dated 29 February 1996:
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.
(2) how many of the asylum appellants referred by the adjudicator to the Secretary of State in 1994 were granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom; and how many of these were port-of-entry applicants; [17542]
Sir Andrew Bowden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women aged over 60 and men over 65 years are being held in prison on (a) remand and (b) after sentence. [17594]
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what action is being taken to meet the special needs of older people in prison.
The Prison Service has recognised the needs of the older prisoner. A special unit is at present being commissioned at HMP Kingston. An existing accommodation block is being refurbished and will include specialist facilities for older prisoners with disabilities. The unit is for 25 prisoners and hopes to receive its first prisoners in May 1996.
The Directorate of Health Care is currently compiling a health strategy for prisoners and staff and has particularly identified the needs of older prisoners amongst its topics. The health strategy will be presented to the Prisons Board in May 1996.
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