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House Fires
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking to reduce to risks of death or injury through fire in the home, in particular among elderly people.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Home Office provides multi-media publicity on fire safety in the home which is targeted at various age groups. Part of that material is specifically for the elderly age group and provides general guidance on fire prevention and fire safety in the home.
The Home Office targeted its 1990-91 and 1991-92 national television advertising campaigns on smoke alarms primarily at elderly people and their carers. The elderly are the group most at risk from fire and among the least likely to purchase alarms. Fire brigades make the maximum use of the available material in their own localities.
There is legislation in place in respect of residential care homes for elderly people which, among other things, makes provision for fire precautions. Such legislation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.
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Escaped Prisoners
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by (a) category, (b) sex and (c) length of time at large, the number of escaped prisoners that are currently on the run ; and what are the corresponding figures for 12 months ago.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The available information relates to prisoners who escaped between 20 June 1988 and 31 August 1992. During this period 1,461 prisoners escaped from prison or prison custody. By 31 August 1992, 1,348 had been recaptured or returned to custody and three were known to be dead, leaving only 110 either at large or unaccounted for. The average time that the 1,348 who were recaptured spent at large was 29.5 days. Of the 110 still at large, 101 are male and nine female ; two were remand prisoners provisionally regarded as category A ; 10 category B ; 53 category C ; two category D ; and 43 were not categorised, being either remand prisoners, convicted young offenders or women who were not category A or civil prisoners. Corresponding figures for 12 months ago are not available.
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Religious Discrimination
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to prevent religious discrimination in employment due to certain unavailability for work due to religious observation.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Commission for Racial Equality's second review of the Race Relations Act 1976, presented to the Government on 9 September, recommended that legislation against religious discrimination be given further consideration. We will be looking carefully at the recommendations contained in that review, but the Government have no plans at present to introduce such legislation. The Government believe that it is for employers to agree with employees arrangements for meeting religious needs. For example, employers might consider whether they can vary or adapt working patterns or facilities to help meet such needs. The Government encourage this voluntary approach, for example, through the guidance
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pack published recently by the Employment Department and entitled "Equal Opportunities--Ten Point Plan for Employers".Police Cells
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much his Department paid each police force for holding people in police cells in the first six months of the current financial year ;
(2) how many individual prisoners were held in police cells in each police authority area in England and Wales in each of the first six months of the current financial year who would normally be held in prison accommodation ;
(3) how many prisoner-nights in police cells were covered in each police force area in England and Wales on each of the first six months of the current financial year.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The available information is given in the tables. Information on individual prisoners is not collected centrally.
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Payments made to police forces since 1 April 1992
Police Force |£ paid since 1 April|Paid up until
|1992
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |1,897,490.34 |31 August 1992
Bedfordshire |515,263.68 |31 August 1992
Cambridgeshire |675,856.99 |31 July 1992
Cheshire |1,356,102.75 |30 June 1992
Cleveland no payment -
Cumbria |453,438.42 |13 June 1992
Derbyshire |550,510.58 |31 July 1992
Devon and Cornwall |226,067.94 |31 May 1992
Dorset no payment -
Durham |539,676.71 |31 July 1992
Dyfed and Powys |540,341.61 |15 June 1992
Essex |540,955.46 |31 July 1992
Gloucestershire |114,808.79 |30 June 1992
Greater Manchester |6,927,811.00 |26 July 1992
Gwent |642,142.94 |30 June 1992
Hampshire no payment -
Hertfordshire |1,025,701.81 |29 July 1992
Humberside |824,690.81 |8 August 1992
Kent no payment -
Lancashire |2,038,819.56 |30 June 1992
Leicestershire |1,135,458.70 |30 June 1992
Lincolnshire no payment -
City of London no payment -
Merseyside |741,494.56 |31 May 1992
Metropolitan |3,205,757.89 |21 June 1992
Norfolk |369,758.52 |26 May 1992
North Wales |236,042.28 |30 June 1992
North Yorkshire no payment -
Northamptonshire |525,799.33 |30 June 1992
Northumbria |1,311,585.70 |24 May 1992
Nottinghamshire |519,602.00 |30 June 1992
South Wales |1,429,598.37 |31 July 1992
South Yorkshire |494,178.30 |30 April 1992
Staffordshire no payment -
Suffolk |130,004.00 |17 May 1992
Surrey |294,330.48 |31 July 1992
Sussex |239,420.97 |31 August 1992
Thames Valley |601,228.47 |21 June 1992
Warwickshire |311,166.77 |30 June 1992
West Mercia |609,643.62 |6 June 1992
West Midlands |507,823.11 |17 May 1992
West Yorkshire |3,205,530.50 |28 August 1992
Wiltshire no payment -
Payments made to police forces since 1 April 1992
Police Force |£ paid since 1 April|Paid up until
|1992
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |1,897,490.34 |31 August 1992
Bedfordshire |515,263.68 |31 August 1992
Cambridgeshire |675,856.99 |31 July 1992
Cheshire |1,356,102.75 |30 June 1992
Cleveland no payment -
Cumbria |453,438.42 |13 June 1992
Derbyshire |550,510.58 |31 July 1992
Devon and Cornwall |226,067.94 |31 May 1992
Dorset no payment -
Durham |539,676.71 |31 July 1992
Dyfed and Powys |540,341.61 |15 June 1992
Essex |540,955.46 |31 July 1992
Gloucestershire |114,808.79 |30 June 1992
Greater Manchester |6,927,811.00 |26 July 1992
Gwent |642,142.94 |30 June 1992
Hampshire no payment -
Hertfordshire |1,025,701.81 |29 July 1992
Humberside |824,690.81 |8 August 1992
Kent no payment -
Lancashire |2,038,819.56 |30 June 1992
Leicestershire |1,135,458.70 |30 June 1992
Lincolnshire no payment -
City of London no payment -
Merseyside |741,494.56 |31 May 1992
Metropolitan |3,205,757.89 |21 June 1992
Norfolk |369,758.52 |26 May 1992
North Wales |236,042.28 |30 June 1992
North Yorkshire no payment -
Northamptonshire |525,799.33 |30 June 1992
Northumbria |1,311,585.70 |24 May 1992
Nottinghamshire |519,602.00 |30 June 1992
South Wales |1,429,598.37 |31 July 1992
South Yorkshire |494,178.30 |30 April 1992
Staffordshire no payment -
Suffolk |130,004.00 |17 May 1992
Surrey |294,330.48 |31 July 1992
Sussex |239,420.97 |31 August 1992
Thames Valley |601,228.47 |21 June 1992
Warwickshire |311,166.77 |30 June 1992
West Mercia |609,643.62 |6 June 1992
West Midlands |507,823.11 |17 May 1992
West Yorkshire |3,205,530.50 |28 August 1992
Wiltshire no payment -
Police Forces
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the authorised establishment figure for each police force in England and Wales for 1992-93 ; what was the actual strength on 1 April ; and what was the actual strength on the last day for which figures are available.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The information requested is set out in the table.
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Force |Authorised |Strength 31 March|Strength 31 July
|establishment |1992<1> |1992
|1992-93
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |3,087 |3,081 |3,061
Bedfordshire |1,178 |1,093 |1,107
Cambridgeshire |1,241 |1,250 |1,245
Cheshire |1,920 |1,874 |1,865
Cleveland |1,502 |1,477 |1,498
Cumbria |1,187 |1,179 |1,190
Derbyshire |1,850 |1,706 |1,768
Devon and Cornwall |2,928 |2,898 |2,901
Dorset |1,302 |1,289 |1,299
Durham |1,389 |1,389 |1,380
Dyfed Powys |969 |947 |963
Essex |2,950 |2,898 |2,920
Gloucestershire |1,184 |1,174 |1,174
Greater Manchester |7,077 |7,061 |7,064
Gwent |1,010 |1,009 |1,000
Hampshire |3,269 |3,211 |3,245
Hertfordshire |1,684 |1,695 |1,681
Humberside |2,034 |2,026 |2,029
Kent |<2>3,136 |3,074 |3,080
Lancashire |3,229 |3,198 |3,198
Leicestershire |1,853 |1,845 |1,833
Lincolnshire |1,206 |1,196 |1,194
Merseyside |4,706 |4,621 |4,681
Norfolk |1,446 |1,414 |1,423
Northamtonshire |1,190 |1,158 |1,182
Northumbria |3,613 |3,464 |3,500
North Wales |1,369 |1,347 |1,354
North Yorkshire |1,418 |1,398 |1,398
Nottinghamshire |2,344 |2,331 |2,337
South Wales |3,168 |3,168 |3,158
South Yorkshire |3,031 |3,008 |3,011
Staffordshire |2,215 |2,176 |2,195
Suffolk |1,233 |1,218 |1,213
Surrey |1,673 |1,706 |1,700
Sussex |3,014 |2,984 |3,005
Thames Valley |3,812 |3,772 |3,839
Warwickshire |1,020 |990 |990
West Mercia |2,053 |2,034 |2,045
West Midlands |6,977 |6,941 |6,930
West Yorkshire |5,295 |5,087 |5,078
Wiltshire |1,181 |1,221 |1,230
City of London |798 |808 |798
Metropolitan |28,279 |125,797 |125,875
<1> Figures for 1 April are not available, 31 March has therefore been provided.
<2> Includes 40 posts with effect from 1 January 1993.
Prisoners (Clothes)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prisoners will be allowed to wear their own clothes.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice, the Way Ahead for the Prison Service in England and Wales" announced that the Government aim progressively to allow convicted male prisoners to wear their own clothes if they wish ; female prisoners and unconvicted male prisoners are already allowed to wear their own clothes. Prisoners at HMP Belmarsh have been allowed to wear their own clothes since the prison opened last year, and similar arrangements will apply at High Down and Woodhill prisons when they open this year. Formal trials are being set up in HMP Wellingborough and in Huntercombe and Finnamore Wood young offender institutions to assess the implications of a more general move towards prisoners wearing their own clothes.
The White Paper also announced that the Prison Service would consider the scope for permitting prisoners to wear specified items of their own clothing, in particular, underwear, socks and shoes, in advance of extending the arrangements to prisoners' outerwear. Prisoners in category C and D establishments, including open young offender institutions, will, where adequate laundering or exchange arrangements can be made locally, be allowed to wear their own socks and underwear. Prisoners in these establishments will also be allowed to have one pair of their own shoes in addition to a prison issued pair.
The scope for further relaxations will be considered in the light of the trials.
Convictions (Safety)
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further information he has received concerning the safety of the conviction of Sam Kulasingham and Prem Sivalingham ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 19 October 1992] : No information about the safety of these convictions has been received since I answered a question from the hon. Member on 8 June, at column 4 . We will give further consideration to this matter as soon as we receive the report from the Essex police to which I then referred.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received into the safety of the conviction of Robert Maynard ; if he proposes to refer the case to the Court of Appeal ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 19 October 1992] : Representations about the case have been received from solicitors acting for Mr. Maynard-- and Mr. Dudley who was convicted with him--and from a number of individuals. As I explained in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 19 October, at column 59, these representations and the material supplied in support of them are still being examined.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Iraq
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to help secure the release of the 800 individuals removed from Kuwait to Iraq in 1990 and still believed to be held by the Iraqi authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We are maintaining pressure on Iraq to fulfil all its obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the return of Kuwaiti and other nationals still missing in Iraq.
We fully support Kuwait's efforts through the International Committee of the Red Cross to establish the whereabouts of its missing citizens, of whom some 800 are believed to be in Iraq. We raise this question at each Security Council review of sanctions and will continue to do so until Iraq meets its obligations.
Lorry Blockade, France
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he intends to take to seek compensation from the French Government for British businesses and tourists who suffered financial loss during the recent French lorry drivers' dispute.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I have been asked to reply.
We made it clear to the French Government in July that British hauliers would be lodging claims for compensation with the French Government and that we supported these claims. Other countries acted similarly. Regrettably, the French Government have said that they do not intend to pay compensation, though they have not yet responded to all the claims submitted.
Maastricht Treaty
Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated cost to the United Kingdom of implementing title XII on trans-European networks proposed under the Maastricht treaty.
Mr. Nelson : I have been asked to reply. The Maastricht treaty does not specify any particular level of expenditure for trans-European networks. The European Community's spending plans for the next few years are presently being considered on the basis of the Commission's proposal in document COM(92)2000 ; however, decisions have yet to be taken.
DEFENCE
RAF Wattisham
Mr. Lord : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of RAF Wattisham ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My Department has been looking at possible defence uses for RAF Wattisham after the withdrawal of the Phantom force by mid-1993. I have
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now decided that two regiments of the Army Air Corps should be based at Wattisham. There are currently two Army Air Corps regiments based in the United Kingdom, at Netheravon and Dishforth. Under "Options for Change", this will increase to four regiments on the redeployment of two of the three regiments currently based in Germany. RAF Wattisham has been identified as the most cost-effective option for an operational base for the two regiments returning from Germany and their support units. The units co-locating at RAF Wattisham will be 3 and 4 Regiments AAC, 71 Aircraft Workshops and 2 Aircraft Support Unit. In addition, two RAF search and rescue Sea King helicopters will move to Wattisham in 1994. It is too early to say what the detailed implications will be for the staff at RAF Wattisham. Full consultation will take place with the trades unions concerned in accordance with agreed procedures. There will also be some other rationalisation moves within United Kingdom : one squadron from 7 Regiment at Netheravon will join 9 Regiment at Dishforth and will be replaced by one of the three new TA flights being formed in 1993. The other two TA flights will be based at RAF Shawbury and RAF Turnhouse.RAF Search and Rescue
Mr. Lord : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions he has reached on the future basing structure of the RAF search and rescue force ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I have given careful consideration to the future deployment of the RAF SAR force in the light of the reduction in military flying flowing from the conclusions of "Britain's Defence for the Nineties" and the civil helicopter coverage criteria agreed by the helicopter coverage group in 1986. These proposals have been discussed with colleagues at the Department of Transport who have agreed my proposed way forward.
The size of the RAF SAR helicopter force, which is funded from the defence budget, is based on the wartime requirement. Taking all the relevant factors into account I have confirmed that the RAF now requires an all Sea King SAR fleet of a minimum of 25 aircraft to meet the war requirement in the United Kingdom. The intention to order an additional six Sea Kings was announced by the then Minister of State for Defence Procurement in the House on 19 February, Official Report, column 332.
The RAF Sea King force makes an important contribution to the civil SAR services for which the Department of Transport and others are responsible. SAR helicopters are also provided by both the Royal Navy and Her Majesty's coastguard, through a contractor. All these elements combine to provide the Great Britain civil SAR helicopter service.
In order to maximise the flexibility of response to SAR incidents in Great Britain, the practice of basing two aircraft at each flight to provide back -up will be continued. This approach allows flights to respond to concurrent incidents, and in the case of major rescues, to maintain area SAR cover while several SAR helicopters are deployed to assist. It also represents the most cost-effective means of providing area SAR cover. In accordance with the criteria agreed by the helicopter coverage group, during the day one helicopter will continue to be at 15 minutes notice and a second at 60 minutes notice at each
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station. At night one helicopter will continue to be at 45 minutes notice. As at present, the very great majority of our territorial waters can be covered within this time scale.The new basing structure is based primarily, as now, on both the areas of high-intensity military flying and the established civil SAR criteria. The RAF assets will be deployed so far as possible to maximise the military contribution to the civil SAR response which is the responsibility of the Department of Transport. This will involve some new arrangements ; a new SAR flight will be established at RAF Wattisham, while RAF Chivenor and Valley will benefit by upgrading of their flights with Sea Kings. RAF Leconfield, Lossiemouth and Boulmer will retain their Sea King flights. The flights at RAF Brawdy, Coltishall, Manston and Leuchars will be withdrawn or transferred. This deployment will ensure that the RAF continues to make virtually the same contribution to meeting the criteria laid down by the helicopter coverage group as at present. The flights at RAF Brawdy and Manston will not be withdrawn until April 1994 and mid-1994 respectively, shortly before the RNLI's planned deployment of new, more capable, fast all -weather boats to south-west Wales and Kent later that year.
Complete details of the changes and an explanation of the reasoning behind them are set out in an open government document entitled "The Future Provision of RAF SAR Helicopters", copies of which I have placed in the Library of the House.
The move to an all Sea King SAR helicopter force represents a significant improvement by making this highly capable aircraft more widely available throughout Britain for civil and military missions. Without compromising its military effectiveness, the RAF has sought to deploy these assets in a way which maximises their effectiveness for civil and military SAR operations. The future force will therefore continue to make a very substantial contribution to civil SAR in and around Great Britain.
My Department is also considering the future arrangements for the co- ordination of the military response to SAR incidents by means of the rescue co-ordination centres. Once I have reached my conclusions on this issue I shall inform the House.
The Ministry of Defence and the Department of Transport believe that with the military and the Department of Transport helicopters, the RNLI and HM coastguard a good SAR service will continue to be provided to meet the requirements of the civil community.
Dismounted Public Duties
Mr. Lord : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the review of dismounted public duties was completed ; and with what results.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : After consultation with the royal household, the Metropolitan police and other Departments, a number of measures have been identified which will reduce requirements for the employment of Foot Guards manpower on public duties while maintaining essential security and appropriate ceremonial. Her Majesty the Queen has graciously agreed to these measures and they will be implemented between now and 1994. A document providing the full details is being placed in the Library of the House.
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Airborne Warning and Communication System
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the defence contracts placed by United States purchasing authorities as part of the offset for the AWACS early warning contract placed with Boeing ; what is the value of each contract and the total value ; and to what extent this achieves the target for offsetting contracts agreed between the United States and the United Kingdom Governments.
Mr. Aitken : As I announced in the House on 20 May, Hansard , volume 208, column 190 , Boeing has now met its obligation under its industrial participation agreement with my Department. The agreement required Boeing and its subcontractors to offer competitive bidding opportunities to British defence companies, and United States purchasing authorities were not parties to it. Details of individual contracts remain commercially confidential.
ENVIRONMENT
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes have been treated and what amount has been spent under the home energy efficiency scheme in each network installer area in Scotland since 1 January 1991.
Mr. Maclean : The figures are as follows :
Network installer |Homes treated |Amount spent in £
area
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Borders/Lothian |2,259 |240,635
2 West Lothian/Edinburgh |3,413 |385,948
3 Dumfries/Strathclyde |714 |97,330
4 Strathclyde |1,533 |279,655
5 Strathclyde West |4,157 |533,451
6 Strathclyde East |8,265 |772,086
7 Strathclyde/Glasgow North |4,392 |472,284
8 Strathclyde/Glasgow East |4,787 |539,975
9 Strathclyde/Glasgow South |1,224 |136,331
10 Strathclyde Central |1,939 |205,350
11 Fife |4,260 |468,691
12 Tayside |3,641 |379,517
13 Grampian |3,447 |378,435
14 Grampian Highlands |1,429 |157,025
15 Shetland Islands |- |-
16 Orkney Islands |145 |31,085
17 Western Islands |- |-
|------- |-------
Total |45,605 |5,077,798
The original area 14 was divided into four on 14 December 1991. No suitable bid for resistration as a network installer for the Western Isles has since been recieved. A network installer for Shetland islands in April this year.
Housing (Pregnant Women)
Ms. Glenda Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many pregnant women were successfully prosecuted in 1991 for fraudulent attempts to gain priority status on housing waiting lists in the London borough of Camden.
Mr. Baldry : Such information is not held centrally.
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SSSIs
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total number of sites of special scientific interest in England and the number of these that have been (a) partially or (b) wholly damaged.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 20 October 1992] : At 31 March 1992, a total of 3,621 SSSIs had been notified in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The latest available information on damage to SSSIs is contained in the 17th and final report of the former Nature Conservancy Council, a copy of which is in the Library. Information in respect of the year ending 31 March 1992 is currently being gathered by English Nature and will be published in its first anniversary report to be presented to Parliament later in the year.
EMPLOYMENT
Deregulation
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what financial provisions, and how much, she has made within her Department in order to look at the potential for deregulation of each of the regulatory measures for which she has responsibility.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Employment Department has two central departmental deregulation units--DDUs--one for the Health and Safety Executive and one which deals with the rest of the Department. Staff costs for the DDUs, including economic support is estimated at £57, 245.
In addition, all staff in the Department are fully aware of the need to ensure that regulations should not impose unnecessary and costly burdens on businesses, causing damage to competitiveness and job prospects. Ensuring that proposals for new regulations are assessed thoroughly for the costs they will impose on businesses and reviewing existing regulations are an everyday part of the activities of policy sections.
HEALTH
Cycling
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department is carrying out or sponsoring into the health benefits of cycling.
Dr. Mawhinney : The health benefits of safe physical activity are well established. The Allied Dunbar national fitness survey, published in June, includes comprehensive research data on the whole area of safe physical activity. The survey notes that cycling is a good aerobic exercise.
The "Health of the Nation" White Paper commits the Government, in consultation with others, to develop physical activity strategies in the light of the survey results. Work on this is already taking place.
PRIME MINISTER
Yugoslavia
Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister what is the total, to date, of the financial assistance given by Her Majesty's Government to fund the cost of maintaining
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refugees from the former states of Yugoslavia ; what is the total, to date, of financial assistance given by Her Majesty's Government to fund humanitarian relief in the former states of Yugoslavia ; and what proposals Her Majesty's Government have for increasing the United Kingdom contribution.The Prime Minister [holding answer 19 October 1992] : I announced yesterday an additional bilateral British contribution of £15 million in the light of reports from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This brings Britain's total commitment of humanitarian aid for victims of the conflict in former Yugoslavia to over£70 million ; of this, £29.5 million is bilateral aid and£41 million our share of European Community actions.
NATIONAL FINANCE
European Currency Unit
Ms. Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest ecu/sterling exchange rate.
Mr. Nelson : The market ecu:sterling exchange rate at the London close on 20 October was 1.2497 ecu per pound.
Bank of England Governor
Ms. Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates he met the Governor of the Bank of England during the period 12 to 18 September ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nelson : Throughout the period from 12 to 18 September I was in regular contact with the Governor of the Bank of England.
Currency Intervention
Ms. Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which spending programmes he estimates will be affected by the expenditure involved in currency intervention in the period 14 to 18 September.
Mr. Nelson : None. The use of foreign currency reserves for intervention purposes involves an exchange of assets and is, therefore, not public expenditure.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the reasons for the Government's practice of not revealing the amount of intervention, gains and losses arising from currency support to the United Kingdom Exchequer.
Mr. Nelson : It has been the long-standing convention of successive Governments not to reveal the extent of intervention. It would not be in the national interest to do so, because the information is market sensitive.
European Central Bank
Mr. Cash : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what privileges and immunities Her Majesty's Government have assessed to be necessary for the performance of the tasks of the European central bank in the territories of the member states under article 40 of the protocol to the Maastricht treaty on European central banks.
Mr. Nelson : The relevant privileges and immunities are set out in the protocol on the privileges and immunities of
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the European Communities annexed to the treaty establishing a single Council and a single Commission of the EuropeanCommunities--sometimes known as the merger treaty. This is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, No. 152, 13 July 1967, and reproduced in the full edition of "Treaties establishing the European Communities" published by the office for official publications of the European Communities. In addition, the protocol amending the protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Communities annexed to the treaty on European union would exempt the European central bank from liability to tax on increases in its capital and from liability to turnover tax.
Mr. Cash : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sanctions exist to ensure the compliance of national central banks with the instructions of the European central bank under article 14.3 of the protocol to the Maastricht treaty on European central banks.
Mr. Nelson : If the European central bank were to consider that a national central bank has failed to fulfil an obligation under the statute, it may bring the matter before the European Court of Justice under the procedure in article 35.6.
Mr. Cash : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to article 15 of the protocol to the Maastricht treaty on European central banks, what (a) efforts have been made to ensure the harmonisation of national central banks' accounting practices and (b) what estimates have been made of the cost of article 15.4.
Mr. Nelson : Article 26.4 of the protocol on the statute of the European system of central banks and of the European central bank--ECB-- provides for the governing council of the ECB to establish the necessary rules for standardising the accounting and reporting of national central bank operations.
It is not possible to estimate the cost to the ECB of issuing reports under article 15.4.
Mr. Peter Clowes
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 9 June, Official Report, column 82, what is the current position of repayment made in respect of the court order for interim payment of damages of £6 million made on 13 April against Mr. and Mrs. Clowes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nelson : On 21 September 1992 the Court of Appeal dismissed Mr. Clowes's appeal against the judgment of the court given on 18 March 1992. It also dismissed Mr. Clowes's appeal against the order of the court, made on 13 April 1992, for an interim payment of damages of £6 million.
Currency Speculation
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will undertake an analysis of the impact of clearing banks not speculating against the pound but merely dealing for customers with genuine international trading requirements.
Mr. Nelson : I have no plans to do so.
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Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking against British banks which speculated against the pound in the period 14 to 17 September ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nelson : It would not be appropriate to take any such steps. It is for banks and other financial institutions to make decisions about the deployment of funds within their control, subject to the framework of law within which they operate, including prudential regulations.
Economists
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many economists are employed in the Treasury ; and what is their total remuneration.
Mr. Nelson : There are currently 87 staff working as economists in the Treasury. Their total annual remuneration is about £2,500,000 based on current pay rates.
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Business Expansion Scheme
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the (a) total amount invested in the business expansion scheme, (b) amount invested in private rented housing, (c) total cost of tax relief and (d) amount of tax relief in respect of investment in private rented housing for each year from 1987-88 to 1990-91 ; and for each year of the existence of the business expansion scheme what were the percentage and amounts of BES money invested in residential and assured tenancy schemes and associated revenue forgone by the Exchequer.
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