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Holding Centres
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the 4th Annual Report of the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres; and if she will make a statement. [7411]
Mr. Ingram: A consultation exercise on the recommendations made in the 4th Annual Report of the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres is at present being conducted. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider making a statement when the consultation exercise has been completed.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will publish the code of practice for video-recording interviews with suspects detained in the holding centres. [7412]
Mr. Ingram: The code of practice for the silent video-recording of interviews with suspects detained in the Holding Centres is at an advanced stage of preparation. It will be published as soon as possible.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will review guidelines for the holding centres to enable detainees to be provided with writing materials. [7413]
Mr. Ingram: The provision of writing materials for detainees is being considered as part of the consultation exercise.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the police have a right of veto over the decision of the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres or his Deputy to attend a detainee interview. [7414]
Mr. Ingram: The question as to whether or not the Independent Commissioner or his Deputy attends a detainee interview is in the first place a matter for the detained person. Additionally though, in exceptional circumstances, the police have a right of veto over the Commissioner's decision to attend. This is reflected in the Commissioners' Terms of Reference.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will place a copy of the RUC document, "Notice to Detained Persons," in the Library. [7415]
15 Jul 1997 : Column: 147
Mr. Ingram:
The Codes of Practice for the Detention, Treatment, Questioning and Identification of detained persons set out very clearly and in some detail the requirements in terms of informing detained persons of their rights while in custody.
A copy of the Codes of Practice is available in the Library.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list (a) the functions carried out in each of the three holding centres and (b) the allocation of space accorded to each. [7416]
Mr. Ingram:
The function of each of the Holding Centres is to provide for the detention and interview of persons detained under Section 14 of the Prevention of Terrorism (TP) Act 1989, in accordance with the Codes of Practice issued under Section 61 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991.
The allocation of space accorded to each function varies between Holding Centres and indeed variation exists within each Holding Centre.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is (a) the estimated cost of building works proposed by the Police Authority to replace Castlereagh Holding Centre and (b) the estimated duration of such works from commencement to completion. [7417]
Mr. Ingram:
It has been estimated in the absence of a statement of feasibility and cost range, that a replacement build for Castlereagh Holding Centre would currently:
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the perinatal mortality rate in the Royal Maternity Hospital during the past five years; and what has been the average rate for maternity hospitals in the United Kingdom in the same period. [8585]
Mr. Worthington:
The information is not available in the form requested.
Mrs. Browning:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the electrified grids in the channel tunnel are turned on. [7705]
Mr. Rooker:
Eurotunnel has told us that the grids are now operating, but not to their full specifications. MAFF officials will shortly be carrying out an inspection following a recent visit I made to the tunnel areas in England and France.
Mr. Steinberg:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to prohibit the farming of mink for fur; and if he will make a statement.[7655]
15 Jul 1997 : Column: 148
Mr. Morley:
I am currently exploring all possible ways forward on how to implement the Government's pre-election pledge to end fur farming as soon as practicable.
Mr. Bennett:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all areas of United Kingdom seas in which it is known radioactive waste has been dumped; what records he holds on which companies produced radioactive waste during the second half of this century, where the place where they disposed of their waste is unknown or was at sea; and if he will make a statement about the danger of this waste. [8230]
Mr. Rooker:
Dumping of radioactive waste in United Kingdom waters was carried out in the Hurd Deep from 1950 to 1963 and, as reported in my written reply to my hon. Friend, the member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie) on 1 July 1997, Official Report, columns 158-60, in Beaufort's Dyke in the 1950s.
The Department does not hold records on the production by companies of radioactive waste except in relation to the authorised disposal of such waste at sea, and in relation to the Ministry's previous responsibilities with regard to authorising radioactive waste disposal from licensed nuclear sites. We have already undertaken to publish any new information which may be found in the search of archive material referred to in my written answer of 1 July.
Monitoring has shown that levels of man-made radioactivity in UK waters remain well within internationally agreed safety levels and give no cause for concern. Results of this monitoring are compiled and published annually and copies are placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Collins:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many payments under the force majeure provisions of (a) the sheep annual premium scheme and (b) the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme were made in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [7461]
Mr. Rooker:
The following table shows the information requested in respect of England for the two years 1994 and 1995. Information for earlier years is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information on the number of cases in 1996 is currently being gathered.
(a) cost in the region of £6 million; and
(b) would take a period of approximately 18 months to complete.
| Scheme | 1994 | 1995 |
|---|---|---|
| SAPS | 30 | 7 |
| HLCAS | 3 | 4 |
Drift Nets
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the
15 Jul 1997 : Column: 149
(a) extent of use and (b) effectiveness of drift nets with Dolphin doors relative to drift nets without such doors; and if he will make a statement. [8485]
Mr. Morley:
In 1996, five of the eight United Kingdom vessels participating in the high seas drift net fishery for tuna used dolphin doors. The industry's estimate of dolphin casualties caused by the UK fleet in this fishery was approximately 90. It is not clear how far the use of dolphin doors affected the level of casualties or effectiveness of the drift nets in catching other species.
I am currently considering our policy towards high seas drift nets.
Mr. Beith:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 3 July, Official Report, column 260, if he will publish the report on the environmental effects of minestone tipping at Lynemouth, Northumberland, which he is currently considering. [8512]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 14 July 1997]: I have arranged for copies of the Report to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidance he will be giving to Staffordshire farmers for the transportation of cattle to slaughterhouses outside the county. [8589]
Mrs. Dean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the recent decision of the Intervention Board in respect of the lack of an abattoir registered to take over 30 months cattle and casualty cattle within Staffordshire. [8697]
Mr. Rooker:
Following a competitive tender, 26 abattoirs in Great Britain have been contracted by the Intervention Board to slaughter cattle under the Over Thirty Month Scheme. Selection was made on the basis of criteria which included quality and volume of service, suitability of premises, price and geographical location to ensure reasonable access for producers. Proportionally greater capacity has been provided to the traditional dairy areas, including the North West of England, and the number of liveweight markets acting as collection centres for entry to the scheme has not changed.
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