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18 Nov 1996 : Column WA119

Written Answers

Monday, 18th November 1996.

Prisons Ombudsman: Complaints Procedure

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are their reasons for having introduced a "prior ventilation rule" into the procedure for putting grievances to the Prisons Ombudsman, in the light of their replacement of that rule by a "simultaneous ventilation rule" with effect from 1st December 1981, in relation to complaints by prisoners to Members of Parliament and legal advisers;

Whether they will replace the "prior ventilation rule" by a "simultaneous ventilation rule" in relation to the procedure for submitting complaints to the Prisons Ombudsman;

Whether they consider that the "prior ventilation rule" tends to deter prisoners from putting their grievances to the Prisons Ombudsman; and

Whether they have conducted any study to ascertain whether the inclusion of the "prior ventilation rule" in the procedure of submitting complaints to the Prisons Ombudsman tends to deter prisoners from using this procedure; and if not, whether they will undertake such a study, or request the Prisons Ombudsman so to do.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch): The Prisons Ombudsman was established by the Home Secretary in order to provide an independent point of appeal for prisoners who have failed to obtain satisfaction from the Prison Service's internal complaints procedure. It is right that the Prison Service should have the opportunity to consider grievances before they are referred to the Prisons Ombudsman and no change to the arrangement is planned. There is no evidence that this deters prisoners from using the Prisons Ombudsman. Numbers of complaints are monitored regularly, but no study has been carried out on this matter and none is currently proposed. The Prisons Ombudsman in his recent annual report states that the high number of complaints made to him shows that prisoners were prepared to put their trust in his independence.

Hong Kong: British Dependent Territories Citizenship

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many persons are members of Hong Kong's ethnic minorities with British dependent territories citizenship and no other form of nationality.

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The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): An exercise conducted by the Hong Kong Government in the first half of this year put the estimated size of this community at 8,000.

Northern Iraq

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

What reports they have about a meeting between Nachirvan Barzani and Fazal Mirani of the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) and representatives of Saddam Hussein on 6th November 1996 in Baghdad; whether there are any contingency plans to deal with renewed military operations by Saddam Hussein and the KDP against other parties not willing to accept their authority in northern Iraq; and what effect any such operations would have on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 986.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We have had reports of a meeting between senior KDP officials and representatives of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad during early November. We are unable to confirm the truth of these reports. It would be inappropriate to comment on our contingency planning. We have warned Baghdad against further military intervention in the north. At talks in Ankara on 30th and 31st October KDP and PUK agreed not to seek the intervention of any other forces which could aggravate their conflict. It is up to the UN Secretary-General to decide when the conditions are right for the implementation of SCR 986. The Iraqi attack on Irbil in August forced a delay. We hope SCR 986 will be implemented soon.

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are aware how many visits by senior officials of the Baghdad Government to the headquarters of the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) in Salahaddin there have been since the latest cease-fire; whether Qussay, the son of Saddam Hussein, is reported to have participated in any of these visits; and whether the KDP has kept Britain or the United States informed of these contacts.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We are aware of reports of visits by senior Iraqi officials, including Saddam Hussein's son, Qussay, to the KDP since the latest cease-fire in northern Iraq. We are unable to confirm the truth of these reports. The KDP have not informed us of any such contact.

Children: Road Accident Deaths

Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many children are killed in road accidents each week; how many have been killed since 1990; and in how many cases has alcohol been a contributory factor in the accident concerned.

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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Viscount Goschen): In 1995, on average, just over five children a week were killed in road accidents. Between 1990 and 1995 there were 1,985 children, up to 15 years of age, killed in road accidents, which represents a weekly average of 6.3. It is estimated on the basis of the latest available information from 1990 to 1994 that there were 1,715 children killed in road accidents of which about 90 were killed in accidents involving drink drivers.

Bus Services: Figures

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list, separately for London and the United Kingdom excluding London, how many passenger journeys on scheduled bus services were undertaken in each of the last 10 years.

Viscount Goschen: Data for the whole of the UK is not readily available. The following table summarises the available figures:

million passenger journeys

Year	London	Great Britain outside London	Great Britain
1986-87	1,164	4,177	5,341
1987-88	1,207	4,085	5,292
1988-89	1,211	4,004	5,215
1989-90	1,188	3,886	5,074
1990-91	1,178	3,672	4,850
1991-92	1,149	3,516	4,665
1992-93	1,129	3,351	4,480
1993-94	1,117	3,268	4,385
1994-95	1,167	3,253	4,420
1995-96	1,205	3,178	4,383

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list, separately for London and the United Kingdom excluding London, how many scheduled bus-miles were operated in each of the last 10 years.

Viscount Goschen: Data for the whole of the UK is not readily available. The following table summarises the available figures:

million vehicle kilometres

Year	London	Great Britain outside London	Great Britain
1986-87	278	1,882	2,160
1987-88	276	2,065	2,342
1988-89	285	2,104	2,390
1989-90	292	2,150	2,442
1990-91	304	2,144	2,448
1991-92	316	2,172	2,488
1992-93	330	2,185	2,515
1993-94	343	2,242	2,585
1994-95	356	2,293	2,649
1995-96	353	2,270	2,623

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Hong Kong Ethnic Minorities: Citizenship Rights

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answer given by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 6th November 1996 (WA 59), whether they will give the right of abode in the United Kingdom to those members of Hong Kong ethnic minorities who have British dependent territories citizenship and no other form of nationality and who will continue to hold British nationality after the transition.

Lord Chesham: We do not believe that there are sufficient grounds for granting the right of abode in the United Kingdom to this group. Their home is in Hong Kong and their position there is secure. In the unlikely event that they come under pressure to leave Hong Kong, my right honourable friend the Prime Minister has guaranteed admission to and settlement in this country.

European Commission for Democracy Through Law

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Trumpington on 16th December 1994 (WA 147), whether they will make the United Kingdom a member of the Partial Agreement establishing the Commission for Democracy through Law, so that (a) a British independent expert may be appointed as a member of the Commission; (b) the publication of information about the British parliamentary and legal systems may be included in the Commission's activities; and (c) the United Kingdom may participate in the Commission's work in the development of democracy in Europe; and, if not, why not.

Lord Chesham: We continue to follow the work of the European Commission for Democracy through Law. However, we remain concerned that the Commission's work may not add to the work already being carried out elsewhere. We consider that our support for pluralist democracy, particularly for the new democracies of central and eastern Europe, remains best channelled through other Council of Europe programmes and our Know-how Fund. We do not want our existing effort to be diluted by devoting resources, already under pressure, elsewhere at this stage.

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