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Immigration Holding Centres
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what submissions he has made to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions on the working of UK immigration holding centres. [57187]
Kate Hoey: No submissions were made. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention visited the United Kingdom during the week commencing 21 September 1998 to find out more about the United Kingdom's policy and practice on the detention of asylum seekers. The Group will report back to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights next spring. It is the Government's policy to co-operate fully with all of the Commission on Human Rights' independent monitoring mechanisms.
Pit Ponies
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning the use of pit ponies in the UK. [57160]
Mr. George Howarth: The Department has received a letter and petition from the Fforest Uchaf Horse and Pony Rehabilitation Centre. A reply was sent by my officials on 30 October 1998.
The Coal and Other Mines (Horses) Regulations 1956 set out the requirements about the use of horses and ponies in mines. The Mines Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, which is responsible for enforcing the legislation, say that they have found no evidence of the maltreatment of any horses and ponies used in mines.
Standard Spending Assessment (Fire Component)
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken and what progress has been made by his Department in addressing the concerns of fire authorities about the aspect of the fire calls element of the standard spending assessment known as the perverse incentive. [57046]
Mr. George Howarth:
The fire service standard spending assessment formula has been considered each year by a Standard Spending Assessment Sub-group, chaired by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The local authority representatives on
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the Sub-group have not themselves this year initiated any proposals for changes to the indicator for fire, false alarm and certain special service calls in the fire service formula. However, the Home Office and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions have put forward options which would amend the basis of calculation and thereby reduce the volatility of the indicator. Decisions on the formula for 1999-2000 will be announced later this year.
We are committed to a fair distribution of grants to local authorities. This is why the Government are, in partnership with local government, establishing a three year programme of research to examine whether there is a better way of determining the distribution of revenue support grant than the present arrangement for standard spending assessments.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for Her Majesty's Government to accede to the First Optional Protocol to the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. [57410]
Kate Hoey:
The Government announced on 3 July 1997, Official Report, column 221, that they intended to review the United Kingdom's position under various international instruments. This includes whether to accept the right of individuals to submit complaints to the United Nations Human Rights Committee under the First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We expect the review to be completed by the end of the year.
Mr. Rooney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the application for leave to remain by Mohammed Rasul Khan, reference K350692, will be determined. [57309]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 29 October 1998]: The application, which was received on 12 October and validated on 28 October, has been considered and officials will shortly be writing to Mr. Khan saying that it has been granted.
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Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children aged 15 years or below are currently being held in prison. [57637]
Mr. George Howarth:
Provisional information shows that there were 203 persons aged 15 years in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 30 September 1998.
On that date, there were also 44 young people held under a secure training order--a sentence for persistent offenders aged 12-14 years on conviction--who serve the custodial part of their sentence in a secure training centre or in local authority secure accommodation but not in Prison Service establishments.
Other persons aged under 15 years are remanded to local authority accommodation. Information about these is published in a Department of Health publication entitled "Children accommodated in secure units" (reference A/F 97/21). This information is presented on a financial year basis, with the last report covering the year ending 31 March 1997.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements his Department has made to monitor the effect of parenting orders. [57638]
Mr. Boateng:
Pilot schemes have been set up in nine different areas. These were announced on 3 June 1998, Official Report, column 219.
The pilots will help to identify good practice in implementing a number of the new youth justice measures contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, including the parenting order. The pilots began on 30 September and will run for 18 months.
The pilot schemes are being evaluated by a team of researchers form Sheffield University. The evaluation will provide information about the use of the parenting order, the outcomes of the order and practice in delivering and supervising the order.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Metropolitan Police's procedures are in respect of local consultation when proposing to sell open land for development. [57545]
Kate Hoey:
The Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District tells me that, like other land owners, he looks to planning procedures to provide appropriate local consultation for the development of land that he intends to sell.
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Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure (a) that the Metropolitan Police consult local residents about their proposed sale of land in Wanstead and (b) that the land remains open land. [57546]
Kate Hoey:
The Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District tells me that the Metropolitan Police are disposing of the land at 23-30 Wanstead High Street, not developing it. As such, it is for the new owners of the land to undertake any appropriate local consultation for their planned development.
Although there has been no formal consultation with local residents, representatives of the Metropolitan Police met a delegation of local residents in August who were protesting about the proposed sale of the land, which is an enclosed site where two houses have been demolished. They explained the reasons for selling the site, and listened to the residents' concerns. A local public inquiry, into the application for a mixed development of shops and flats, is due to be held on 1 December this year, when a planning inspector will hear objections, from local residents and others, before making a recommendation to the Secretary of State.
The use to which the land is put, including making it an open public space, will throughout be subject to planning permission.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter of 21 September on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Biswas. [57527]
Kate Hoey:
The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), wrote to the right hon. Member on 30 October 1998.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter to the Under-Secretary, the hon. Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), of 10 August on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Patrick. [57538]
Kate Hoey:
My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State replied to the right hon. Member on 28 October 1998. He regrets the delay in doing so.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter of 19 August, on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Davidson. [57537]
Kate Hoey:
My right hon. Friend hopes to be in a position to respond to the right hon. Member shortly.
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