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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 20 May 1992
PRIME MINISTER
Science and Technology
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister what support Her Majesty's Government (1) are giving through the EC to an international science and technology centre to be sited in Russia ;
(2) when he received a copy of the Royal Society report on the state of science in the former Soviet Union ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I received the Royal Society report on 17 January. It is a very valuable analysis of the problems facing scientists in the former Soviet Union. After careful study of the report's recommendations the Government are making a sum of £670,000 available for increased bilateral assistance ; £350,000 will come from existing programmes in the current year and the remainder will be charged to the reserve. The entire sum is within the planning total of public expenditure.
The European Community is contributing some £14 million, of which the United Kingdom's share is approximately 18 per cent., to the creation of an international science and technology centre. The centre will fund research projects for scientists in the former Soviet Union who have hitherto been working on weapons programmes.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister what basic scientific equipment is being provided to the former Soviet republics.
The Prime Minister : None is provided directly. However the United Kingdom institutions participating with former Soviet Union counterparts in joint projects supported by the Royal Society may apply to the society for up to £500 to purchase basic equipment for their partner.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the recent visit by the chief scientific adviser, Professor William Stewart, to the Soviet Union.
The Prime Minister : The chief scientific adviser visited Russia on 15 and 16 March, in order to discuss the difficulties faced by scientists in the former Soviet Union and how the United Kingdom might help. During his visit he called on the Ministries of Atomic Energy and Science, Technology and Higher Education, and on the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as meeting other senior members of the Russian science community.
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LORD CHANCELLOR
Repossession Orders
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what were the number of repossession orders granted by the county courts in Wales during the years, 1979, 1987 and 1991.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The 1979 figures are not available. The table shows the total number of mortgage possession actions entered and orders made in Welsh county courts during 1987 and 1991. The figures do not indicate how many houses have been repossessed through the courts as not all of the orders made will have resulted in the issue and execution of warrants of possession. At this stage the 1991 figures are provisional and therefore liable to revision in the future.
Mortgage possession actions in Welsh county
courts
during 1987 and 1991
|Actions |Orders made
|entered
------------------------------------------------
1987 |4,959 |2,857
1991 |10,235 |7,428
TRANSPORT
Central Rhine Commission
Mr. Fishburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what decisions have been reached on future United Kingdom participation in the Central Rhine Commission.
Mr. Norris : After having consulted interested representatives of the shipping industry, I have decided that the benefits of continued United Kingdom membership of the Central Rhine Commission are no longer sufficient to justify our annual expenditure on this organisation. We will therefore be giving the Central Rhine Commission formal notice of our intention to withdraw from 31 December 1993.
Train Doors (Safety)
Mr. Fishburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Health and Safety Executive has completed its investigation into the pattern of falls from passenger trains with slam doors.
Mr. MacGregor : The Health and Safety Executive has today made public the conclusions of its investigation into falls from slam-door trains. I have arranged for copies of the summary report to be placed in the Library.
The full report of the investigation will be submitted to me by the Health and Safety Commission and published by HSE later in the summer.
Cycle Helmets
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive a report from the Transport Research Laboratory following its evaluation of the effectiveness of current pedal cycle helmets in reducing head injuries.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The work being done by the Transport Research Laboratory, formerly the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, on current pedal cycle helmets is expected to be completed by March 1994.M3
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to invite tenders for further work on the M3 Bar End-Compton.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 18 May 1992] : Tender documents are being prepared with a view to starting the main works for the final section of the M3 between Bar End and Compton later in the year.
A1, Gateshead
Mr. Clelland : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what consideration he has given to providing a new road to relieve congestion on the A1 through Gateshead ;
(2) what proposals he has to widen the A1 through Gateshead ; (3) what alternatives he has considered to the provision of a new road and the widening of the existing road to relieve congestion on the A1 through Gateshead.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 19 May 1992] : The A1 Gateshead western bypass improvement scheme was included in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity" published in 1989. The consultants appointed by the Department to determine practical and viable options for consideration have not yet completed their work.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Prisons
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales that each Home Office Minister has visited since 1979.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Complete records do not go back as far as 1979. To assemble them would involve disproportionate cost. The information in the table about prisons, young offender institutions and other establishments in England and Wales visited by Ministers in the Home Department since my right hon. Friend the Member for Mole Valley (Mr. Baker) became Home Secretary in 1990 is complete.
Prisons in England and Wales visited by the Secretary of State and
Ministers for the Home Department since 23 November 1990
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footpaths
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures he has for the number of prosecutions in each year since 1987, for cycling on footpaths (a) for England and (b) for Somerset.
Mr. Jack : The information is given in the table.
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Number of defendants prosecuted for the offence of cycling
on
footpaths by area 1987-1990
Year |England |England |<1>Somerset
|and Wales
------------------------------------------------------------
1987 |541 |527 |21
1988 |585 |577 |128
1989 |453 |427 |27
1990 |483 |454 |20
<1>Total of prosecutions heard at the Petty sessional
divisions within the administrative county of Somerset.
Adol Owen-Williams
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis Adol Owen-Williams was refused entry to the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement on the treatment Mr. Owen-Williams received from immigration officers.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the treatment of Mr. Adol Owen-Williams of Germantown, Maryland, by the immigration services at Gatwick airport in April.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 19 May, at column 93 .
Police
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to monitor the levels of absence through sickness and injury in police forces.
Mr. Charles Wardle : In December last year the Home Office issued guidance to chief officers of police in England and Wales about the collection of data on sickness absence and assaults. Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary has also issued guidance and is paying particular attention to data collection and other aspects of sickness absence management. All police forces in England and Wales should now be monitoring sickness absence in a consistent way.
Grendon Prison
Mr. Jopling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are awaiting entry into Grendon prison ; what plans are being made to open a second similar type of prison ; and what plans are being made to open a similar prison for women.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : A total of 247 prisoners were on the waiting list for transfer to Grendon prison on 18 May 1992. The question of a second psychiatric prison is being considered in a review of services to meet the needs of mentally abnormal offenders, including women. The review is being carried out jointly by the Home Office and Department of Health. The report is expected to be received in September 1992.
Wild Goats (Shooting)
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce regulations to prohibit the shooting of wild goats, other than in extreme and specified circumstances ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : We have no plans to do so.
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Football
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definitive guidance he gives to local authorities and police authorities arising from the recommendations of the Taylor report.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Hitherto, guidance has been given by means of Home Office circulars and, in the case of sports ground safety, in the Home Office guide to safety at sports grounds known as the green guide, the latest version of which was published in November 1990 to take account of the Taylor recommendations.
With matters concerning safety at sports grounds presently being transferred to the Department of National Heritage, responsibility for providing future guidance will also pass to that Department.
Fire Safety
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to implement the fire safety requirements of European Council Directives 89/391/EEC and 89/654/EEC relating to the health and safety of workers at work ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. and learned Friend intends to implement these requirements by making regulations under section 12 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and has today embarked on a public consultation exercise which will end on 18 July 1992. Copies of the consultative document have been placed in the Library of both Houses.
The regulations will apply to most places of work with one or more employees. In this way the regulations will fulfil the Home Secretary's responsibility to ensure, by legislative means, that people at work, are as safe as possible from the risk of fire. The onus for ensuring that workplaces have adequate standards of fire safety is placed firmly on the employer or the occupier of the premises. From 1 January 1993, he or she will have to make an assessment of the risk of fire to persons in the workplace and prepare an emergency plan. The plan will include details of the means of fighting fire on the premises, the action to be taken by the employees in case of fire, the evacuation procedure to be followed and the arrangements for calling the fire brigade.
There will be a staged application of some of the regulations in accordance with the workplace directive--89/654/EEC. The regulations concerned relate to the requirements to provide adequate means of escape in case of fire and fire detection and alarm systems. They will apply :
(a) to premises used for the first time as a place of work after 31 December 1992, from 1 January 1993 ;
(b) to places of work existing on 31 December 1992, by 1 January 1996 ; and
(c) to those parts of such premises at (b) which are modified, extended or converted by works which are commenced after 31 December 1992, from the date on which the works are completed.
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HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Official Report
Mr. Spearing : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will state the last date to which the bound sessional index volume of the Official Report refers ; when he expects further publication of bound index volumes relating to the last Parliament to be published ; and what plans he has for reducing the interval between the end of a parliamentary Session and publication of the relevant bound index. Mr. Beith : The last Session for which there is a bound sessional index volume for the Official Report is 1988-89. Work is taking place on the index for Session 1989-90 which it is hoped will be published in the first half of 1993. The index for Session 1990-91 is expected to be published a few months later. I understand that the Librarian is reviewing the production of the three published indexes to the Official Report with a view to speeding up publication of the sessional index.
Palace of Westminster (Cleaning)
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on the progress of the cleaning of the external faces of the interior walls of the Palace of Westminster ; and if he will take steps to ensure this work is completed in the current Parliament.
Mr. Beith : The current stage of the programme of external stone cleaning and restoration at the Palace of Westminster, which covers the south elevation and the Victoria Tower is on programme for completion in 1994. Before that, a programme will be agreed for the next stages covering the internal courtyards so that this work can continue.
Newspapers
Mr. Allen : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission if he will seek for arrangements to be made for Members to be able to purchase daily newspapers from a location within the Palace of Westminster.
Mr. Beith : In the first instance it would be for the Administration Committee to recommend, if it established that there was sufficient interest from Members, whether such a service should be provided.
Select Committees
Mr. Allen : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission how many staff are currently employed in the Clerk's Department on duties principally related to departmental Select Committees.
General Store
Mr. Allen : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission what plans there are for establishing a general
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store within the Palace of Westminster where hon. Members could buy household items, and miscellaneous stationery.Mr. Beith : A shop selling a limited range of items has already been established in 1 Parliament Street. The Accommodation and Works Committee in its first report, Session 1991-92 HC 269 I approved plans for a "necessities" shop in the phase 2 building and undertook to give
"further consideration at a future date to the range and type of retail units needed to serve Parliament and the public".
The use of other accommodation would need the approval of the relevant Committee.
ENVIRONMENT
Homelessness Centres
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what homeless centres are at present being funded by the Government in the Tooting constituency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Since 11 December 1991, my Department has been funding English Churches housing group to provide up to 40 bedspaces at Rame House, in Church lane, Tooting Bec. Rame House was opened as part of the Department's programme of emergency accommodation for people sleeping rough last winter. The shelter is to close on 31 May ; and I understand that English Churches hopes by then to have found accommodation for most of the residents.
Rural Economy
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to promote employment diversification in the rural economy.
Mr. Maclean : The Government will continue to work through agencies such as the Rural Development Commission to promote enterprise and economic diversity in a lively and prosperous countryside. For example, we announced as part of our "Action for the Countryside" package that the commission would soon be launching a new initiative, the countryside employment programme. The pilot scheme, which was launched today, will aim to diversify the economy and improve job prospects in those rural areas which are most vulnerable to changes in agriculture.
Local Government Review
Mr. Michael Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the guidelines to the Local Government Commission regarding the review of local government will be published ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : We will give the Local Government Commission guidance on policy and procedures once it has been set up. We intend to issue revised policy guidance and procedure guidance in draft to the local authority associations before giving it to the commission.
Mr. Michael Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is still the intention of Her Majesty's
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Government to require the Local Government Commission to conduct an early review into the future of the county of Humberside ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Robin Squire : We intend to ask the Local Government Commission to give special priority to reviewing local government structure in Humberside and Lincolnshire where the Local Government Boundary Commission found a strong case for change.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons energy efficiency was not included in the press announcement regarding the allocation of ministerial responsibilities ; and if there is a Minister responsible for energy efficiency in his Department.
Mr. Howard : Energy efficiency is an important new responsibility of my Department. My noble Friend Lord Strathclyde will have primary responsibility for energy efficiency, reporting, where necessary, to my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside, and to myself.
Property Services Agency International
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the privatisation of the Property Services Agency International.
Mr. Robin Squire : In July 1991, my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for the Environment announced the timetable for privatisation of PSA Services. The announcement stated that PSA International, which is largely concerned with defence maintenance overseas, was not saleable as a separate organisation and would be closed by the end of 1993. PSA Projects International, the overseas arm of PSA Projects, will, however, be offered for sale with that business.
Homelessness
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons are or were registered as homeless in (a) London and (b) in the London borough of Brent (i) now and (ii) in 1979.
Mr. Baldry : The available information is on the numbers of households for whom local authorities accepted responsibility for securing permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 and the Housing Act 1985. Estimates of the number of persons in these households is not available centrally.
The available information is as follows :
Homeless households accepted
for permanent rehousing<1>
Year |Greater|Brent
|London
--------------------------------
1979 |15,054 |1,074
1991 |39,590 |1,384
<1>A new reporting system was
introduced for London
authorities from the third
quarter of 1982, and the
definition of acceptances was
altered from the second quarter
of 1991, to exclude
{odq}intentionally{cdq}
homeless. Earlier Greater
London figures have been
adjusted to the new basis, but
the adjustment cannot be
applied to individual local
authorities. The acceptances
figures for 1979, especially
that for
Brent, are therefore not
strictly comparable with those
for later years.
Note: Includes households
awaiting the outcome of
enquiries who may not be
accepted as homeless.
#9146
Radioactive Waste
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any radioactive waste is imported into the United Kingdom as a constituent part of spent irradiated nuclear fuel.
Mr. Maclean : Nuclear material is classified as waste only if no further use is foreseen for it. Spent nuclear fuel imported for reprocessing does not meet this criterion. Constituents of such spent fuel only become waste when they are separated in the reprocessing plant from the potentially valuable uranium and plutonium.
Local Government Commission
Mr. Michael Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the members of the Local Government Commission and the address of the commission's headquarters.
Mr. Robin Squire : The Local Government Commission has not yet been set up. Sir John Banham has agreed to become its chairman. Other members will be announced shortly. The location of the commission has not yet been decided.
Radioactive Tritium
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions are in place at civil nuclear facilities to protect against the dispersal of radioactive tritium from sites.
Mr. Maclean : Civil nuclear sites are subject to strict regulation by both the nuclear installations inspectorate--NII--and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution--HMIP--jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food--MAFF.
The storage of nuclear matter including radioactive waste containing tritium is licensed by the NII under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. Disposal of radioactive waste is authorised jointly by HMIP and MAFF by means of strict limits and conditions imposed in certificates issued under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. The regulating authorities inspect nuclear sites regularly to ensure that the terms of the site licence and authorisation are being met.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those nations which must agree to limit their carbon dioxide emissions before Her Majesty's Government will agree to a mandatory deadline of the year 2000 for stabilising carbon dioxide emissions at 1990 levels ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Ainger) on 13 May, Official Report, column 138.
Wetlands
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to designate wetland sites in the Solent and adjoining waters under the Ramsar convention.
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Mr. Maclean : Preparation of a case for designation of Southampton Water and the Solent as a Ramsar site and special protection area is part of the work programme agreed between English Nature, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Department of Environment. However, English Nature is unlikely to be in a position to make a formal recommendation before 1993-94.Battery Industry
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the changes that it is proposed to introduce for integrated pollution control in relation to components for the battery industry.
Mr. Maclean : A number of processes involving the production of components for the battery industry will require authorisation under the integrated pollution control system by 1996, in accordance with the timetable set out in the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991, SI. 1991/472. Before applications are made to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for authorisation, the chief inspector will issue guidance covering each process which will set out the standards which will be applied. Industry will be fully consulted during the preparation of this guidance.
Repossessions
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's current estimate of the number of homes that may be repossessed by banks and building societies in 1992.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford), on 15 May, Official Report, column 238.
City Challenge
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what levels of expenditure will be allocated for city challenge in the financial year 1994-95, expressed both as a net figure and as a proportion of total inner city expenditure ; and how many local authorities will be selected as winners.
Mr. Redwood : City challenge expenditure on the 11 pacemakers and the 20 round 2 winners will be £82.5 million and £150 million per annum respectively for five years. No decisions on future rounds of city challenge have yet been taken.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what process of evaluation of the city challenge bid for 1992 is taking place ; what consultation will take place with the communities concerned ; and when he expects to announce the winners.
Mr. Robin Squire : City challenge bids are being assessed against the criteria set out in the bidding guidance issued in February. Official level meetings are currently being held with each of the urban programme authorities which submitted a bid. The purpose of these meetings is to allow the local authority and their partners, including representatives of local communities, to clarify their proposals. I and my colleagues will make the final assessment before announcing the winners by the end of July.
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Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he will be announcing the winners of city challenge.
Mr. Redwood : The winners of the second round of city challenge will be announced by the end of July 1992.
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