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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 12 March 1992
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary together with their date of appointment and the date by which they are required by law to retire.
The Attorney-General : The information requested is as follows :--
|Appointment Date |Retirement Date
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lord Keith of Kinkel |10 January 1977 |7 February 1997
Lord Templeman MBE |30 September 1982|3 March 1995
Lord Griffiths MC |23 May 1985 |26 September 1998
Lord Ackner |30 January 1986 |18 September 1995
Lord Goff of Chieveley |6 February 1986 |12 November 2001
Lord Jauncey of Tullichettle |9 February 1988 |8 May 2000
Lord Lowry |5 August 1988 |30 January 1994
Lord Browne-Wilkinson |1 October 1991 |30 March 2005
Lord Mustill |10 January 1992 |10 May 2006
Lord Slynn of Hadley |11 March 1992 |17 February 2005
Polygamous Marriages
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Attorney-General what plans the Government have to implement the recommendations of the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission in their report on "Polygamous Marriages : Capacity to Contract" (Law Comm. No. 146, Scots Law No. 96).
The Attorney-General : Following the publication of this report in 1985 the Government consulted on its recommendations, the main purpose of which is to ensure that those domiciled in England and Wales or in Scotland should not lack the capacity to contract a marriage which is in fact monogamous merely because it is celebrated in polygamous form according to foreign law. Marriages that are actually polygamous would continue not to be recognised as valid in this country. In the light of the views expressed on consultation the Government have decided to accept these recommendations and will introduce legislation to implement them when a suitable opportunity occurs.
ENERGY
Sizewell B
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had, and what undertakings he has given to the European Commission, in connection with state aid requirements, regarding the commercial rules for operating Sizewell B nuclear power station.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The notification of commercial arrangements relating to Nuclear Electric plc's operations
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up to 1998 made to the European Commission in March 1990 under state aid notification procedures included Sizewell B.Ministerial Visits
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many visits were made by the hon. Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan) in his capacity as Minister in 1990, 1991 and the current year, respectively ; and what were the places and duration of each visit.
Mr. Wakeham : I shall ask my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan) to write to the hon. Gentleman.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Brixton Prison
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the treatment of medical and psychiatric prisoners at Brixton prison.
Mrs. Rumbold : It is the Government's policy that mentally disturbed offenders should receive care and treatment from the health and social services. They should be diverted from the criminal justice system at the earliest possible opportunity.
However following adverse criticism of the arrangements in Brixton prison, we felt it entirely appropriate to develop enhanced activities and general support for patients undergoing observation or treatment. We are now in the final stages of developing an acute psychiatric unit to provide a high standard of medical and nursing care for acutely disturbed inmates, for whom transfer to hospital is not possible.
The necessary building works are nearing completion and the unit is expected to be ready by the end of March for the receipt of patients in April.
Custody, Care and Justice"
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons have been selected for the pilot schemes of staff compacts described in paragraph 4.12 of the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice".
Mrs. Rumbold : The commitment given in the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" to providing a statement of the facilities for staff, and the standards expected of them, is being addressed alongside the work on a new staff handbook, and standards for the treatment and care of prisoners. Work is progressing on the most appropriate format for the delivery of these objectives, but is not yet sufficiently advanced to implement any pilot programmes.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the outcome of the review of the reception and induction arrangements for prisoners referred to in paragraph 7.17 of the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice".
Mrs. Rumbold : Guidance based on the review is to be issued to prison governors within the next few months.
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Bail
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons he expects to provide bail units, and how many to provide bail information schemes, before the end of the current financial year.
Mr. John Patten : All local prisons and remand centres have a bail unit or bail officer. Bail information schemes currently operate at 15 establishments. Two further establishments have schemes approved, but they will not be operational before the end of the financial year.
Male Prisoners
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons male convicted prisoners are now allowed to wear their own clothes.
Mrs. Rumbold : The White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" announced the Government's intention to extend the wearing of own clothess by male convicted prisoners. A pilot scheme began at HM prison Belmarsh in April 1991 and this is expected to be extended to two further establishments later this year. In addition, some establishments already allow male convicted prisoners to wear certain items of their own clothing.
Criminal Justice Consultative Council
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the immediate programme of work agreed for the Criminal Justice Consultative Council following its initial meeting in January.
Mr. John Patten : The council's work programme will be considered by its members at its next meeting on 9 April, following a preliminary discussion at its first meeting.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Criminal Justice Consultative Council will hold its next meeting.
Mr. John Patten : The Criminal Justice Consultative Council will hold its second meeting on Thursday 9 April 1992.
London Bridge Bomb
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those injured as a result of the London bridge explosion were injured by flying glass.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : A figure for those injured specifically by flying glass as a result of the London Bridge explosion of 28 February is not available, but of the 30 people who went to hospital as a result of the explosion, 12 were suffering from cuts, bruises or other associated pains.
Retail Premises (Security)
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters concerning its recommendations on appropriate security shutters for retail premises.
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Mr. John Patten : I have had no discussions with the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters and I understand that the institute has made no such recommendations.
Crime Statistics, Manchester
Mr. Dickens : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest crime figures in the Greater Manchester police area.
Mr. John Patten : The latest information is for 1991 and is published in table 3 of "Home Office Statistical Bulletin" 2/92, a copy of which is in the Library.
Name Badges (Prisons)
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to introduce name badges for all staff on duty in prisons.
Mrs. Rumbold : Work is progressing on the commitment given in the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" to the wearing of name badges by all staff on duty in prisons. Procurement action will be initiated when the consultations with the trade unions about the detailed arrangements have been satisfactorily concluded.
Cardphones (Prisons)
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether cardphones are now available in all prisons.
Mrs. Rumbold : Cardphones for prisoners' use are available at all category C and D prisons, including equivalent female and young offender establishments.
On publication of the Woolf report my right hon. Friend announced that cardphones would be installed in the rest of the prison estate. The installation programme is scheduled to be completed by the end of June 1992.
Prisoners (Television)
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which prisons he proposes to conduct experiments under which prisoners may have televisions in their cells or rooms.
Mrs. Rumbold : The White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" announced that closely monitored trials would take place at a small number of establishments to test the use of televisions in cells. A trial of battery- operated televisions began at HM prison The Mount in December 1991. Trials of mains-powered sets will be held at Manchester and Stockton prisons when the necessary cabling work has been completed in the summer. In-cell television will be tested in other establishments if the need arises.
Sexual Offences
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average sentence imposed in each of the last 10 years upon offenders convicted of (a) indecent assault on a female, (b) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16, (c) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and (d) incest ; (2) how many offenders convicted of (a) indecent assault on a female, (b) unlawful sexual intercourse with
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a girl under 16, (c) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and (d) incest were given sentences of (i) immediate imprisonment, (ii) suspended imprisonment, (iii) community service, (iv) probation, (v) a fine and (vi) discharge in each of the last ten years.Column 582
Mr. John Patten : The information for England and Wales for the years 1980, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990, which is provisional, is given in the tables. To produce further information for the other years requested would involve disproportionate cost.
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Table A
Number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody and average length of sentence imposed for
certain sexual offences by type of court 1980, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990<1>
England and Wales
Magistrates' court Crown Court
Offence |Year |Total |Average |Total |Average
|immediate|sentence |immediate|sentence
|custody |length |custody |length
|(months) |(months)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indecent assault on a female |1980 |141 |4 |275 |16
|1985 |172 |4 |489 |18
|1987 |134 |4 |821 |22
|1988 |131 |3 |866 |21
|1989 |91 |4 |913 |23
|<1>1990 |73 |4 |885 |23
Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 |1980 |22 |4 |64 |12
|1985 |33 |4 |70 |13
|1987 |25 |4 |88 |12
|1988 |13 |3 |94 |12
|1989 |8 |3 |73 |12
|<1>1990 |13 |4 |72 |11
Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 |1980 |- |- |50 |31
|1985 |- |4 |69 |25
|1987 |- |- |82 |36
|1988 |- |4 |95 |33
|1989 |- |- |61 |38
|<1>1990 |- |3 |65 |40
Incest |1980 |2 |4 |95 |36
|1985 |- |5 |95 |30
|1987 |- |- |156 |38
|1988 |- |- |159 |42
|1989 |- |- |134 |43
|<1>1990 |- |- |117 |46
<1> Provisional
Table B
Number of offenders sentenced for certain sexual offences by type of court and result 1980, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990<1>
England and Wales
Offence and year |Total |Immediate |Fully |Comm. |Probation |Fine |Abs or con- |Other
|sentence |custody |suspended |serving |order |ditional
|order |discharge
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Magistrates courts
Indecent assault on a female
1980 |1,937 |141 |149 |22 |407 |609 |326 |283
1985 |1,396 |172 |113 |34 |365 |278 |240 |194
1987 |1,176 |134 |93 |34 |337 |232 |181 |165
1988 |1,220 |131 |105 |29 |323 |290 |188 |145
1989 |1,245 |91 |103 |31 |335 |296 |222 |167
1990<1> |1,138 |73 |67 |27 |303 |290 |228 |150
Unlawful sexual intercourse
with girl under 16
1980 |414 |22 |49 |18 |34 |188 |69 |14
1985 |279 |33 |30 |19 |47 |72 |68 |10
1987 |191 |25 |24 |19 |31 |59 |33 |-
1988 |175 |13 |22 |14 |24 |49 |49 |4
1989 |139 |8 |8 |8 |21 |58 |35 |1
1990<1> |154 |13 |7 |9 |27 |50 |45 |3
Unlawful sexual intercourse
with girl under 13
1980 |10 |- |- |- |1 |1 |- |8
1985 |12 |1 |- |5 |1 |1 |2 |2
1987 |5 |- |- |- |- |1 |- |4
1988 |10 |1 |- |- |- |- |2 |7
1989 |8 |- |- |- |- |- |5 |3
1990<1> |7 |1 |- |- |- |- |1 |5
Incest
1980 |7 |2 |- |- |2 |1 |- |2
1985 |2 |1 |- |- |- |- |- |1
1987 |4 |- |- |- |- |- |1 |3
1988 |1 |- |- |- |- |1 |- |-
1989 |4 |- |- |- |- |3 |- |1
1990<1> |1 |- |- |- |- |1 |- |-
Crown court
Indecent assault on a female
1980 |507 |275 |92 |8 |58 |35 |15 |24
1985 |744 |489 |100 |8 |94 |14 |18 |21
1987 |1,151 |821 |137 |12 |119 |27 |14 |21
1988 |1,305 |866 |180 |18 |159 |27 |22 |33
1989 |1,427 |913 |216 |16 |196 |27 |22 |37
1990<1> |1,431 |885 |194 |34 |216 |39 |24 |39
Unlawful sexual intercourse
with girl under 16
1980 |147 |64 |33 |9 |10 |24 |7 |-
1985 |118 |70 |13 |6 |12 |7 |8 |2
1987 |156 |88 |29 |10 |14 |6 |7 |2
1988 |164 |94 |30 |10 |11 |8 |8 |3
1989 |123 |73 |22 |7 |6 |7 |7 |1
1990<1> |150 |72 |36 |13 |11 |9 |7 |2
Unlawful sexual intercourse
with girl under 13
1980 |92 |50 |14 |- |15 |7 |5 |1
1985 |98 |69 |10 |7 |8 |1 |3 |-
1987 |97 |82 |8 |- |4 |1 |2 |-
1988 |125 |95 |6 |4 |10 |2 |3 |5
1989 |88 |61 |9 |1 |7 |3 |2 |5
1990<1> |103 |65 |7 |5 |19 |1 |3 |3
Incest
1980 |138 |95 |20 |1 |15 |1 |3 |3
1985 |126 |95 |21 |1 |8 |- |- |1
1987 |190 |156 |18 |1 |12 |1 |- |2
1988 |195 |159 |16 |3 |15 |- |2 |-
1989 |162 |134 |6 |1 |17 |- |3 |1
1990<1> |149 |117 |11 |- |18 |1 |- |2
<1> Provisional.
Drug Abuse
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of drug addicts in each regional health authority each year since 1979.
Mr. John Patten : The number of addicts notified by doctors to the Home Office are given for each regional health authority and the years 1987 to 1990 in table A7 of "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs : Addicts Notified to the
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Home Office, United Kingdom, 1990--Area Tables", a copy of which is in the Library. Figures for earlier years are not available by regional health authority.Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug-related convictions there were in each police area in England and Wales since 1979.
Mr. John Patten : The information requested is given in the table.
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Persons found guilty of drugs offences by police force area and year<1>
England and Wales Number of persons
Police force |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England
Avon and Somerset |319 |383 |388 |542 |396 |374 |358 |410 |350 |336 |560 |164
Bedfordshire |50 |77 |69 |75 |100 |79 |110 |96 |74 |74 |126 |137
Cambridgeshire |317 |300 |275 |169 |152 |108 |151 |164 |159 |132 |156 |234
Cheshire |110 |171 |144 |184 |206 |298 |223 |209 |411 |395 |511 |324
Cleveland |104 |118 |84 |58 |41 |57 |98 |78 |69 |90 |95 |93
Cumbria |130 |174 |246 |374 |288 |289 |335 |293 |290 |364 |376 |326
Derbyshire |92 |107 |130 |124 |81 |144 |167 |95 |148 |127 |129 |219
Devon and Cornwall |322 |432 |363 |464 |505 |474 |696 |545 |588 |599 |651 |689
Dorset |115 |161 |162 |224 |183 |222 |197 |129 |91 |64 |132 |165
Durham |51 |60 |49 |59 |89 |76 |62 |34 |63 |67 |80 |61
Essex |129 |240 |219 |259 |249 |323 |344 |162 |204 |255 |325 |400
Gloucestershire |157 |202 |183 |207 |213 |248 |194 |128 |143 |108 |167 |154
Greater Manchester |410 |519 |886 |769 |874 |919 |1,019 |880 |1,006 |964 |1,301 |1,356
Hampshire |397 |332 |432 |282 |336 |339 |315 |342 |250 |328 |241 |214
Hertfordshire |167 |197 |222 |224 |256 |295 |313 |213 |194 |205 |371 |336
Humberside |109 |147 |180 |152 |200 |202 |260 |177 |194 |201 |207 |264
Kent |166 |235 |244 |223 |204 |259 |308 |251 |302 |202 |202 |96
Lancashire |271 |363 |351 |324 |354 |291 |425 |373 |344 |256 |317 |585
Leicestershire |253 |249 |225 |55 |164 |178 |211 |224 |178 |199 |183 |192
Lincolnshire |62 |72 |65 |58 |82 |42 |51 |46 |77 |77 |116 |186
Merseyside |247 |269 |237 |276 |434 |586 |1,059 |724 |725 |845 |1,078 |1,399
Metropolitan Police
(including City of
London |4,315 |5,608 |6,033 |7,485 |8,469 |7,925 |6,678 |5,341 |4,476 |5,810 |6,672 |6,329
Norfolk |195 |263 |156 |114 |197 |153 |176 |202 |162 |217 |272 |391
Northamptonshire |87 |117 |105 |68 |73 |66 |77 |89 |67 |52 |58 |105
Northumbria |179 |122 |203 |169 |134 |159 |221 |169 |183 |175 |223 |289
North Yorkshire |84 |86 |122 |135 |125 |165 |162 |145 |162 |67 |94 |109
Nottinghamshire |109 |150 |161 |233 |191 |154 |147 |158 |217 |165 |143 |145
South Yorkshire |175 |145 |180 |236 |144 |257 |298 |283 |336 |238 |324 |351
Staffordshire |59 |93 |65 |56 |66 |160 |220 |116 |114 |156 |180 |235
Suffolk |146 |242 |200 |188 |196 |155 |157 |160 |211 |195 |272 |244
Surrey |219 |284 |305 |254 |287 |351 |406 |306 |254 |236 |391 |361
Sussex |489 |516 |578 |521 |631 |519 |458 |364 |506 |431 |731 |860
Thames Valley |466 |479 |408 |514 |488 |514 |608 |536 |543 |643 |770 |911
Warwickshire |64 |83 |78 |127 |74 |88 |86 |82 |82 |120 |131 |171
West Mercia |166 |263 |187 |152 |230 |233 |156 |354 |224 |285 |266 |376
West Midlands |234 |288 |393 |452 |612 |702 |663 |508 |469 |771 |823 |1,148
West Yorkshire |327 |347 |362 |432 |607 |361 |395 |552 |573 |608 |596 |942
Wiltshire |121 |124 |166 |137 |149 |252 |147 |112 |83 |106 |120 |103
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total England |11,413 |14,018 |14,856 |16,375 |18,080 |18,017 |17,951 |15,050 |14,522 |16,163 |19,390 |20,664
Wales
Dyfed-Powys |191 |200 |163 |157 |180 |222 |212 |154 |182 |157 |165 |186
Gwent |103 |124 |111 |152 |101 |132 |134 |125 |114 |131 |118 |144
North Wales |83 |196 |172 |260 |252 |205 |276 |187 |207 |265 |404 |375
South Wales |228 |278 |319 |418 |575 |736 |597 |419 |532 |586 |657 |578
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total Wales |605 |798 |765 |987 |1,108 |1,295 |1,219 |885 |1,035 |1,139 |1,314 |1,283
<1>Excludes offenders prosecuted for offences dealt with by HM Customs and Excise, British Transport Police, British Airports Authority and
Port of London Authority (England) and all those cautioned or dealt with by compounding for drugs offences.
Overseas Electors Scheme
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost to date, broken down into all expenditure heads, of the implementation of the overseas electors scheme.
Mrs. Rumbold : I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 9 March to a question by the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist).
Crime Statistics, Merseyside
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for criminal offences on Merseyside were made in each of the years 1978 to 1991 inclusive ; how many crimes were reported on Merseyside in each of those years ; and what percentage of the crimes reported the convictions constituted in each of those years.
Mr. John Patten : Information on convictions and cautions within police force areas is published annually in the Command Paper "Criminal statistics, England and Wales". Tables 3 (a), 7 (a) and 35 (a) of the 1978 edition, tables 3 (a) , 7 (a) and 34 (a) of the 1979 edition and tables S3.2(A), S3.4(A) and S3.7(A) of the supplementary tables volume 3 from 1980 to 1989 refer. The 1990 Command Paper has yet to be published but provisional figures show 49,000 convictions and 9,800 cautions for all offences in the Merseyside police force area. This information covers offenders and the convictions data records the principal offence only--that is, does not take into account
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additional findings of guilt or offences taken into consideration. Court proceedings data for 1991 are not yet available.Information on offences recorded by the police is also published annually in the Command Paper. Table 32 of the 1978 and 1979 editions, table 2.5 of the 1983 edition and table 2.4 of the 1989 edition refer. Figures for 1990 and 1991 are published in table 2 of "Home Office Statistical Bulletin" 2/92. Copies of all the publications referred to above are available in the Library.
Because of the different collection basis, it is not possible to compare statistics on offences recorded by the police with those on court proceedings.
Travellers
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the reasons why the officer commanding Southwark division Metropolitan police did not alert Kent county constabulary, Gravesend, that six traveller families were moving into the county of Kent ; for what reasons the usual protocol was ignored, and on whose authority ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Commissioner accepts that Kent constabulary should have been told about the movement of these families and regrets that this did not happen. Police officers on Southwark division have been reminded of the importance of inter-force co-operation in similar cases.
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Ethnic Minorities
Mr. Shore : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated level of payments under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 to the London borough of Tower Hamlets and previously to ILEA in the current year and in each year since 1966.
Mrs. Rumbold : The amount of section 11 grant provision payable direct to Tower Hamlets in respect of each financial year from 1967-68 to 1990-91 is as follows.
The figures for each year up to 1989-90 relate to grant in service areas other than education. It is not possible to isolate precise figures for the grant payable to ILEA during this period in respect of education provision within Tower Hamlets. The figure for 1990-91 includes education provision transferred from ILEA. The figure for 1991-92 is not yet available.
Financial Year |£ --------------------------------------------- 1967-68 |11,526 1968-69 |10,618 1969-70 |20,388 1970-71 |19,010 1971-72 |22,853 1972-73 |26,651 1973-74 |25,958 1974-75 |20,473 1975-76 |42,098 1976-77 |39,860 1977-78 |72,677 1978-79 |78,830 1979-80 |77,065 1980-81 |633,466 1981-82 |644,060 1982-83 |841,531 1983-84 |930,384 1984-85 |116,519 1985-86 |158,974 1986-87 |234,680 1987-88 |245,120 1988-89 |199,843 1989-90 |297,795 1990-91 |4,732,150
National Lottery
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that the headquarters of the proposed national lottery be established on Merseyside ; if he will consult the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers and the Football Pool Promoters Association in connection with the expertise they have available and the preservation of jobs of pools workers on Merseyside ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Government's White Paper published on 6 March invites views from all interested parties, including the pools companies, about the possible effect of a national lottery on their activities. Decisions about the headquarters of the national lottery cannot be taken at this stage, but the pools companies would, of course, be able to make a bid for a contract to operate the national lottery if they so wish. I should welcome comments on the proposals in the White Paper, which should be sent to my Department by 1 June.
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United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in establishing a new body to supervise the work of the refugee unit of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : At the joint invitation of my right hon. Friend and the London representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a planning group has been established, which will be chaired by Mrs. Usha Prashar.
Mr. Geoffrey Bindman and Ms. Janet Lewis-Jones have also agreed to participate, and the group may co-opt other members.
The group has been asked to consult voluntary organisations and others concerned with the welfare of refugees, and to devise a constitution for a new organisation, whose objective will be to provide legal counselling for asylum seekers and representation in appeals against adverse decisions by the immigration authorities. These proposals will take account of the need for the trustees of the new body to be able to meet their responsibilities under charity law and to satisfy my right hon. Friend and the UNHCR that there will be proper accountability for grants received. When agreement has been reached on the constitution of the new body, it is envisaged that the group should play a leading part in its establishment. In the meantime, the director of the refugee unit will report to the group, which will assume responsibility for general oversight of the unit until the new body is established.
I am grateful to Mrs. Prashar and her colleagues for taking on this task.
Fire Service College
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards establishing the Fire Service college as an executive agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : I am pleased to announce that the Fire Service college will be established as both a Home Office executive agency and a trading fund on 1 April. It will continue to be known as the Fire Service college under this new status. I shall be placing a copy of the college's framework document in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
The main aim of the Fire Service College will be to provide fire-related training and to promote fire safety awareness. It is recognised as being pre-eminent in its field and will therefore be starting from a sound basis in fulfilling this aim. I am confident that the enhanced freedoms and responsibilities which the framework document grants to the chief executive of the agency, together with the additional financial flexibilities of a trading fund, will enable the college to deliver further improvements in its services to customers by providing better value for money.
The key targets which I have set the agency for its first year of operation are :
i) to break even financially with a return on capital employed of 6 per cent.
ii) to achieve a cost per student week of £787 ;
iii) to achieve a throughput of 16,650, 3,202 and 2,182 student weeks, or equivalent consultancy income, in
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respect of the United Kingdom fire service, the commercial and industrial sector and the international sector respectively ; iv) 85 per cent. of students to achieve a 70 per cent. pass rate in assessments ;The chief executive, Mr. Brian Fuller CBE, will be directly accountable to me for the performance of the Fire Service College. An advisory board comprising representatives of the Home Office, the Scottish Office and fire authorities, together with two independent members, will help me to assess the college's performance.
Magistrates Courts Rules
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the changes to the magistrates courts rules recommended by the working group on pre-trial issues are being implemented ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has today made the Magistrates' Courts (Miscellaneous Amendments) Rules 1992 which give effect to the rule changes recommended by the working group. Of particular note are the new rules governing the service of summonses, which allow the courts to use more effective and economical procedures where appropriate.
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We have also taken this opportunity to bring the magistrates courts rules into line with the provisions of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 in respect of the tools and implements of trade which bailiffs may seize where a court authorises distress.Asylum Applications
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on decisions made since December 1991 on applications for asylum in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 1 December 1991 new arrangements were introduced to record, manually, decisions on asylum applications. Under these arrangements decisions are counted at the time they are made in the asylum and special cases divison. This provides a more up-to-date count of decisions than the information previously available, which is subject to delays in recording on the computer system.
Figures for December 1991 and January and February 1992, produced under these new arrangements are given in the tables.
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Decisions<1><2> made in December 1991 on applications for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality
|Granted |Granted |Refused |Refused on |Refused under |Total
|Asylum |Exceptional |Asylum and |third country |paragraph 101 |decisions
|leave |Exceptional |grounds<3> |of Immigration
|leave |rules<4>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Europe and Americas
Bulgaria |- |- |1 |- |1 |2
Colombia |- |- |- |- |- |-
Czechoslovakia |- |- |- |- |- |-
Poland |- |- |- |- |- |-
Romania |- |- |1 |- |2 |3
Turkey |10 |21 |16 |12 |- |59
USSR |- |2 |- |- |- |2
Yugoslavia |2 |- |- |- |- |2
Others |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |12 |23 |18 |12 |3 |68
Middle East
Iran |6 |19 |1 |- |- |26
Iraq |9 |20 |1 |5 |- |35
Lebanon |- |5 |3 |1 |- |9
Others |2 |10 |4 |7 |- |23
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |17 |54 |9 |13 |- |93
Africa
Angola |- |2 |8 |5 |241 |256
Benin |- |- |- |- |- |-
Burkina Faso |- |- |- |- |2 |2
Cameroon |- |- |- |2 |1 |3
Central African Republic |- |- |- |- |- |-
Chad |- |- |- |- |- |-
Congo |- |- |1 |- |23 |24
Ethiopia |1 |14 |- |2 |1 |18
Gabon |- |- |- |- |19 |19
Ghana |1 |- |6 |2 |4 |13
Ivory Coast |- |- |- |- |4 |4
Kenya |- |- |3 |- |- |3
Liberia |- |- |- |2 |- |2
Nigeria |1 |- |3 |2 |- |6
Somalia |- |68 |- |7 |- |75
South Africa |- |- |- |- |- |-
Sudan |1 |- |- |1 |- |2
Togo |- |- |- |- |3 |3
Uganda |- |10 |6 |- |14 |30
Zaire |1 |- |6 |19 |317 |343
Others |- |1 |- |- |139 |140
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |5 |95 |33 |42 |768 |943
Asia
Bangladesh |- |3 |6 |- |- |9
China |- |4 |1 |- |- |5
India |- |45 |38 |11 |6 |100
Pakistan |- |27 |31 |- |7 |65
Sri Lanka |- |38 |- |1 |- |39
Others |4 |35 |- |- |- |39
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |4 |152 |76 |12 |13 |257
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Grand Total |38 |324 |136 |79 |784 |1,361
<1>Excluding dependants.
<2>Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same time period.
<3>Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.
<4>For failure to provide evidence within a reasonable period to support the claim. The majority of these refusals were on
grounds of failure
to respond to two invitations to interview.
Column 591
Decisions<1><2> made in January 1992 on applications for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality
|Granted |Granted |Refused |Refused on |Refused under |Total
|Asylum |Exceptional |Asylum and |third country |paragraph 101 |decisions
|leave |Exceptional |grounds<3> |of Immigration
|leave |rules<4>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Europe and Americas
Bulgaria |- |- |1 |- |- |1
Colombia |- |- |- |- |- |-
Czechoslovakia |- |- |- |- |- |-
Poland |- |- |- |- |- |-
Romania |- |7 |1 |- |- |8
Turkey |8 |27 |9 |9 |10 |63
USSR |- |- |- |- |- |-
Yugoslavia |- |- |- |- |- |-
Others |1 |1 |1 |9 |- |12
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |9 |35 |12 |18 |10 |84
Middle East
Iran |3 |18 |1 |- |- |22
Iraq |9 |18 |- |- |- |27
Lebanon |- |6 |2 |4 |- |12
Others |3 |9 |4 |5 |1 |22
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |15 |51 |7 |9 |1 |83
Africa
Angola |- |- |16 |- |299 |315
Benin |- |- |- |- |47 |47
Burkina Faso |- |- |1 |- |20 |21
Cameroon |- |- |- |- |90 |90
Central African Republic |- |- |- |- |4 |4
Chad |- |- |1 |- |21 |22
Congo |- |- |- |- |24 |24
Ethiopia |3 |16 |1 |3 |10 |33
Gabon |- |- |- |- |62 |62
Ghana |- |2 |19 |- |37 |58
Ivory Coast |- |- |- |- |147 |147
Kenya |- |- |- |- |- |-
Liberia |- |- |- |- |2 |2
Nigeria |- |- |5 |2 |5 |12
Somalia |1 |189 |- |4 |21 |215
South Africa |- |- |1 |- |1 |2
Sudan |10 |3 |- |- |5 |18
Togo |- |- |- |1 |42 |43
Uganda |2 |3 |4 |- |45 |54
Zaire |- |1 |4 |11 |252 |268
Others |- |- |6 |- |16 |22
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |16 |214 |58 |21 |1,150 |1,459
Asia
Bangladesh |- |3 |9 |- |7 |19
China |- |- |- |- |- |-
India |- |62 |40 |8 |17 |127
Pakistan |1 |46 |30 |2 |25 |104
Sri Lanka |1 |76 |- |1 |1 |79
Others |1 |42 |1 |1 |- |45
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |3 |229 |80 |12 |50 |374
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Grand Total |43 |529 |157 |60 |1,211 |2,000
<1>Excluding dependants.
<2>Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same time period.
<3>Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.
<4>For failure to provide evidence within a reasonable period to support the claim. The majority of these refusals were on
grounds of failure
to respond to two invitations to interview.
Decisions<1><2> made in February 1992 on applications for asylum in the United
Kingdom, by nationality
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Europe and Americas
Bulgaria |- |- |- |- |1 |1
Colombia |- |- |2 |- |- |2
Czechoslovakia |- |- |- |- |- |-
Poland |- |- |- |- |2 |2
Romania |- |- |2 |2 |1 |5
Turkey |15 |24 |10 |4 |18 |71
USSR |- |- |- |- |- |-
Yugoslavia |- |- |- |6 |- |6
Others |- |- |- |- |3 |3
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |15 |24 |14 |12 |25 |90
Middle East
Iran |4 |17 |3 |- |- |24
Iraq |9 |17 |2 |1 |3 |32
Lebanon |- |15 |1 |1 |2 |19
Others |3 |5 |4 |2 |3 |17
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |16 |54 |10 |4 |8 |92
Africa
Angola |- |- |1 |- |203 |204
Benin |- |- |- |- |47 |47
Burkina Faso |- |- |- |- |27 |27
Cameroon |- |- |- |- |82 |82
Central African Republic |- |- |- |- |7 |7
Chad |- |- |- |- |22 |22
Congo |- |- |- |- |20 |20
Ethiopia |- |4 |1 |3 |16 |24
Gabon |- |- |- |- |2 |2
Ghana |1 |3 |20 |1 |44 |69
Ivory Coast |- |- |1 |- |106 |107
Kenya |- |- |1 |- |2 |3
Liberia |- |- |- |- |1 |1
Nigeria |- |- |2 |- |5 |7
Somalia |6 |122 |- |5 |17 |150
South Africa |- |- |- |- |1 |1
Sudan |8 |3 |- |- |7 |18
Togo |- |- |- |- |40 |40
Uganda |- |1 |- |- |2 |3
Zaire |1 |- |- |10 |333 |344
Others |- |- |1 |- |22 |23
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |16 |133 |27 |19 |1,006 |1,201
Asia
Bangladesh |1 |2 |8 |- |18 |29
China |- |- |- |- |- |-
India |- |59 |99 |7 |23 |188
Pakistan |- |63 |53 |1 |31 |148
Sri Lanka |4 |61 |- |1 |6 |72
Others |4 |20 |1 |- |2 |27
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |9 |205 |161 |9 |80 |464
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Grand Total |56 |416 |212 |44 |1,119 |1,847
<1>Excluding dependants.
<2>Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same time
period.
<3>Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third
country.
<4>For failure to provide evidence within a reasonable period to support the
claim. The majority of these refusals were on grounds of failure
to respond to two invitations to interview.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Interest Rates
18. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the business community on the impact which the current level of interest rates are having on its performance.
Mr. Maples : I have received a number of such representations.
Public Debt
19. Mr. Hind : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is Britain's public debt as a proportion of national income ; and what are the figures for other EC countries.
Mr. Mellor : The ratio of general Government gross debt to gross domestic product is lower in the United Kingdom than any other country in the European Community, except Luxembourg.
Inflation
20. Mr. Rost : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest assessment of the prospects for retail price inflation.
24. Sir Michael Neubert : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of United Kingdom inflation in 1992.
Mr. Maples : The Budget forecast is for RPI inflation to be down to 3 per cent. in the fourth quarter of 1992 and 3 per cent. by mid-1993.
23. Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of (a) United Kingdom inflation and (b) European Community average inflation in the third quarter of 1992.
Mr. Maples : In the Financial Statement and Budget Report my right hon. Friend forecast United Kingdom inflation of 3 per cent. in the final quarter of 1992. We have made no forecast of EC inflation but in January 1992 it was 4.7 per cent.
Taxation
21. Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about his proposals for income tax.
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