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Local Government Consultation Paper
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to publish his consultation paper on the relationship between the Welsh Office and local government. [22346]
Mr. Hague: I have published the paper today and placed copies in the Library of the House.
Wales Youth Agency
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the outcome of the financial management and policy review of the Wales Youth Agency. [22347]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: A summary of the report's recommendations, together with the Department's response in the form of an action plan, has today been placed in the Library of the House.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Prisoners' Brains
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Frederick West's brain was removed from his body; and if he will make a statement. [20252]
Mr. Sackville: I understand that Mr. West's body was subjected to a routine post mortem. The brain was removed in the course of the post mortem and returned to the body following examination.
20 Mar 1996 : Column: 204
Alcoholic Lemonade
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the question from the hon. Member for Taunton for answer on 15 January about alcoholic lemonade. [21008]
Mr. Maclean: I replied to the question from the hon. Member on 19 March.
Betting and Gaming (Deregulation)
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans Her Majesty's Government have to modify, deregulate or amend the law relating to betting and gaming; and if he will state the principal statutes and regulations which would be involved. [21535]
Mr. Kirkhope: Our on-going review of the controls on gambling as part of the Government's deregulation initiative has resulted in a number of proposals to amend the law on betting and gaming. Betting Licensing On 31 January last year, we issued a consultation paper on proposals for relaxations in the law on the licensing of bookmakers, betting offices and greyhound tracks. For details of our proposals, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. and learned Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence) on 31 January 1995, Official Report, column 556.
The consultation process has been completed and we are currently considering the responses received. We hope to bring before this House later this year a draft order under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 to amend the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963.
Gaming Machines and Betting Office Facilities
On 11 December last year, we brought before this House a draft order under the 1994 Act containing proposals to introduce an all-cash amusement-with-prizes machine in adult premises; increase the numbers of jackpot machines allowed in casinos, bingo clubs, and members' clubs; and extend the range of facilities in betting offices.
This order has been under scrutiny by the Deregulation Committee of this House, which has recommended some minor amendments, and in another place by the Select Committee on the Scrutiny of Delegated Powers. We shall be submitting a revised order shortly and we expect that the changes to the 1963 Act and the Gaming Act 1968 will be implemented by the summer.
Casinos, Bingo and Advertising
On 27 February, we issued a consultation paper on proposals for relaxations in the law on casinos, licensed bingo clubs and the advertising of commercial gambling. Subject to this consultation, we will bring forward orders under the 1994 Act to amend the 1963 and 1968 Acts. For details of our proposals, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) on 27 February 1996, Official Report, columns 518-19.
Pools
We are also actively considering the scope for further deregulation of the pools industry. We hope to issue a consultation paper later this year.
20 Mar 1996 : Column: 205
Mr. Frank Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children from the former Yugoslavia entered the United Kingdom in each year since 1991; how many of those children were not accompanied by parents or adult relatives; and how many children from the former Yugoslavia have (a) applied for and (b) been granted (i) asylum and (ii) exceptional leave to remain. [21494]
Mr. Kirkhope:
Information on the total number of children given leave to enter the United Kingdom is not available, as only those with a settlement entry clearance are identified in the statistics.
Information on the number of unaccompanied children from the former Yugoslavia who applied for asylum on arrival in the United Kingdom, for the years 1992 to 1994, is given in table 2.4 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin, "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1994", issue 15/95. A copy of this publication is available in the Library. Provisional information for 1995 indicates that nine unaccompanied children from the former Yugoslavia applied for asylum on arrival in the United Kingdom. Decisions on asylum applications from unaccompanied children are not separately recorded.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average cost of answering an (a) oral and (b) written parliamentary question from (i) Opposition and (ii) Conservative hon. Members in each Session since 1989-90. [21779]
Mr. Howard:
This Department does not collect the information in the form requested.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those areas of Executive action where he has discretion to act in respect of an individual without giving reasons for his decision. [20532]
Mr. Norris:
Comprehensive records are not kept in the form requested. However, in accordance with the code of practice on access to Government information, the Department is committed generally to giving reasons for administrative decisions to those affected.
Ms Short:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of public inquiries into major road schemes ruled against his Department over the last five years; and, of these public inquiry decisions, how many were subsequently endorsed by the Secretary of State. [20778]
Mr. Watts:
Since 1 April 1991, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport have announced 139 decisions on trunk road schemes following public inquiries. In seven cases, the independent inspector recommended against making the orders for the scheme and the inspector's recommendation
20 Mar 1996 : Column: 206
was endorsed by the Secretaries of State in each case. Over the period in question, significant modifications to satisfy objections were incorporated in 30 schemes, following inquiries where the inspector recommended in favour of the scheme.
Mr. Spellar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 1996, Official Report, column 470, how many of the improved transport links between central London and Greenwich will be in operation by the beginning of 1999. [21437]
Mr. Norris:
The Jubilee line extension is scheduled to open in early 1998 and the docklands light railway's Lewisham extension is scheduled to open in 1999. The expansion of river services on the Thames is a continuous process and a matter for the operators. We shall publish shortly our long-term proposals for new river crossings east of Tower bridge.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many research projects sponsored by his Department were undertaken by the Warren Springs laboratory in the last three years. [21288]
Mr. Norris:
Prior to the relocation of Warren Springs within the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, it performed extramural work for the Transport Research Laboratory on a number of projects relating to exhaust emissions. These are listed.
Since the absorption of Warren Springs Laboratory within the AEA, the following work has been carried out by it:
In-service emissions testing of catalyst equipped vehicles:
Project Manager: Tim Barlow
Work: Emissions test on 56 catalyst equipped cars
Completed: January 1993
Cost: about £43,000
Emissions modelling--feasibility study:
Project Manager: John Hickman
Work: Consultant services of Simon Eggleston and John Stedman (WSL)
Completed: Feasibility Study--1993, but see below
Emissions modelling:
Project Manager: John Hickman
Work: Consultant services of Simon Eggleston (NETCEN, Culham)
Completed: Ongoing
Emissions factors:
Project Manager: Tim Barlow
Work: Emission test on 10 vehicles over derived cycles using the WSL emissions test facility relocated at AEA Technology, Harwell
Completed: February 1996
Cost: about £18,000
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