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Sustainable Development
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department has used the UK indicators for sustainable development in (a) the production of the Department's annual report, (b) monitoring progress towards meeting the objectives set out in the UK sustainable development strategy and (c) assessing the environmental implications of policy options; and what plans it has to extend their use in future within the Department. [12272]
Mr. Howard: As the 1994 publication, the Department of the Environment's "Sustainable Development--The United Kingdom Strategy" showed, the Home Office has no direct role in the achievement of the Government's
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sustainable development objectives. Nevertheless, my Department keeps itself fully informed of progress on, and alert to any opportunity to contribute to, these objectives. In particular, we pay close attention to the United Kingdom indicators for sustainable development.
UK Citizenship (Hong Kong)
Sir Patrick Cormack: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures he has established to process the applications for United Kingdom citizenship which he has received from members of the Hong Kong ethnic minority community; and if he will set out the special provisions proposed by Her Majesty's Government for this group. [13323]
Mr. Kirkhope: Some members of the ethnic minority community in Hong Kong have applied successfully for citizenship under the British nationality selection scheme. The Government also made provision in the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 to prevent any British dependent territories citizen from becoming stateless, and have guaranteed that any solely British members of the ethnic minority community who come under pressure to leave Hong Kong after the handover will be able to come to the United Kingdom for settlement.
Data Protection
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what progress has been made in respect of data protection measures to implement European directives; what further steps are being taken by Ministers; how long it has taken to implement European directives in this field (a) on average and (b) relative to other policy areas; and how progress in this area has compared with the speed with which other directives have been implemented by the Government; [13576]
- (2) what European Community directives on data protection have been made; and what is the date by which measures must be implemented by the Government. [13575]
Mr. Sackville: Directive 95/46/EC is the only European Community directive on personal data protection to have been adopted. We have carried out a consultation exercise and will bring forward proposals in time to meet the implementation date of 24 October 1998. The work needed to implement directives varies, and there is no sound basis for comparing progress.
Young Offenders
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Welsh young offenders have been placed in detention institutions for each of the last five years for which figures are available, by (a) age of offender and (b) category of offence; and if he will make a statement. [12836]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 27 January 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
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Letter from S. G. Norris to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 3 February 1997:
(12) Excludes those committed to custody for non-payment of a fine and non-criminal prisoners.
(13) Provisional figures.
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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 Question about the number of Welsh young offenders placed in detention institutions in the last five years, by (a) age of offender and (b) category of offence.
The information on where prisoners originate from is not available. However, statistics relating to persons who were first committed to custody under sentence by a court in Wales, is given in the attached table.
Offence/Age 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996(13)
Aged 15
Violence against the person 2 5 8 12 8
Sexual offences -- -- -- 1 1
Burglary 4 18 10 17 13
Robbery -- 2 4 2 6
Theft and handling 4 10 16 25 16
Fraud and forgery -- -- -- -- --
Drugs offences -- -- -- -- --
Other offences -- -- 12 6 13
Not recorded -- -- 2 1 --
Aged 16
Violence against the person 6 14 12 13 16
Sexual offences -- 1 -- -- 2
Burglary 8 25 29 26 36
Robbery 1 4 5 11 9
Theft and handling 9 28 31 36 16
Fraud and forgery -- -- -- -- --
Drugs offences -- -- -- 3 1
Other offences 5 7 17 9 14
Not recorded -- -- 3 5 1
Aged 17
Violence against the person 8 16 19 15 32
Sexual offences 1 1 -- 1 3
Burglary 26 40 41 50 32
Robbery 6 10 10 10 9
Theft and handling 19 52 54 63 38
Fraud and forgery -- 1 1 -- --
Drugs offences -- -- 2 1 4
Other offences 9 20 24 31 39
Not recorded 2 1 3 5 1
Aged 18
Violence against the person 10 27 27 27 43
Sexual offences 2 4 2 3 1
Burglary 35 60 49 74 54
Robbery 2 13 9 15 15
Theft and handling 18 49 73 67 75
Fraud and forgery -- -- 1 -- 3
Drugs offences 1 3 1 5 7
Other offences 25 45 52 61 55
Not recorded 1 -- -- -- 1
Aged 19
Violence against the person 18 37 35 36 48
Sexual offences 4 4 1 1 6
Burglary 41 60 56 70 43
Robbery 4 15 7 13 17
Theft and handling 21 54 59 66 73
Fraud and forgery -- 1 2 2 1
Drugs offences 2 8 8 11 20
Other offences 25 57 79 65 69
Not recorded 1 2 1 2 1
Aged 20
Violence against the person 12 31 33 36 44
Sexual offences 1 1 1 -- 4
Burglary 31 78 65 49 58
Robbery 11 14 6 7 11
Theft and handling 21 41 64 70 51
Fraud and forgery -- -- 2 4 3
Drugs offences 5 6 5 13 15
Other offences 12 41 58 57 57
Not recorded 2 1 2 1 2
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to respond to the recommendations contained in the first report of the Home Affairs Select Committee on the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, HC 146, Session 1996-97. [13770]
Mr. Sackville: My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to respond to the Home Affairs Select Committee report on the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 during February.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Child Care
Mr. Allen: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what proposals are being considered by the Administration Committee for a staffed creche or nursery for the use of hon. Members. [13500]
Security Passes (Contractors)
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many Palace of Westminster security passes are (a) available and (b) currently in use for contractors; and if he will make a statement. [13063]
Mr. Michael J. Martin: Photographic identity passes are made available for issue to contractors as and when the need arises; currently 2,176 passes for contractors are in use.
New Parliamentary Building
Mr. Dixon: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee when construction of the new parliamentary building will commence; and if he will make a statement. [11925]
Sir Raymond Powell: I am pleased to report that good progress is being made with the design and procurement of the new building. Contracts for over 70 per cent. of the work by value have been awarded. For example, prefabrication of the roof is proceeding apace in Lancashire, of the stone columns in Derbyshire and the contractors are well advanced with the detailed design and ordering of the mechanical and electrical services.
It had been planned that work would start on site today, 3 February 1997. Unfortunately London Underground Ltd. and its contractor have not made as much progress
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as they planned with the construction of the new Westminster station and are not able to hand back the site. My Committee has taken evidence in public and in private from the chief executive of LUL and from the project director on a number of occasions and, while we appreciate the magnitude of their task, they have been left in no doubt of the considerable disappointment that they have not been able to return the site on the due date. In due course the House will be pursuing the remedies available under the terms of the agreement with LUL.
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