HC Deb 10 March 1994 vol 239 cc352-4W
19. Mr. O'Hara

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at which point in the financial year he had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Environment over the funding of fire and civil defence authorities for the execution of their statutory duties in the following financial year.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Decisions about the local government finance settlement and service provision are taken collectively by Ministers and announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment. Discussions between the Department of the Environment and the Home Office at official level take place from time to time on the lead up to these decisions. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary did not have separate discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment about fire and civil defence authorities.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the reasons for exemption from the requirement for local public inquiries of the combination schemes relating to proposed new fire authorities in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The proposal to establish three combined fire authorities in Wales in place of the present eight was made in the White Paper on the future of local government in Wales published in March 1993. It has since been discussed in the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council and interested parties have had the opportunity to make representations and, in the case of three of the existing fire authorities in Wales, to meet me to discuss the proposals. Also, clause 23 of the Local Government (Wales) Bill requires my right hon. and learned Friend to give notice of the general nature of the proposed combination schemes to the appropriate authorities and to consider any representations that they make. In the light of these factors, we see no need for public inquiries.

Police Stations
Bridewell Stanley Road Kirby Crosby St. Helens Total
1994
February 20 54 0 0 0 0 54
February 21 54 0 0 0 0 54
February 22 54 0 0 0 0 54
February 23 54 0 0 0 0 54
February 24 62 0 0 0 0 62
February 25 60 0 0 0 0 60
February 26 65 0 0 0 0 65
February 27 27 12 12 0 0 51
February 28 39 10 9 10 0 68
March 1 35 10 8 10 0 63
March 2 41 3 3 10 0 57
March 3 41 8 0 8 8 65
March 4 44 7 0 7 7 65
March 5 44 7 0 7 6 64
March 6 44 7 0 7 6 64
March 7 36 10 9 11 9 75

Information about costs is not yet available. The Prison Service will deal with reimbursement of expenditure incurred by police in accordance with the provisions of Home Office circular 36/1993, issued on 6 October 1993 to clerks to police authorities and chief officers of police.

Details of number of police officers performing duties concerned with the holding of prisoners is not yet available centrally. It is understood these duties are being carried out by officers working their rest days.

Between the end of December 1993 and the end of February 1994, the prison population in the north of England rose by just over 1,200. Prison accommodation pressures in the North will be eased by the reopening of Manchester prison, now under way, and the opening of the new prison at Doncaster in June. Rescheduling of refurbishment work at other prisons will also increase the availability of places during 1994.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of prisoner