Whitaker's Almanack 2010 2010

1398 Pages·2009·36 MB·English

by  Claire Fogg

WHITAKER’S ALMANACK
2010
The traditional design of the title page for Whitaker’s Almanack which has appeared in each edition since 1868
WHITAKER’S ALMANACK
2010
A & C BLACK
LONDON
A & C Black Publishers Ltd Whitaker’s is a Registered trade mark of J. Whitaker and
36 Soho Square, London W1D 3QY Sons Ltd, Registered Trade Mark Nos. (UK) 1322125/
09; 13422126/16 and 1322127/41; (EU)
Whitaker’s Almanack published annually since 1868 19960401/09, 16, 41, licensed for use by A & C Black
142nd edition © 2009 A & C Black Publishers Ltd Publishers Ltd.
STANDARD EDITION Whitaker’s Almanack was compiled with the assistance
Cloth covers of: Amnesty International; Christian Research; UK
978–1–4081–1364–6 Hydrographic Office; Oxford Cartographers; Press
Association; WM/Reuters; Keesing’s Worldwide;
CONCISE EDITION Transparency International: the global coalition against
Paperback corruption; United Nations Population Division;
978–1–4081–1361–5 World Gazetteer/Stefan Helders (W www.world-
gazetteer.com); the UNESCO Institute for Statistics
NORTH AMERICAN EDITION (UIS) and the World Health Organisation.
Hardback
978–1–4144–7523–3/1–4144–7523–3 Material was reproduced from (in addition to that
Gale, Cengage Learning indicated): CIA World Factbook 2009; The London
Diplomatic List January 2009 © Crown Copyright;
JACKET PHOTOGRAPHS International Financial Statistics Year Book 2008 and World
1.Riot police clash with protesters during an anti-G20 Economic Outlook Database © International Monetary
demonstration near the Bank of England in London, Fund; The Military Balance 2009 published by Taylor &
1 April 2009. © Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Francis; People in Power © Cambridge International
2.A broker reacts at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange Reference on Current Affairs (CIRCA) and 2009 World
in September 2008. © Daniel Roland/AP/Press Development Indicators published by The World Bank.
Association Images Crown copyright material is reproduced with the
3.Michael Jackson performs in Los Angeles, November permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery
1988. © Ron Wolfson/Landov/Press Association Office.
Images
4.British number one tennis player Andy Murray The publishers make no representation, express or
during a 2009 Wimbledon Championships match implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information
against Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero. © EMPICS Sport contained in this book and cannot accept legal
5.A mass rally in Tehran’s Azadi Square by supporters responsibility for any errors or omissions that take
of opposition Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein place.
Mousavi, protesting against the election result, in June
2009. © Ben Curtis/AP/Press Association Images This book is produced using paper that is made from
6.The 47 million-year-old Darwinius masillae (or ‘Ida’) wood grown in managed, sustainable forests. It is
fossil, which some believe to be our earliest ancestor. natural, renewable and recyclable. The logging and
© University of Oslo/PA Wire/Press Association manufacturing processes conform to the environmental
Images regulations of the country of origin.
7.Prime Minister Gordon Brown during a visit to
Sherburn in Elmet, North Yorkshire, as part of a A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from
regional tour in July 2009. © John Giles/PA Wire/ the British Library.
Press Association Images
EDITORIAL STAFF
Typeset in the UK by RefineCatch Ltd, Bungay, Suffolk Publisher (Yearbooks) and Editor-in-Chief: Claire Fogg
NR35 1EF Deputy Editor: Ruth Northey
UK Project Editor: Clare Slaven
Printed in the UK by CPI William Clowes, Beccles, Editorial Assistants: Ruth Craven (UK), Ross Fulton
Suffolk NR34 7TL (International)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be CONTRIBUTORS (where not listed)
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in Gordon Taylor (Astronomy); Hilary Marsden (Countries
any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, of the World); Elizabeth Holmes (Education); Karen
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior Harries-Rees (Environment); V. P. Kanitkar (Hindu
written permission of the publisher. Calendar); Clive Longhurst (Insurance); Duncan Murray,
Chris Priestley (Legal Notes); Stan Greenberg, Alex
Hazle (Sport); Jill Papworth (Taxation); Philip Eden
(Weather) and Russell Ash (World in Figures)
5
CONTENTS
PREFACE 7 England 279
Principal Cities 281
THE YEAR 2010 English County Councils 288
District Councils 289
2010 Calendar 10 Metropolitan Borough Councils 293
2011 Calendar 11 Unitary Councils 294
Forthcoming Events 12 London 296
Centenaries 14 The City Guilds 298
London Borough Councils 301
UNITED KINGDOM
Wales 302
Scotland 305
UK in Figures 17 Northern Ireland 310
The National Flag 23 Isle of Man 313
Channel Islands 314
THE ROYAL FAMILY 24
Private Secretaries 26
LAW AND ORDER 316
Finance 29 Law Courts and Offices 316
Military Titles 31
Scottish Judicature 324
Kings and Queens 34
Northern Ireland Judicature 327
The House of Windsor 39
Tribunals 328
Descendants of Queen Victoria 40
Ombudsman Services 334
PRECEDENCE 42 Police 337
Prisons 342
PEERAGE 44
Hereditary Peers 46 DEFENCE 348
Life Peers 66 Salaries 358
Lords Spiritual 75 Pensions 360
Courtesy Titles 76
Peers’ Surnames 77 EDUCATION 361
Orders of Chivalry 82 The Education System 361
Baronetage and Knightage 85 Education Directory 380
The Order of St John 114 Universities 380
Dames 115 Professional Education 391
Decorations and Medals 118 Independent Schools 400
Chiefs of Clans in Scotland 121 National Academies 410
Privy Council 123 Research Councils 412
PARLIAMENT 126
HEALTH 417
Houses of Parliament 127
National Health Service 417
Political Parties 134
Members of Parliament 138
General Election Results 146 SOCIAL WELFARE 424
By-elections 182 Social Services 424
National Insurance 426
THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC Pensions 428
BODIES 184 War Pensions 430
The Cabinet 184 Tax Credits 432
Government Departments 186 Benefits 433
Executive Agencies 198
Non-ministerial Government Departments 204 UTILITIES AND TRANSPORT 441
Public Bodies Directory 208 Water 441
Energy 444
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT 236
Transport 449
London 236
Wales 241
RELIGION 459
Scotland 247
Religion in the UK 459
Northern Ireland 258
Churches 466
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 264
COMMUNICATIONS 489
LOCAL GOVERNMENT 267 Postal Services 489
Political Compositions of Councils 274 Telecommunications 491
6
International Direct Dialling 492 Countries of the World A–Z 731
Internet Domain Names 494 The North and South Poles 1068
UK Overseas Territories 1071
THE ENVIRONMENT 496
Conservation and Heritage 500 THE YEAR 2008–9
World Heritage Sites 506
Wildlife and Habitat 507 Events 1081
UK Affairs 1081
HERITAGE 511 Arts and Media 1084
Historic Buildings and Monuments 511 Business and Economic Affairs 1086
Museums and Galleries 519 Crimes and Legal Affairs 1090
Sights of London 527 Environment and Science 1092
Hallmarks 535 Sport 1095
International Events 1098
BANKING AND FINANCE 538 Obituaries 1113
British Currency 538 Archaeology 1117
Banking and Personal Finance 540 Architecture 1121
Financial Services Regulation 545 Art and Culture 1127
National Savings 547 Business and Finance 1131
London Stock Exchange 549 Conservation and Heritage 1135
Economic Statistics 550 Natural Environment 1135
Cost of Living and Inflation 555 Built Heritage 1138
Insurance 557 Dance 1141
Film 1145
TAXATION 562 Literature 1149
Income Tax 562 The Media 1154
Value Added Tax 575 Television 1154
Stamp Duty 577 Radio 1155
The Press 1157
LEGAL NOTES 579 Internet 1159
Intellectual Property 603 Music 1161
Classical 1161
THE MEDIA 605 Pop 1164
Broadcasting 605 Opera 1167
Television 605 Parliament 1172
Radio 608 Acts of Parliament 1178
The Press 617 White Papers 1180
Newspapers 617 Science and Discovery 1181
Periodicals 621 Theatre 1187
Internet 628 Weather 1191
Book Publishers 630 Sports Results 1197
Sports Records 1218
ORGANISATIONS 635
Employers’ and Trade Associations 635 TIME AND SPACE
Trade Unions 637
Sports Bodies 641 Astronomy 1223
Clubs 646 Time Measurement and Calendars 1283
Societies and Institutions 649 Tidal Predictions 1299
THE WORLD GENERAL REFERENCE
The World in Figures 675 Weights and Measures 1309
Air Distances from London 683 Conversion Tables 1314
Time Zones 685 The Periodic Table 1315
Currencies and Exchange Rates 688 Nobel Prize Winners 1316
Travel Overseas 692 Abbreviations 1317
European Union 695 Index 1325
International Organisations 706 Stop Press 1365
7
PREFACE
Having taken up the reins of Whitaker’s Almanack at the tail end of 2008, I had fully expected to be immersed in a time-
honoured process of detailing such important yet relatively uncontroversial matters of record as the composition of
parliament and the pay scales of MPs, so nothing had qute prepared me for what lay ahead. Yes, recession had already
coiled itself around the UK, squeezing ever tighter and showing no immediate signs of relaxing its grip, but who knew
that these dire financial straits would imbue the domestic news story of the year with such a strong sense of moral
urgency?
As the saga of MPs’ expenses broke, and then broke some more, unfolding an embarrassment of articles over the front
pages of The Daily Telegraph, it was as if the whole of parliament had been caught fiddling while the UK burned. Each
day a further outrage – a 1p phone bill here, a £1,645 floating duck mansion there – was met wth growing disbelief.
Yet few could wonder at the public outcry. Against a more favourable economic backdrop, perhaps MPs’ expenses would
have been but a footnote to other events, but this year they seemed to pulse wth the same beat, at once symbolising all
that was rotten with the economy, local and global, and serving as a focal point of anger for those who were losing jobs,
homes and hope, and palpably suffering the fallout firsthand.
As the UK economy languished in the doldrums, bankers proved to be the nation’s other favourite blame figures, their
unfettered practices having helped to dislodge the country’s fiscal system and throw it into disarray. That disarray
fermented into discontent, which in turn received concrete expression in the form of the G20 protests on the streets of
London and outside the Bank of England (this is the scene depicted in the main image on the front cover). To say t has
not been a good year would be an understatement. Key indicators of economic ‘health’, such as unemployment figures
and GDP, take us back not to recent recessions, but plunge us back 80 years, to an economic blight not encountered
since the Great Depression. The situation is brought home in the new graphs we’ve added to introduce this edition’s
revised and expanded Economic Statistics chapter. The ebb and flow of economic circumstances also informs the new
worldwide map of inflation rates and the new ‘family tree’ of the UK’s major retail banks (and their takeovers).
Sadly this year there’s been no obvious chink of light, no proverbial silver lining. Yet some solace might be drawn
from the fact that the recession has been global (the UK was not alone in its suffering) and an incoming US president
arrived wth a promise of change. Having galloped to success at the polls in November 2008, Barack Obama seemed
equipped to ride the economic storm, albeit propping up the American economy with an unprecedented multibillion-
dollar figure. Gordon Brown, however, only just clung on to his premiership when his party attempted to oust him in
June. Of course in America there had been no adversary as formidable as the actress best known for her absolutely
fabulous turn in a BBC stcom. Winning public support with more aplomb than the politicians themselves, Joanna
Lumley campaigned successfully for Gurkha veterans to have the right to settle in the UK – and received a hero’s
welcome when she subsequently visited Nepal.
On the international stage, events spiralled. Swine flu swept out from the shutdown on the streets of Mexico City and
went on to earn pandemic status, according to the WHO. Protesters flooded the streets of Tehran, demanding
democratic change from Iran’s clerical rulers. The war in Afghanistan continued, but casualties increased and as the
number of British military deaths passed that in Iraq, UK officials faced criticism for not supplying the armed forces
with adequate equipment. With Gordon Brown’s popularity dipping ever lower, David Cameron looks more lke a
restless PM-in-wating than ever. The last date for a general election to take place is 3 June 2010. In the meantime
readers can find full details of the 2009 European elections inside this edition: the voting system, lists of all the UK
members and UK regional results are in the European Parliament chapter, while the number of seats in each political
grouping for every country is included in the European Union section.
On a personal note I am delighted to be joining Whitaker’s for its 142nd edition. It is a book I have always admired.
Everything in this edition is, as usual, meticulously checked and updated using the most authoritative sources. We are
highly appreciative of the thousands of organisations and individuals who go out of their way to respond to our requests
for information. I would also like to thank our contributors for their profound subject expertise as well as our in-house
team whose unwavering concentration in the face of seemingly boundless facts ensures the whole volume comes
together in the form before you now.
Claire Fogg
Editor-in-Chief
September 2009

9
THE YEAR 2010
CHRONOLOGICAL CYCLES AND ERAS MUSLIM
Al-Hijra (Muslim new year) 18 Dec 2009
Dominical Letter C Ashura 27 Dec 2009
Epact 14 Ramadan, first day 12 Aug
Golden Number (Lunar Cycle) XVI Eid-ul-Fitr 10 Sep
Julian Period 6723 Hajj 15 Nov
Roman Indiction 3 Eid-ul-Adha 17 Nov
Beginning SIKH
Muslim year AH 1431* 18 Dec 2009
Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji 5 Jan
Japanese year Heisei 22 1 Jan
1 Chet (Sikh new year) 14 Mar
Roman year 2763 AUC 14 Jan
Baisakhi Mela 13 Apr
Regnal year 59 6 Feb
Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji 14 Apr†
Chinese year of the Tiger 14 Feb
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji 16 Jun
Sikh new year 14 Mar
Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji 24 Nov
Hindu new year (Chaitra) 16 Mar
† This festival is also currently celebrated according to the lunar
Indian (Saka) year 1932 22 Mar
calendar
Jewish year AM 5771* 9 Sep
* Year begins at sunset on the previous day CIVIL CALENDAR
RELIGIOUS CALENDARS
Countess of Wessex’s birthday 20 Jan
Accession of the Queen 6 Feb
CHRISTIAN
Duke of York’s birthday 19 Feb
Epiphany 6 Jan
St David’s Day 1 Mar
Presentation of Christ in the Temple 2 Feb
Commonwealth Day 8 Mar
Ash Wednesday 17 Feb
Earl of Wessex’s birthday 10 Mar
The Annunciation 25 Mar
St Patrick’s Day 17 Mar
Palm Sunday 28 Mar
Birthday of the Queen 21 Apr
Maundy Thursday 1 Apr
St George’s Day 23 Apr
Good Friday 2 Apr
Europe Day 9 May
Easter Day (western churches) 4 Apr
Coronation Day 2 Jun
Easter Day (Eastern Orthodox) 4 Apr
Duke of Edinburgh’s birthday 10 Jun
Rogation Sunday 9 May The Queen’s Official Birthday 12 Jun
Ascension Day 13 May
Duchess of Cornwall’s birthday 17 Jul
Pentecost (Whit Sunday) 23 May
Princess Royal’s birthday 15 Aug
Trinity Sunday 30 May
Lord Mayor’s Day 13 Nov
Corpus Christi 3 June
Prince of Wales’ birthday 14 Nov
All Saints’ Day 1 Nov
Remembrance Sunday 14 Nov
Advent Sunday 28 Nov
Wedding Day of the Queen 20 Nov
Christmas Day 25 Dec
St Andrew’s Day 30 Nov
HINDU
LEGAL CALENDAR
Makara Sankranti 14 Jan
Vasant Panchami (Sarasvati Puja) 20 Jan
Mahashivaratri 12 Feb LAW TERMS
Holi 28 Feb Hilary Term 11 Jan to 31 Mar
Chaitra (Spring new year) 16 Mar Easter Term 13 Apr to 28 May
Ramanavami 24 Mar Trinity Term 8 Jun to 31 Jul
Raksha Bandhan 24 Aug Michaelmas Term 1 Oct to 21 Dec
Janmashtami 1 Sep
Ganesh Chaturthi, first day 11 Sep QUARTER DAYS TERM DAYS
Navaratri festival (Durga Puja), first day 8 Oct England, Wales and Northern Scotland
Dasara 17 Oct Ireland
Diwali (New Year festival of lights), first day 3 Nov Lady – 25 Mar Candlemas – 28 Feb
Midsummer – 24 Jun Whitsunday – 28 May
JEWISH Michaelmas – 29 Sep Lammas – 28 Aug
Purim 28 Feb Christmas – 25 Dec Martinmas – 28 Nov
Pesach (Passover), first day 30 Mar
Shavuoth (Feast of Weeks), first day 19 May
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish new year) 9 Sep
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) 18 Sep
Succoth (Feast of Tabernacles), first day 23 Sep
Hanukkah, first day 2 Dec