Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action to be pursued with the Labour Group of Blaenau Gwent Council was discussed between his special adviser and the leader of the council to persuade the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) not to oppose Welsh devolution. [6256]
149W
§ Mr. Ron DaviesNone.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales from where his special adviser phoned(a) the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent about his opposition to devolution and (b) the leader of Blaenau Gwent Council about the same subject; what discussion he had with his special adviser on the subject of the call prior to it being made; and which (i) Minister and (ii) officials were present when they were made. [6257]
§ Mr. DaviesMy special adviser phoned the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent at my request, and without further discussion with me he then phoned the Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council. Both calls were made from the Welsh Office and neither Ministers nor officials were present.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussion(a) he and (b) his special adviser has had with the leader of Blaenau Gwent Council about the allegations made by the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent in respect of his special adviser's earlier phone call. [6258]
§ Mr. DaviesAfter recent reports in the media the leader of Blaenau Gwent Council contacted me to assure me that he did not regard the conversation he had with my special adviser as threatening or intimidating in any way. He undertook to write to me to that effect. My special adviser has since spoken to him to obtain a copy of this letter, but there was no discussion of the allegations made by the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent.
Mr. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list his engagements, with times, on the days of the phone calls which are the subject of allegations by the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent. [6259]
§ Mr. DaviesThe precise dates of the telephone calls subject to various allegations are not known, so I cannot list my engagements.
Number of defendants prosecuted in magistrates' courts and concvicted at all courts for offences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 by type of offence and police force area 1992–95 Sections 1 to 5 and 101 1992 1993 1994 1995 Police force area Pros Con Pros Con Pros Con Pros Con Avon and Somerset — — — — — — 2 2 Cheshire 2 2 — — 4 4 — — Cleveland 4 2 2 2 — — — — Cumbria 1 — — — 5 3 1 — Derbyshire 3 3 4 — 1 — 1 1 Devon and Cornwall 8 — 1 — — — — — Dorset — — 1 1 — — — — Essex — — 4 — — — 2 1 Gloucestershire — — — — 1 — — — Greater Manchester — — — — — — — — Hampshire 3 — 2 2 1 — 6 — Hertfordshire 1 1 1 1 4 4 — — Humberside 4 4 3 3 — — 3 2 Kent — — — — — — 1 — Lancashire — — — — — 1 1 1 Leicestershire 1 1 — — — — — — Lincolnshire — — 4 4 — — — — Merseyside — — 1 1 — — — — Metropolitan Police — — — — — — — — Norfolk — — — — — — — —