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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 2 May 1991
HOME DEPARTMENT
National Association of Probation Officers
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of the National Association of Probation Officers to discuss the new framework for the probation service.
Mr. John Patten : The then Home Secretary met the National Association of Probation Officers on 3 August 1987 to discuss "Probation-- The Next Five Years", a statement produced jointly by the Central Council of Probation Committees, the Association of Chief Probation Officers and NAPO.
Cars (Anti-Theft Measures)
Mr. Allen McKay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now discuss with representatives of the motoring organisations, consumer associations and motor manufacturers the desirability of fitting laminated glass in cars to enhance their anti-theft properties.
Mr. John Patten : We are considering this matter, in consultation with others. In doing so, we must take account of both the security and safety implications of fitting laminated glass.
Mr. McWilliam : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet representatives of the motor manufacturers to discuss increasing anti-theft standards in automobiles.
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. Friend met the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on 24 April and he and I met
representatives from 11 motor manufacturing companies on 29 April to discuss car security. At these meetings we discussed measures that could be taken by the manufacturers further to improve car security and the individual manufacturers and SMMT will provide an update on how progress can be made in about three months' time.
Prisoners (Visits)
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that prisoners are imprisoned at a convenient distance for regular visits from their families.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Nearness to the prisoner's home or that of his or her likely visitors is a factor taken into account when sentenced prisoners are allocated to training establishments in England and Wales. But prison staff also take into account other factors, including the availability of places and security and control considerations, as well as any other needs the prisoner may have.
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Civil Defence
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has made any decision on the reviews of civil defence and civil emergency planning undertaken by his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : We hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.
Magistrates Courts, Devon
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he will announce his decision on changes in the magistrates courts in Devon ;
(2) when he expects to announce that a decision has been made on the future of the magistrates court in South Molton.
Mr. John Patten : We hope to make an announcement as soon as possible.
Police Officers
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female police officers there were in England and Wales on 1 January 1990 ; what percentage of them were promoted during 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 1 January 1990, there were 13,829 women police officers in England and Wales. Information on the total numbers of officers promoted is not centrally held.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many male police officers there were in England and Wales on 1 January 1990 ; and what percentage of them were promoted during 1990.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 1 January 1990, there were 112,281 male police officers in England and Wales. Information on the total numbers of officers promoted is not centrally held.
Prison Suicides
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prison suicides in each of the years 1987 to date in which the coroner identified lack of medical care as a material factor ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : There have been five cases of self-inflicted death in prison service establishments since 1987 in which the inquest verdict on the cause of death made reference to a lack of care. Of these, one death was in 1987, three were in 1990 and one in 1991.
The verdicts concerned did not distinguish between medical care and other means of providing care for prisoners. The duty of care is shared by all prison staff, not only medical or nursing staff. The Government are concerned to ensure that proper standards of care are achieved in prisons. We are giving very serious consideration to the recommendations made about this in the report on suicide and self-injury by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons.
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Data Protection Register
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total sum paid out in fees by the office of the Data Protection Registrar to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991- 92.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : I set out below the registrar's expenditure on specialist advice, other than public relations, in the years since his office was established in 1984 :
|£
----------------------
1984-85 |15,302
1985-86 |37,383
1986-87 |6,558
1987-88 |9,764
1988-89 |36,788
1989-90 |17,416
1990-91 |31,229
The budget for 1991-92 is £30,000.
I understand separate figures for management consultancies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Property, London
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much land his Department owns in London ; and how much of that land is unused.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The most recent available information is that the Home Office owns about 230 acres of land in the Greater London area. The departmental register of unused and underused land, which is available for inspection by any member of the public, shows that the only unused portion of that land is an area of approximately 10 acres at Feltham, in the London borough of Hounslow.
National Sporting Events
Sir Alan Glyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from members of the public seeking an assurance that national sporting events will continue to be available on the main television channels as well as on cable and satellite.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : Since the revised list of events drawn up under section 182 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 was published on 17 April, the Home Office has received 42 letters from members of the public about it. Events on the list may not be shown on pay-per-view terms ; but there has never been any guarantee that particular sporting events, whether or not included on the list, will be shown on terrestrial television services.
Police Force Numbers
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each police authority in Wales, for each of the past five years, 1991 and 1992, the recommendation made by the chief constable as to the number of police officers needed by that force to maintain an adequate level of cover.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : Since 1986 the four Welsh police authorities have made applications to the Secretary of State for increases in establishment as shown in the table :