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Tourism (North West)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the annual amount of financial support provided by his Department for tourism in the North-west in each of the last five years. [66897]
Janet Anderson: The North-west, like all parts of England, benefits from the work of the British Tourist Authority and of the English Tourist Board. For 1998-99, the BTA has a grant of £35 million and the ETB a grant of £9.7 million.
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 292,000 |
| 1997-98 | 292,619 |
| 1996-97 | 299,274 |
| 1995-96 | 414,000 |
| 1994-95 | 400,199 |
Source:
English Tourist Board
New support structures announced on 14 December 1998, Official Report, column 588, as part of the results of the DCMS Departmental Spending Review, will ensure that in future more effective use is made of public spending on tourism in England, with a greater proportion going to the regions.
In addition, tourism in the North-west has benefited, both directly and indirectly, from National Lottery funding (nearly £450 million in total has gone to the region), and from the support under the European Regional Development Fund.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance his Department is providing to ensure that beaches in the North West are brought up to Blue Flag standard. [66928]
Janet Anderson:
My Department does not provide assistance specifically for the purpose of raising the quality of beaches. However, my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment has asked the Environment Agency and North West Water to work closely together to sort out the remaining problems and last year he approved additional expenditure to bring improvements to the Fylde Coast bathing waters. Options for further investment to achieve water quality required for Blue Flags are being considered as part of the current review of water company prices.
Mr. Michael J. Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans exist to increase the broadcasting coverage of Channel 5 to areas that currently are unable to receive transmissions, with particular reference to Worcester. [67029]
Janet Anderson:
The Independent Television Commission (ITC) is responsible for monitoring the terms of the Channel 5 licence, which include issues regarding reception or availability of their services. Worcester is served primarily by the Malvern relay which does not
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carry Channel 5. I understand that there are currently no plans to install Channel 5 analogue at Malvern. However, Malvern, is one of the 81 transmitter sites which comprise the launch phase of digital terrestrial television which will offer Channel 5. Digital terrestrial television broadcasts from Malvern are expected to begin in the summer of this year. Channel 5 has also enhanced its existing coverage by offering its service free-to-air on cable and satellite.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the decision not to prosecute Asda or its staff following the death of Mr. Anthony Robert Stewart. [66848]
The Attorney-General:
On 16 October 1997 Mr. Anthony Robert Stewart died following an incident in the restaurant at Asda Superstore in Wallington. Mr. Stewart had been restrained by members of Asda staff.
The pathologist concluded that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to the position in which Mr. Stewart had been restrained: postural asphyxiation.
The police investigated the incident and the members of staff were interviewed under caution. The police sent a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.
As with all cases which involve the unexpected death of persons, effectively in custody, the papers received the most careful scrutiny and consideration to determine whether a criminal offence may have been committed. The reviewing Crown Prosecutor considered possible offences of assault and manslaughter against the individuals and corporate manslaughter against Asda. In addition, the Crown Prosecutor obtained the advice of Senior Treasury Counsel.
The Crown Prosecution Service concluded that there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction of a criminal offence by any one of the individuals involved or by the company, arising out of Mr. Stewart's tragic death.
Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been (a) considered and rejected and (b) made since the publication of the Home Affairs Committee First report of Session 1997-98 on police disciplinary and complaints procedures (HC 894) into the ability of police officers to avoid disciplinary procedures by taking retirement. [66648]
Mr. Boateng:
The Home Affairs Committee's Inquiry Report into police disciplinary and complaints procedures made no recommendations about police officers taking retirement to avoid disciplinary proceedings. However, it expressed concerns about officers who go sick, which effectively halts disciplinary proceedings, and recommended that the regulations should be changed to enable chief officers to complete
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hearings in the absence of an accused officer (recommendation 33). The Government accepted this recommendation, which had in fact already been agreed for new procedures then in draft form. New police misconduct procedures, which incorporate this and a number of other important changes, will come into force on 1 April 1999.
The present police regulations already provide that, where police officers are suspended in connection with disciplinary proceedings, retirement cannot take place. Police authorities and forces will seek to complete any outstanding disciplinary proceedings before retirement but this is sometimes not possible in the time remaining. Also, under the police pensions regulations, police authorities have discretion to decide against requiring an officer to retire on the grounds of ill health and may, therefore, withhold medical retirement in a case where there are outstanding disciplinary proceedings.
Mr. Efford:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the procedures under which Metropolitan Police officers are able to take early retirement to avoid facing disciplinary action that is outstanding at the time of their retirement. [66478]
Mr. Straw:
Police officers throughout England and Wales up to and including the rank of superintendent may retire either after 30 years' service with a full pension being paid, or after 25 years' service with a reduced pension payable when they reach age 50, provided they give one month's notice. They may leave without an immediate pension before they have served for 25 years, for instance where they have found different employment.
Police authorities and forces aim to complete any outstanding disciplinary proceedings before retirement but this is sometimes not possible in the time remaining. In those disciplinary cases in which police officers are already suspended, retirement cannot take place. Under the Police Pensions Regulations, police authorities have discretion to decide against requiring an officer to retire on the grounds of ill health and may, therefore, withhold medical retirement in a case where there are outstanding disciplinary proceedings. The implications of these procedures for police discipline are matters which we keep constantly under review with regard to all forces, to identify the potential for improved performance in this aspect.
I have made clear that I will, of course, consider any relevant recommendations which arise from the Inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1998, Official Report, column 210, what guidance has been given to state parties by the UN Committee on Torture on appropriate responses to its recommendations; what measures he will take to act upon its recommendations prior to the deadline for the fourth UK Periodic report in 2002; and what steps he has taken to secure the agreement of other Ministerial departments to respond to the recommendations of the UN Committee. [66084]
Mr. Boateng
[holding answer 19 January 1999]: The United Nations Committee against Torture has issued no specific guidance to state parties. However, the United
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Nations has published guidance on the reporting requirements of the six main human rights treaties in its "Manual on Human Rights Reporting". This requires a periodic report to contain information on any action taken as a result of conclusions and recommendations reached by the Committee.
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