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Prisoners (Family Support)
Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial assistance his Department has provided towards prisoners' wives and families support groups annually since 1986. [33903]
Miss Widdecombe: Details of financial assistance given to prisoners' wives and families support groups are as follows:
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| Organisation | 1986-87 | 1987-88 | 1988-89 | 1989-90 | 1990-91 | 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prisoners' Wives and Families Society (12) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 16,331 | 17,426 | -- |
| Prisoners' Families and Friends | 5,980 | 6,279 | 7,130 | 6,820 | 7,127 | 7,697 | 8,236 | 13,400 | 13,527 | -- |
| Partners' of Prisoners and Families Support Groups | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 25 | 20 | 20 | -- |
| Bourne Trust | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- |
| Halow (London) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3.5 | 5 | -- |
| Halow (Birmingham) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 15 | 16.5 | 4 | -- |
| Halow (Bristol) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 10 | -- |
| Aftermath | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 10 | 15 | -- | -- |
| Prison Link | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 10 | 10 | -- |
| Female Prisoners Welfare Project | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 10 | -- | -- | -- |
| Federation of Prisoners' Family Support Groups | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 15 | 25 | 2 | -- |
| Total | 5,980 | 6,279 | 7,130 | 6,820 | 7,127 | 7,697 | 78,236 | 124,731 | 86,953 | -- |
(12) Figures for 1986-87 to 1992-93 not available.
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DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Appeals
Mr. Sykes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progress with developing a model for appeals against enforcement action. [35080]
Mr. Freeman: A new model mechanism for appeals against enforcement action has been set out in S.I. 1678, which was laid before Parliament today.
This new model provides for a speedier and cheaper way of resolving disputes on enforcement of regulations. At the same time, it incorporates procedures that will ensure every opportunity is made available to business to resolve disputes informally without having to resort to the appeal process.
The model has been developed through wide consultation with the business and regulatory community, drawing on best practice from existing appeal procedures.
Features of the model include: rights to make representation before formal action is taken, unless urgent action is necessary; provision for an appeal tribunal to be set up by the Minister responsible for the legislation, to resolve disputes that cannot be resolved informally; time limits for each stage of the appeal process; appeals to be considered on their merits by the tribunal; assistance with an effective and efficient resolution of disputes, for which pre-hearing reviews will be encouraged; and, where appropriate, the decision of the tribunal can be based on written submissions only, avoiding the time and costs of oral hearings.
Each tribunal will be made up of a legally qualified chairman assigned from a panel appointed by the Lord Chancellor in England and Wales and the Lord Advocate in Scotland; a member who is expert in the field; and a member representing business. Each tribunal will be supported by a registrar to provide for active case management.
The model is designed to apply across a wide range of policy areas. The rights to make representations at an early stage have already been implemented by the Environment Agency and for health and safety legislation. They will shortly be applied to food safety and building regulations, and later in the year to fire safety and consumer affairs.
Mr. Ian McCartney:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was the cost in each of the past five years of (a) sick pay and (b) compensation paid to employees of his Department or their families, or members of the
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public, as a result of (i) minor, (ii) major and (iii) fatal injuries related to the work of his Department, detailing incidents involving information technology and those involving expenditure of more than £5,000. [33498]
Mr. Willetts:
The table gives available sick pay and compensation costs for the Central Cabinet Office, including No. 10, and the executive agencies for which I am responsible.
| Minor | Major | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Cabinet Office and its Agencies | ||
| 1991-92 | 1,313.28 | Nil |
| 1992-93 | 694.28 | Nil |
| 1993-94 | 8,935.80 | Nil |
| 1994-95 | 11,595.20 | 4,663.88 |
| 1995-96 | ||
| COI | ||
| 1991-92 | Nil | Nil |
| 1992-93 | Nil | Nil |
| 1993-94 | Nil | 10,549.02 |
| 1994-95 | Nil | 1,399.17 |
| 1995-96 | Nil | Nil |
There were no reported fatal injuries.
Part B:
Mr. McCartney:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions in each of the past five years health and safety problems in his Department and its agencies have been reported via internal monitoring; and on how many occasions the Health and Safety Commission has become involved. [33496]
Compensation paid to employees, their families or members of the public:
Nil return from all Departments/Agencies except COI: 1 case 1994-95 £90,000 paid to employee.
Incidents involving information technology:
COI: 1 case 1993--Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
Incidents involving expenditure of more than £5,000 (costs of sick leave may not all fall in one financial year):
OHSA: 1 case 1994-95--fall.
CCC: 1 case 1994-95--fall/slipped whilst patrolling perimeter fence.
COI: 1 case 1993-94--RSI.
PACE, SAFE and TBA have Nil returns for all categories and all years.
HMSO--The information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Not all work-related injuries incurred sick pay.
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Mr. Willetts: The information requested from the Cabinet Office, its agencies, the Central Office of Information and HMSO is as follows:
Cabinet Office and its Agencies:
1991-92: Nil
1992-93: Nil
1993-94: One
1994-95: Three
1995-96: Five
Central Office of Information:
No occasions. On no occasion was the Health and Safety Commission involved.
HMSO:
The information is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Willetts: The Cabinet Office, its agencies, the Central Office of Information and HMSO all have rolling programmes of maintenance which are designed to ensure that working conditions meet acceptable health and safety standards. They also respond to specific concerns as they arise. Information on this type of expenditure is as follows:
Cabinet Office and its Agencies:
1991-92: Nil
1992-93: Nil
1993-94: £6,700
1994-95: £48,600
1995-96: £109,700
Central Office of Information:
Nil.
There are no incidents involving information technology.
HMSO:
The information is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Willetts: The information requested from the Cabinet Office, it agencies, the Central Office of Information and HMSO is as follows:
| Minor | Major | |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet Office and its Agencies | ||
| 1991-92 | 54 | Nil |
| 1992-93 | 66 | Nil |
| 1993-94 | 81 | Nil |
| 1994-95 | 95 | Nil |
| 1995-96 | 127 | 1 |
| Central Office of Information | ||
| 1991-92 | 21 | Nil |
| 1992-93 | 13 | Nil |
| 1993-94 | 3 | (13)1 |
| 1994-95 | Nil | Nil |
| 1995-96 | 3 | Nil |
Minor injuries consisted mainly of paper cuts, minor bruises and pulled muscles reported to first aiders. There were no minor injuries related to information technology.
(13) The one major injury in COI in 1993-94 was related to information technology.
There were no reported fatal injuries.
For HMSO, the information requested is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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