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Fatal Road Accidents (Essex)

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many fatal road accidents there have been in Essex in each of the last seven years. [144149]

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Mr. Hill: The following numbers of fatal accidents were recorded in Essex in the last seven years for which information is available.

	Number
1993	88
1994	85
1995	85
1996	84
1997	83
1998	79
1999	104

HOME DEPARTMENT

Violent Crime

Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his strategy is for combating violent crime is. [144672]

Mr. Straw: Although violent crime represents a relatively small proportion of all crime, and the British Crime Survey showed that there had been a 4 per cent. fall in total violent crime between 1997 and the end of 1999, it includes those crimes which cause people, particularly those who are most vulnerable, the greatest concern and fear.

The Government are committed to ensuring that the long-term rise in the number of violent crimes is reversed, that the causes of violent crime are addressed and that individuals and communities are protected and feel safe. The Government are therefore introducing a comprehensive strategy to tackle violent crime through action which will prevent violence in the first place, assist the police in their fight against such crime, bring offenders to justice, root out offending behaviour, and support victims and witnesses.

The detailed proposals underpinning the strategy are set out in "Fighting Crime Together: An Action Plan" to be published tomorrow, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

Immigration

Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implications of the European Court of Justice's judgment in case C-37/98 R v. SSHD ex parte Savas Judgment (11 May 2000) on the rules applicable to Turkish nationals, lawfully in the UK, who wish to apply to vary their leave to establish themselves in business in the United Kingdom; and if he will apply the Immigration Rules 1973, HC509 and HC510, to such individuals. [143770]

Mrs. Roche: We are continuing to consider the implications of the judgment, in consultation with fellow member states. I will write to my hon. Friend when that consultation is complete.

International Business Transactions (Bribery)

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which United Kingdom law complies with the United Kingdom's obligations under the 1997 OECD Convention on Transnational Banking and Business Transactions; what action he plans to take to ensure compliance; and if he will make a statement. [142794]

Mr. Charles Clarke [holding answer 14 December 2000]: I understand that the hon. Member is referring to the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.

The United Kingdom ratified the Convention in December 1998 on the basis of the Government's assessment that existing statute and case law in the United Kingdom already ensures compliance with our obligations under the Convention. In our White Paper "Raising Standards and Upholding Integrity: the Prevention of Corruption" issued in June 2000 (Cm 4759) we proposed to put or compliance beyond any doubt by making it clear in statute that the United Kingdom has jurisdiction over bribery offences involving foreign public officials which take place in the United Kingdom. The White Paper also proposed a new provision, implementing an optional provision of the Convention, to give the United Kingdom jurisdiction over bribery offences committed by United Kingdom nationals overseas.

Asylum Seekers

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the weekly cost of housing an asylum seeker at Oakington (a) is and (b) will be when the centre is operating at full capacity accounted for by the costs of Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff on site. [142772]

Mrs. Roche [holding answer 14 December 2000]: I am now in a position to reply in full to the question.

At 19 December 2000, the current weekly unit cost of housing an asylum seeker at Oakington was estimated at £1,536. That cost is broken down as follows: £1,004 for the supervision of detainees, security and related costs;

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£243 for Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff costs and £289 for running costs such as interpreters, office accommodation, telephone and other general office expenses.

The weekly unit cost of housing an asylum seeker when operating at full capacity was given as £800 in my answer to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) on 26 October 2000, Official Report, column 217W. That remains the estimate of which some 16 per cent. (£128) is expected to be accounted for by the costs of Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff on site.

Immigration Officers

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money the Government received in charges for the services of immigration officers from each relevant port for the financial years (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000; how much he expects to receive from each such port in 2000-01; and if he will make a statement. [142804]

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Mrs. Roche [holding answer 14 December 2000]: The level of charges received by the Immigration Service for the provision of officers under section 9(4) of the Immigration Act 1988 is set out in the table. The provision of information by port would identify, in some cases, charges paid by specific port operators, and thereby breach contractual agreements on commercial confidentiality.

Immigration service--Section 9(4) receipts

	£000
Year	Receipts
1997-98	4,025
1998-99	2,712
1999-2000	835
2000-01(2)	895

⁽²⁾ Estimate

Police (Retirement)

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost of retirement to police authorities was in (a) 1980, (b) 1990, and (c) the most recent 12 months for which statistics are available; and for each of these, what percentage of total police budget this cost accounted for. [143889]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The information is set out in the table.

Year	Net pensions expenditure (£000)	Proportion of police net expenditure spent of pensions costs (percentage)
1980-81	98,011	5.6
1990-91	333,165	7.2
1999-2000	948,000	12.7

Information taken from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Police statistics Actuals.

Police Information Technology Organisation

Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will respond to the representations of Dr. Rosemary Lee of Northwood, Middlesex, concerning the Police Information Technology Organisation. [143754]

Mr. Charles Clarke: I shall write to the hon. Member.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Stock Options

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to require companies to declare their policy towards stock options for their staff, the take-up and potential take-up of such options, and the effect on the companies' equity. [143879]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 8 January 2001]: There are already a number of legislative and regulatory disclosure requirements in relation to stock options. The Companies Act 1985 requires companies to provide information relating to any option to subscribe for shares, including the number, description and amount of the shares in relation to which the right is exercisable and the price to be paid for the shares allotted. Listed companies are required under the Listing Rules to seek prior shareholder approval of an employees' share scheme involving the issue of new shares, and to send a circular to shareholders in connection with the approval including

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either the full text of the scheme or a description of its principal terms. The Government have no plans to require additional disclosures by companies in this area. We will, however, look carefully at these disclosure requirements when the final report of the independent Company Law Review is delivered later this year. There are, of course, fuller disclosure requirements in relation to company directors.

Limited Liability Partnerships

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to require companies and limited liability partnerships to declare their policy towards, and their payments of, bonuses and special payments to their staff. [143874]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 8 January 2001]: The Companies Act 1985 requires companies to state the aggregate wages or salaries, including bonuses and special payments, paid or payable to employees in respect of each financial year. The Government have laid a draft statutory instrument before Parliament under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 which would introduce a corresponding requirement in relation to the sums paid to the employees of a limited liability partnership. The Government have no plans to require additional disclosures by companies or limited liability partnerships in relation to bonuses and special payments to staff. We will, however, look carefully at these disclosure requirements when the final report of the independent Company Law Review is delivered later this year. There are, of course, fuller disclosure requirements in relation to company directors.

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