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Domestic Violence

Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of violent offences against the person consist of incidents of domestic violence. [5893]

Mr. Maclean: No information regarding the relationship of victim and suspect for offences of violence against the person recorded by the police is routinely collected by the Home Office. However, the 1996 British crime survey estimates that 27 per cent. of incidents of wounding and common assault in 1995 were defined as domestic violence, which includes incidents involving partners, ex-partners, household members and other relatives, irrespective of location, and covers both male and female victims.

Seals

Mr. Michael Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide continuing protection for seals under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, following the expiry of the order laid under section 3 (i) in 1990. [7031]

Mr. Sackville: I have now laid before Parliament the Conservation of Seals (England) Order 1996, which provides permanent close season protection for common seals and grey seals for three years in an area stretching along the North sea coast from the border between England and Scotland to Newhaven on the south coast. The order will come into force on 19 December, to coincide with the expiry of the order laid in 1993.

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Gender Indemnity Legislation

Dr. Lynn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress in producing a paper giving the range of policy options for Ministers on the issues raised by the Gender Identity (Registration and Civil Status) Bill introduced by the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile). [6269]

Mr. Sackville: These issues are kept under continual review.

Wheelclamping

Mr. Thurnham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library his proposals for the codes of practice on wheelclamping.[6123]

Mr. Maclean: My right hon. and learned Friend has made no proposals for code of practice to regulate wheelclamping on private land. We are still considering what action, if any, should be taken to regulate wheelclamping, including proposals for codes of practice which we have received. We shall make an announcement as soon as possible.

Detainees (Case Reviews)

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a person detained in prison for an immigration offence is kept informed of reviews of their case by the immigration services. [6212]

Mr. Kirkhope: Those detained in a prison or a detention centre under the powers contained in the immigration Act 1971 are advised in writing by the immigration service on a monthly basis of developments in their case. Detained asylum claimants receive separate monthly progress reports on their applications from the asylum directorate.

Mr. Raghbir Singh

Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 November, Official Report, column 636, concerning Raghbir Singh, when he expects to give a substantive reply. [6575]

Mr. Howard: Shortly.

Information Technology Projects

Ms Church: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 7 November, Official Report, column 644 on IT projects, what is his Department's definition of disproportionate cost. [6703]

Mr. Howard: When it is estimated that the cost of providing the information requested would exceed £450.

Child Care Facilities

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what child care facilities his Department provides for its employees; what facilities were provided in 1992; and how many employees have used child care facilities in each year since 1992. [6457]

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Mr. Howard: The Department currently makes available 167 subsidised nursery places for children under five at 13 different locations. Emergency nursery care is usually available at these locations for employees whose normal child care provision breaks down. There are also subsidised holiday playscheme places at four different locations for children who are between five and 12 years old.

In 1992, there were 91 subsidised nursery places available at six locations and holiday playschemes were provided at three locations.

The number of employees who have used the nurseries and playschemes since 1992 are shown in the following table:

Number of employees who have used child care facilities since 1992

Year	Nursery users	Playscheme users
1992	130	67
1993	127	84
1994	174	110
1995	183	123
1996	184	140

Police Assistance

Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that special constables, lay visitors and other volunteers providing assistance to the police are properly insured against personal accident risks; and if he will make a statement. [4648]

Mr. Maclean [holding answer 18 November 1996]: The Government recognise the valuable contribution of volunteers who assist the police and agree that police authorities should have powers to enable them to provide personal accident insurance for voluntary assistance. We are considering changes to police regulations to improve the provision of compensation for injury to special constables. The Government are looking to support primary legislation on police authorities and the power to hold personal accident insurance for other voluntary assistants in the current Session.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

New Members (Induction Courses)

Mr. Allen: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what plans the House authorities have for induction courses for new hon. Members. [6619]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 17 July to the hon. Member for Warrington, North (Mr. Hoyle), Official Report, columns 522-23.

In addition to the measures listed in my earlier reply, a card, of credit card size, is being printed to provide hon. Members with the extension numbers of key administrative offices and services within the House.

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LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

EDS Ltd.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Lord President of the Council how many contracts his department, agencies and associated bodies have had with EDS for each year since 1985; what was the value of each contract; if he will indicate for each contract (a) if it was completed, (b) what modifications were made at the request of (i) the company and (ii) the Department and (c) if work under contract is being undertaken in-house; and if he will make a statement on the number of job reductions in his Department arising from the contracting out of work by EDS. [3819]

Mr. Newton: The Privy Council Office has had no contracts with EDS Scicon. I am not responsible for any agencies.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Women

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of those employed by his Department in 1992-93 were women. [6479]

Mr. Streeter: As at 31 December 1992, 63.55 per cent. of staff in the Lord Chancellor's Department were women. As at 31 December 1993 that proportion had risen to 64.18 per cent.

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many women are currently employed by his Department at each civil service grade.[6447]

Mr. Streeter: For the Lord Chancellor's Department headquarters and associated offices, the Court Service and the Public Trust Office, the information is set out in the table.

Civil Service grade	Number of women
Grade 1	0
Grade 2	0
Grade 3	1
Grade 4	1
Grade 5	10
Grade 6	21
Grade 7	94
SEO	133
HEO	582
EO	1,510
AO	3,555
AA	308
Support Grade	1,463

Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to measure and evaluate the effect of his Department's policies on women. [5477]

Mr. Streeter: In July of this year, the model guidance on policy appraisal for equal treatment was revised and circulated at Cabinet level for Departments to adapt to their own circumstances. A copy was placed in the

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Library of the House. This guidance requires officials to identify policy issues which might impact differentially on women and men, and other groups, to assess whether this is justified in policy terms, and to adjust the policy if it is not. The guidance has been issued to senior officials in the Lord Chancellor's Department.

Child Care Facilities

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what child care facilities his Department provides for its employees; what facilities were provided in 1992; and how many employees have used child care facilities in each year since 1992. [6458]

Mr. Streeter: At present, subsidised child care in 13 nurseries and 18 holiday playschemes is provided to employees in the Lord Chancellor's Department, including the Court Service and Public Trust Office. In 1992, three nurseries and nine playschemes were in operation. For the years 1992 to 1995 inclusive, information on the number of employees using child care facilities is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, since 1 January 1996 to date, 54 employees used Departmental nurseries and 66 employees used Departmental playscheme places.

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