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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 2 November 1992
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Society for the Protection of Unborn Children
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Attorney-General when the Director of Public Prosecutions intends to take a decision on whether to prosecute the SPUC under the Representation of the People Act 1986 in connection with the last general election in the constituency of Halifax.
The Attorney-General : The Director of Public Prosecutions is considering allegations that an offence under the Representation of the People Act 1983 has been committed by the SPUC in connection with the last general election in constituencies in West
Yorkshire--Halifax--Avon--Weston-super-Mare--and Lancashire--Hyndburn. The Director is seeking the advice of counsel and a decision on whether any offence appears to have been committed by any person will be taken in the light of that advice.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Murderers
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average number of years which have been served by prisoners convicted for murder who have been released in the last two years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : According to the records held centrally, which are approximate, the average time served under sentence in prison service establishments by murderers first released on licence in 1990 was 12.4 years. The provisional estimate for 1991 is 12.1 years. These figures are published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales"--table 8.5 of the volume for 1990, Cm 1800.
Appointments
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the names of public appointments that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointees, and what remuneration each currently receives.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The readily available information about the appointments for which my Department is responsible, including salary details, is given in "Public Bodies" which is published annually and in "Public Appointments : A Handbook for Women's Organisations" which also gives information on the period of appointments and the qualifications and background required of candidates. Copies of both publications are in the Library. The 1992 editions of both publications, with information about the most recent appointments, are due to be published in December.
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Fire Brigades (Fleet Maintenance)
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fleet mechanics are employed within each fire brigade area in Wales ; and how many are also employed as part-time fire fighters.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The figures supplied by brigades on 23 October 1992 are as follows :
AB C Brigade Number of brigade Number in column B fleet mechanics who retained firefighters ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clwyd nil (local authority staff)|nil Dyfed 6 5 Mid Glamorgan 11 nil South Glamorgan 4 nil West Glamorgan nil (local authority staff)|nil Gwent nil (local authority staff)|nil Gwynedd 5 nil Powys 4 2 -- -- Totals 30 7 Animal Abuse
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to update and increase as appropriate the penalties for offences of animal abuse in the relevant legislation from 1822 to 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The maximum penalties available to the courts for offences in legislation relating to animal abuse for which my right hon. and learned Friend, the Home Secretary, is responsible are kept under regular review. However, the Government have no plans at present to increase existing penalty levels.
Under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, the monetary values of the levels on the standard scale of fines for offences tried in magistrates courts, which will include many animal abuse offences, were uprated from 1 October 1992.
Stolen Property
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the value of property recorded by the police as stolen in the last year for which figures are available ; and what percentage of this was recovered.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 19 October 1992] : Information for 1990 is published in tables 2.13 and 2.15 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1990", a copy of which is available in the Library. Information for 1991 has not yet been finalised.
Prison Deaths
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all deaths that have occurred in 1991 of persons detained in prison department establishments, stating, in each case, the age and sex of the inmates and cause of death, the inquest verdict, whether the inmate was sentenced or on remand, the establishment where the inmate was detained, whether the death occurred there or
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in an outside hospital and, for where the death occurred within the prison, whether the inmate was segregated either in the hospital wing or in the punishment block.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 30 October 1992] : The information is given in the table. Only one prisoner who died in the prison health care centre was segregated for reasons of good order and discipline- -see footnote 6.
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Death of prisoners in Her Majesty's Prison Service custody in 1991
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date Establishment Age Sex Status<1> Cause of Death Inquest Verdict Location at time of death<2> 6 January Gloucester 42 M S Hanging Suicide OL 7 January The Mount 19 M S Hanging Uraemia Suicide GOAD 14 January Lincoln 62 M S necrosis Natural OH 16 January Norwich 36 M S Hanging Myocardial Suicide OL 18 January Blundeston 34 M S dysplasia Natural OL 19 January Wandsworth 29 M S Cut throat Suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed and aggravated by lack of care OH<3> 25 January Full Sutton 35 M S Hanging Suicide PH 4 February Maidstone 64 M S Heart failure Natural OH 11 February Manchester 22 M R Hanging Suicide OL 19 February Stafford 40 M S - Unlawfully killed OH<4> 22 February Cardiff 23 M R Hanging Suicide VPU 2 March Brixton 37 M R Heart failure Accidental OH 6 March Liverpool 22 M R Hanging Suicide in circumstances brought about by lack of care OL 10 March Bristol 32 M S Hanging Cardiac Suicide aggravated by lack of care PH 21 March Wakefield, Wormwood 59 M S arrest Natural OL <23 March Scrubs 56 M S Haemoperi cardium Natural PRES Hostel 7 April Oxford 29 M R Hanging Accidental OL 8 April Manchester 31 M R Overdose Cerebral Not yet held PH 9 April Wandsworth 25 M S infarction Natural OH 17 April Garth 38 M S Cut wrists Suicide OL 19 April Leeds 31 M R Hanging Open OL 10 May Camp Hill 51 M S Heart attack Heart/lung Natural OH 13 May Liverpool 30 M S failure Suicide OH<5> 13 May Durham 33 M CU Possible dystonic reaction to haloperidol Open PH<6> 21 May Wakefield 49 M S Myocardial infarction Natural OL 22 May Littlehey 46 M S Cardiac arrest Natural PH 27 May Brixton 24 M CU Hanging Suicide in circumstances aggravated by lack of care PH 27 May Featherstone 34 M S Hanging Suicide in circumstances aggravated by lack of care Seg(GOAD) 1 June Wandsworth 64 M S Myocardial infarction Natural OH 8 June Wormwood Scrubs 21 M S Hanging Open OH 13 June Haverigg 31 M S Sclerosis of liver Natural OH 2 July Blantyre House 27 M S Overdose Accidental OL 8 July Durham 27 M S Hanging Suicide OL 18 July Pentonville 54 M S Hanging Suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed PH 18 July Wakefield 37 M S Stabbed Not held OL 21 July Parkhurst 29 M S Hanging Suicide brought about by lack of care OL 26 July Full Sutton 34 M S Hanging Misadventure OH<7> 30 July Liverpool 34 M S Hanging Suicide PH 31 July Grendon 30 M S Hanging Suicide OH<8> 31 July Durham 63 M S Acute myocardial infarction Natural OH 31 July Manchester 21 M S Hanging Suicide OL 2 August Birmingham 25 M S Hanging Suicide PH 11 August Preston 45 M S Hanging Suicide PH 16 August Dorcester 45 M R Hanging Open OL 18 August Wakefield 31 M S Hanging Suicide OL 26 August Birmingham 23 M S Hanging Suicide OL 31 August Feltham 18 M S Hanging Suicide OL 11 September Wakefield 65 M S Myocardial infarction Natural PH 16 September Nottingham 45 M S Hanging Not yet held OL 21 September Winchester 45 M R Drug poisoning Misadventure OL 21 September Glen Parva 20 M R Hanging Suicide OL 22 September Feltham 15 M S Hanging Accidental OL 1 October Norwich 30 M S Asthma attack Open OL 5 October Kirkham 54 M S Heart attack Not held OH 7 October Grendon 37 M S Hanging Suicide APU<9> 8 October Pentonville 32 M IA Acute cardiac failure Not yet held Seg(GOAD) 16 October Cardiff 33 M R Overdose Suicide while balance of mind was disturbed PH 18 October Winchester 40 M R Hanging Suicide PH 25 October Haverigg 25 M S Hanging Open OL 25 October Leicester 65 M S Lung cancer Natural OH 28 October Stafford 29 M S Hanging Open OL 9 November Usk 52 M S Heart attack Natural OL 10 November Maidstone 64 M S Cerebral haemorrhage Natural OH 12 November Birmingham 44 M R Overdose Suicide OL 13 November Norwich 49 M R Overdose Misadventure OL 31 November Swaleside 41 M S Pulminary aneurysm Natural OL 12 December Garth 49 M S Heart attack Natural OL 14 December Stoke Heath 19 M CU Hanging Suicide OL 17 December Long Lartin 52 M S Overdose Suicide OL 28 December Leeds 30 M R Hanging Suicide OL(OP) <1> Status:- R-Remand. CU-Convicted unsentenced. S-Sentenced. IA-Detained under the Immigration Act.. <2> Location:-OL-Ordinary location within prison. GOAD-Good order and discipline wing. PH-Prison health care centre. VPU-Vulnerable prisoner unit. PRES-Pre-release hostel. APU-Acute psychiatric unit within prison. Seg(GOAD)-Located in the Segregation Unit for reasons of good order and discipline (Rule 430). OL(OP)-Located on ordinary location, but segregated for prisoner's own protection. <3> Prisoner cut throat on ordinary location: death occurred in an outside hospital. <4> Prisoner was assaulted on ordinary location: death occurred in an outside hospital. <5> Prisoner set fire to himself in prison health care centre: death occurred in an outside hospital. <6> Prisoner was located in a special cell in the health care centre following a series of violent oubursts. No anatomical cause of death was found, but it was thought to have resulted from a dystonic reaction to haloperidol. <7> Prisoner was found hanging in Segregation Unit, where he was located for reasons of good order and discipline: death occurred in an outside hospital. <8> Prisoner was found hanging in the Acute Psychiatric Unit: death occurred in an an outside hospital. <9> The post mortem failed to reveal the exact cause of death, but concluded there was a strong possibility of acute cardiac failure' and a more remote possibility of asphyxia. Criminal Justice Act 1991
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training has been received by probation officers, judges, magistrates, recorders and justices' clerks in preparation for the Criminal Justice Act 1991.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 30 October 1992] : The probation service has undertaken a major training exercise for probation officers in preparation for the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. This training covered full details of the legislation as well as its implications for probation practice. The Judicial Studies Board has provided comprehensive guidance and training on the Act for both the professional and the lay judiciary. Judges of the Court of Appeal and the High Court were given a briefing in the Lord Chief Justice's court, while judges, recorders and assistant recorders sitting in Crown courts received a guide to the sentencing provisions of the
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Act as part of the Crown Court bench book on sentencing. The Judicial Studies Board produced an introduction of the Act and a copy of this document was sent to each magistrate. A comprehensive training package was also produced to assist those, usually justices' clerks, who train the magistrates. The Home Office also held a series of special conferences attended by representatives of the agencies involved in the criminal justice system.Crime
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the likely impact of (a) the continued recession and (b) the effect of future levels of benefits or public services on (i) the crime rate and (ii) inner city and other disorder ; and what assessment he has made of whether the police will be able to cope with such developments.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 30 October 1992] : There are very many variables that may affect the crime rate--not least the behaviour of individual offenders. The
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relationship between crime levels and economic activity is analysed in Home Office research study 119 "Trends in Crime and their Interpretation : A Study of Recorded Crime in Post-war England and Wales"--a copy of which is in the Library. Factors which might affect public order in inner cities are kept under constant review. The Government will continue to ensure that the police and other criminal justice services are provided with the necessary resources to respond to crime whatever its source or reason.Emergency Planning
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the measure of protection to local authority grant to be given within the diminishing total expenditure on civil defence indicated in his speech to the emergency planning conference on 30 June ;
(2) what steps he has taken to check preparedness and resources available to local emergency planners in the light of the Amsterdam air disaster.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 26 October 1992] : Since July 1991, when the then Home Secretary undertook to give a measure of protection to local authority civil defence grant provided that certain conditions were met, current grant has been maintained at the same level despite substantial cuts in civil defence expenditure as a whole. In addition, local authorities have been encouraged to use the grant more flexibly to improve local authority response to local peacetime disasters such as that which occurred in Amsterdam.
The prime responsibility for responding to disasters in this country lies at the local level where the resources and the expertise are to be found. Home Office officials routinely discuss local emergency preparedness as part of the process of monitoring civil defence grant. In addition, the recently published Home Office guidance "Dealing with Disasters" is aimed at assisting the local response.
WALES
Credit Unions
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps are currently undertaken by his Department to encourage the establishment of credit unions in rural Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The development of credit unions in Wales is a responsibility of the Welsh Co-operative Development Training Centre. My Department has, however, provided assistance for certain credit unions under the urban programme and I am prepared to consider applications for support towards credit unions in rural areas under the rural initiative capital projects programme, where these meet the criteria of the scheme.
Fishing Fleet
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to protect the viability of the Welsh fishing fleet.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : A number of EC, United Kingdom and local measures have been introduced to conserve fish stocks and thus maintain the viability of the fishing
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industry. In February the Government announced a new package of measures, including decommissioning grants and days at sea allocations, designed to control fishing effort and conserve fish stocks.NHS Spending
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is NHS spending in Wales, per capita for each year since 1979.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information requested is given in the following table, together with a comparable table of per capita figures expressed in 1992-93 prices.
Year Gross NHS per At 1992-93 prices £ £ 1979-80 171 415 1980-81 220 450 1981-82 251 468 1982-83 277 485 1983-84 294 491 1984-85 319 506 1985-86 339 511 1986-87 363 531 1987-88 400 553 1988-89 444 573 1989-90 478 578 1990-91 534 597 tr> 1991-92 612 639 1992-93 674 674 Drugs
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are under way to combat illegal drug use in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Government have a comprehensive strategy for tackling drug misuse. The objective is to attack the problem by simultaneous action on five main fronts :
Reducing supplies from abroad.
Making enforcement even more effective.
Maintaining effective deterrents and tight domestic controls. Developing prevention.
Improving treatment and rehabilitation.
The Welsh Office has specific responsibility for the last two in Wales, but does take a close interest in the others.
Services are provided on a multi-agency basis by statutory and voluntary organisations, many of which are funded through their district health authority from the central funding initiative, providing a wide range of interventions and prevention campaigns. Advice on an all-Wales basis is provided to the Department, and to local agencies by the Welsh Committee on Drug Misuse which was established in 1986.
Fish Stocks
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action is being undertaken to protect and enhance sea trout and salmon stocks in the rivers of Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : In England and Wales statutory responsibility for the maintenance, improvement and development of salmon and sea trout fisheries rests with
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the National Rivers Authority. I have asked Dr. John Stoner, the NRA Welsh regional manager, to write to my hon. Friend.Radioactivity
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action is being taken to monitor radioactivity off the coast of Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Directorate of fisheries research of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food undertakes monitoring of radioactivity around the coast of Wales on behalf of the Welsh Office. Samples such as fish, shellfish, seaweed and sediments are taken from a number of locations and the results are regularly published. Copies of the reports are kept in the Library of the House. This monitoring work is supplemented by Government-sponsored research on specific aspects of radioactivity in the environment.
Waste Disposal
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cargoes of toxic ash from waste incineration have been brought for storage or burning on landfill sites in Wales during the past five years ; and if he will specify the quantity of ash transported in each year.
Farm and Countryside Grant Scheme
Mr. Jonathan Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many claims under the farm and conservation grant scheme have been disallowed by his Department in each year since its inception.
Mr. David Hunt : The information is as follows :
Number 1989 19 1990 110 1991 66 <1>1992 50 <1> To 30 September. ---------------------
Sheep Annual Premium
Mr. Jonathan Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many claims for sheep annual premium have been disallowed by his Department in each of the past three years.
Mr. David Hunt : The information is as follows :
Year 1989 51 1990 105 1991 285
1992 <1> 196 <1> To 30 October. ---------------------
Contaminated Land
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by location and size of site, areas of known contaminated land in Wales ; and if he will make a statement on how restorative action will be taken to clean up these sites.
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Mr. Gwilym Jones : Surveys of possibly contaminated land in Wales were undertaken on behalf of the Welsh Office in 1982 and 1988. Copies of the later report are held in the Library of the House. The Welsh Development Agency is tackling contaminated land as part of its extensive land reclamation programme. Powers are also available to local authorities to ensure the treatment of contaminated land where it poses a threat to the environment or public health. The National Rivers Authority has powers to remedy pollution of controlled waters. In addition, contaminated land is a material planning consideration for local planning authorities to take account of in considering new development.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement listing which hospitals he will invite to apply for trust status in 1994 ; and what policy considerations he will use in choosing applicants for 1994 trust status.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I refer the hon. Gentleman to my right hon. Friend's statement of 29 October at column 1148. The health units and ambulance services invited to prepare formal applications to become NHS trusts in April 1994 are :
Gwynedd Health Authority
Acute Unit (Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor)
Community Health
Gwent Health Authority
North Gwent Acute Unit (Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny) South Glamorgan Health Authority
Velindre Hospital
Mid Glamorgan Health Authority
Merthyr/Cynon Health Unit (Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil)
Rhondda Health Unit
Taff Ely Health Unit (East Glamorgan Hospital, Church Village) Rhymney Valley Health Unit (Caerphilly Miners' Hospital) West Glamorgan Health Authority
North Unit (Morriston Hospital, Swansea)
District Services Unit
East Dyfed Health Authority
Mental Health Unit (St. David's Hospital, Carmarthen)
Ambulance Service
Clwyd and Gwynedd joint proposal
East Dyfed and West Glamorgan joint proposal
Mid Glamorgan
An application for NHS trust status must demonstrate benefits to patients and quality improvement, management capability and capacity, involvement of key professional staff, especially consultants, in management and financial soundness.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to ensure that appointments he makes of chairman or chairwoman for NHS trusts are made regardless of race, creed, gender or political persuasion.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Appointments will be made on the basis of aptitude and merit.
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Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make a statement on the application for trust status by the South Glamorgan, Powys and Gwent ambulance services ;
(2) if he will make a statement on the applications for NHS trust status by Welsh hospitals.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I refer the hon. Gentleman to my right hon. Friend's statement of 29 October, at column 1148.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for setting the salary of the post of chairman or chairwoman of NHS trusts in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Levels of remuneration for chairmen and chairwomen of NHS trusts in Wales are set in three bands as follows :
£ Band 1 Trusts with turnover in excess of £50 million 19,285
Band 2 tr> Trusts with turnover between £20 million and £50 million 17, Band 3 tr>tr> Trusts with turnover of less than £20 million 15,125
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the representations that have been made with respect to each of the trust applications for operation from 1 April 1993 ; and if he will categorise them by (a) pro, (b) anti or (c) neutral.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Up to and including 29 October, the number of representations received are as follows :
Health unit ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Health Unit In support Opposed Undeclared Total Clwyd Acute North 11 11 5 27 Clwyd Acute South 9 10 10 29 Clwyd Community and Mental Health 12 8 8 28 Powys 5 15 8 28 South Gwent Acute 3 17 8 28 Gwent Community and Mental Health 5 12 8 25 Llandough Hospital 10 6 4 20 Ogwr 7 11 5 23 West Unit, West Glam 19 49 22 90 East Unit, West Glam 2 13 5 20 Llanelli/Dinefwr 6 4 6 16 Carmarthen/Dinefwr 7 4 7 18 Ceredigion 10 11 15 36 Gwent, Powys and 1 22 11 34 South Glamorgan Ambulance Service -- -- -- -- Total 107 193 122 422 National Poisons Centre
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to promote the development of the national poisons centre located at Llandough hospital.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : There are currently no specific proposals to develop the service provided at the Welsh national poisons unit at Llandough hospital. I would
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expect the service provided by the poisons unit to be responsive to the needs of purchasers and health gain priorities.Cigarettes
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new measures are being introduced to halt the sale of cigarettes to minors.
Mr. Jack : I have been asked to reply.
The latest measures to halt the sale of cigarettes to minors are contained in the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991, the main provisions of which came into force on 1 March 1992. The Act, among other things, strengthens the law on illegal sales of cigarettes to children under the age of 16 and clarifies the duties of local authorities in enforcing the law in this area.
EDUCATION
Engineering
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to increase the involvement of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in increasing the number of qualified engineers.
Mr. Forman : My right hon. Friend is aware of the work which the Institute of Electrical Engineers carries out in schools. Its distribution of careers literature and provision of speakers to encourage young people to study engineering is most welcome. The Government are always pleased to welcome any initiatives from those within the engineering profession, to increase the numbers of qualified engineers.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many engineering places are available in advanced education ; how many are unfilled ; and what action he is taking to encourage the filling of unfilled places and to promote the teaching of engineering in schools.
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