Written Answers
Supplementary Benefit: Capital Disregard
asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to uprate the capital disregard of £2,000 fixed in November 1980 (which includes the values of insurance policies) for claimants to supplementary benefit; and what would be the present equivalent of £2,000, allowing for inflation.
I would refer the noble Baroness to my reply of 17th November 1981 to the noble Lord, Lord Winstanley (Official Report, Vol 425, cols. 405–6). The capital disregard would need to be raised to about £2,300 now to allow for the movement in the General Index of Retail Prices since the disregard was set at £2,000 in November 1980.
Papal Visit: Public Expenditure Costs
asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the estimated charge on public funds arising from the visit of the Pope in May.
It is too early to say what additional public expenditure costs will result from the Pope's visit or to what extent such costs will be reimbursed by the Roman Catholic Church authorities.
Civil Service Pay: Megaw Committee's Progress
asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress the Megaw Committee on Civil Service pay has made up to date, and whether any likely date for publication of its report can yet be given.
The Committee of Inquiry into Civil Service pay, chaired by Sir John Megaw, is well under way with its work. It has been asked to report by summer 1982.
Sizewell "B" Pwr: Consultants' Reports
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will confirm that all the consultants' reports commissioned by the CEGB for the Sizewell "B" pressurised water reactor will be made available in unabridged and unedited form to the Department of Energy and the public inquiry; and in particular the pre-construction safety report, the reference design and the report on pressure vessels.
In repeating my right honourable friend's statement on the Sizewell "B" public inquiry (House of Lords Official Report, 20th January 1982; col. 626) my noble friend Lord Mansfield reported that the board intends to publish a full statement in support of its application for Sizewell "B", including pre-construction safety report and reference design at the end of April. The report on pressure vessels prepared by a study group under Dr. Walter Marshall is expected to be published shortly. These documents will be made available to the inquiry and will exclude only a small amount of proprietory information which is commercially confidential.
International Development Association: Contributions
asked Fier Majesty's Government:By what formula contributions to the International Development Association are determined; whether the size of the United Kingdom contribution is linked to that of the United States; what reduction in the United States contribution has recently occurred and what effect this reduction has had or will have on the contributions of the five largest contributors to the association's funds.
Contributions to the periodic replenishments of the International Development Association (IDA) are agreed after negotiation on each occasion. The terms of the most recent replenishment are set out in the IDA 6 Agreement (Cmnd. 7900).The total size of the United Kingdom contribution is not linked to that of the United States. The full United States contribution (3,240 million US dollars) has been authorised by the United States Congress, but the 1st and 2nd instalments have not yet been appropriated in full. To preserve the principle of burden-sharing, which is basic to the IDA, the agreement provides that in such a situation the IDA's ability to commit the contributions of other members will be restricted
pro rata to the phasing of the United States contribution, but the other members have agreed to waive this requirement in respect of the first instalment, which was covered by the "bridging" arrangements. For the current year (to 30th June 1982) the United States is contributing 700 million dollars instead of 1,080 million dollars and the availability to the IDA of contributions made by most other members, including the five largest, will be limited in proportion; total contributions available for the year will thus be about 2·6 billion dollars instead of 4·1 billion dollars. To offset this reduction some 800 million dollars additional lending on
the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development terms will be made available to IDA borrowers which are sufficiently creditworthy.
Inverness Prison: Solitary Confinement Cells
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is the case that at Inverness Prison there are cells in the segregation unit 3 metres by 2·5 metres and that prisoners are confined within them for more than six months' solitary confinement.
The overall dimensions of the cells normally used in the Inverness Unit are 3 metres by 4·5 metres. For the protection of staff entering the cells they are divided by a row of vertical bars into two separate areas—an entrance area measuring 3 metres by 2 metres, and an area of 3 metres by 2·5 metres (7·5 square metres) occupied by the prisoner. The recommended minimum area for a single cell in a secure prison is 6·3 square metres.The maximum period of continuous confinement in the Inverness Unit is normally three months. This exceeded only in exceptional circumstances. Since the unit was brought into use again in 1978 the longest continuous period spent there by any prisoner is just over four months. The average period is between two and three months.A prisoner in the unit does not associate with other prisoners but is in regular daily contact with staff, may take an hour's outside exercise each day and receives his normal entitlement of visits. While in the unit, a prisoner's condition is constantly monitored and his progress is subject to formal review at monthly intervals.House adjourned at fifteen minutes before nine o'clock.