| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Cardiff Bay Barrage
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 1996 to the hon. Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney), Official Report, columns 624-25, (1) if he will set out the rights of those farmers not wishing to sell or lease their land to the Land Authority for Wales as compensatory feeding grounds for those lost behind the Cardiff bay barrage; [11906]
- (2) if he will name each of the farms in the proposed compensation area east of the River Usk for the loss of inter-tidal feeding grounds at Cardiff bay; and whether they (a) have been bought by voluntary means, (b) are under negotiation for voluntary purchase, (c) are under negotiation for management agreement of (d) are expected to be bought by compulsory order; [11907]
(3) what estimate he has made of the length of time required to complete the arrangements for the setting up of the bird reserve east of the River Usk to compensate for the loss of feeding grounds at Cardiff bay on the basis of (a) voluntary purchase of the requisite farm, (b) management agreements with land owners and (c) compulsory purchase; and if he will make a statement. [11904]
Mr. Hague [holding answer Thursday 25 January]: These are operational matters for the Cardiff Bay development corporation. The chief executive has replied and a copy of his letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Access Centres
30. Mr. Rowe: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received relating to access centres for children of separated parents; what was his response; and if he will make a statement. [11788]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
I have recently received an enquiry about the funding of access and child contact centres in connection with the Government's proposals for reform of divorce law and the legal aid system. Under
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 60
the Government's proposals, services providing mediation in disputes relating to family matters may become eligible to receive funding through the legal aid system. If centres consider that they provide such services, it may become open to them to apply for such funding.
Contact centres play a valuable role in facilitating contact with children following family breakdown, and can provide a variety of services. There are at present a range of local family centres, some of which are run by charitable organisations, which receive funding from the voluntary sector and from local authorities.
35. Mr. Merchant:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much was spent on state-funded legal aid in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other European Union member states in the last year for which figures are available. [11793]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
Excluding administration costs, in 1994-95 the net cost of legal aid in the United Kingdom was £1.4 billion. It is not possible to make direct comparisons with other EU member states since the legal systems are different and the coverage and nature of their legal aid schemes vary considerably.
36. Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost of legal aid received by asylum seekers in the last financial year for which figures are available. [11794]
Mr. Evans:
No separate figures are kept for the legal aid costs attributable to asylum matters alone. In 1994-95, total legal aid expenditure for advice and assistance on immigration and nationality cases was less than £14.6 million, representing just over 1 per cent. of the total cost of legal aid.
37. Mr. John Marshall:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has recently received about legal aid. [11796]
Mr. Evans:
I have received many representations about the legal aid scheme.
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 61
Mr. William O'Brien:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to broaden the eligibility rules for legal aid; and if he will make a statement. [11795]
Mr. Evans:
The Lord Chancellor published a Green Paper setting out proposals for the reform of legal aid in May 1995. Both financial eligibility and merits assessment are being examined as part of this process. The Lord Chancellor intends to make an announcement on the future of the Green Paper proposals in the spring.
38. Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements he is making for continued public access to the census returns following the closure of the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane. [11797]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
Following the closure of the Public Record Office, Chancery lane, public access to the census returns now consulted there will be continued at another central London site, for which negotiations are proceeding.
39. Sir Michael Neubert:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent representations he has received on the question of fault in divorce law reform. [11798]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
I have received a large number of representations relating to the question of divorce law reform. The records kept do not specify how many of these raised the issue of fault.
40. Mr. Sims:
To ask the parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to make additional funding available for mediation services. [11799]
Mr. Evans:
The Government have no plans to make additional funding directly available to mediation services. However, under the proposals set out in the Family Law Bill, it is intended that legal aid will be made available for mediation to eligible parties in appropriate cases.
41. Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what sums of legal aid were expended in the case of Elaine Steele of Workington. [11800]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
Legal aid payments to counsel and solicitors for the criminal proceedings with which Mrs. Steele was faced totalled £31,436.09. In a civil case for which Mrs. Steele was granted legal aid, a final bill has not been received, and the legal aid costs have not yet been assessed.
Mr. Ainger:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the number of staff employed by his Department or related agencies in each of the travel-to-work areas of Carmarthen, south Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Cardigan
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 62
on (a) 31 March 1979, (b) 31 March 1990, (c) 31 March 1992, (d) 31 March 1995, (e) the latest available figure and (f) the estimate for 31 March 1997. [13296]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
The information requested for 31 March 1979 and 31 March 1990 is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. For the periods 31 March 1992 and 31 March 1995 no staff were employed in the Lord Chancellor's Department or related agencies in south Pembrokeshire, Fishguard or Cardigan. For Carmarthen and Haverfordwest the information is set out in the table.
| Area | Courts | District Probate Registry |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 1992 | ||
| Carmarthen | 10.5 | 4 |
| Haverfordwest | 10 | n/a |
| 31 March 1995 | ||
| Carmarthen | 10.5 | 2.5 |
| Haverfordwest | 10 | n/a |
Letter from M. D. Heubner to Mr. Nick Ainger, dated 5 February 1996:
Number of staff employed in Travel-to-work areas of Carmarthen, South Pembrokeshire, Haverford West, Fishguard and Cardigan
The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of staff employed in these areas.
The Court Service does not hold information about staff employed in travel-to-work areas, and it could be collated only at a disproportionate cost. However, at present there are no Court Service staff employed in Fishguard, South Pembrokeshire or Cardigan and there are no plans for staff to be employed in these areas in the future. There are 24 members of Court Service staff, 21 full time and 2 part-time, employed in Haverfordwest and Carmarthen and it is estimated that 22 full time members of staff will be employed in these areas on 31 March 1997.
Probate Offices
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many interviews took place at each probate office in England and Wales in each year from 1990 to 1995; and if he will make a statement. [13494]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.
Letter from M. D. Heubner to Mr. David Lidington, dated 5 February 1996:
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 65
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 65
Number of Probate Office Interviews 1990-1995
The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to the above Question about the number of Probate Office interviews in the years 1990-95.
I attach a schedule which details this information. As the table accompanying this letter is too long to be printed in the Official Report, arrangements will be made for a copy to be deposited in the Library of the House.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |