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Home Detention Curfew Scheme
Lord Sheppard of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they intend to implement the Home Detention Curfew scheme.[HL751]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The Home Detention Curfew Scheme, under which selected short-term prisoners may spend up to the last two months of the custodial part of their sentence under a curfew enforced by electronic monitoring, will commence on 28 January. The scheme will provide a managed transition between prison and living in the community. It will deprive them of their liberty for a major part of the day and also provide some structure and order in often disorganised lives. No prisoner will be allowed on the scheme without a risk assessment, and those who fail to comply with the conditions of the scheme may be recalled to prison.
Channel Islands and Isle of Man: Payments to UK
Lord Wallace of Saltaire asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What contribution (a) the Channel Islands and
(b) the Isle of Man make to the United Kingdom central budget in return for the services they receive from the United Kingdom Government.[HL577]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The United Kingdom Government are responsible for the defence and international representation of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man all make contributions to Her Majesty's Government towards the cost of providing these services but have different arrangements for doing so.
The latest available figures are:
- Jersey's contribution is to pay for the maintenance of a Territorial Army unit in the Island, the Jersey Field Squadron and Royal Engineers. The total cost for 1998 was £1,500,000.
- Guernsey's contribution is made up of the surrender of the receipts from the issue of British passports in the island (£113,867 for 1998) and the maintenance of the Alderney breakwater (£509,240 in 1997-1998 figures are not yet available). Prior to 1987, the breakwater was maintained by the United Kingdom Government.
- The Isle of Man Government makes a monetary payment to the Treasury each year. For 1997-1998 this was £1,931,638.
The Channel Islands: Financial Regulation
Lord Wallace of Saltaire asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What was the cost of the Edwards Report on Financial Regulation in the Channel Islands; and whether this cost was carried entirely on the Home Office Budget.[HL579]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The cost of the Edwards Report is expected to be just over £158,000, comprising the fees and expenses (exclusive of value added tax) of Mr. Edwards and of additional specialist consultants. Individual contract values are not given on the grounds of commercial confidentiality. The cost will be carried on the Home Office budget, with the exception of £10,000 to be contributed by the Treasury.
Wheelclamping
Viscount Simon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When action will be taken to deal with "cowboy" wheelclampers, as highlighted in the Transport White Paper.[HL590]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: In the Transport White Paper, A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone, we said that we intend to introduce regulation of wheelclamping as part of a package of statutory measures to regulate the private security industry as a whole. The Home Secretary intends to bring forward firm proposals for regulating the private security industry, and will be making an announcement to that effect soon.
Carriers' Liability
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which states oblige air and sea carriers to check the validity of the passports and visas of incoming passengers; and, in each case whether fines are levied for passengers with incorrect documents.[HL570]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The following 50 countries are known to impose liability on carriers who bring inadequately documented passengers into their jurisdiction:
- Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea Bissau, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Korea, Liberia, Macau, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, the United States of America, Venezuela, the Yemen Republic.
- Whether they have examined the Canadian performance-related system of carriers' liability for airlines: and if not, why not.[HL571]
The United Kingdom system, administered under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987, is much simpler, incorporates a discretion to waive charges in individual cases, and provides an attractive incentive
known as the Approved Gate Check (AGC) scheme. Under this scheme, where a carrier's performance in checking documents at individual ports of embarkation is shown to be secure, that carrier will not normally incur charges in respect of passengers who nevertheless arrive in the United Kingdom from those ports of embarkation with no travel documents in their possession.TWH Management Ltd
Lord Spens asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will place a copy of the 4 January 1989 letter from Mr. W. B. Willott of the Department of Trade and Industry, dealing with his concerns about the possible fatal effect on the Guinness trials of the judgment of Lord Grantchester QC on the Licensed Dealers' Tribunal in the matter of TWH Management Ltd, to Mrs. Olsen of the Serious Fraud Office, together with the reply of Mrs. Olsen of
13 January 1989, in the Library of the House.[HL573]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: No. It is not the Government's practice to publish inter-departmental official correspondence which discusses particular cases or any other confidential matter.
Lord Spens asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In the light of the facts disclosed in the letter of
4 January 1989 (reported in the Mail on Sunday, 22 November 1998) from Mr. W. B. Willott of the Department of Trade and Industry to Mrs. Olsen of the Serious Fraud Office and the Government's acknowledgement that the judgment of Lord Grantchester QC in the Licensed Dealers' Tribunal of December 1988 in the matter of TWH Management Ltd, was concealed from the defendants in the first Guinness trial and the regulatory bodies, whether during the years 1988 to 1992 certain officials with the Department of Trade and Industry (and elsewhere) were engaged in the common law offence of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice during the Guinness trials; and, if so, whether they will request the police to investigate the facts.[HL626]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I do not believe that any such offence was committed.
Lord Spens asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether Ministers were consulted and, if so, which Minister in 1989 was involved in the decision not to disclose the 1988 judgment of Lord Grantchester QC in the Licensed Dealers' Tribunal in the matter of TWH Management Ltd.[HL574]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Neither the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958, nor the rules of the Licensed Dealers' Tribunal, contained provision for publication of reports or other information put before the tribunal. The question of ministerial decisions about publication did not arise. Questions of disclosure in the Guinness trials were the responsibility of the Serious Fraud Office as the prosecuting authority.
Equality of Economic Opportunity
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the reduction of differentials within the United Kingdom economy, and globally, is among their policies.[HL543]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government's central economic objective is high and stable levels of economic growth and employment. To achieve this we need a fairer society in which everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Equal opportunity and economic prosperity go hand in hand. The Government's policies will ensure that everyone has access to economic opportunity by helping people move from welfare to work, making work pay and investing in skills.
Internationally, the Chancellor has pressed for a set of principles of good practice to ensure that everyone can share and contribute to rising economic growth and prosperity. The World Bank is taking this work forward in consultation with other international organisations.
Territorial Army: All Arms Watchkeeper Pool
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the role and establishment of the All Arms Watchkeeping Pool at the Central Volunteer Headquarters, Royal Artillery (CVHQ RA).[HL535]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Gilbert): The role of the All Arms Watchkeeper and Liaison Officer Pool (Volunteers) has been to provide specialist TA officers to fill specified war establishment posts in UK Army formations, NATO Army formations and Royal Air Force Squadrons. In future, these officers will form a training pool and have no specific war role; their establishment will be reduced from 345 to 175 officers.
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