Written Answers of 9 January 1995

  HUMAN RIGHTS: DUTY OF COMPLIANCE
  Lord Lester of Herne Hill
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Further to their Answer of 7th December 1994 (HL WA 84), whether they consider that local authorities, in discharging their public functions, have a duty to comply with the terms of the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and

  Further to their Answer of 7th December 1994 (HL WA 84), how, in the absence of legislation to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights into the law of the United Kingdom, victims of failure by Ministers and civil servants to comply with the terms of the treaties, in the discharge of their public functions, are able to obtain effective domestic remedies against the Crown; and

  Further to their Answer of 7th December 1994 (HL WA 84), whether they consider that Her Majesty's judges, in discharging their public functions, have a duty to comply with the European Covenant of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

  The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)
  As I stated in my Answer of 7th December, the treaties referred to, in common with treaties in general, are binding on States party to them and not individuals. The acts or omissions of public officers or authorities may engage the international responsibility of the United Kingdom in so far as they raise issues in respect of the fulfilment of the United Kingdom's obligations under the treaty. The position in international law in this regard is no different for the treaties referred to by the noble Lord than for other treaties. In the cases of the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the determination whether a particular act or omission does engage the responsibility of the United Kingdom is specially entrusted (subject to the rules and procedures laid down in the treaties) to the supervisory bodies established by those treaties.

  The obligation to provide an effective domestic remedy is an obligation of the State under the treaties in question. Whether the United Kingdom has complied with that obligation falls to be determined in the same way as whether it has complied with any of the other obligations under those treaties. In so far as the European Convention on Human Rights is concerned, the European Court of Human Rights has consistently held that the Convention does not lay down for the Contracting States any given manner for ensuring within their internal law the effective implementation of any of its provisions.

  BOSNIAN MUSLIMS: REPORTED MALTREATMENT
  Lord Hylton
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What information they have about: (a) Bosnian Muslims from Sanja and Bijeljina obliged to dig trenches by the Serb Army and currently used as human shields; (b) Bosnians of military age from Brcko, Bijeljina and Doboj interned in camps at Batkovic, Mackovic/Lopare and Suho Polje/Ugljevik; whether these situations are in breach of international law, and what is being done to bring them to an end.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  We are aware of these disturbing reports. We condemn all such acts which are in clear breach of international law. Those responsible must be held accountable to the International Tribunal established by the UN, whose efforts to secure convictions we fully support.

  UNPROFOR: ARRANGEMENTS FOR WITHDRAWAL FROM BOSNIA
  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Under what command would any US forces operate which might be deployed to former Yugoslavia to assist in the withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces; by whom would their rules of engagement be determined; whether, as Mr. William Perry is reported to have stated, they would be equipped and prepared to use "overwhelming force"; and whether this suggestion of war-fighting has their approval, or that of NATO or the United Nations.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  President Clinton has agreed in principle to provide US ground troops to any NATO-led withdrawal of UNPROFOR from Bosnia, should that become necessary. Detailed command arrangements and rules of engagement for such a contingency would require consideration in the North Atlantic Council, in co-ordination as appropriate with the UN. Clearly, force would only be used to the extent necessary for a successful withdrawal.

  AGE OF CONSENT IN FAR EASTERN COUNTRIES
  Lord Hylton
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the age of consent for lawful sexual intercourse in: (i) Sri Lanka; (ii) India; (iii) The Philippines; (iv) Indonesia; (v) Thailand; and (vi) Taiwan.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  Our information is that the age of consent for lawful sexual intercourse in the countries listed is as follows:

  (i) Sri Lanka—12 for women. There is no specified age for men.

  (ii) India—although no parallel Indian law exists, for practical purposes the age of consent for women is 16. Solemnization of child marriages is punishable for a male above 18 contracting such a marriage and for anyone performing, conducting or directing a child marriage.

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  (iii) The Philippines—the age of unqualified consent is 18. Between 12 and 18 qualified consent is deemed possible.

  (iv) Indonesia—sexual relations outside marriage are not regulated under law. The legal age for marriage is 16 for women and 19 for men.

  (v) Thailand—15 years of age.

  (vi) Taiwan—16 years of age.

  EUROPEAN COMMISSION: RIGHT TO PROPOSE LEGISLATION
  Lord Pearson of Rannoch
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they believe that the European Commission should retain its monopoly to propose European legislation.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  We believe that extending the Commission's right to propose legislation to other institutions or to individual member states would result in a larger number of proposals being made than at present, some of which would contravene the principle of subsidiarity. Under Article 152 of the Treaty, the Council can already request the Commission to bring forward proposals which it wants.

  EUROPEAN COMMISSION: LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS
  Lord Pearson of Rannoch
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many (a) new legislative proposals, (b) amending legislative proposals, and (c) other documents were deposited in Parliament by the European Commission in the year to 31st December 1994.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  According to the Commission, there were 39 proposals for principal legislation submitted to the Council of Ministers up to the end of October 1994. All of these were deposited in Parliament. In addition, a further 513 other draft legislative proposals were deposited in Parliament in 1994. The vast majority of these were either proposals to amend existing Council legislation or draft technical decisions required by the Council of Ministers. In addition, 234 non-legislative documents were deposited in Parliament in 1994.

  EUROPEAN COMMISSION REGULATIONS
  Lord Pearson of Rannoch
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many regulations or other similar instruments which do not have to be deposited in national Parliaments were issued by the Commission in the year to 31st December 1994, whether in draft form or otherwise.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  According to the Commission's CELEX Database on Community legislation and the Official Journal of the European Communities, 1,579 Commission regulations, 445 WA 4
  Commission decisions and 24 Commission directives were produced in 1994. Most of these acts involved the detailed implementation of rules laid down by the Council.

  EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
  Lord Pearson of Rannoch
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many European Parliament buildings are in existence or under construction; in which countries of the European Communities; and for how many days each year the European Parliament sits in each of them; for what average length of time per sitting day and at what annual cost.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  The European Parliament rents five buildings in Strasbourg costing £11.2 million a year, five buildings in Luxembourg costing £10.9 million a year, and nine buildings in Brussels costing £25.5 million a year. A further building in Strasbourg is under construction, payment for which will start in 1997.

  Plenary sessions are held in Strasbourg and Brussels. In 1995 these sessions are scheduled to be held on 12 days in Brussels and 60 days in Strasbourg. The average daily sitting during the Brussels sessions in 1994 was seven hours. For the Strasbourg sessions it was six hours. In addition to the six hours spent each day in the chamber in Strasbourg, MEPs attend other meetings outside it such as committee or political group meetings. The Brussels building is also used all the year round for office accommodation, committee meetings and other purposes.

  EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF MOVING BETWEEN BUILDINGS
  Lord Pearson of Rannoch
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the annual cost of moving papers and general administration between the various buildings of the European Parliament, and how this figure is made up.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  The total amount in the 1995 adopted European Parliament budget is £664 million. No figure is available for the portion to be spent on moving papers and general administration between the various buildings of the European Parliament.

  IRAQ
  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they accept the opinion of Dr Ekeus that the elimination of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq has been satisfactorily concluded, or that of the Director of the US CIA, who has been reported to believe that Iraq is "still hiding Scud missiles, chemical munitions and its entire biological weapons warfare programme".

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  The latest report from Ambassador Ekeus, Executive Chairman of the
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  United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) makes clear that Iraq has so far failed to declare its past weapons of mass destruction programmes. UNSCOM highlights the lack of required information about chemical and biological weapons. It follows that we cannot be sure that all weapons have been eliminated. Until UNSCOM is satisfied that Iraq has made full declarations, there can be no question of relaxing sanctions.

  A copy of Ambassador Ekeus' report has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the status in international law of limits currently imposed on Iraq's sovereignty, given that Security Council Resolution 1164 refers to a "commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of…Iraq; what is the status in international law of the current over-flying of Iraq territory; who is doing it, by whom is a count of it kept; and whether the numbers of these sorties reported by the government of Iraq to the UN Secretary-General are, to their knowledge, accurate.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  In imposing the prohibititions and restrictions on Iraq in UN Security Council Resolution (SCR) 687, the Security Council acted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the measures are thus binding on all member states by virtue of Article 25 of the Charter.

  American, British and French aircraft patrol an area in northern Iraq north of the 36th parallel and an area in southern Iraq south of the 32nd parallel in support of SCR 688, each of these being an area in which there were and remain circumstances of extreme humanitarian need. Although the circumstances varied somewhat, the purpose was and remains the same, to monitor compliance with SCR 688, which demands that Iraq, as a contribution to international peace and security in the region, end the repression of its civilian population.

  Each participating nation keeps a count of the missions flown by its own aircraft. A comparison of these records with the reports made by the Iraqis to the UN Secretary General could therefore only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What discussions they have had with oil-exporting countries of the Gulf area about lifting sanctions on Iraq; what reports they have received on the same subject; what effect, in their estimate, would the lifting of sanctions have on the price of oil, and on the financial well-being of the various oil-exporting states.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  We are in close contact with many countries in the region about policy towards Iraq. There can be no question of lifting the oil embargo or any other sanction imposed on Iraq until that country is in full compliance with all relevant UN Security Council resolutions. It is therefore premature to speculate about the effect of any return by Iraq to the oil markets.
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  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the removal of Saddam Hussein from office in Iraq is now for them a condition of the lifting of sanctions on Iraq; and whether this requirement is present, or implicit, in any of the various relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and, if so, which.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  The conditions for the lifting of sanctions remain those set out in relevant Security Council resolutions. However, we judge it unlikely that Iraq will be able to meet those conditions whilst Saddam Hussein is in power.

  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Which UN Security Council Resolutions remain to be fulfilled by Iraq, given that Iraq will be better able to pay its debts when the existing sanctions are lifted; and what proportion of missing Kuwaitis do the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Kuwait expect Iraq to account for.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  At the six-monthly review of sanctions imposed on Iraq held on 14 November, the UN Security Council concluded that there were no grounds on which to lift the sanctions. The Council reached this conclusion after due consideration of Security Council Resolution 687, which formalised the ceasefire and set out the conditions for the lifting of sanctions. These conditions include fully accounting for all Kuwaitis detained by Iraq.

  There can be no question of sanctions being lifted until Iraq is in full compliance with all the relevant Security Council resolutions.

  ALGERIA: FOREIGN DEBT
  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the statement by the Algerian Council of Ministers to the effect that "foreign debt was eating up 80 per cent of the revenues from (Algeria's) exports" is true and, if so, what effect they anticipate this fact to have on social stability and the prevalence of fundamentalism within Algeria.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  Algeria's debt service due as a proportion of its exports was estimated to have risen to about 80 per cent. at the end of 1993. Following a Paris Club rescheduling in May 1994 and better than expected export performance, Algeria's debt service ratio for 1994 is now projected to have fallen to 45–50 per cent. It is expected to fall further once Algeria has secured comparable treatment on its commercial bank debt.

  Stability in Algerian society is likely to be influenced by the performance of the economy as a whole and by other political factors. The initial reduction in the debt service ratio does not appear to have had any effect on the level of violence involving extremist Islamic groups in Algeria.

  NATO: COLLECTIVE ASSETS
  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What are the "collective assets of NATO" (that) might be made available noted in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office quarterly report on arms control and security; on the basis of what kind of "consultations" in the North Atlantic Council would they be made available "for WEU operations undertaken by the European allies in pursuit of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy"; and whether the non-European members of the North Atlantic Council would be in a position to veto the use of the "collective assets", and if so in what circumstances.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  The NATO Summit Declaration of 11 January 1994 announced NATO Allies' readiness to make available the collective assets of the Alliance, on the basis of consultations in the North Atlantic Council, for WEU operations undertaken by the European Allies in pursuit of their Common Foreign and Security Policy. Arrangements to give effect to this undertaking remain under discussion in NATO, in the context of work to develop the Combined Joint Task Force concept.

  NATO's collective assets include communications, command and control, as well as airborne early warning and other facilities. The extent to which they were made available for any WEU Operation would depend on the outcome of joint consultations between NATO and WEU, including as necessary through joint council meetings, on how to address the contingency in question. All decisions taken by the North Atlantic Council are by consensus.

  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the "collective assets of NATO" noted in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office quarterly report on arms control and security that might be available to WEU include intelligence unilaterally obtained by the US from space.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  The collective assets of NATO do not include intelligence unilaterally obtained by the US from space.

  CIA: INFILTRATION BY SOVIET SPY
  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the failure of the CIA to recognise over 11 years that it had a Soviet spy working in its midst resulted in the loss of British agents in the Soviet Union, Russia or elsewhere.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister in another place on 14 July 1994 at columns,711–12. It remains the Government's policy not to provide information on the operations of the security and intelligence agencies.

  CHERNOBYL
  Lord Jenkins of Putney
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they have seen a report in Global Security, the Journal of Medical Action, that 8,000 people in the Kiev area have died as a result of the Chernobyl explosion and 250,000 are disabled or seriously ill, that 25 per cent. of children are being born with defects and that two-thirds of Ukraine has been contaminated; and if these reports are factual, whether international action is being taken to assist in endeavouring to mitigate the consequences of the disaster and, if so, what part they are playing in such action.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  Precise details of the effects of the Chernobyl accident are difficult to verify, and the claims in the Winter 1994 edition of Global Security are considerably higher than international estimates, particularly that of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is the most widely accepted.

  We have financed bilateral Chernobyl-related projects and support international activities in the region funded by the IAEA, the WHO and the European Union.

  MONEY BILL PROCEDURE
  Earl Russell
  asked the Leader of the House:

  When this House last went into Committee on a money Bill.

  The Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne)
  On 15 February 1972, on the Mineral Exploration and Investment Grants Bill.

  GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE 1978–95
  Lord Lawson of Blaby
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they will publish a table showing, for each year from 1978–79 to 1994–95 (latest available estimate), the annual percentage growth of public spending in real terms, defining public spending as general government expenditure excluding the effect of privatisation proceeds; and whether they will give the average annual percentage growth in public spending as defined above (a) over the eleven-year period from 1978–79 to 1989–90, (b) over the six-year period from 1983–84 to 1989–90, and, (c) over the four-year period from 1989–90 to 1994–95 (latest available estimate).

  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Henley)
  The following table shows the real growth rates in general government expenditure (excluding privatisation proceeds) between 1978–79 to 1994–95.
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  Year

  Real growth per cent.

  1978–79

  4.7

  1979–80

  3.2

  1980–81

  1.8

  1981–82

  1.4

  1982–83

  2.7

  1983–84

  1.6

  1984–85

  2.8

  1985–86

  0.0

  1986–87

  2.0

  1987–88

  0.0

  1988–89

  -1.8

  1989–90

  2.6

  1990–91

  0.9

  1991–92

  2.8

  1992–93

  5.7

  1993–94

  2.3

  1994–95

  2.3

  The average annual percentage real growth of general government expenditure (excluding privatisation proceeds) over the periods 1978–79 to 1989–90, 1983–84 to 1989–90 and 1989–90 to 1994–95 are given below.

  Period

  Average annual percentage real growth

  1978–79 to 1989–90

  1.5

  1983–84 to 1989–90

  0.9

  1989–90 to 1994–95

  2.8

  AIDS SUFFERERS: PENSION COMMUTATION
  Lord Kilmarnock
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  In relation to the Lord Henley's reply of 30th November (HL Deb., col. WA38) and in view of Inland Revenue Occupational Pension Schemes Practice Notes paragraph 8.17 which states that full commutation does give rise to a tax charge, why such commutation for persons suffering from AIDS with short life expectancy would be inconsistent with the purpose of occupational pension scheme tax reliefs.

  Lord Henley
  Tax reliefs are given to occupational pension schemes exclusively to encourage the provision of benefits on retirement and to dependants in the event of death. Accordingly, there are very strict limits on the extent to which such schemes can provide health or terminal illness cover.

  BCCI
  Lord Spens
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the Bank of England has reached a settlement with the liquidators of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI); and, if so, what are the parameters of the settlement and what is the liability of the Bank of England under the settlement to the liquidators.

  Lord Henley
  The Bank of England has not made a settlement with the liquidators of BCCI.

  TAX REVENUE AND DECREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT
  Earl Russell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the estimated increase in tax revenues likely to result from last month's fall in unemployment.

  Lord Henley
  Reliable estimates of increases in tax revenue from any given fall in unemployment would depend on information on the wages earned and the spending patterns of those moving into employment. This information is not available.

  AFRICAN COUNTRIES: DEBT
  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the proportion of the export income of African countries currently being used to pay their debts; to which Governments and institutions are those debts owed; whether present African governments incurred these debts; what proportion of the monies originally borrowed do they consider may have been fraudulently re-exported into banks within British, British dependency, Swiss or other jurisdictions; and in such cases, what steps are being taken to assist present African governments in recovering any of these monies.

  Lord Henley
  The proportion of export income being used by African countries to pay their debts and to which type of creditor is given on pages 174–175 of World Debt Tables 1993–4 Volume 1, published by the World Bank.

  The UK is not involved in assisting African countries to recover monies which may have been fraudulently exported.

  The other information sought is not available.

  ELECTRICITY PRODUCED BY NUCLEAR POWER: COST PER UNIT
  Lord Stoddart of Swindon
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the latest published figure for the cost per unit of electricity produced by nuclear power, and whether it includes the full costs of de-commissioning nuclear power stations and associated installations.

  The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Earl Ferrers)
  According to Nuclear Electric's 1993/94 Report and Accounts, the operating cost per unit sold in that year was 3.1 pence per unit. The comparable figure for Scottish Nuclear is 2.8 pence per unit. These figures include the provisions made by the companies to meet their anticipated liabilities for the costs of station de-commissioning, fuel reprocessing and waste management and disposal.

  COUNCIL TAX APPEALS: WAITING TIMES
  Baroness Jeger
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What steps they are taking to reduce the waiting time of appellants against banding for council tax

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  purposes; and what recompense will be made to successful appellants who are shown to have been over-paying this tax since its institution.

  The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Viscount Ullswater)
  Waiting times for appellants should drop substantially once the bulk of the appeals made during the initial period have been disposed of. 80 per cent. of initial appeals are expected to be settled in England and Wales by the end of December; that figure had already been exceeded in many areas by the end of November. In Scotland 78 per cent. of initial appeals had been settled by the end of September, the latest date for which figures are available. The remainder will be settled as early as possible in the new year. Where the banding of a dwelling is lowered following an appeal, the council tax bill is recalculated, and any overpayment is either refunded or credited against future council tax liabilities.

  SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE: ACCOMMODATION
  Lord Sefton of Garston
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Why they purchased the Vauxhall Cross building for MI.5 instead of buying and adapting County Hall.

  Viscount Ullswater
  When the Property Services Agency carried out a search for possible new accommodation for the Secret Intelligence Service in 1988–89, County Hall was not considered to be an available option.

  YOUTH TRAINING ALLOWANCES
  Earl Russell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the Youth Training Allowance and the Youth Training Bridging Allowance are being up-rated this year.

  Lord Inglewood
  There are no plans to up-rate either allowance, but such matters are kept under review.

  BASSETLAW: SCHOOL-LEAVER DESTINATION FIGURES
  Earl Russell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What percentage of 16 and 17 year-old school-leavers in 1993 in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire were not in education, youth training or employment.

  Lord Inglewood
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. However, the Youth Training (YT) Guarantee figures and the annual school-leaver destination survey do provide some information about young people after they have left school. Under the YT Guarantee, on 13 October 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 140 young people in the North Nottinghamshire Training and Enterprise Council area, which includes Bassetlaw, who were covered by the guarantee and were waiting for a YT place. Only nine of these had been waiting for a YT place for eight weeks or more. According to the annual survey of WA 12
  school-leavers undertaken by the Nottinghamshire Careers Service, 9.9 per cent. of 16 year-olds leaving full-time education in Bassetlaw in Summer 1993 were not identified as being in education, employment or training on 31 October 1993. Results of the 1994 survey will not become available until later this year.

  MANSFIELD: YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS
  Earl Russell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many people under 18 in Mansfield were unemployed on 13th October 1994, and how many of these were in receipt of severe hardship payments or income support.

  Lord Inglewood
  In October 1994 there were 54 claimant unemployed people aged under 18 in the Mansfield Local Authority District. Information is not available from the Department of Social Security (DSS) relating to local authority areas because Benefits Agency (BA) boundaries do not correspond to local authority boundaries. However, information has been provided relating to the BA's North Nottinghamshire District, which includes the Mansfield area.

  Unemployed people aged 16 or 17 who fall into one of the exemption categories, as defined in the Social Security Regulations, can receive Income Support (IS) under the normal rules. Those who do not fall into the exemption categories can be considered for IS under the severe hardship provisions. Statistics are not maintained at BA District level relating to those people aged 16 or 17 who are in receipt of IS under the normal rules. In addition, although the DSS does maintain monthly statistics in respect of the number of applications from 16 and 17 year-olds for IS under the severe hardship provisions, information is not readily available relating to the number of people in receipt on a specific date in a particular area; such information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Normally a direction is made, in successful applications, for IS to be paid under the severe hardship provisions for an eight week period. At the BA's North Nottinghamshire District there were 55 successful applications in August 1994, 46 successful applications in September 1994 and 30 successful applications in October 1994 for IS under the severe hardship provisions.

  THE PEERAGE: TITLES
  The Earl of Lindsey
  and Abingdon asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the purchase of any title normally associated with the peerage of the United Kingdom, such as Earl or Baron, entitles the holder to describe himself as a peer of the realm.

  The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern)
  There is nothing to prohibit any individual from describing himself as a peer of the realm, for any purpose not unlawful. However, the expression is properly applied to the holder of a peerage, whether of England, Scotland, Great Britain or the United
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  Kingdom, in which case the holder is entitled to sit in the House of Lords, or of Ireland, in which case he has no such right. A peerage may be disclaimed for life but may not be alienated.

  CRIME STATISTICS
  Lord Harris of Greenwich
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many crimes were recorded by each police force in England and Wales within each category of crime in the year ending 30 September 1994.

  The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch)
  This information is not yet available. The next statistics to be published will be for the calendar year 1994 and will be available in the Spring of 1995.

  PAEDOPHILE UNIT: INTERNATIONAL INTELLIGENCE CO-ORDINATION
  Lord Hylton
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What progress has been made in improving liaison and co-operation between police and law-enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom and in Asia, concerning sexual exploitation of children; and whether liaison officers will be placed in tourist-receiving countries.

  Baroness Blatch
  Her Majesty's Government supports fully the work of the Paedophile Unit which is based with the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) in London. The unit is developing its national intelligence co-ordinating role with United Kingdom police forces. Representatives from NCIS and the Home Office are developing international co-operation within the framework of Interpol. There are no current plans to place liaison officers in tourist-receiving countries to deal exclusively with the problem, but the experiences of those countries who have appointed liaison officers are being examined.

  SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST CHILDREN: PROSECUTION MONITORING
  Lord Hylton
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What progress has been made by the Home Office in monitoring prosecutions by other countries of their nationals who have committed sexual offences against children extra-territorially.

  Baroness Blatch
  The most recent information available about countries known to have adopted extra-territorial jurisdiction over sexual offences against children indicates that prosecutions have been brought in Germany, Norway and Sweden against citizens of those countries. In only one case (in Norway) is a prosecution so far known to have been successful. We continue to keep the position under review.

  POLICE OFFICERS-RESIDENTS: RATIO
  Lord Hooson
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the proportion of police officers to residents for: (i) England and Wales; (ii) Wales; (iii)
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  the North Wales police force area; and (iv) the Dyfed-Powys police force area.

  Baroness Blatch
  The information requested can be found in the appendix to the annual report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary for 1993, a copy of which is in the Library.

  POLICING SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS: COSTS
  Lord Hooson
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether, and if so, how the cost of sparsity is recognised as one of the criteria in the new formula produced by the Home Office working group for the new standard spending assessments of police forces; and whether in this respect the criteria reflect the differences between police forces in urban and rural areas.

  Baroness Blatch
  The Allocation Formula Working Group chaired by the Home Office was unable to find a statistically valid method to assess the relative cost of operating in sparsely populated areas. Sufficient police activity data was not available to the working group to enable such necessary assessments as the costs of travelling large distances in rural areas by vehicle at higher average speeds compared with the costs of travelling small distances in urban areas on foot or in vehicles at low average speeds. It is planned to return to this issue in work on the funding formula for 1996–97.

  HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE: 4TH PERIODIC REPORT
  Lord Lester of Herne Hill
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Further to their Answer of 7 December 1994 (H.L. col. WA89), whether they will make their Fourth Periodic Report to the Human Rights Committee under Article 40 to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights more widely available to members of the public by placing it in all public libraries and by informing non-governmental organisations, the editors of national and regional newspapers, and the editors of legal periodicals, that the report can be obtained without charge from the Home Office publications unit.

  Baroness Blatch
  No; the steps we have already taken to make the report freely available are, we believe, sufficient and proportionate. On 8 October, the day following the submission of the report to the United Nations, we sent copies of it to those non-governmental organisations with a particular, established interest in the report; a number of newspaper editors have already requested, and been sent, copies; and, as I explained in my reply on 7 December to an earlier Question from the noble Lord, the report is freely available from the Home Office publications unit, and in the British Library and the other legal deposit libraries.

  WHEEL CLAMPING
  Lord Finsberg
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  When they expect to make a decision on wheel clamping following the period of consultation, and whether they will also announce what the deadline was for the receipt of comments and how many comments were received.

  Baroness Blatch
  A total of 184 responses were received before the consultation period ended on 31 May 1993. These produced much useful information but no consensus on how best to deal with the excesses associated with the activities of irresponsible clampers. In considering what, if any, action to take our aim is to ensure that any measure introduced to prevent or deter irresponsible or heavy-handed wheel clamping on private land does not prevent sensible measures being taken to control genuine parking problems. We will make an announcement as soon as possible.

  CYCLISTS: PROSECUTIONS
  Lord Finsberg
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many pedal cyclists have been prosecuted in the years 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 for each of the offences of riding without lights; going through red traffic lights; riding on the pavement; and riding the wrong way down one-way streets.

  Baroness Blatch
  Information for 1990 to 1993 is given in the table below.

  Number of defendants prosecuted for offences connected with pedal cycles, 1990 to 1993

  England and Wales

  Offence description

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Riding to common danger

  7

  7

  5

  11

  Being towed

  2

  3

  3

  6

  Neglect of traffic direction

  182

  150

  138

  204

  More than one person carried

  58

  35

  34

  18

  Riding on footpath

  483

  333

  313

  291

  In relation to pedestrian crossings

  11

  9

  11

  4

  Failing to obey signal

  53

  48

  29

  19

  Number of juveniles aged 10 to under 18 cautioned and convicted of all offences by type of offence and police force area 1990 to 1993

  Year/type of offence

  Disposal

  Dorset

  Leicestershire

  Thames Valley1

  England and Wales

  1990

  Indictable

  Caution

  734

  1,778

  3,112

  96,620

  Conviction

  445

  673

  1,332

  46,117

  Total Known offenders

  1,179

  2,451

  4,444

  142,737

  Summary non-motoring

  Caution

  140

  523

  941

  30,515

  Conviction

  212

  387

  583

  21,696

  Total Known offenders

  352

  910

  1,524

  52,211

  Summary motoring2

  Conviction

  316

  308

  589

  16,564

  Total Known offenders

  316

  308

  589

  16,564

  All offences

  Caution

  874

  2,301

  4,053

  127,135

  Conviction

  973

  1,368

  2,504

  84,377

  Total Known offenders

  1,847

  3,669

  6,557

  211,512

  WA 16

  Number of defendants prosecuted for offences connected with pedal cycles, 1990 to 1993

  England and Wales

  Offence description

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Failing to comply with brake regulations

  96

  69

  42

  20

  Reckless and dangerous driving by a pedal cyclist

  26

  17

  30

  45

  Careless driving by a pedal cyclist

  67

  89

  77

  89

  Driving under the influence of drink and drug by a pedal cyclist

  211

  191

  108

  105

  Taking part in unauthorised cycle race

  1

  3

  1

  —

  Promoting unauthorised cycle race

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 Sec 17(4)

  42

  18

  31

  15

  Highways Act 1980 Sec 137(10)

  8

  5

  4

  1

  Take or ride a pedal cycle without consent

  312

  288

  270

  185

  Lighting and reflector offences

  1,578

  950

  547

  349

  Other offences relating to pedal cycles

  17

  12

  16

  8

  All offences

  3,155

  2,228

  1,659

  1,570

  Note:

  The offence of 'failing to comply with traffic light signals (including going through red lights)' may be recorded under 'Neglect of traffic directions', 'Failing to obey signal' or 'Other Offences'.

  The offence of riding the wrong way down a one way street may be recorded under 'Neglect of traffic directions' or 'Other Offences'.

  JUVENILE OFFENDERS (OXFORDSHIRE, DORSET AND LEICESTERSHIRE)
  Baroness Faithfull
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many juveniles were cautioned or found guilty of an offence in each of the last four years in Oxfordshire, Dorset and Leicestershire respectively.

  Baroness Blatch
  Information for the years 1990 to 1993 is given in the table below. Data for 1994 will not be available until the autumn 1995.
  WA 17

  Number of juveniles aged 10 to under 18 cautioned and convicted of all offences by type of offence and police force area 1990 to 1993

  Year/type of offence

  Disposal

  Dorset

  Leicestershire

  Thames Valley1

  England and Wales

  1991

  Indictable

  Caution

  788

  1,986

  3,515

  95,533

  Conviction

  373

  546

  1,111

  42,019

  Total Known offenders

  1,161

  2,532

  4,626

  137,552

  Summary non-motoring

  Caution

  203

  625

  851

  27,076

  Conviction

  125

  310

  430

  17,918

  Total Known offenders

  328

  935

  1,281

  44,994

  Summary motoring2

  Conviction

  172

  314

  451

  13,869

  Total Known offenders

  172

  314

  451

  13,869

  All offences

  Caution

  991

  2,611

  4,366

  122,609

  Conviction

  670

  1,170

  1,992

  73,806

  Total Known offenders

  1,661

  3,781

  6,358

  196,415

  1992

  Indictable

  Caution

  920

  2,124

  3,714

  105,623

  Conviction

  245

  537

  1,028

  38,024

  Total Known offenders

  1,165

  2,661

  4,742

  143,647

  Summary non-motoring

  Caution

  256

  507

  865

  28,069

  Conviction

  61

  247

  429

  14,406

  Total Known offenders

  317

  754

  1,294

  42,475

  Summary motoring2

  Conviction

  108

  192

  358

  10,801

  Total Known offenders

  108

  192

  358

  10,801

  All offences

  Caution

  1,176

  2,631

  4,579

  133,692

  Conviction

  414

  976

  1,815

  63,231

  Total Known offenders

  1,590

  3,607

  6,394

  196,923

  1993

  Indictable

  Caution

  962

  1,865

  2,971

  94,063

  Conviction

  161

  579

  1,070

  35,462

  Total Known offenders

  1,123

  2,444

  4,041

  129,525

  Summary non-motoring

  Caution

  251

  646

  742

  27,519

  Conviction

  49

  176

  331

  10,966

  Total Known offenders

  300

  822

  1,073

  38,485

  Summary motoring2

  Conviction

  51

  132

  275

  8,928

  Total Known offenders

  51

  132

  275

  8,928

  All offences

  Caution

  1,213

  2,511

  3,713

  121,582

  Conviction

  261

  887

  1,676

  55,356

  Total Known offenders

  1,474

  3,398

  5,389

  176,938

  1 Thames Valley Police Force Area covers the Counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

  2 Offenders found guilty only; motoring offences may attract written warnings.

  WA 18