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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 25 May 1993
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Racial Attacks
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Attorney-General in how many cases referred by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service during the last year, an element or allegation of racial motivation has been identified by the police ; and how many of these cases were brought to court.
The Attorney-General : The code for crown prosecutors requires that racial motivation be regarded by crown prosecutors as an aggravating feature when considering in particular cases where the public interest requires a prosecution. Such motivation can be found in a wide range of offences. The Crown Prosecution Service does not maintain records in a form which enables the information sought by the hon. Member to be obtained other than at disproportionate cost.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Select Committee Recommendations
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Select Committee recommendations have been made about, and how many accepted by, his Department since April 1989.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The Home Affairs Select Committee has published 30 reports since April 1989. The Government responses are contained in the following Command Papers, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Title of Home |Government reply
Affairs Select
Committee Report
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Session 1988-89
Second Report: The Financing of Channel 4 |HC 434
Third Report: Higher Police Training and the Police Staff College |Cm 926
Fourth Report: Home Office Expenditure |Cm 838
Fifth Report: Annual Report of the Police Complaints Authority for 1988 |Cm 928
Sixth Report: Crack: the threat of hard drugs in the next decade (Interim report) |Cm 1164
Seventh Report: Drug Trafficking and Related Serious Crime |Cm 1164
First Special Report: Government Reply to the Second Report, Session 1988-89 |n.a.
Session 1989-90
First Report: Racial Attacks and Harassment |Cm 1058
Second Report: Compensating Victims Quickly: The Administration of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board |Cm 1153
Third Report: Criminal Records |Cm 1163
Fourth Report: Crown Prosecution Service |Cm 1145
Fifth Report: Administrative Delays in the Immigration and Nationality Department |Cm 1368
Sixth Report: Form and Content of Home Office Annual Report |Cm 1381
Seventh Report: Practical Police Co-operation in the European Community |Cm 1367
Session 1990-91
First Report: The Annual Report of the Data Protection Registrar |Cm 1485
Second Report: Policing Football Hooliganism |Cm 1539
Third Report: Next Steps Agencies |Cm 1549
Fourth Report: Levy on Horserace Betting |Cm 1583
Fifth Report: Police Sickness |Cm 1692
Sixth Report: Financing of Greyhound Racing |Cm 1757
Seventh Report: The Tote |Cm 1792
Eighth Report: Home Office Annual Report |Cm 1799
Session 1991-92
First Report: Fire Safety and Policing of the Channel Tunnel |Cm 1853
Second Report: HM Chief Inspector of Fire's Annual Report |Cm 2005
Third Report: Electoral Counting Methods |Cm 2017
Fourth Report: Police Complaints Procedures |Cm 1996
Session 1992-93
First Report: Accountability of the Security Service |Reply Pending
Second Report: Delays in the Immigration and Nationality Department |Cm 2185
Third Report: Domestic Violence |Reply Pending
Fourth Report: Immigration Advice Post-UKIAS |Letter
| 20 May 1993
Unit Fines
Mr. Gapes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment was made of the result of the pilot schemes for unit fines under the Criminal Justice Act 1991 ; and whether he will publish the results.
Mr. Jack : Such an assessment was made and published in Home Office Research paper 59 : "Unit Fines : Experiments in Four Courts", a copy of which is in the Library.
Arrests (Soccer Matches)
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested at soccer matches in each season from 1989-90.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The information for matches in England and Wales is contained in the following table :
Arrests
|1991-92|1990-91|1989-90
------------------------------------------------
Football League |5,006 |4,122 |5,945
FA Cup |862 |760 |<1>-
Rumbelows Cup |439 |512 |<1>-
ZDS Cup |109 |60 |<1>-
Auto Glass Cup |71 |135 |<1>-
|-------|-------|-------
Total |6,487 |5,589 |<1>-
<1> Information not available.
Information on the 1992-93 season is not yet
available.
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Fire Brigades
Mr. Madel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to meet leaders of the Fire Brigades Union to discuss wage negotiating procedures ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. and learned Friend met representatives of the Fire Brigades Union, at their request, on 17 March to discuss the Government's policy on public sector pay this year. The negotiation of firefighters' pay is not a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend. Firefighters' pay and conditions of service are matters for the local authorities which employ firefighters, and are negotiated in the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades.
Competitive Tendering
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps will be taken to discourage the recruitment of Home Office personnel by firms tendering for Home Office businesses.
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Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend would not wish to discourage such moves provided there is no impropriety involved.
Police and Fire Services
Sir Rhodes Boyson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total amount of expenditure on (a) police, (b) fire and (c) other services within the responsibility of his Department in (i) England, (ii) Greater London and (iii) the south-east, excluding Greater London, for each year since 1982-83, including estimates for 1992-93, distinguishing between current and capital expenditure, excluding local authority credit
approvals/capital allocations.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Details of expenditure on these services from 1984-85 to 1992-93 are given in the table. Information in respect of the first two years is not readily available. The figures given for capital represent total expenditure ; authorities have to decide the sources of finance only in aggregate. So it is not possible to identify the use of credit approvals for particular services.
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£ million
|1984-85 Outturn |1985-86 Outturn |1986-87 Outturn |1987-88 Outturn |1988-89 Outturn |1989-90 Outturn |1990-91 Outturn |1991-92 Outturn |1992-93 Estimate
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England
Police
Current |2,645.5 |2,586.0 |2,814.0 |3,074.9 |3,415.5 |3,867.5 |4,326.7 |4,828.3 |5,230.9
Capital |89.0 |96.4 |101.9 |125.3 |149.3 |218.3 |166.1 |200.1 |204.8
Fire
Current |566.8 |611.5 |653.0 |718.1 |769.8 |867.6 |960.2 |1,053.6 |1,126.7
Capital |34.0 |31.3 |27.0 |53.9 |55.6 |70.1 |48.2 |50.8 |59.5
Other Services<1>
Current |205.5 |221.4 |241.2 |262.8 |304.5 |343.4 |384.8 |433.5 |469.1
Capital |4.3 |4.8 |10.6 |10.7 |14.0 |14.9 |14.6 |16.7 |17.2
South East England<2> (excluding Greater London)
Police
Current |406.2 |418.0 |463.9 |509.2 |567.8 |628.1 |707.6 |790.4 |863.3
Capital |9.7 |17.9 |15.6 |19.1 |28.0 |42.6 |22.0 |27.2 |27.8
Fire
Current |102.5 |109.4 |118.2 |128.9 |142.5 |162.2 |180.4 |198.8 |212.6
Capital |8.0 |8.0 |6.6 |13.3 |13.3 |14.1 |8.2 |8.5 |9.9
Other Services<1>
Current |34.6 |40.3 |40.5 |45.3 |50.4 |56.4 |33.3 |74.1 |84.9
Capital |0.8 |1.0 |1.5 |2.5 |5.4 |8.2 |7.8 |7.8 |8.0
Greater London
Police<3>
Current |717.1 |733.2 |817.9 |878.9 |960.8 |1,085.0 |1,241.3 |1,384.4 |1,496.3
Capital |32.2 |37.1 |38.5 |41.7 |44.8 |47.6 |58.0 |68.1 |69.7
Fire
Current |126.9 |143.0 |145.6 |160.8 |171.4 |194.8 |206.2 |219.5 |234.7
Capital |6.6 |2.6 |3.5 |8.5 |7.9 |16.0 |13.7 |9.6 |11.2
Other Services<1>
Current |36.7 |39.6 |48.5 |48.9 |51.5 |58.5 |71.6 |81.2 |86.6
Capital |0.2 |0.1 |1.2 |1.7 |1.0 |1.1 |1.1 |1.4 |1.2
<1> Probation, emergency planning, other courts, registration of electors and school crossing patrols.
<2> Taken as comprising Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex.
<3> Expenditure on the Metropolitan Police: the Metropolitan Police District includes parts of Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey.
Fire Service, Marchington
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who maintains the vehicles of the emergency fire service based at Marchington near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ; when any such contract was granted ; and when it is due to expire.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : A contract with TNT Express (UK) Ltd. to store and maintain the emergency fire service stockpile for a period of five years commenced on 1 July 1991. The Home Office has an option to extend the period of the contract to a maximum of 10 years.
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Secure Accommodation
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the establishments providing secure accommodation for juvenile offenders that he has visited since taking his present office.
Mr. Jack : My right hon. and learned Friend visited Feltham young offenders institution on 25 September 1992 and has plans to visit a secure intensive support unit run by a local authority social services department next month. On his behalf, and since the beginning of this year, I have myself visited secure facilities at Orchard lodge in Southwark, the St. Charles centre in Essex, the Nightingale unit at Feltham young offenders institution and Lisnevin training school in Northern Ireland.
Drugs
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he received the research report from Sheffield university, prepared for his Department, on the prevalence of drug use among young people.
Mr. Jack : The research report from Sheffield university was received in draft form in January. It is being prepared for publication later this year.
South Manchester College
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implications for his Department of the judgment in the case of Kenny and Woodroffe v. South Manchester college.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : On 24 March 1993, Sir Michael Ogden held in the case of Kenny and Woodroffe v. South Manchester college that the European Community acquired rights directive applied to the transfer from one undertaking to another of education provision at Thorn Cross young offender institution.
The Prison Service has a clear, significant and legitimate interest in the judgment. Counsel was instructed by the Treasury Solicitor to attend the hearing and to maintain a watching brief for the Prison Service. If the judgment is upheld on appeal, it will affect the amount of public money which the Prison Service will need to pay contractors for the future provision of education services in prison establishments. A protective notice of appeal has now been lodged by South Manchester college. The Prison Service is meeting the college's legal costs in relation to the appeal.
A note will be added in due course to the 1993-94 appropriation account in accordance with the principles set out in "Government Accounting", section 12.6.12.
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the Metropolitan police have been subject to an investigation by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle ; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint ; when the complaint was made ; and what remedial action was taken by the police to ensure future compliance with the principle.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 21 May 1993] : The Data Protection Registrar has recorded eight complaints against the Metropolitan police. They are as follows :
(1) 6 April 1987
Alleged contravention of Principle 5 :
Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.
(2) 18 January 1988
Alleged contravention of Principle 3 :
Personal data held for any purpose or purposes shall not be used or disclosed in a manner incompatible with the purpose.
(3) 8 January 1988
(4) 8 January 1992
(5) 19 October 1992
Alleged contravention of Principle 7 :
An individual shall be entitled (a) at reasonable intervals and without undue delay or expense--(i) to be informed by any data user whether he holds personal data of which that individual is the subject ; and (ii) to access to any such data held by a user ; and (b) where appropriate, to have such data corrected or erased. (
(6) 13 May 1991
Alleged cases of unauthorised disclosure
(7) 4 August 1992
(8) 27 February 1991
Alleged breach of Section 5(2)
In no case has the registrar considered it necessary to serve an enforcement notice on the commissioner. The commissioner keeps compliance with the law under review and ensures that policy, practice and training reflect statutory requirements.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Stratford-on-Avon
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what information he has on (a) how many people visit
Stratford-on-Avon every year and (b) what proportion of those visitors attend performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Mr. Key : According to the leisure day visits survey, there were 4 million day visits by United Kingdom residents to Stratford-on-Avon in 1988 -89. It is not known how many United Kingdom residents stayed overnight in Stratford-on-Avon, but according to the 1991 United Kingdom tourism survey, there were 800,000 trips to Warwickshire involving an overnight stay.
In addition, according to the international passenger survey, there were 133,000 visits of one night or more by overseas residents to Stratford-on- Avon in 1991. It is not known how many overseas residents visited Stratford while staying elsewhere.
The sources for the foregoing data do not identify what proportion of visits involved attendance at a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company, but the latest available data show that in 1991-92 553,000 tickets were sold at the Royal Shakespeare Company's three theatres in Stratford-on -Avon.
Digital Television Technology
Mr. Randall : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with the television industry on the development of a strategy for the introduction of digital television technology ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Brooke : None, but preliminary discussions are taking place with officials, both in my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Museums and Galleries
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consideration he is giving to increasing the purchase grants of the national museums and galleries and the National Heritage Memorial Fund ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : We review all public expenditure programmes each year in the light of what we can afford. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will announce the results in the autumn Budget.
Royal Parks
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) how many nurseries are currently being operated for the royal parks; and what was the position three years ago;
(2) for how long the nursery at Greenwich park has been disused; and what are his proposals for the area of the park formerly occupied by the nursery;
(3) if he will estimate the proportion of plants for use in the royal parks which are currently being imported from overseas suppliers; and what was the comparable figure three years ago; (4) if he will provide an estimate of the amount of time being allocated by the contractor in each of the royal parks to the supervision of apprentices; and what were the figures three years ago.
Mr. Key : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its chief executive, Mr. David Welch. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from David Welch to Mr. Nick Raynsford, dated 24 May 1993 The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for National Heritage has asked me to reply to your Written Parliamentary Questions asking:
(i) how many nurseries are currently being operated for the Royal Parks; and what was the position three years ago;
(ii) for how long the nursery at Greenwich Park has been disused; and what are his proposals for the area of the park formerly occupied by the nursery;
(iii) if he will estimate the proportion of plants for use in the Royal Parks which are currently being imported from overseas suppliers; and what was the comparable figure three years ago; and (iv) if he will provide an estimate of the amount of time being allocated by the contractor in each of the Royal Parks to the supervision of apprentices; and what were the figures three years ago.
Three years ago there were nurseries in Hyde, Regent's, Greenwich and Richmond Parks. Following the contracting out of the Royal Parks nursery production work in 1992 only the Hyde Park nursery remains in use by the contractors who also make use of their own premises. The Greenwich Park nursery was de-commissioned in June 1992 and I am currently considering a proposal by our landscape architects to combine the site with the deer enclosure, to create an historic animal enclosure. In the short term, we are looking at the possible use of part of the nursery area by a local charity dealing with the rehabilitation of disabled people.
Less than 2 per cent. of all plants supplied to the Royal Parks each year are imported. Imports represent a very small
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proportion of the cuttings propagated by our nursery contractor. Before June 1992, all plants were propagated within the Royal Parks. Under the terms of the nursery and grounds maintenance contracts all apprentices are required to be supervised by a member of the contractors' own staff. Before 1992 apprentices were directly employed by the Department and supervised by Royal Parks staff. Information is not available on the time allocated. We have employed the former Director of Studies at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, to advise us on apprentice training. He will be speaking to each apprentice to ensure that the training they receive is appropriate and suitable. In addition we are talking to the Royal Horticultural society to negotiate some practical training at their gardens in Wisley.As a former apprentice myself, I am very keen that our scheme should be managed in the best tradition.
Television Reception
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of the land area of England is not served by broadcasts by (a) independent television and (b) BBC television.
Mr. Brooke : Broadcasters determine transmitter coverage to serve resident populations rather than areas of land. About 99.4 per cent. of the United Kingdom population is able to receive both BBC and independent television services.
Items in Lieu of Tax
Mr. Spring : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what offers in lieu of tax have been accepted or allocated since his announcement of 23 April, Official Report , column 227 .
Mr. Brooke : Since my last announcement on 23 April, Official Report , column 227 , I am pleased to inform the House of the acceptance of two surrealist hats by Eileen Agar in lieu of taxation, which will satisfy £3,500 tax. I am also pleased to announce the allocation of an offer comprising a collection of silver and nine sporting paintings. The collection of silver will go to the Victoria and Albert museum, except for two candlesticks which will be allocated to the Museum of London. The sporting paintings will be allocated to the British Sporting Art trust, for display at the National Horseracing museum, Newmarket, except for one painting, "Sittingbourne with S. Rogers 2nd, West Australian with F. Butler winner of the Derby 1853" by Henry Alken, which will go to the Doncaster museum. The surrealist hats will go to the Victoria and Albert museum in accordance with the condition on which the offer was made.
Royal Palaces
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the breakdown of departmental expenditure between the occupied royal palaces in the latest available year.
Mr. Key [holding answer 21 May 1993] : The figures for property services in 1992-93 are as follows :
|£ million
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buckingham Palace |3.138
Windsor Castle |9.698
St. James's Palace and Clarence House |1.650
Kensington Palace |0.513
Utilities, wages and other costs not broken down by palace |8.137
|-------
Total |23.136
The figures for Windsor castle includes the costs of a major refurbishment programme and of initial clearance and stabilisation work in the fire damaged area.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
South Africa
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the ODA budget for the Republic of South Africa in the current financial year ; and what proportion he plans to disburse on higher education.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We spent over £10 million on development assistance for black South Africans in 1992-93, and aim to increase spending in 1993-94. About 64 per cent. of 1992-93 expenditure was on higher education, including training awards in a variety of different sectors.
TRANSPORT
A550
Mr. Miller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the photographs accompanying the publication of formal proposals for phases 1 and 2 of the A550 improvements was taken.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Friday 24 August 1990.
Mr. Miller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will quantify traffic on (a) the A550 during the recent signposted diversion during roadworks at Queensferry and (b) for the same area prior to the diversion.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Average daily traffic flows :
(i) During recent diversion--
Hooton--11,000 vehicles per day
Deeside Park--35,000 vehicles per day
(ii) Prior to diversion--
Hooton--11,300 vehicles per day
Deeside Park--39,500 vehicles per day
Mr. Miller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement detailing the conclusions drawn after the public consultation exercise into phase 3 of proposals for improvements to the A550.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : That there was substantial support for major improvements to the A550 and for the adoption of the blue route. That, after considering carefully the question of alternatives via the M53 and M56, the best option was to proceed with the modified blue route.
Mr. Miller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors were considered when the decision was taken to develop the A550.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The objectives underlying all trunk road schemes are :
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To assist economic growth by reducing transport costsTo improve the environment by removing through traffic from unsuitable roads in towns and villages, and
To enhance road safety.
Mr. Miller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration was given to traffic-calming measures as a solution to current problems on the A550 ; and if he will make a statement on the investigation and its conclusions.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The A550 forms an integral part of the trunk road system which we wish to maintain and develop. Traffic calming is not relevant in these circumstances.
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