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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 6 November 1991
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
House of Fraser
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Attorney-General what action he has taken following the report of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry to the effect that criminal offences may have been committed by persons interested in the outcome of that Committee's report into the takeover of House of Fraser ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : On 13 September I informed the Chairman of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry that some further inquiries would be necessary before a firm view could be reached about possible criminality of those mentioned by the hon. Member. On the same day the Director of Public Prosecutions asked the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to undertake those inquiries. The police report is awaited.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Attorney-General if the Crown prosecution service has received a report from the Metropolitan police concerning possible criminal offences by persons interested in the outcome of the report by the Select Committee on Trade and Industry into the takeover of House of Fraser ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : A report has not yet been received by the Crown Prosecution Service ; the Metropolitan police are conducting their inquiries as quickly as the circumstances allow and will submit a report as soon as possible.
Cash Limits
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Attorney-General whether any changes have been made to the class X, vote 3 cash limit and running costs limit for the Northern Ireland court service.
The Attorney-General : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class X, vote 3 has been increased by £560,000 from £17,996,000 to £18,556,000 and the running costs limit by £120,000 from £13,498,000 to £13,618,000. The increase is within the forecast out turn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement today. The increases arises because of additional costs incurred in respect of bomb damage to a court building, a judicial removal and computer costs for a fixed penalty/penalty points scheme. Additional appropriations-in-aid of £725,000 will offset the increase in the provision.
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Attorney-General whether any changes will be made to the class X, vote 12 cash limit and running costs limit for the Public Record Office.
The Attorney-General : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the
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cash limit for class X, vote 12 will be increased by £254,000 from £21,997,000 to £22,251,000. This includes £169,000 for part take up of the £880,000 capital end year flexibility entitlement announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July 1991 ; and £85,000 towards the pay and associated expenses of the additional staff recommended in the recent Efficiency Scrutiny report. The running costs limit for the Public Record Office will as a result be increased by £85,000 from £19,207,000 to £19,292,000.These increases are within the forecast out turn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement.
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Attorney-General whether any changes will be made to the Lord Chancellor's Department's running costs limit for 1991-92.
The Attorney-General : Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the running costs limit for the Lord Chancellor's Department, class X, vote 1 will be increased by £7,413,000 from £347,899,000 to £355,312,000.
The Supplementary Estimate gives effect to an increase of £1,419, 000 in running costs under end year flexibility arrangements. It is also required to increase the running costs provision for certain tribunals by £391,000 and to regularise arrangements for management charges in respect of the common investment funds scheme by an increase to provision of £300,000.
The Supplementary Estimate is required to increase provision in running costs by £5,125,000 to meet the cost of PSA bills carried over from 1990-91 that have been paid in 1991-92 or that remain outstanding.
Finally the Supplementary Estimate gives effect to a running costs transfer of £18,000 from Her Majesty's Stationery Office for work by the Statutory Publications Office and a running costs transfer of £160,000 from the Home Office for training material to be provided through the Judicial Studies Board.
The increase is within the forecast out turn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement.
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Attorney-General whether he proposes any changes to the Serious Fraud Office's cash and running costs limit for 1991 -92.
The Attorney-General : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class X vote 7 will be increased by £1,070,000 from £7,792,000 to £8,862,000. Within this total the Department's running costs limit will be increased by £793,000 from £7,339,000 to £8,132,000.
This increase will enable the Serious Fraud Office to meet the additional costs arising from the investigation into the affairs of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International. The increase is within the forecast out turn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement today.
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DEFENCE
Ocean Hound
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information is in his possession which would indicate whether any naval ships from countries other than the United Kingdom were in the proximity of the Ocean Hound when it sank off the Kent coast on 10-11 August ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Records of the movements of non-United Kingdom naval ships in and around United Kingdom waters are not maintained unless they are operating in conjunction with Royal Navy vessels. There were no such joint operations in the vicinity of the Ocean Hound on 10-11 August.
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he has arranged for all records held by his Department with regard to the location of naval vessels in the area where the Ocean Hound sank on 10-11 August, to be made available to the marine accident investigation branch of the Department of Transport ;
(2) if he will make available all records indicating which naval vessels were in the area off the Kent coast in which the Ocean Hound sank on 10-11 August ; and what evidence there is that none of the naval ships in the area collided with the Ocean Hound.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There were no Royal Navy ships or submarines at sea within 300 nautical miles of the area at the estimated time of the loss of the Ocean Hound. The marine accident investigation branch has been advised accordingly.
Departmental Land Holdings
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the hectarage, number of holdings and numbers of tenants of agricultural land owned by his Department in each county or Scottish region in (a) 1980 and (b) 1991.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Meteorological Office
Mr. Higgins : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will announce the identity of the next chief executive of the Meteorological Office.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : My right hon. Friend has decided, following an open competition, to appoint Professor Julian Hunt as the chief executive of the Meteorological Office Executive Agency. He is currently the professor of fluid mechanics at the university of Cambridge. He will take up the appointment on 2 January 1992, in succession to Sir John Houghton.
TRANSPORT
Railway Junctions
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the locations which British Rail has identified at which enhanced protection arrangements, to
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which he referred in his answer of 22 October, Official Report, column 477, are being introduced ; and if he will set out for each location what specific measures are being adopted.Mr. Freeman : British Rail have identified the following 10 locations as requiring changes to the protection : Ashford (junction with Appledore line), Bellgrove, Doncaster (junction with Sheffield line), Dorchester, West, Hanwell, Hydem, Newton, Paddock Wood, Shipley and Wimbledon (junction with Merton line).
At present, BR has amended the signalman's instructions in eight cases, so that if it is not possible to permit a train to leave a station platform, trains will be held at the previous signal (ie will not be allowed to enter the station). In the other two cases, that instruction is not applicable, as the train starts from a dead-end platform. The instructions given to platform staff on the starting of trains from those platforms have been reinforced by special instructions and monitoring.
Other options under consideration include modifying the signal inter- locking to achieve that precaution automatically, and modifying the track layouts to reduce the effect on services of these precautions. BR is evaluating the options in each case, and will discuss proposals with the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate before taking further action.
Seat Belts
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which other countries of the European Community fit seat belts to all seats in coaches and minibuses.
Mr. Chope : None. EC legislation does not require seat belts or anchorages to be fitted other than on front seats or exposed seats. The Government have been seeking to have the EC directives on seat belts and anchorages amended so that fitment to all seats in minibuses and coaches can be required.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of the fitting of seat belts to all seats in coaches and minibuses on the incidence of death and injury in coaches in the event of an accident.
Mr. Chope : The number of injuries to seated bus and coach passengers in Great Britain in 1990 was 4,670, of which 289 were serious and nine fatal. The average annual total of injuries in the years 1986-1990 was 4,202.
It is believed that the fitting of seat belts could significantly reduce the minority of injuries which are due to passenger ejection or vehicle rollover. The benefit of seat belts in the case of frontal impact accidents is less clear, since the nature of the seat or surface in front of the occupant has to be taken into account. Research into this problem is continuing.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the provision of seat belts in coaches and minibuses.
Mr. Chope : We have received a great many letters from individuals, schools and other organisations on this question, the vast majority of whom are in favour of the provision of seat belts in these vehicles.
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Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions have taken place between his Department and coach manufacturers and operators about the fitting of seat belts.Mr. Chope : The Department meets representatives of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Bus and Coach Council on a regular basis. Whenever the question of seat belts is raised, we emphasise the importance of making seat belts in coaches more readily available to the travelling public. Seat belts can already be fitted in most large coaches.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the likely additional cost of fitting seat belts to all seats in coaches and minibuses.
Mr. Chope : The estimated cost of fitting lap belts to every seat in a new coach is about £1,000, approximately £20 per seat. Comparable figures for minibuses are not available but would probably be higher because of the additional floor strengthening work necessary to secure the seat belt anchorages.
Road Construction
Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will quantify the savings expected this year in the road construction budget ; what percentage of these savings has been reallocated to (i) road building and(ii) rail investment ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : The Government always seek to secure best value for money from its road construction budget. Estimated provision for new construction and renewal of national roads systems in England is £1, 842 million gross (£1,755 million net) in the current financial year. We expect to start more than 150 miles of new roads this year.
A12, Chelmsford
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects emergency telephones to be installed on the A12 Chelmsford by-pass ; and if he will make a statement.
BR (Bus Services)
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers British Rail has to run bus services to link in with and complement its rail services.
Mr. Freeman : Section 118 of the Transport Act 1985 gives the British Railways Board powers to secure the provision by other persons of services for the carriage of passengers by road where a railway service has been temporarily interrupted, or has been discontinued. The board has no power to run bus services themselves.
Road Schemes
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he proposes to make in updating COBA 9 to COBA 10 to be used in evaluating possible road schemes on a cost benefit analysis basis.
Mr. Chope : The basic parameters, assumptions and methodologies incorporated in COBA are continually
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reviewed and researched. Since COBA 9 was released, there have been several parameter changes which have been considered necessary, and users have accordingly been notified of changes they need to make when running COBA 9. COBA 10 will incorporate these changes in to the default parameter set, thus simplifying the task of running the program. These changes include revised national road traffic forecasts (1989), values of time, accident rates, discount rate, GDP and petrol price forecasts.Occasionally research may indicate the need for change to parameters or methodologies which cannot be incorporated by the user, and which therefore require a revised version of the program to be released. COBA 10 will incorporate some changes of this kind.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what basis his Department uses in cost benefit analysis terms on the valuation of time savings in relation to different methods of commuting to work when considering possible road schemes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : In cost-benefit analyses of road schemes, time savings for commuting to work are given the same value, whatever the method of commuting. Commuting time is valued at the standard appraisal value for non -work time, which is based on research into what people are willing to pay to save time.
A27
Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce possible routes for the proposed A27 Polegate-Lewes dual carriageway ; how many options he intends to publish ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : I hope to consult the public on a number of possible options for improving the A27 Lewes-Polegate route around the end of the year.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much British Rail has invested, and is planning to invest, in Scotland's railway infrastructure in preparation for the opening of the channel tunnel.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail plans to invest, with the private sector, in a channel tunnel freight terminal in Strathclyde. It considers the existing infrastructure is otherwise adequate for the channel tunnel services it plans to run to and from Scotland. Its substantial investment in passenger and freight rolling stock for these services will benefit Scotland as well as other parts of Great Britain.
Railways (Bus Services)
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those countries in Europe whose publicly-owned railway undertakings operate bus services to complement their railway services.
Mr. Freeman : The information requested is not available within the Department.
Public Service Obligation Grant
Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the public service obligation grant ceiling for 1991-92.
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Mr. Freeman : The cash ceiling on public service obligation grant for 1991-92 will be £900 million.Cash Limits
Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he proposes to make to the cash limit and running costs limit for his Department.
Mr. Freeman : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit in class VII will be changed as follows :
Class |Current |Changes |Revised
and vote |cash limit |cash limit
|£ '000s
-------------------------------------------------------
VII, 1 |1,968,824 |<1>-15,160|1,953,664
2 |232,444 |<2>1,994 |234,438
<1>There is a reduction of £ 15,000,000 in the cash
limit on this Vote
to cover part of a shortfall on class VII, vote 3 and
additionally
£ 160,000 running costs has been transferred to class
VII, vote 2
in respect of certain relocation costs.
<2>Take up of entitlement to end year flexibility
announced by the
Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July 1991,
Official Report,
columns 186-89. There are additions in respect of
repayment
services of £ 80,000 from Department of Trade and
Industry
(class IV, vote 2) and £ 15,000 running costs from
Civil Service
Commission (class XIX, vote 1) together with an
addition of
£ 1,000,000 for consultancy work connected with the
sale of the
Trust Ports. There is a reduction of £ 325,000 in
Appropriations
on Aid as a consequence of the transfer of Offshore
Safety
responsibilities to Department of Employment. There
are
reductions on this Vote in respect of the transfer of
running costs
to Department of Employment for Offshore Safety (
£ 300,000)
and to the Lord Chancellor's Department (class XIX,
vote 1) for
pensions (£ 21,000).
The running costs limit of the Department of Transport has been reduced by £306,000 from £379,290,000 to £378,984,000 as a consequence of the above.
The increase is within the forecast outturn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement today.
Ocean Hound
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will release the video film taken last week by agents acting on behalf of the Marine Accident Investigation Bureau, and in particular the shots of the damage primarily to the starboard and portside of the Ocean Hound which is currently lying on the sea bed off the Kent coast ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Marine accident investigation branch inspectors are examining the video film. The nature of the damage to the vessel is such that very thorough analysis is required.
To release the film to be viewed generally would be inappropriate both because it is an important item of evidence for the inquiry in progress and because general release might be offensive to the feelings of the bereaved. It has already been shown to near family of those lost.
The hon. Gentleman and I have exchanged letters, and we are to meet soon to discuss the Ocean Hound.
Departmental Land Holdings
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the hectarage, number of holdings and numbers of tenants of holdings of agricultural land
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owned by (a) his Department and (b) British Rail in each county or region in the United Kingdom in (a) 1980 and (b) 1990.Mr. McLoughlin : The information is not held in the format mentioned by the hon. Member and records of the 1980 holdings would not exist. The latest information on the Department's holdings is shown in our Register of Unused and Underused Land for 1990-91 in the Library. Details of individual tenancies are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The Department does not hold information on agricultural land owned by British Rail and the hon. Member is advised to contact the British Rail Property Board for this information.
Breath Testing
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of drivers breath-tested for alcohol in 1989-90 ; how many tests proved positive ; and what was the comparable position in each of the last five years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I have been asked to reply.
Statistics of breath tests for England and Wales are published in Home Office statistical bulletins. The most recent annual statistics, for the calendar year 1990, were published in issue 16/91 on 23 July 1991. A copy of this bulletin is in the Library.
The following table shows for England and Wales the number of screening breath tests reported and the number of these with positive results for the financial years 1984-85 to 1989-90.
Number of screening breath tests and
those with positive results-
England and Wales
Screening breath tests
|Total |Number
|tests |positive
|Thousands|Thousands
-----------------------------------------
1984-85 |203.0 |<1>74.0
1985-86 |263.3 |<1>80.0
1986-87<2> |321.1 |<1>86.0
1987-88 |420.0 |103.3
1988-89 |455.0 |99.9
1989-90 |557.6 |98.3
<1> Estimate using monthly figures for
total tests and percentage
negative.
<2> Improvements in the
comprehensiveness of reporting were made
from 1 January 1987 so that figures for
earlier years are not
comparable.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Taxi and Hire Car Licences
Mr. Viggers : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that local authorities issuing taxi and hire care licences are aware of any criminal record of the applicants.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Section 47 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 makes provision for this. It is due to come into effect on 1 April 1992.
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Correspondence
Mr. Mudd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect replies to his letters of 10 July,24 July and 24 September regarding the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I wrote to the hon. Member on29 October.
Mr. Mudd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect a reply to his letter of 2 September on behalf of Mr. W. M. Dewdney, of Cairngorm Cottage, Treluswell, Penryn, Cornwall.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 1 November 1991.
Court Hearings
Mr. Butcher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions for murder in the last 10 years have been terminated before or during court proceedings as a result of failure of material witnesses to attend ;
(2) how many proceedings for malicious wounding and grievous bodily harm have been terminated during the last 10 years as a result of failure of material witnesses to attend.
Mr. John Patten : Information collected centrally does not identify the number of court cases which are terminated because of a failure of material witnesses to attend.
Prisoners (Psychiatric Care)
Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in the United Kingdom are receiving psychiatric care ; how many of these were previously in long-term psychiatric hospitals ; how many of those who receive psychiatric care or were previously in long term psychiatric hospitals have been imprisoned for crimes of violence ; and what percentage of the prison population received psychiatric care in each of the last five years.
Mrs. Rumbold : The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Prisoners (Suicides)
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent proposal by the governor, medical officers and staff at Lewes prison that suicidal prisoners should be kept with others and supervised on a 24-hour basis by prison staff.
Mrs. Rumbold : It is the general policy of the prison service that, where prisoners are identified as being at risk of suicide, they should wherever possible be kept in shared accommodation to reduce feelings of isolation, facilitate support and ensure more effective monitoring and supervision. The options include location in a multi-cell or in a dormitory or hospital ward. Some prisoners, however, cannot always be held with others because of their difficult
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or violent behaviour. It is a matter for governors and their staff to decide where individual prisoners should be located, taking into account the needs and behaviour of the prisoner, the degree of suicide risk (which will vary from time to time), and the facilities and staffing which are available. It is desirable for local prisons and remand centres to have the option of holding acutely suicidal prisoners in a ward with 24-hour supervision by staff. This is not yet feasible at a number of establishments, including Lewes, but it is the prison service's intention to work towards the introduction of such wards as the necessary resources become available.House of Fraser
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Metropolitan Commissioner on the progress of inquiries by the Metropolitan police into possible criminal offences by persons interested in the outcome of the report by the Select Committee on Trade and Industry into the takeover of House of Fraser.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No. Any question of possible criminal offences arising out of the Department of Trade and Industry's report into the takeover of House of Fraser would be a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Illegal Camping
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to give additional powers to the police to curb illegal camping by itinerants.
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