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Neighbourhood Watch
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes there were in each year since the schemes were introduced. [11352]
Mr. Michael
[holding answer 29 July 1997]: Neighbourhood watch schemes were first introduced in 1982. Statistics relating to the early years of their
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development were not collected systematically. Information is available only from 1991 onwards and is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| January to December 1991 | 99,149 |
| January to December 1992 | 115,678 |
| January to December 1993 | 130,584 |
| January to March 1994-95 | 143,002 |
| April to March 1995-96 | 153,260 |
| April to March 1996-97 | 161,397 |
Police (Wales)
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were employed by each of the four Welsh police forces in each year since 1979. [11199]
Mr. Michael [holding answer 29 July 1997]: The information is set out in the table:
| Year | Police force | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As at March | Dyfed-Powys | Gwent | North Wales | South Wales |
| 1979 | 910 | 965 | 1,268 | 2,936 |
| 1980 | 926 | 967 | 1,275 | 3,056 |
| 1981 | 932 | 972 | 1,293 | 3,065 |
| 1982 | 920 | 964 | 1,286 | 3,103 |
| 1983 | 927 | 963 | 1,296 | 3,091 |
| 1984 | 921 | 962 | 1,290 | 3,071 |
| 1985 | 910 | 964 | 1,271 | 3,073 |
| 1986 | 930 | 978 | 1,253 | 3,066 |
| 1987 | 932 | 973 | 1,286 | 3,100 |
| 1988 | 917 | 979 | 1,300 | 3,126 |
| 1989 | 931 | 996 | 1,327 | 3,102 |
| 1990 | 935 | 1,008 | 1,337 | 3,135 |
| 1991 | 935 | 999 | 1,349 | 3,137 |
| 1992 | 947 | 1,009 | 1,347 | 3,168 |
| 1993 | 967 | 1,004 | 1,360 | 3,176 |
| 1994 | 965 | 993 | 1,352 | 3,131 |
| 1995 | 976 | 997 | 1,366 | 3,014 |
| 1996 | 991 | (1)1,044 | 1,378 | (1)3,027 |
| 1997 | 1,005 | (1)1,243 | 1,369 | (1)2,976 |
(1) As a result of local government re-organisation in Wales on 1 April 1996, 150 police officers were transferred from the South Wales police to the Gwent constabulary.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Asian Initiative
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and which countries are recipients of aid under the Asian initiative.[9952]
Clare Short: The initiative will work in high-priority countries in terms of reproductive health needs. The main recipients are expected to be Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam. Other countries may be included later.
Yemen
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on future levels of planned aid to Yemen. [11289]
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Clare Short:
The bulk of Britain's development assistance to Yemen is provided through contributions to the World bank and European Community. Our bilateral programme focuses on the Government of Yemen's priorities for economic recovery and includes support for the World bank's programme to regenerate Aden port. Projects funded under the British partnership scheme support local non-governmental organisations and small communities. We are currently reviewing our programme.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries which have not (a) signed and (b) ratified the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women; what steps her Department is taking to encourage them to do so; and if she will make a staement. [11490]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I have been asked to reply.
I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly.
Unemployed Graduates
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of students who graduated in June 1996 were unemployed in June 1997; and if he will make a statement. [10517]
Dr. Howells: The latest data available for unemployment rates of new full-time first degree graduates in the UK are for the academic year 1994-95 which show that 9 per cent. of graduates with known destination were unemployed six months after graduation. Data on the first destinations of graduates for the academic year 1995-96 will be published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency at the end of this month.
Unemployment among newly qualified graduates has declined annually since 1992 and this decline has occurred in spite of the increased output of graduates from universities and colleges of higher education. The unemployment rate for graduates in the economically active labour force is, however, much lower than this and stood at 4.1 per cent. in 1996. Those with degrees enjoy employment rates significantly higher than those without.
Higher Education
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of general national vocational qualification students will be attending higher education institutes from September 1997; and if he will make a statement. [10485]
Dr. Howells:
Available information on applicants and acceptances to HE courses through the Universities and Colleges Admission Service scheme shows that in 1996 there were 21,308 applicants who had taken either units of the advanced GNVQ or the full award and were applying to higher education institutions HEIs. Of these, 13,090--61.4 per cent.--gained HE places. This compares favourably with 1995, when 5,942 UCAS applicants--58.5 per cent.--gained places at HEIs out of a total of 10.151. A total of 168 HEIs have accepted advanced GNVQ applicants on to their courses, with 50
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accepting more than 100 such applicants, including 26 with more than 200 and eight with more than 300 GNVQ entrants.
Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will conduct a national investigation into debts owed to universities and other higher educational institutes by graduating students; and if he will make a statement. [10519]
Dr. Howells:
We have no plans to conduct such an investigation. Money owed to individual institutions is a matter between them and the students concerned.
Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made of levels of average student debt for 2000; and if he will make a statement. [10524]
Dr. Howells:
A typical higher education student graduating in the year 2,000 having attended a three-year course away from home and outside London would have a total debt of some £4,600 at 1997 prices if he or she took out the maximum available student loan each year. This figure excludes any commercial or family debts, information on which is not collected centrally.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of student loans from each year since the scheme's inception remain in (a) arrears and (b) total default at the latest available date; and in what proportion of cases in each year recovery action is being taken. [11473]
Dr. Howells:
This is a matter for the Student Loans Company. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
Mr. Gordon Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements he proposes to make in respect of expenditure related to the sale of student debt prior to Royal Assent being granted to the Education (Student Loans) Bill. [12219]
Dr. Howells:
Parliamentary approval to this new service will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Department of Education and Employment: Programmes and Central Services vote, class IX, vote 1. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £1 million will be met by repayable advances from the contingencies fund.
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost of providing free tuition for all part-time undergraduates (a) in higher education and (b) on approved further education courses. [11182]
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Dr. Howells:
We estimate that the annual cost of meeting the fees currently paid in respect of (a) all part-time undergraduates in higher education and (b) all students, including full-time students, in further education who currently pay fees would be approaching £300 million and some £200 million respectively. It is not possible to estimate the fee income from all part-time students in further education separately, though it is known to be well in excess of £100 million.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if medical students following courses of between four and six years will be required to make a contribution to their tuition fees throughout their university and hospital training. [11036]
Dr. Howells:
Under the plans announced by my right hon. Friend in the statement that he made in the House on 23 July, full-time students in higher education would pay up to £1,000 per year depending on parental income. But, as my right hon. Friend also made clear, we shall be considering the need for appropriate measures, such as bursaries for students entering some health and social care professional courses, as well as teacher training courses, given the state's particular interest in securing a continued supply of qualified professionals in these areas. We have invited the views of representative bodies by the end of September.
Mr. Colvin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to make discretionary degree course fees subject to parental means-testing. [10769]
Dr. Howells:
My right hon. Friend announced on 23 July the Government's proposals to require full-time undergraduates to make a contribution to tuition fees of up to £1,000, dependent on parental income. The implications of these proposals for students who are not currently eligible for mandatory awards are being considered and will be dealt with in a more detailed policy statement in the autumn.
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