Written Answers To Questions
Thursday 17 April 1980
Employment
Redundancies (Coventry)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken to offset the current and notified redundancies in the Coventry area.
I am very much aware that the difficulties of the car and machine tool industries in particular are contributing to Coventry's unemployment problems. An improvement in the overall employment position in Coventry and elsewhere will depend upon a positive response from both sides of industry to the Government's economic policies. With its varied industrial base, Coventry is well placed to benefit from an expansion of economic activity which will lead to the creation of new jobs.
Disabled Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in the light of a recent statement by the Manpower Services Commission that the 3 per cent. quota of registered disabled people had lost credibility, as so many of the disabled were unregistered, he will instigate fresh efforts and new methods to get the disabled registered so that it will be possible adequately to assess the incidence of unemployment among the disabled.
The Manpower Services Commission is currently reviewing the quota scheme for the employment of disabled people and will be making recommendations to Ministers towards the end of the year. The possibility of encouraging more disabled people to register is one of several options under consideration. My right hon. Friend will wish to consider carefully the recommendations put forward by the Commission before reaching any decisions on this important issue.
Professions Supplementary To Medicine (Comparability Study)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost of placing the work of the Standing Commission on pay comparability for the professions supplementary to medicine in the hands of a firm of consultants.
The cost of the work undertaken by management consultants for the Standing Commission in connection with its investigation into the pay of the professions supplementary to medicine was approximately £34,000.
Clegg Commission Awards
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the annualised cost of all Clegg increases where awards have been above the average rate for increase in wages over the period for which they have been awarded.
I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Redundancy Payments
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1966 (a) the number of newly unemployed in receipt of a redundancy payment, (b) the percentage of all newly unemployed that number represents and (c) in current year prices, the average amount of redundancy payment received.
[pursuant to his reply, 15 April 1980, c. 437]: Persons who register as unemployed are not asked whether or not they are in receipt of a statutory redundancy payment. However, the numbers of statutory payments made, and the average amount paid, in each year since 1966, adjusted for subsequent movements in the retail price index up to January 1980 are as follows:
September 65—December 66 | 138,895 | £781 |
1967 | 249,782 | 792 |
1968 | 264,491 | 881 |
1969 | 250,764 | 882 |
1970 | 275,563 | 883 |
1971 | 370,306 | 896 |
1972 | 297,120 | 939 |
1973 | 176,919 | 986 |
1974 | 181,161 | 913 |
1975 | 340,215 | 954 |
1976 | 313,728 | 942 |
1977 | 267,233 | 834 |
1978 | 255,484 | 897 |
1979 | 253,594 | 959 |
Female Unemployment
asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much the rate of increase in women's unemployment exceeds that of male unemployment.
[pursuant to his reply, 15 April 1980, c. 438]: Over the last six months unemployment in Great Britain, excluding school leavers and seasonally adjusted, has risen by 14 per cent. for females and by 11 per cent. for males.
Service Away From Home Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for Employment why invitations for an official launch of the "Service Away From Home Scheme" were issued before 3 April, in the light of the the Under-Secretary's reply to the question of the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme on that date, indicating that the scheme was being closely evaluated and that a decision on its future would be made before the expiry date of the pilot period.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 April 1980, c. 634]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that community service volunteers held a reception to publicise the service away from home scheme at their premises on 15 April. The reception was organised entirely by community service volunteers and invitations were issued at the end of March. The future of the scheme remains as set out in my reply of 3 April.—[Vol. 982, c. 435.]
Trade
European Community (Sheepmeat Policy)
45.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what weight is being given in formulating the Government's attitude towards an EEC sheepmeat policy to the fact that further restrictions on the imports of sheepmeat from Australia and New Zealand could severely damage the United Kingdom's maritime trade in the transportation of refrigerated sheepmeat from these countries.
The Government are fully conscious of the shipping implications of any move to restrict supplies of shipmeat from Australia and New Zealand. We shall certainly give due weight to these in Community discussions on the proposed sheepmeat regime.
Arms Sales
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of exports is attributed to trade in arms.
I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Domestic Electrical Appliances
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will seek powers to require all manufacturers of electrical domestic appliances to attach to the appliance information about the correct fuse rating.
Regulation 12 of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1975, made under the Consumer Protection Act, 1961, already provides that, where it is necessary for the safe operation of the equipment that the user should be aware of any particular characteristic, the appropriate information should be provided on or with the equipment. This requirement includes information about the correct plug fuse rating for domestic electrical appliances where this affects the safe operation of the equipment. In general, a standard 13-amp fuse will provide the necessary degree of protection in the event of a short circuit in domestic appliances.
Scotland
Public Records
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Public Records Act 1977 will be extended to Scotland.
It would not be appropriate to extend to Scotland the provisions of the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967 which deal with the Public Record Office in London and arrangements for the transmission to that Office of certain Government records. Identical arrangements to those under the Public Records Acts already apply to the transmission to the Scottish Record Office of the records of Government Departments wholly or mainly concerned with Scottish affairs and to public access to those records.
Electoral Regulations (Young Persons)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons are entered in the electoral registers for Scotland who attain the age of 18 years during the period of validity of the registers.
58,285.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Potato Marketing Board
5.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the chairman of the Potato Marketing Board.
My right hon. Friend has no plans for a meeting in the immediate future, but officials of my Department are in regular contact with the staff of the board.
Food And Drink Industries Council
6.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Food and Drink Industries Council.
My right hon. Friend expects to meet the chairman of the Food and Drink Industries Council at the council's annual luncheon on 20 June.
Council Of Agriculture Ministers
17.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he expects to meet his European Economic Community colleagues.
19.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will meet Commissioner Gundelach of the European Commission.
29.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will attend a meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers of the European Economic Community.
39.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet the members of the Agriculture Council of the EEC.
I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the answer given earlier to the right hon. Member for Western Isles (Mr. Stewart).
Milk Marketing Board
20.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will meet the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board.
I am in frequent contact with the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board, but I have no plans for a meeting at present.
Frozen Fish (Imports)
21.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much fresh and frozen fish was imported in January.
Imports of fresh, chilled and frozen fish—excluding shellfish—in January 1980 totalled 32,284 tonnes.
Apple And Pear Development Council
23.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Apple and Pear Development Council.
34.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet the Apple and Pear Development Council.
Although my right hon. Friend has no particular date arranged, he intends to meet the chairman of the Apple and Pear Development Council from time to time.
Lamb Exports
24.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present situation regarding exports of lamb from the United Kingdom to France; and if he will make a statement.
The French Government are continuing their illegal restrictions on exports of lamb from the United Kingdom and a substantial levy is at present being charged. This defiance of a clear judgment of the European Court is undermining the fundamental principles of the Community.
Common Agricultural Policy
25.
asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with recent developments in the common agricultural policy price review regulations in the Council of Ministers.
I explained my views fully in the debate on 20 March and when I reported on later developments to the House on 31 March.
26.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his analysis of the advantages of a deficiency payment system over the common agricultural policy.
Both systems have their merits and the choice should depend on circumstances. Under a deficiency payments system the cost of support falls essentially on the taxpayer. Under the common agricultural policy the cost should fall on the consumer. But in practice, due to the production of surpluses, the taxpayer has also been bearing a high burden. However, neither system of itself can ensure that surpluses are not produced.
36.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made towards a reform of the common agricultural policy.
The freeze on milk prices for 1979–80 and the very low increase for other products was a start.
Top Fruit Growers (Financial Support)
27.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what study he has made of the relative support to be given from all sources to French and United Kingdom top fruit growers.
The principal forms of assistance to top fruit growers in France are through low-interest loans for restructuring existing orchards, storage, refrigeration, and for hail damage. Assistance is available for planting new pear orchards, and for promoting French fruit exports.In the United Kingdom there are grants for orchard grubbing, buildings, land improvements and equipment. Precise information is not available on the expenditure in respect of top fruit but is estimated at about £1 million in 1979–80.The absence of published information on values of French aids in some cases prevents direct comparison with the levels of support given to the United Kingdom industry.
National Farmers Union
28.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will meet the president of the National Farmers Union.
38.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will meet the president of the National Farmers Union.
I hope to meet the president of the National Farmers Union on 14 May.
Pig Breeding Herd
30.
asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what is the present level of the pig breeding herd.
At the December 1979 census, which is the most recent for which results are available, the United Kingdom pig breeding herd of sows and gilts in pig was 816 thousand head.
Agricultural Land
31.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet completed his review of the grading and classification of agricultural land; and if he will make a statement.
The study of different nomenclatures for possible use in the agricultural land classification maps, to which I referred in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert) on 13 March, is not yet completed, and a decision will not be made for some time.
Forestry Commission
32.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Forestry Commission.
My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. Ministers responsible for forestry meet the chairman of the Forestry Commission from time to time, but the date of the next meeting has not yet been arranged.
Council Of Fisheries Ministers
33.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will attend a meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the European Economic Community.
No firm date has yet been set, but a meeting of the Council of Ministers (Fisheries) is possible in the week beginning 6 May.
Apples
35.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the arrangements for the inspection of apples entering the United Kingdom.
Yes.
Sugar Beet
37.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement about his plans for the British sugar beet industry.
The British sugar beet industry is efficient and has an important part to play in meeting the United Kingdom demand for sugar. The primary consideration at the moment is securing a sound EEC sugar regime which will reduce the Community surplus but which will not discriminate against the United Kingdom industry in the allocation of quotas.
44.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the restrictions placed upon sugar beet production in the United Kingdom by EEC regulations; and what further restrictions are being considered.
Current European Community regulations place no physical restriction upon sugar beet production in the United Kingdom, and none is envisaged in the Commission's proposals for the post 1980 sugar regime. However, the amount of sugar eligible for Community price support is limited by production quotas; levels of quotas to operate from 1980–81 onwards are under discussion at present.
Surplus Butter (Sales)
40.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will urge the EEC Council of Ministers to cease exporting surplus butter to the Soviet Union and instead make it available at the subsidised price to old people's homes, hospitals and schools in the Community countries.
The Government are totally opposed to the sale of subsidised butter to the Soviet Union and will continue to press for further Community restrictions on such sales. A scheme already exists under which non-profit-making organisations in the European Community, including old people's homes, hospitals and schools, may purchase intervention butter at a substantially reduced price.
Dairy Farmers (Levy)
42.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of British dairy farmers would be liable to pay the levy desired by certain other member States of the European Economic Community; and how that proportion compares with the position in the rest of the Community.
I assume the hon. Member has in mind the EEC Commission's proposal for a continuation for a further period—but at an increased rate and with new exemptions—of the co-responsibility levy paid by milk producers. The Commission has estimated that the following proportions of milk delivered to dairies in the various member States would be subject to such a levy:—
Per cent. | |
Denmark | 100 |
Netherlands | 100 |
United Kingdom | 96 |
Belgium | 87 |
Germany | 73 |
Italy | 71 |
France | 69 |
Ireland | 60 |
Luxembourg | 34 |
Fishing Industry (Aid)
41.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in implementing financial aid to the fishing industry through the fish producers' organisations; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Moray and Nairn (Mr. Pollock).
Milk (Health And Hygiene)
43.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what stage has been reached by officials of European Economic Community member States negotiating the harmonisation of milk health and hygiene regulations for the European Community as a whole; and if he will make a statement.
When the proposed measures for harmonising health and hygiene standards for liquid milk were last discussed at the end of 1978, substantial differences of view still remained on a range of important points.
Yorkshire And Humberside Region
Q4.
asked the Prime Minister when next she expects to visit the Yorkshire and Humberside region.
I visited Yorkshire and Humberside last month. I have at present no plans to make a further visit.
Prime Minister (Engagements)
Q5.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q6.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q10.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 April.
Q11.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 17 April.
Q12.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 April.
Q13.
asked the Prime Minister if she will publish a list of her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q14.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q15.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q16.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q17.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 April.
Q18.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q19.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q20.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q21.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q22.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q23.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q24.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q25.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 April.
Q26.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q27.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 April.
Q29.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 April.
Q31.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for Thursday 17 April.
I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-West (Mr. Butcher).
National Community Service
Q7.
asked the Prime Minister if she will set up an inquiry into the setting up of a system of national community service.
As I have already told my hon. Friend, I doubt that an inquiry would prove useful; but I understand that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Employment has arranged to discuss with him his ideas in relation to the current programmes for young people.
Brandt Commission Report
Q8.
asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on progress in studying the Brandt Commission report.
The Government's study of the Brandt Commission report is continuing.
Chancellor Of The Exchequer
Q9.
asked the Prime Minister if she will now dismiss the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 27 March.
Olympic Games
Q30.
asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination of Government policy between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of the Environment regarding British participation in the Olympic Games.
Yes.
Tyrie
Q28.
asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Tyrie.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Civil Service (Assistant Secretaries And Senior Executive Officers)
Q32.
asked the Prime Minister what recommendations she has received from Sir Derek Rayner relating to the future of under-secretaries and senior executive officers in the Civil Service; what action she proposes to take on his findings; and whether she will publish them.
I have received no specific recommendations. The number and the use made of particular Civil Service grades are kept under constant review.
Parliamentary Commissioner For Administration
asked the Prime Minister whether she will consider the introduction of legislation to extend the power of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to include investigation of personnel matters, including superannuation, in relation to the Government's own employees, from which he is presently excluded under schedule 3, paragraph 10, to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act.
No.
Iran (Trade Embargo)
asked the Prime Minister if, in the light of President Carter's appeal to Western Governments to support a trade embargo against Iran, she will stop the delivery to the Iranian Government of the Fleet supply ship recently completed by Swan Hunter.
As I told the House on 14 April, we are considering urgently with our partners how best we can respond to President Carter's appeal to intensify our efforts in support of the United States Government. The fleet supply ship "Kharg" has not yet been accepted by the Iranian Government. The builders have applied for an export licence on behalf of the Iranian Government, but no decision has yet been taken by the Government. No arms or military equipment have been sold to Iran since the hostage crisis began in early November.
Education And Science
Education Costs
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will tabulate for each of the last 20 years, and for each of the years to 1984, the cost of the education service at constant prices (a) per head in full-time education overall, (b) per head in higher education, (c) per head in secondary education and (d) per head in primary education, having excluded the cost of school meal and transport provisions.
This information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. However, a constant price time series (1967–68 and 1972–73 to 1977–78) of net institutional recurrent costs in the various sectors of education is contained in table 12 of volume 5 of Statistics of Education 1977, copies of which are available in the Library. The 1978 edition, giving similar data for 1978–79, will be published later in the year. Forecast data are not available.
School Milk And Meals
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the arrangements made by local education authorities to continue to provide free school milk and meals in their schools; and if he will itemise the authorities and the arrangements they have made.
Every local education authority is subject to the statutory minimum requirement, under the Education Act 1980, to make free provision at midday for children whose parents receive supplementary benefit or family income supplement. Beyond that, the provision of school meals and milk, including free provision, is a matter for local determination and my Department does not have comprehensive information about how local education authorities are carrying out their new functions.
Overseas Students
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reply has been sent to the letter addressed to him dated 28 February from the secretary for higher and further education affairs of the Methodist Church division of Education and Youth about fees for overseas students at British universities.
I have sent a copy of my reply to the hon. Member.
Wales
Rate Support Grant System
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements his Department has made to inform local authorities in Wales of changes in the rate support grant system; how changes will affect individual local authorities; and if he will make a statement.
The new and separate block grant RSG arrangements for Wales in 1981–82 were discussed at last December's meeting of the Welsh consultative council on local government finance which my right hon. Friend chairs. Minutes of the Welsh consultative council are circulated to all local authorities in Wales for information. In addition, local authorities have received details of the 1980–81 transitional arrangements which remain the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment.Further details of the 1981–82 arrangements will be circulated to local authorities after they have been discussed in the RSG negotiations we will be conducting with the Welsh consultative council later this year. It is too early to predict how individual local authorities will be affected by the new block grant arrangements, but the change will not affect the local authorities' ability to determine their own expenditure or fix their own rates.
Direct Labour Organisations
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs his Department anticipates will be lost in Wales as a result of changes in the law relating to direct labour organisations contained in the Local Government, Planning and Land (No. 2) Bill; and if he will make a statement.
The net effect of the provisions on jobs in Wales is difficult to quantify, but it is not expected to be significant.
Rate Support Grant
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what principles his Department will utilise to assess the level of block grant for each local authority in Wales when the new block grant scheme commences; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 39–41 of the Rate Support Grant Order 1979 which was laid before the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 28 November 1979. The Welsh consultative council on local government finance has agreed that standard expenditure assessments will be based on the methodology recommended by the joint working party on a Welsh rate support grant. This was set out in its first and second reports, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Transport
New Roads (Planning)
asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the statistical sources which he will use when planning new roads, if no question on car or van ownership is included in the 1981 census.
Information on car availability at the national and regional level is obtainable from voluntary surveys such as the general household survey, the family expenditure survey, the national dwelling and housing survey, and the national travel survey.
These surveys, together with the data collected in road traffic censuses, the records of the car stock held at DVLC Swansea and information from local highway authorities, provide an adequate basis for future traffic forecasts when planning new roads.
Bus Services (Planning)
asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the statistical sources he will use when planning new bus services, if no question on car and van ownership is included in the 1981 census.
The planning of bus services is a matter for bus operators and local authorities. The need for new services is determined by local plans and the evidence available from local investigations.
Environment
Valuation Of Premises
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to amend section 39 of the Housing Act 1957, concerning the basis of valuation of premises after repair.
No.
Water Meters
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has made an estimate of the capital cost which would be involved in the installation of water meters on a nationwide basis.
In 1975 it was estimated that over a 10-year period it would cost between £650 million and £950 million to install meters in all homes in England and Wales. The figure would clearly be higher now. No estimate is available for the cost of installing meters in homes throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.
Land Economy Directorate
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now reviewed the future programme of work of his Land Economy Directorate; with what result; and what is the authorised staffing cost budget for it during 1980–81.
The directorate's primary responsibility is to provide this Department and the Department of Transport with expert advice on a wide range of issues in the field of land use and development. Its programme of work is under constant review. The estimated staff costs for 1980–81 are about £230,000.
County Structure Plans
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, pursuant to the Under-Secretary of State's reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 11 July 1979, he intends to give guidance to county planning authorities on the regional framework within which they could frame their county structure plans.
As and when necessary, yes.
Water Charges
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps to ensure that water authorities make sufficient cuts in administrative costs to ensure that charges to the public do not increase faster than the rate of inflation;(2) if he will take steps to prevent the current scale of increases in water charges; and if he will make a statement.
We will continue to encourage water authorities to keep down their manpower and other costs to the minimum necessary for the proper discharge of their statutory functions.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the arrangements made by water authorities to make local collections of charges; and if he approves of the decision to make a national Giro charge for payments made through the Post Office.
The methods of collection of charges is a matter for the water authorities and I am not aware that the existing methods cause undue local difficulties.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to rectify the system of direct billing for water and sewerage charges by water authorities, in the light of widespread inaccuracy in the allocation and size of charges for these services.
Direct billing methods are by now in use in nearly all water authorities and it would not be sensible to ask them to reverse course. If my hon. Friend will send me details of the inaccuracies he mentions I shall consider them.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the comparative cost of water per head of the population in each of the regional water authority areas.
Comparative figures for the cost of water services per head of effective population were published for the first time in the 1978–79 annual report of the National Water Council, which was laid before the House in October 1979. The following table summarises the figures for water supply. It should be noted that the "effective" population for each water authority includes an allowance for holiday visitors and an equivalent population for the service provided to industry and commerce, and therefore the unit costs may not correspond with assessments by individual consumers. The figures exclude areas supplied by water companies.
Annual revenue expenditure on water supply 1978–79 | |
Authority | £ per head of effective population |
North West | 6.40 |
Northumbrian | 5.46 |
Severn Trent | 7.41 |
Yorkshire | 8.50 |
Anglian | 8.82 |
Thames | 8.69 |
Southern | 7.42 |
Wessex | 7.86 |
South West | 10.61 |
Welsh | 9.12 |
National average | 7.81 |
Cornwall House, Stamford Street, London Se1
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much public money has been spent on maintenance or refurbishment of Cornwall House, Stamford Street, SE1 since 1975, inclusive; and how much he estimates will be spent during the next five years.
Approximately £2·5 million over the past five years and a similar sum over the next five, at present prices. Both sums include a significant amount of work to meet operational requirements, which could be separately identified only at disproportionate cost.
Water Authorities (Public Representation)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to strengthen the public's representation on water authorities so that they become more responsive to the public's needs.
A majority of the members of every water authority is appointed by local authorities, and the proportion was increased only last year. I have no proposals to increase it further.
Brick-Making (Bedfordshire)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the United Kingdom's signature of the Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution Convention, whether he proposes a special regime for the London Brick Company to diminish the emission of sulphur dioxide and fluorine, both in Bedfordshire and Peterborough.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1980, c. 342–3]: As I told my hon. Friend in the answer I gave him on 21 February 1980—[Vol. 979, c. 302–3]—the United Kingdom does not propose to recommend that any specific measures be taken until all the information generated through the Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution Convention has been fully assessed and a need substantiated. This applies to the London Brick Company as to other industrial bodies.
Sulphur Dioxide Emissions
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when sulphur dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom reached a peak; and what he considers will be the trend due to the projected increase in power stations coal consumption.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1980, c. 343]: Sulphur dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom reached a peak in 1970; since then they have steadily declined and are forecast to continue to do so until the mid-1980s. As most of the projected increase in coal consumption in power stations will be to replace oil, total sulphur dioxide emissions will not be greatly affected.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he accepts the estimate contained in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Report "Programme on the Long Range Transport of Air Pollutants (1977)", that the United Kingdom accounted for 24 per cent. of Norwegian deposits of sulphur.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1980, c. 343]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 21 February 1980.—[Vol. 979. c. 302.] I accept the estimate given in the OECD report within the reservations expressed in that answer.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the cost to the United Kingdom following the removal of 60 per cent. of the sulphur dioxide emissions from (a) power stations and (b) other processes of manufacture.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1980, c. 343]: To effect a 60 per cent. reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions from power stations and other processes of manufacture would involve, in addition to the extensive use of low-sulphur content fuels, fitting a large amount of control equipment in existing plant. This is neither practical nor economically realistic. However, a report on "The Effects of Sulphur Compounds on the Environment", which is in preparation, and to which I referred in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 21 February, will consider the economic implications of reducing sulphur dioxide emissions.—[Vol. 979, c. 303.]
Industry
National Enterprise Board
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what contractual provision for compensation payments in the event of voluntary resignation is made by the National Enterprise Board in respect of its present and former employees; and if he will ensure that no commitments are entered into by the National Enterprise Board as a charge on public funds in excess of any such contractual commitments.
Compensation payments for employees of the board are a matter for the board. Board members are not employees of the board; any compensation payments to them would be a matter for my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State.
Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs
Broadcasts (Overseas Governments' Protests)
asked the Lord Privy Seal what other recent protests have been made, apart from that of the Saudi Arabians, from overseas Governments and authorities, regarding items to be broadcast or published in the United Kingdom; and what action he took over such protests.
None.
Paraplegic Games
asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has made representations to the Soviet Government against their refusal to host the Paraplegic Games following the Olympic Games in Moscow, in the light of the break with the tradition established by other Olympic host countries.
No representations were made to the Soviet Union when it declined, some 18 months ago, to stage the 1980 Olympic Games for the Disabled. The Russians gave no reason for their refusal. The Games will now take place in the Netherlands.
Iranian Fleet Supply Ship
asked the Lord Privy Seal if it is his intention to allow the delivery by British Shipbuilders of the Fleet supply ship recently completed by Swan Hunter for the Iranian Government.
I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in her statement to the House on 14 April.—[Vol. 982, c. 790.]
Social Services
Pharmacists (Pay And Conditions Of Service)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce his decision relating to the appointment of a review committee to consider the remuneration of pharmacists within the National Health Service.
Discussions are still continuing about the possibility of establishing a review body procedure for retail pharmacists. I am not yet in a position to say when a decision will be announced.
Handicapped Persons (Airport Facilities)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the outcome of his discussions with representatives of disabled people on the recommendations of the International Civil Airports Association on the handicapped and the airport.
I have not had any discussions with representatives of disabled people on the recommendations of the International Civil Airports Association.
Mentally Handicapped Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of the fact that the mentally handicapped are becoming increasingly the responsibility of the social rather than the health services, if he will make a statement on his policy of protecting health spending but making those local authorities responsible for social services institute cutbacks in spending and standards of service.
The overriding need to reduce public expenditure and the Government's commitments to the NHS and certain other services, have made it inevitable that the previous Administration's planned level of expenditure on the personal social services should be decreased. Nevertheless, it is for local authorities to decide on the eventual distribution of their expenditure between services, in the light of local needs and conditions. We have made it clear that services for the most vulnerable, including the mentally handicapped, should be protected as far as possible. The allocation in 1980–81 of joint finance, which contributes significantly to the provision of community services for the mentally handicapped, is being maintained at the enhanced level announced by the previous Administration.
National Health Service (Expenditure)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the expenditure per head on the National Health Service for each of the last 20 years at constant prices; and what has been the cost at constant prices per hospital patient.
The information requested has been derived from the expenditure tables E6, E7 and E9 of the 1979 report of the Royal Commission on the National Health Service (Cmnd 7615). Table 1 sets out for the years 1958–77 health expenditure per head of total United Kingdom population; table 2 shows hospital revenue expenditure per inpatient for Great Britain since United Kingdom figures are not readily available.
TABLE 1 | |
PER CAPITA* PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE (UNITED KINGDOM) AT CONSTANT (1970) PRICES | |
£ | |
1958 | 26·3 |
1959 | 27·2 |
1960 | 27·9 |
1961 | 28·0 |
1962 | 28·5 |
1963 | 29·1 |
1964 | 30·3 |
1965 | 31·5 |
1966 | 32·7 |
1967 | 34·1 |
1968 | 35·5 |
1969 | 34·8 |
1970 | 36·3 |
1971 | 37·1 |
1972 | 38·4 |
1973 | 39·9 |
1974 | 40·7 |
1975 | 43·6 |
1976 | 44·4 |
1977 | 44·8 |
* Annual Abstract of Statistics (population figures) |
TABLE 2 | |
HOSPITAL REVENUE COST PER IN PATIENT* | |
GREAT BRITAIN AT CONSTANT (1970) PRICES† | |
£ | |
1958 | 179·7 |
1959 | 180·6 |
1960 | 181·1 |
1961 | 175·6 |
1962 | 178·3 |
1963 | 174·9 |
1964 | 175·1 |
1965 | 176·0 |
1966 | 180·9 |
1967 | 180·9 |
1968 | 183·1 |
1969 | 185·7 |
1970 | 198·4 |
1971 | 200·2 |
1972 | 203·0 |
1973 | 217·8 |
1974 | 253·7 |
1975 | 284·0 |
1976 | 266·4 |
1977 | 270·0 |
* Deaths and discharges in all types of hospitals as shown in Scottish Health Department Statistics and Health and Personal Social Services Statistics. | |
† Hospital and community health service revenue from 1974. |
Social Security Benefits
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would have been the cost of increasing social security benefits on 12 November instead of 24 November as is now planned.
If the uprating were to take place from the appropriate pay day in the calendar week containing 12 November, the additional cost in 1980–81 would he about £125 million.
Immigrant Dependants
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many sponsors have been required to repay grants made to immigrant dependants for each of the last four years; how many such grants have been made; and what has been the value of grants and the value of repayments in each year.
I regret that this information is not available.
Industrial Death Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many awards of industrial death benefit attracting an earnings-related supplement were made in each of the past five years in respect of persons suffering death as a result of each prescribed industrial disease.
I regret that the information is not readily available and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish
Deaths in | ||
STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION | 1977 | 1978 |
All industries | 1,472 | 1,409 |
Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 39 | 50 |
Mining and quarrying | 504 | 528 |
Food, drink and tobacco | 23 | 22 |
Coal and Petroleum products | 3 | 6 |
Chemical and allied industries | 33 | 26 |
Metal manufacture | 81 | 67 |
Mechanical engineering | 35 | 34 |
Instrument engineering | 2 | 1 |
Electrical engineering | 8 | 12 |
Shipbuilding and marine engineering | 65 | 54 |
Vehicles | 24 | 19 |
Metal goods not elsewhere specified | 14 | 13 |
Textiles | 49 | 49 |
Leather, leather goods and fur | — | 3 |
Clothing and footwear | 3 | — |
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement etc. | 58 | 40 |
Timber, furniture, etc. | 16 | 11 |
Paper, printing, and publishing | 14 | 12 |
Other manufacturing industries | 11 | 10 |
Construction | 162 | 143 |
Gas, electricity and water | 24 | 25 |
Transport and communication | 150 | 142 |
Distributive trades | 59 | 49 |
Insurance, banking, finance and business services | 7 | 6 |
Professional and scientific services | 10 | 16 |
Miscellaneous services | 19 | 24 |
Public administration and defence | 59 | 47 |
Injury Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many awards attracting an earnings-related supplement of injury benefit in respect of each prescribed industrial disease were made in each of the past five years.
I regret that the information requested is not available.
Drugs
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is yet able to make an announcement about his proposal for revising the methods of controlling clinical trials of new drugs under the Medicines Act.
My Department is today issuing to interested organisations a consultation letter, as required by section 129 of the Medicines Act,
details of the occupations or industries of those persons whose death attracted awards of industrial death benefit in 1977, 1978 and 1979.
The only information available relates to industries and is set out below. The figures for 1979 are not yet available.describing these proposals and inviting comment within the next two months. I have arranged for a copy of the consultation letter to be placed in the Library. The purpose of the proposals is, without endangering the safety of patients, to speed up the development of beneficial new drugs.
Widows Benefit (Earnings-Related Supplement)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish details of the numbers of women receiving earnings-related supplement to widows benefit paid under the industrial injuries scheme for each of the past five years, showing the analysis by industry of the deceased.
I regret that the information is not readily available and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Departmental Investigators
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish details of allowable expense claims for members of his Department's investigation branch indicating any special allowances for those working any distance from home;(2) if any member of his Department's investigation branch has been transferred or prosecuted as a result of any expense claim in the past five years;(3) if members of his Department's investigation branch have to submit detailed expense claims;(4) what is the mileage rate per mile paid to his Department's investigation branch members using their own cars;(5) if any members of his Department's investigation branch are supplied with motor cars;(6) if he will list the total cost of his Department's investigation branch for the latest convenient period, showing a breakdown between salaries, expenses and other costs.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1980, Vol. 982, c. 401–2]: The Department does not have a fraud investigation branch as such. The way in which cases of suspected fraud are investigated depends on their nature and complexity. Broadly speaking, the more straightforward cases are investigated by local office staff; more complex or time-consuming cases by "special investigators" based at regional offices; more highly organised social security frauds by a small number of specialist staff based at Headquarters.Officers engaged in such work are entitled to subsistence allowances in accordance with normal civil service rules, to meet the extra expenses necessarily incurred by absence on official business from their homes or offices. For the grades of officers involved these allowances are as follows:
In the five years to 31 December 1979, only two officers were transferred from investigation duties because of irregularities or suspected irregularities in the completion of expenses claims. Neither were prosecuted.
Detailed claims for expenses have to be submitted and such claims have to be certified by a senior officer, who is required to satisfy himself that the claims are valid, and that, in particular, that the travelling has been done and that journeys were planned with due regard to economy and time and money.
No investigating officers in this Department are supplied with motor cars. Where a private car is used during the investigation of a suspected fraud, the standard Civil Service rates of mileage allowance are payable as follows:
Mileage allowances ranging from 7·8p to 3·5p are paid for motor cycles, and reasonable parking toll, etc. expenses may be reimbursed.
Information about the salaries of officers engaged in fraud investigation—some of whom are employed part-time on such duties—and other expenses is not maintained centrally, and it is not possible to provide the specific costs requested without disproportionate expense. However, I assume the hon. Member is mainly interested in the costs applicable to special investigators and the specialist headquarters in the unit. On the basis of the number of staff in post on 1 March 1980–454 special investigators, and four higher executive officers and four executive officers in the headquarters unit—it is estimated that the annual cost would be of the order of £5 million, made up as follows:
Benefit Claimants
asked the Secretary of Stale for Social Services what is his estimate of the proportion of claimants of (a) unemployment benefit and (b) invality benefit who (i) are already eligible for supplementary benefit and (ii) will be eligible after November 1980.
[pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1980, Vol. 982, c. 332]: The latest estimates of the proportion of recipients who are actually receiving supplementary benefit is 19 per cent. for unemployment benefit (May 1979) and 7 per cent. for invalidity benefit (November 1978). In addition, there would have been a number of beneficiaries eligible for but not claiming supplementary benefit.It is estimated that the proportion for unemployment beneficiaries will increase by about 2 percentage points as the result of the limited uprating in November and the subsequent change in ERS, and by a further 8 percentage points with the abolition of ERS. The proportion of invalidity beneficiaries receiving supplementary benefit is expected to increase by about 1 percentage point as the result of the limited uprating.
Energy
Seabed Survey (Oil-Bearing Structures)
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the world's land surface and surveyable seabed outside the Warsaw pact countries has been surveyed for oil-bearing structures.
Much of the world's land surface as well as the seabed consists of formations where oil-bearing structures cannot exist. Of the sedimentary basins in which they could be found, approximately two-thirds of these have been surveyed, some extensively, others less so.
Director Of Public Prosecutions
asked the Attorney-General whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list giving, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the number of cases investigated by the police which have subsequently been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions with recommendations for prosecution where the Director of Public Prosecutions has declined to initiate proceedings for the stated reasons; and what have been the costs of such activities on each case or in total.
The Director keeps no records of the number of his Department's cases in which he does not agree with the recommendations of the police, from whom he receives within the region of 16,000 to 17,000 applications each year—not all of which will include recommendations for proceedings. The cost of extracting the information requested would be wholly disproportionate to its value.
Defence
Hms "Ark Royal"
asked the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer, Official Report, 28 March, column 692, if he will make a statement on the various proposals he received regarding the future use of HMS "Ark Royal"; what was the highest cash bid received; and why he decided to reject the offer.
I regret that it would not be appropriate to reveal details of schemes put to us in confidence.
Defence Expenditure
asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what it is intended to spend the 3·5 per cent. increase in the defence budget.
The additional funds are being devoted to strengthening the fighting efficiency of the Armed Forces, in particular by pressing ahead with the re-equipment programme. For a full explanation of the Government's intentions I refer the hon. Gentleman to the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" which was published on 2 April.
Magistrates Courts (Northern Ireland)
asked the Attorney-General if there is now, since the reorganisation of magistrates' courts in Northern Ireland, a magistrates' court sitting within every district council area.
Yes, except in Castlereagh and Carrickfergus.
asked the Attorney-General how many magistrates' courts there are within Carrickfergus district council area.
None. Cases arising within this area are heard in Newtownabbey, with which the petty sessional district of Carrickfergus is shortly to be combined.
Acquitted Persons (Inadmissible Confession Statements)
asked the Attorney-General how many persons in the last year have been acquitted as a result of their confession statements being ruled inadmissible; and how this compares with previous years.
Age | Offence | Cause of death | Place of death | |
1. | 48 | Murder | Natural causes: coronary artery occlusion | Wakefield |
2. | 33 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Leeds |
3. | 23 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Bedford |
4. | 38 | Drug offences | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
5. | 34 | Criminal damage | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Winchester |
6. | 28 | Grievous bodily harm | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Leeds |
7. | 25 | Robbery | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Durham |
8. | 42 | Theft | Natural causes: aortic and mitral insufficiency. | Wandsworth |
9. | 39 | Burglary, criminal damage | Natural causes: coronary artery atheroma. | Dartmoor |
10. | 17 | Indecent assault | Killed by fellow inmates: asphyxia by hanging. | Risley |
11. | 27 | Assault | Natural causes: myocardial degeneration, infective hydrated cysts. | Holloway |
12. | 28 | Burglary | Natural causes: acute cardiac failure | Appleton Thorn |
13. | 21 | Burglary, theft | Natural causes: sickle cell crisis— sickle cell anaemia. | Bristol |
14. | 37 | Wounding | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Birmingham |
15. | 19 | Theft, Taking and driving away | Open verdict: acute congestive cardiac failure | Gaynes Hall |
16. | 28 | Theft, Actual bodily harm | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wandsworth |
17. | 30 | Grievous bodily harm | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
18. | 25 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Canterbury |
19. | 46 | Burglary | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Highpoint |
20. | 40 | Manslaughter | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Durham |
21. | 47 | Manslaughter | Killed by fellow inmate: stabbing | Wakefield |
22. | 55 | Attempted rape, indecent assault. | Killed by fellow inmate: stabbing | Wakefield |
23. | 23 | Drug offences | Accidental death: asphyxia | Holloway |
24. | 33 | Manslaughter | Suicide: haemorrhage, throat wounds | Long Lartin |
25. | 61 | Theft | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Manchester |
26. | 17 | Taking without consent | Natural causes: collapsed while an absconder. | Werrington |
27. | 61 | Indecent assault | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Brixton |
28. | 28 | Fraud | Natural causes: status elepticus | Holloway |
29. | 54 | Fraud | Natural causes: renal, cerebral and myocardial infarction. | Brixton |
30. | 25 | Rape | Killed by fellow inmate: multiple head injuries. | Maidstone |
31. | 37 | Murder | Killed by fellow inmate: strangulation | Parkhurst |
32. | 16 | Theft, taking without consent. | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Hindley |
The information requested is as follows:
1980 (to date) | 2 |
1979 | 9 |
1978 | 12 |
1977 | 8 |
Home Department
Prison Establishments (Deaths)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cause of death of each of the 55 males and five females who died in prison service establishments in 1978; and what was the age, offence and place of death of each.
Information on 35 males and four females whose deaths occurred in prison department establishments is given below. In addition, 21 prisoners died in National Health Service hospitals.
Age
| Offence
| Cause of death
| Place of death
| |
33. | 30 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wormwood Scrubs |
34. | 91 | Manslaughter | Natural causes: lung cancer | Parkhurst |
35. | 43 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
36. | 35 | Burglary | Accidental death: asphyxia, fractured spine | Acklington |
37. | 22 | Attempted murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Dartmoor |
38. | 49 | Perjury | Natural causes: myocardial infarction | Leeds |
39. | 21 | Taking without consent | Natural causes: cerebral haemorrhage | Stafford |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and how many women died in prison service establishments in 1979; and what was the cause of death, age, offence and place of death in each case.
Age | Offence | Cause of death | Place of death | |
1. | 36 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Gartree |
2. | 22 | Robbery | Open verdict: cerebral laceration, fractured skull. | Wandsworth |
3. | 33 | Arson | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wormwood Scrubs |
4. | 61 | Burglary | Natural causes: chronic bronchitis | Rudgate |
5. | 29 | Criminal damage | Natural causes: acute cardiac failure | Brixton |
6. | 66 | Theft | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Risley |
7. | 57 | Theft | Natural causes: bronchopneumonia | Pentonville |
8. | 39 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Dartmoor |
9. | 37 | Avoiding payment of fines | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wandsworth |
10. | 32 | Theft | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
11. | 45 | Theft | Misadventure: asphyxia | Pentonville |
12. | 25 | Going equipped | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wandsworth |
13. | 32 | Drunkenness | Natural causes: bronchopneumonia | Pentonville |
14. | 51 | Indecent assault | Natural causes: myocardial ischaemia | Wandsworth |
15. | 20 | Taking without consent | Misadventure: drowning while escapee | Haverigg |
16. | 42 | Theft, burglary | Natural causes: myocardial infarction | Manchester |
17. | 43 | Theft, arson | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Lincoln |
18. | 31 | Criminal damage | Natural causes: asphyxia, status epilepticus. | Brixton |
19. | 43 | Manslaughter | Misadventure: asphyxia | Bristol |
20. | 26 | Deception | Natural causes: infective endocarditis | Wandsworth |
21. | 27 | Burglary. | Natural causes: idiopathic epilepsy | Lincoln |
22. | 25 | Theft | Natural causes: asthmatic attack | Manchester |
23. | 28 | Theft | Natural causes: epilepsy | Wandsworth |
24. | 20 | Taking and driving away | Killed by fellow inmate: strangulation | Wormwood Scrubs |
25. | 22 | Arson | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wormwood Scrubs |
26. | 17 | Robbery | Open verdict: asphyxia | Brockhill |
27. | 70 | Theft | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Liverpool |
28. | 20 | Burglary | Misadventure: heroin and methadone poisoning. | Huntercombe |
29. | 33 | Actual bodily harm | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
30. | 43 | Indecency with child | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Lincoln |
31. | 57 | Theft | Natural causes: cerebral haemorrhage | Manchester |
32. | 59 | Fraud | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Liverpool |
33. | 36 | Damage | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Liverpool |
34. | 41 | Burglary | Natural causes: myocardial infarction | Manchester |
35. | 62 | Deception | Suicide: overdose of phenobarbitone | Shrewsbury |
36. | 27 | Threats to kill | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Winchester |
37. | 18 | Burglary, wounding with intent. | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Liverpool |
38. | 47 | Indecent assault | Suicide: throat and wrist wounds | Leeds |
39. | 34 | Indecent assault | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Pentonville |
40. | 58 | Murder | Natural causes: atherosclerosis | Parkhurst |
41. | 26 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
42. | 21 | Theft | Natural causes: epileptic fit, inhalation of vomit. | Stafford |
43. | 50 | Arson | Natural causes: hypertensive heart disease. | Brixton |
44. | 33 | Burglary | (awaiting inquest) | Liverpool |
45. | 20 | Burglary | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Lewes |
46. | 52 | Criminal damage | (awaiting inquest) | Brixton |
47. | 39 | Indecent assault | Natural causes: coronary infarction | Wandsworth |
48. | 24 | Affray, offensive weapons | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Stafford |
During 1979, 51 males and 0 females died in prison department establishments and the information requested is given below. In addition, 22 prisoners died in National Health Service hospitals.
Age
| Offence
| Cause of death
| Place of death
| |
49. | 33 | Burglary | Natural causes: cerebral anoxia | Birmingham |
50. | 32 | Criminal damage | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
51. | 36 | Murder | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Brixton |
Television Licence Fee (Withholding Of Payment)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had, or proposes to have, with the British Broadcasting Corporation about persons withholding payment of television licence fees in Wales.
The enforcement of the broadcast receiving licensing system is undertaken by the National Television Licensing Organisation, a part of the Post Office, acting as our agents. We therefore have no plans to discuss this matter directly with the British Broadcasting Corporation. The National Television Licensing Organisation is following its normal procedure of prosecuting television licence evaders in Wales. A joint working party, on which the Home Office, the Post Office and the BBC are represented, keeps the question of television licence evasion under continuous review.
Immigration Controls (Seamen)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define his use of the term "nonprofessional seaman" for the purpose of immigration controls.
The term is used to describe members of ships' crews who have little or no experience of seafaring and were engaged to do unskilled work.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seamen who were refused leave to enter for shore leave or other purposes in the last quarter of 1979 (a) remained on board ship in the custody of the master and (b) were detained on shore under the authority of an immigration officer.
The number of seamen refused leave to enter for shore leave during their ships' stay in port or for other purposes in the last quarter of 1979 was 298. Separate figures for those detained on board ship and on shore could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.
Immigrants (Overstayers)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce new measures to combat illegal overstaying.
The computer which is due to become operational this year will produce information more reliably and quickly than at present about cases in which overstaying may have occurred. Means of following up this and other information about suspected overstaying are being developed to the extent allowed by the available resources in the Home Office, the immigration service and the police. The new immigration rules pay full regard to the need to deal firmly with overstayers.
Iranian Nationals
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iranians have entered and left the United Kingdom for each of the last 24 months; and what have been the purposes of the visits by percentage.
Statistics of admissions analysed by the purpose of journey and citizenship-nationality are published annually in "Control of Immigration: Statistics "—table 1(b) of the issue for 1979, Cmnd. 7875, to be published tomorrow. For monthly admissions of Iranian nationals from January 1978 to September 1979 I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on 4 December and 19 December—[Vol. 975, c. 98–9; Vol. 976, c. 224–26.]; admission of Iranian nationals were 12·1 thousand in October 1979, 8·2 thousand in November 1979 and 8·7 thousand in December 1979. To provide the percentage breakdown by purpose of journey on a monthly basis would involve disproportionate cost, but the following table gives it for each of the last eight quarters. Information about the numbers of Iranian nationals who have left the United Kingdom is not available.
IRANIAN NATIONALS ADMITTED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, BY PURPOSE OF JOURNEY, JANUARY 1978—DECEMBER 1979 | |||||||||||
Percentage of total number of journeys
| |||||||||||
Total admitted (thousands) = 100 | Visitors given leave to enter for 12 months
| Passengers in transit
| Diplomats and dependants
| Work permit holders and dependants
| Others given leave to enter
| Those admitted for marriage
| Accepted for settlement on arrival
| Returning from temporary absence abroad
| Students
| ||
per cent.
| Ordinary
| Business
| |||||||||
1978 | |||||||||||
1st quarter | 40·0 | 65 | 7 | 7 | * | * | * | * | * | 17 | 4 |
2nd quarter | 49·0 | 70 | 6 | 7 | * | * | * | * | * | 14 | 3 |
3rd quarter | 107·0 | 75 | 3 | 7 | * | * | * | * | * | 12 | 4 |
4th quarter | 41·1 | 64 | 6 | 12 | * | * | * | * | * | 12 | 5 |
1978 Total | 237·1 | 70 | 5 | 8 | * | * | * | * | * | 13 | 4 |
1979 | |||||||||||
1st quarter | 23·2 | 48 | 6 | 21 | * | * | * | * | * | 19 | 6 |
2nd quarter | 31·4 | 65 | 7 | 10 | * | * | * | * | * | 15 | 3 |
3rd quarter | 88·2 | 73 | 2 | 7 | * | * | * | * | * | 14 | 3 |
4th quarter | 29·1 | 64 | 7 | 14 | * | * | * | * | * | 11 | 2 |
1979 Total | 171·9 | 67 | 4 | 11 | * | * | * | * | * | 14 | 3 |
* Denotes percentages of less than ½ per cent. |
Prevention Of Crime And Treatment Of Offenders (Conference)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the names of the United Kingdom delegates to the United Nations Congress in Caracas on the prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders; what criteria were employed in their selection; and what consultations there have been about participants with non-governmental organisations.
The United Kingdom will be represented by a delegation led by Mr. Anthony Brennan, Deputy Under-Secretary of State, Home Office, who is a member of the United Nations Committee on Crime Prevention and Control. The list of the delegation has not yet been finally determined, but it will consist of senior officials drawn from a number of Departments on the basis of their expert knowledge of the topics on the Congress agenda. Representatives of non-governmental organisations in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council are eligible to participate separately in the Congress.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what line Her Majesty's Government will he taking on the abolition of the death penalty at the United Nations Congress on the prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders.
The United Kingdom delegation will reaffirm the view of Her Majesty's Government that this is an issue for each country to decide by its own constitutional processes, and will draw attention to the recent vote of this House against the restoration of the death penalty for murder.
Evidence Of Identification (Guidelines)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet assessed the effect of the guidelines concerning evidence of identifications laid down by the Court of Appeal in 1976 in its judgment in Regina v Turnbull; and whether as a result he will introduce legislation on the lines recommended by the Devlin committee.
After consulting representatives of the judiciary, the legal profession, chief officers of police and others, we are satisfied that the Court of Appeal's guidelines on identification evidence deal effectively with the problem identified by the Devlin committee and we see no need for legislation. We have informed the Royal Commission on criminal procedure of the results of the consultations and of the conclusions we have reached.
Birth Registrations (Ethnic Origin)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers and proportions of births by ethnic origin for each of the last four years, divided into the smallest periods for which such statistics are available.
I have been asked to reply.Information on ethnic origin is not collected at birth registration. Statistics are, however, available of the numbers of births analysed by the countries of birth of the mother and father. But births to parents who themselves were born overseas include some of British origin and descent; and births to parents themselves born in the United Kingdom include some not of British origin and descent.Detailed annual figures of births according to countries of birth of the mother and father, together with a summary according to the birthplace of the mother alone, are routinely published in OPCS Monitor FM1, copies of which for the period 1975 and 1978 have been sent to my hon. Friend. A summary of figures of births according to the birthplace of the mother for half years is being prepared and will be circulated in the
Official Report as soon as possible.
Civil Service
Olympic Games (Civil Service Leave)
asked the Minister for the Civil Service what reply he has sent to Mr. William Kendall, secretary general of the staff side of the Civil Service National Whitley Council, to its representations on the subject of leave being given to civil servants to participate in the Olympic Games.
Mr. Kendall's letter asked me to receive a staff side deputation to hear representations on this matter. A meeting has been arranged for next week.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service what conditions of service exist under which civil servants may be given leave to go to the Olympic Games; and what prior consultation he had with Civil Service unions on this particular point.