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Police Expenditure
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for police authority revenue spending in 1998-99. [19123]
Mr. Ron Davies:
I propose to make £353 million available from total standard spending in Wales to fund police services in 1998-99. This sum comprises £179.6 million in cash-limited police grant, to be paid by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, and
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£173.4 million in standard spending assessments (SSA). It represents an overall increase of £12.4 million, or 3.6 per cent. on 1997-98.
The sums for each police authority are set out in the following table:
| Police grant | SSA | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dyfed-Powys | 26.0 | 25.1 | 51.1 |
| Gwent | 34.3 | 33.0 | 67.3 |
| North Wales | 37.4 | 35.8 | 73.2 |
| South Wales | 81.8 | 79.5 | 161.3 |
My Department is today writing to each police authority in Wales consulting them on their provisional standard spending assessment for 1998-99. The figures may alter slightly if the balance of funding between English and Welsh police authorities, which is determined by a joint formula, changes as a result of consultation.
My provisional capping principles for police authorities allow for an increase in spending power of 3.7 per cent. I will make my final decisions on capping principles in the light of budgets set by police authorities.
Copies of the consultation letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Caton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the Welsh non-domestic rate poundage for the next financial year. [19124]
Mr. Ron Davies:
I propose that the national non-domestic rate poundage for Wales should rise to 42.9 pence to reflect the annual increase in the retail prices index to September 1997.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, the lowest hourly rate paid by his Department to (a) full-time employees, (b) part-time employees, (c) persons employed under personal contract and (d) persons employed by firms undertaking contracted-out services for central government offices, defining the job title in each case. [18108]
Mr. Ron Davies:
(a) Full-time casual administrative assistants earn the hourly equivalent of £3.30 per hour.
(b) Part-time casual administrative assistants earn the hourly equivalent of £3.75 per hour.
(c) There are no staff employed on personal contracts in the Welsh Office.
(d) Information of this nature is commercial in confidence.
Mr. Rhodri Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the future management of the Brecon Beacons National Park. [18836]
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Mr. Ron Davies:
I have received representations from a number of members of the Park Authority. On 20 November, the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) requested a report from the Chairman.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearance officers there are in (a) Bombay and (b) New Delhi. [18308]
Mr. Fatchett:
Bombay currently has 10 Entry Clearance officers (ECOs) and 2 Entry Clearance Managers (ECMs). New Delhi has 12 ECOs, 2 ECMs and a full time Head of Immigration (who is also the Consul).
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the application for admission of Mr. Sayed Muhamed Azim Nazis in Bombay (reference E/97/3255). [18311]
Mr. Fatchett:
We have asked our High Commission in Bombay to provide a detailed account of the position. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will write to the hon. Member within one week of receiving that account.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average length of time taken in (a) Bombay and (b) New Delhi to dispatch an explanatory statement followed a refusal of entry clearance in 1997. [18309]
Mr. Fatchett:
In 1997 the average time taken to despatch an explanatory statement following a refusal of entry clearance in Bombay and New Delhi are two months in both cases.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received from (a) hon. Members and (b) others concerning the operation of the entry clearance office in (i) Bombay and (ii) New Delhi. [18307]
Mr. Fatchett:
Our correspondence statistics are not broken down in such a way as to be able to give precise figures of representations on the operation of the entry clearance offices in Bombay and New Delhi.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens were murdered in South Africa in the last 12 months; and what measures he plans to take to promote the protection of British nationals resident in or visiting South Africa. [18216]
Mr. Fatchett:
Eight British citizens have been reported to British missions in South Africa as murdered in the last 12 months. There are approximately 1.2 million Britons living in South Africa; and some 200,000 Britons visit each year. This Department has a duty to protect their interests and to provide them with relevant information about threats to their personal safety. In South Africa this is undertaken by consular staff at the six British missions
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there and by the provision of Travel Advice. Since February 1997 Travel Advice on South Africa has been warning potential visitors about the high level of violent crime there. It also advises against visiting isolated areas throughout South Africa and names specific locations in the major cities where care should be taken.
Mr. Livingstone:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the World Summit for Children project; and if he will make a statement. [18482]
Mr. Fatchett:
The 1990 Summit focused international attention on the plight of millions of children who are victims of poverty, neglect, cruelty and exploitation. Implementation of the Summit Plan of Action requires a universal effort by governments, the United Nations, other international and regional organisations and all sectors of civil society. We support the follow up work of the United Nations, including to promote implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Mr. Livingstone:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the action Her Majesty's Government has taken to implement Clause 22 of the Declaration of the United Nations World Summit for Children 1990. [18481]
Mr. Fatchett:
We fully support implementation of paragraph 22 of the Plan of Action for Implementing the World Summit Declaration. The United Kingdom makes a major contribution to promoting the rights of children in especially difficult circumstances. This includes support for UN organisations such as the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 July 1997, Official Report, column 704-05, what were the total costs of European Commission delegations to third countries for 1996. [18500]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
In 1996, the total expenditure of Commission Delegations in third countries was 194,558,200 ecu (£132.8 million--November 1997 exchange rate).
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights in the Republic of Slovakia. [18576]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Slovakia is party to the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and has ratified the Framework Convention on National Minorities. We expect Slovakia to abide by its commitments under these instruments. We are also encouraging the Slovak Government to address the shortcomings in democratic standards identified in the Commission's Opinion on Slovakia's application for EU membership.
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Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proliferation risks posed by the use of mixed oxide fuel by European Union countries and its transport from European Union suppliers to Japan. [18491]
Mr. Fatchett:
The proliferation risks posed by the use of Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX) by European Union countries and its transport from EU suppliers to Japan are assessed as being extremely low. Indeed, the use of MOX fuel reduces proliferation risks by gradually reducing plutonium stockpiles.
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