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Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received

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concerning (a) the safety of the conviction and (b) the case for parole, of Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard; and if he will make a statement. [21378]

Mr. Kirkhope: Representations about the cases of Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard have been received from a variety of sources. The latest representations that they were wrongfully convicted, and that they should be granted parole stem from an article in The Guardian alleging that a key prosecution witness wished to withdraw his evidence. These are being considered.

Both cases have been considered at the appropriate times by the Parole Board; neither has yet been recommended for release on life licence.

Data Protection

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Data Protection Registrar on (a) the use by the Security Services of the exemptions in section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1984 and (b) the use by the police of the exemptions in section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984; and if he will make a statement. [21416]

Mr. Howard: I have had no such discussions.

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of the implementation of the data protection directive, EC/95/46, on the problems associated with enforced subject access; and if he will make a statement. [21417]

Mr. Sackville: I will write to the hon. Member.

Public Bodies

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement.[21445]

Mr. Howard: The following executive non- departmental public bodies have a statutory base:


None of the NDPBs for which I am responsible admits members of the public to all board or committee meetings either under a statutory requirement or voluntarily.

The Commission for Racial Equality holds conferences and seminars on race relations issues, but none of the NDPBs for which I am responsible is under a statutory requirement to hold open meetings.

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Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21719]

Mr. Howard: The following advisory non-departmental public bodies are sponsored by my Department:


In my reply of 14 March 1996 at column 711, I indicated that the Poisons Board and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published their advice to Government. I regret that was incorrect.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if police authorities are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21767]

Mr. Maclean: Police authorities established under the provisions of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 now incorporated in the Police Act 1996 are not open to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, but by the Commissioner for Local Administration. Similarly, they are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission, not the National Audit Office. Also, the Audit Commission's citizens charter performance indicators include a range of indicators that apply to the police service, and police authorities are required to publish these annually. As regards statutory provision for open government, police authorities are bound by rules similar to those that apply for local government.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from.[21741]

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Mr. Howard: The Government are required to consult the following advisory non-departmental public bodies before relevant legislative proposals:


In addition, the Government's response to advice supplied by the following bodies must be published:



    Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England;
    Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21696]

Mr. Howard: The following advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department:


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The activities listed are undertaken voluntarily by the bodies concerned.

None of the advisory non-departmental public bodies which my Department sponsors publishes a register of members' interests, agendas for meetings or minutes of meetings.

Crime (London)

Sir Michael Shersby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the crime rate in each of the London boroughs; and if he will publish this in the Official Report giving details of each category of reported crime. [21491]

Mr. Maclean: I will write to the hon. Member.

Advisory Bodies (London)

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996-97 to 1999-2000. [21381]

Mr. Howard: Available information on the bodies requested is given in the table:

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£000

Budgeted expenditure Estimated running costs
1996-971997-981996-971997-98
Metropolitan Police1,713,4941,738,8841,663,8291,705,000
Metropolitan Police Committee399405399405
Inner London Probation Service46,14445,55540,61940,042
North-east London Probation Service10,69310,3489,6369,521
South-east London Probation Service7,0036,9106,4036,326
South-west London Probation Service5,7335,8204,8944,797
Middlesex Probation Service19,17418,97217,42117,133

Budgets for subsequent years are not yet determined.

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