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Smarden Incident
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many reports of death and ill health in humans were attributed to the Smarden poisoning incident and what were the symptoms and post-mortem findings.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege): Fluoroacetarnide, the chemical involved, is acutely toxic when ingested. Human exposure in this way as a result of the incident would have been most unlikely and we are not aware of any confirmed reports of death or ill health attributed to the incident.
Mental Illness: Residential Care
Baroness Mallalieu asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the average per capita cost to public funds of a place in a residential project for people with a history of mental illness.
Baroness Cumberlege: Information is not available centrally on the number of people with a history of mental illness who are receiving residential care and are receiving funding from local authorities or the Department of Social Security.
French and German Learningin UK Schools
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have any evidence of an increase in British ability in the French language, measured either in formal sector education or by tests or polls among the adult population (a) between 1973 and the Treaty of Maastricht and (b) between the Treaty of Maastricht and today; and
Whether they have any evidence of an increase in British ability in the German language, measured either in formal sector education or by tests or polls among the adult population (a) between 1973 and the Treaty of Maastricht and (b) between the Treaty of Maastricht and today.
The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Lord Henley): Government policy has encouraged modern foreign language learning in schools throughout the United Kingdom, through the national curriculum in England and Wales, the common curriculum in Scotland, and the Northern Ireland curriculum. Broadly speaking, the following examination data show upward trends both in the numbers of pupils learning French and German and in the levels achieved. There are no data as early as 1973.
In England, the percentage of all 15 year-old pupils achieving Grades A to C at GCSE (and their equivalent at GCE "O" Level and CSE) in these languages was as follows in each of the years shown.
| Year | French |
| 1975-76 | 14.6 |
| 1992-93 | 25.0 |
| 1994-95 | 26.1 |
| Year | German |
| 1988-89 | 6.6 |
| 1992-93 | 10.3 |
| 1994-95 | 11.0 |
In Wales, the percentage of all 15 year-old pupils achieving Grades A to C at GCSE in these languages was as follows in each of the years shown.
In Northern Ireland, the percentage of those candidates of all ages entered for GCSE or GCE "O" Level in these languages who achieved Grades A to C was as follows in each of the years shown. Data about the percentage of the cohort of 15 year-olds attempting GCSE in these languages are not available.
In Scotland, the percentage of S4 pupils presented for Standard Grade in these languages was as follows in each of the years shown:
Baroness Mallalieu asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Henley: I regret that this information is not collected centrally. The delivery and funding of youth services is a matter for each local authority. The Government's role is to set the overall framework for the funding of local authority services nationally through the standard spending assessment (SSA) system.
Baroness Mallalieu asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Henley: The cost per pupil for primary school pupils and nursery pupils are given in the following table. Separate figures for primary and nursery pupils
(1) Estimated.
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish): Members need to have the independence, experience and authority to contribute to the work of the pay review bodies and a willingness to devote the necessary time to it.
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish: These are unpaid appointments.
Lord Harris of High Cross asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider that privatised companies enjoy an unfair commercial advantage when they inherit the power to enforce, by use of the police and the courts, rules or bylaws previously granted under statutory authority against activities that are not illegal outside the context of the rules or bylaws;
Whether they consider it appropriate for privatised companies to use bylaws framed under secondary legislation to enforce policies taken for purely commercial reasons; and
Whether they will institute a review of the powers inherited by privatised companies to enforce bylaws
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch): A number of statutory bodies have bylaw making powers for the purpose of discharging their statutory duties. It is for Parliament to decide in each case whether a company should inherit such powers or whether new powers are conferred on privatisation. The creation of criminal offences is the prerogative of the Crown and confirmation by the relevant Secretary of State or Minister is needed to provide Crown sanction. The Government have no plans to institute a review of existing powers.
Baroness Hayman asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Blatch: Information for the years 1984 to 1994 is given in the table below. 1995 data will not be available until the autumn.
(1) Violent offences includes the indictable offence groups of violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery and the summary offence of common assault.
n violent offences includes the remainder of indictable and summary (excluding motoring) offences.
1991-92 1992-93 1994-95
French 20.0 21.4 22.0
German 5.0 6.0 6.5
1977 1992 1995
French 60.7 58.4 62.2
German 74.1 72.9 70.9
1987-88 1991-92 1994-95
French 28.7 53.4 63.6
German 6.9 14.3 24.2
What is the average annual cost of a local authority youth worker.
What is the average per capita cost of a primary school place and a nursery education place respectively.
1993-94 1994-95
Region Pre-primary Primary Pre-primary/ primary Pre-primary Primary Pre-primary/ primary
£ £ £ £ £ £
England 2,040(1) -- 1,630 -- -- 1,660
Northern Ireland -- -- 1,480 -- -- --
Scotland 2,505 1,773 1,812 -- -- --
Wales -- -- 1,578 -- -- --
What criteria are used in appointing members of the public sector pay review bodies.
What is the remuneration of the Chairmen and members of the public sector pay review bodies.
Whether they consider it appropriate for a privatised industry to use inherited bylaws (or create new bylaws) that involve criminal penalties for breach rather than use civil remedies like other companies;
5 Jun 1996 : Column WA132through the magistrates' court when these bylaws are not to prohibit unlawful activity but merely to satisfy a commercial activity.
How many women offenders were sentenced to (a) custodial and (b) non-custodial sentences for (i) violent and (ii) non violent offences in each of the years from 1985 to 1995.
Year/Disposal Violent offences Non-violent offences Total
1985
Total sentenced 4,077 139,918 143,995
Immediate custody 396 3,156 3,552
Non custodial sentence 3,681 136,762 140,443
1986
Total sentenced 3,653 160,442 164,095
Immediate custody 388 2,754 3,142
Non custodial sentence 3,265 157,688 160,953
1987
Total sentenced 3,773 154,041 157,814
Immediate custody 433 2,793 3,226
Non custodial sentence 3,340 151,248 154,588
1988
Total sentenced 4,500 159,282 163,782
Immediate custody 499 2,415 2,914
Non custodial sentence 4,001 156,867 160,868
1989
Total sentenced 5,043 158,269 163,312
Immediate custody 416 2,182 2,598
Non custodial sentence 4,627 156,087 160,714
1990
Total sentenced 5,321 164,495 169,816
Immediate custody 356 1,811 2,167
Non custodial sentence 4,965 162,684 167,649
1991
Total sentenced 4,859 167,330 172,189
Immediate custody 371 1,925 2,296
Non custodial sentence 4,488 165,405 169,893
1992
Total sentenced 4,961 184,192 189,153
Immediate custody 356 1,895 2,251
Non custodial sentence 4,605 182,297 186,902
1993
Total sentenced 4,733 179,098 183,831
Immediate custody 462 1,943 2,405
Non custodial sentence 4,271 177,155 181,426
1994
Total sentenced 5,472 180,326 185,798
Immediate custody 522 2,415 2,937
Non custodial sentence 4,950 177,911 182,861