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Voting Register
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much is being spent in the current financial year on national advertising campaigns to encourage people to register to vote; and what was the equivalent figure in real terms for each year since 1978-79. [1461]
Mr. Howard [holding answer 4 November 1996]: In the current financial year, £700,000 is being spent on electoral registration advertising.
| Actual spend £ | Equivalent figure £ | |
|---|---|---|
| 1982-83 | 87,000 | 160,000 |
| 1983-84 | 113,000 | 199,000 |
| 1984-85 | 126,000 | 211,000 |
| 1985-86 | 150,000 | 239,000 |
| 1986-87 | 300,000 | 463,000 |
| 1987-88 | 260,000 | 381,000 |
| 1988-89 | 306,000 | 420,000 |
| 1989-90 | 452,000 | 580,000 |
| 1990-91 | 468,000 | 557,000 |
| 1991-92 | 614,000 | 686,000 |
| 1992-93 | 606,000 | 650,000 |
| 1993-94 | 620,000 | 646,000 |
| 1994-95 | 650,000 | 666,000 |
| 1995-96 | 815,000 | 815,000 |
| 1996-97 | 700,000 | 685,000 |
My Department's records of advertising expenditure for the years before 1982-83 do not provide a breakdown between individual campaigns. The work involved in identifying costs of electoral registration advertising for those years would incur disproportionate costs.
The budget for television advertising spots, media spend and agency fees in 1996-97 is nearly the same as that for 1995-96. The difference between the years shown in the table is primarily because of production savings achieved this year through re-use of the 1995-96 commercial. Research showed it to be an effective advertisement capable of continuing to get the message across. After allowing for this, the real terms advertising spend was £685,000 in 1996-97 compared with £700,000 in 1995-96. Last year, general awareness of registration publicity among people surveyed rose from 29 per cent. pre-campaign to 61 per cent., post. This year, it rose from 20 per cent. pre to 70 per cent. post.
5 Nov 1996 : Column: 440
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when documents concerning the application by John Blair to be repatriated to a prison in the Irish Republic were sent to the appropriate authorities in the Republic; when he expects John Blair will be repatriated; and if he will make a statement; [1972]
Miss Widdecombe
[holding answer 4 November 1996]: The necessary documentation relating to Mr. Blair's repatriation request was referred to the Republic of Ireland on 18 September 1996. Referral of an application does not mean that repatriation will necessarily take place. Repatriation is as well as of the prisoner, following consideration of all the relevant information.
Mr. Duggin's request was originally made on 18 September 1995 and Mr. O'Connell's on 19 July 1995. However, neither request could be considered until the Republic of Ireland brought the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons into force in the Republic on 1 November 1995. Both these requests remain under consideration and have not been referred to the Republic.
Mr. Chris Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an estimate of the number of places for prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons in each of the years 1996 to 2006. [52]
Miss Widdecombe:
I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. David Nicholson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the immigration status of Learco Chindamo; and what power exists to deport him at the end of his sentence. [1091]
Mr. Kirkhope:
It is not our normal practice to disclose the immigration status of individuals. In accordance with domestic and international law, the Secretary of State has power to deport a serious offender on completion of his sentence if it would be in the public interest to do so.
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the initial advice he gave to Rolls-Royce following its request of October 1993 for approval of an export licence for naval engine spares to Argentina; and when that advice was given. [1066]
Mr. Lang
[holding answer 29 October 1996]: The company made no such request in October 1993. In a letter dated 20 October 1993, the company requested advice on the licensability of the Tyne RM1 engine and
5 Nov 1996 : Column: 441
its components. After carrying out a detailed technical and legal assessment in consultation with MOD experts, my Department advised, in a letter dated 2 June 1995, that, irrespective of the destination, the company would require a licence under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 to export components and assemblies specially designed to fulfil the requirements imposed by the combat environment of a warship. A licence would be required to export these military components or entire Tyne engines in which they were included.
My Department also advised the company that under the terms of the order it would not require a licence to export other Tyne components that were not specially designed or modified for military use, or engine modules and sub-assemblies which did not include the military components, unless they had been modified from components for an aeroengine, in which case a licence would in certain circumstances be required. This assessment did not constitute either a variation or a relaxation of the embargo on sales of military equipment and arms to Argentina announced on 3 April 1982. Before this advice was received, the company submitted two applications, dated 17 December 1993 and 29 August 1994, for a licence to supply the Argentine Navy with engines and components specially designed or modified for military use. These applications were refused in letters from my Department dated 24 June 1994 and 24 January 1995 respectively.
Mr. Lloyd:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the first occasion on which he received a request from Rolls-Royce to consider approving export licences for naval engine spares for Argentina; and what response he gave. [1067]
Mr. Lang
[holding answer 29 October 1996]: Computerised records before January 1991 are not readily available. Since then my Department has received two applications from Rolls-Royce for export licences with respect to proposals to supply the Argentine Navy with engines and components specially designed or modified for military use. The first such application was dated 17 December 1993, and both applications were refused. My right hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones) announced to the House by written answer on 16 January 1991, Official Report column 521, that the Government had decided to allow a limited supply of essential maintenance spares for vessels deployed as part of the Argentine contribution to the Gulf as an exception to the embargo. On 18 October 1990, Rolls-Royce had applied for a licence to supply an Argentine naval vessel with parts for the Olympus engine and, under the provisions of the export control legislation in force at that time; a licence was issued to the company on 6 March 1991 for the supply of these parts; a limited supply of spares was also provided for the same purpose by the Ministry of Defence.
Sir Wyn Roberts:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the change in the value of (a) EU and (b) United Kingdom exports and for other OECD countries since 1987; and how British exports have fared in this context. [1651]
5 Nov 1996 : Column: 442
Mr. Nelson:
The information requested is in the following table:
(2) when Harry Duggin and Joe O'Connell applied to be repatriated to a prison in the Republic of Ireland; if the necessary documents have been referred to the appropriate authorities of the Republic; when he expects both prisoners will be repatriated; and if he will make a statement. [1973]
| US$ billion | Per cent. change | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 1995 | 1987-95 | |
| UK | 131 | 239 | 82.4 |
| EU15 | 1,049 | 1,911 | 82.2 |
| Other OECD | 715 | 1,508 | 110.8 |
Notes:
(15) Comprises Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and USA.
(16) Values in US$ at current prices and exchange rates.
Source:
IMF Direction of Trade.
Fireworks
Mr. Snape: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what response he has received to his discussion paper on firework control issued in August 1996; what plans he has to introduce new statutory measures to control the use and sale of fireworks; and if he will make a statement; [2273]
- (2) what plans he has to review the control and sale of fireworks. [2272]
Mr. John M. Taylor: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 28 October, Official Report, column 112 in which I gave details of the review of fireworks.
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