645
Written Answers
7 FEBRUARY 1990
Correspondence
Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will receive a reply to his letter dated 20 December 1989 referring to Mr. J. R. Green.
Mr. John Patten: I will write shortly to my hon. Friend.
Skilball
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Gaming Board and others concerning the introduction of a gambling activity to be called Skilball; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd: We understand that the promoters of "Skilball" intend it to be a prize competition in which success will depend to a substantial degree on the exercise of skill, so that it will not fall to be regulated or prohibited under the laws of gambling. Only a court could determine this question authoritatively.
The Gaming Board for Great Britain has expressed to us its concern that, in the event that “Skilball" is promoted or perceived as a form of gambling, it could have serious implications for policy on lotteries and for the general principle that demand for gambling should not be stimulated. We have also received letters from two hon. Members about “Skilball", one in his capacity as a consultant to its promoters, the other asking about its relationship to the law on lotteries.
We are at present considering the implications of the proposed competition. We have no current plan to amend the law on prize competitions such as "Skilball" is claimed to be. The position is being kept under review, and no assurance can be given that legislation may not at some stage be proposed which might affect the legality or viability of such competitions.
Hong Kong
Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria for settlement in Britain will be required for the Asian spouses of British expatriates living in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd: Paragraph 50 of the Immigration Rules (HC. 388) sets out the criteria for admission for settlement as the spouse of a British citizen or other person who is present and settled in the United Kingdom or who is at the same time being admitted for settlement.
Summer Time (Green Paper)
Mr. Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests have been received for a copy of the Government's Green Paper on summer time, consultative document Cm 722, since June 1989; and how many responses he has received as a result.
Mr. Peter Lloyd: Her Majesty's Stationery Office has sold 1,082 copies. A total of 30,867 responses have been received.
Written Answers
Young Offenders
骶
هدايا
646
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, in respect of each young offender institution and remand centre, the numbers of (a) convicted and (b) unconvicted prisoners under the age of 16 years who are receiving fewer than 15 hours of education each week.
Mr. Mellor: During the most recent week for which figures are available, all inmates under 16 years of age in young offender institutions received at least 15 hours education. The number of inmates under 16 years in remand centres who did not receive 15 hours education was as follows:
Remand centre
Brockhill Cardiff Feltham Glen Parva Manchester
Inmates affuer
Convicted
Unconvicted
HKD 340/8
RECEIVED IN BEGISTRY
1
12 JUN 1990
7
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
Sentenced Prisoners
Mr. Bermingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of those persons sentenced to a gaol by a Crown court in England and Wales during 1988 had committed an offence involving (a) violence, (b) sex, (c) robbery and (d) supply of drugs; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what proportion of (a) 17 to 20-year-olds and (b) adults were sentenced to immediate custody for (i) violence against the person, (ii) burglary, (iii) theft and handling, (iv) fraud and forgery, (v) criminal damage and (vi) drug offences in each of the Crown court centres in England and Wales during 1988; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what was the average sentence length in England and Wales for (a) Crown courts, (b) magistrates courts and (c) all courts during 1988; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 25 January 1990]: Information on the average sentence lengths by the Crown court and magistrates courts in England and Wales is given in "Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1988" (Tables 7.16 to 7.20), a copy of which is in the Library.
Information that relates to the number of persons sentenced to immediate custody by the Crown court for certain offences; and the proportion of persons aged 17 to 20 and 21 and over who were sentenced to immediate custody by certain offences in each Crown court centre in England and Wales in 1988 is given in the tables:
Table 1 Persons sentenced to immediate custody by the Crown Court 1988 England and Wales
Offence
Total immediate custody
Violence against the person
7,697
Sexual offences
2,262
Robbery
3,092
Supplying drugs (Trafficking)
2,594
329 CW79/9 Job 3-4