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Paramilitary Violence
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 12 June the number of (a) punishment beatings and (b) punishments shootings which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many in each category were committed by (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. [87962]
Mr. Ingram:
The number of paramilitary attacks during the period 6-12 June 1999 are as shown.
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| Loyalist | Republican | |
|---|---|---|
| Assaults | 4 | 2 |
| Shootings | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 6 | 2 |
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 12 June the number of violent incidents involving paramilitary groups which took place in Northern Ireland indicating how many involved (a) Loyalist and (b) Republican groups. [87961]
Mr. Ingram: The number of security incidents during the period 6-12 June 1999 are as shown:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Deaths | 0 |
| Shooting incidents | 2 |
| Bombing incidents | 3 |
24 Jun 1999 : Column: 427
| Loyalist | Republican | |
|---|---|---|
| Assaults | 4 | 2 |
| Shootings | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 6 | 2 |
Notes:
1. Figures may be subject to minor amendment
2. The shooting and bombing incidents cannot as yet be firmly attributed to a grouping
Belfast Harbour
Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have for any sum exceeding the projected £70 million raised from the proposed privatisation of Belfast Harbour; and if she will make a statement. [88118]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The scheme for transferring Belfast Port to the private sector has not yet been finalised and no plans beyond the £70 million assumed in the Northern Ireland estimates for 1999-2000 have therefore been made.
HOME DEPARTMENT
London River Police
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 June 1999, Official Report, column 332, on the London River Police, what estimate he has made of the (a) cost of overtime payments and (b) total cost for the service, over the millennium public holiday, at a strength of (i) 89 and (ii) 101. [87405]
Kate Hoey: The Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police tells me that all police officers on duty on the millennium public holiday will be entitled to overtime payment for being on duty. It is likely that every officer will be working a 12-hour duty, at an average cost of £297.69 per officer.
The total cost of the millennium public holiday river policing arrangements, based on a 12-hour duty on 31 December and a 12-hour duty on 1 January, using the same figure will be £595.38 per officer. This gives a total cost of £52,988.82 for 89 officers, and £60,133.38 for 101 officers.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 June 1999, Official Report, column 332, on the London River Police, for what reasons there will be a reduction in the number of river police in the period to 1 January 2000. [87402]
Kate Hoey:
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the reduction of numbers of river police, to 89 from 101, will align resources more closely to known and potential policing demands and so enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the river police.
24 Jun 1999 : Column: 428
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in which prisoners are confined to cells for 22 hours a day or more; how many prisoners in each prison are so confined; and what the reasons are. [87957]
Mr. George Howarth:
The Prison Service does not collect centrally information on the time individual prisoners spend confined to their cell.
Provisional data show that, for the year 1998-99, the average time prisoners were locked in their cells was 13.4 hours on a weekday and 14.7 hours at weekends.
Within a prison establishment, the period for which individual prisoners or groups of prisoners are unlocked will vary according to a number of factors, including their level on the incentives and earned privileges scheme. Some prisoners may be confined to their cells for most of the day, though usually only for short periods. Reasons for this might include for the maintenance of good order and discipline, because the individual prisoner has declined regime activity or because of operational demands.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Torbay of 9 May, in regard to the return of Mr. Melik's passport. [87839]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Mr. Melik was granted leave to remain as a visitor and his passport returned to him on 21 June. A reply to the hon. Member will shortly be sent to this effect.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Torbay, of 9 May in regard to the return of documents belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Strange. [87840]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
I will reply shortly, but can say that Mrs. Strange has been given leave to remain in the United Kingdom for a further 12 months and her passport was returned on 22 June.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the performance of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [87838]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
The Immigration and Nationality Directorate's caseworking operation is undergoing major accommodation and organisational changes. These changes are necessary to modernise the work of the Directorate to enable it to meet the Government's commitment to a fairer, firmer, faster immigration control. I regret any delays caused by this.
My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, has established a project team, working to tight deadlines, to plan and deliver urgent measures to ensure the Directorate returns to previous levels of service.
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The team is looking at a range of organisational and strategic measures aimed at improving the performance of the Integrated Casework Directorate, and has developed systems for projecting future output levels so as to target improvements more effectively.
Siemens Business Services delivered the computer system on 14 June. It will now be rigorously tested and piloted to ensure that the Directorate's requirements are met. The system will then be progressively introduced and should become operational early next year.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 15 June 1999, Official Report, column 93, on police car response times, what plans he has to commission research on this matter. [87975]
Mr. Boateng:
We have no plans to commission research on this subject.
Mrs. Humble:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons' report on his inspection of HMP Wormwood Scrubs to be published. [88449]
Mr. Straw:
I understand that Sir David Ramsbotham intends to publish his inspection report on Wormwood Scrubs prison on Monday 28 June. I have arranged for copies of his report to be placed in the Library and the Vote Office on publication.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support the Government give to encourage film companies to use British locations. [87877]
Janet Anderson:
The Government fund the British Film Commission (BFC), which provides information and advice to overseas and domestic film production companies on making use of suitable British locations and
24 Jun 1999 : Column: 430
facilities. In addition, the Government contribute to the British Film Office in Los Angeles which provides similar advice within the Hollywood community.
The UK also has a network of regional film commissions which work to attract filming to their regions. On 15 June the British Tourist Authority published its "Movie Map" which highlights the number of first class films which were made in this country.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of damage to Stonehenge and the World Heritage Area over the period of the summer solstice; and if he will make a statement. [88091]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
While I deplore the public disorder at Stonehenge over the summer solstice, I am pleased that specialist staff from English Heritage have ascertained that there has been no structural damage to the monument. The modern perimeter fence was damaged and there was some scuffing and dislodging of lichen caused by those who climbed on the stones. The National Trust has also confirmed that although there were people camping and lighting small fires on its adjoining land within the area of the World Heritage Site, no damage was caused beyond scorching and flattening of grass.
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