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Primary Schools
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the (a) number and (b) percentage of primary school children in classes of 31 or more (i) in each local education authority and (ii) nationally in 1996. [37151]
Mr. Robin Squire: The number of pupils in one-teacher classes of 31 or more pupils in maintained primary schools in England in January 1996--provisional--was 1.26 million. This represented 31.8 per cent. of pupils in all
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one-teacher classes in maintained primary schools in England. Class size figures for local education authorities will be available in the autumn.
English Tests
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the final guidelines issued to markers of key stage 2 English tests included lower thresholds for some levels than those set out in the draft guidelines; and if she will make a statement. [36642]
Mr. Paice [holding answer 12 July 1996]: The draft thresholds set by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority on 22 April were confirmed in full following the level setting procedures based on an initial sample of actual scripts. Dummy thresholds had been issued to markers in March purely for training purposes.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid (Cheshire)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the number of legal aid applications and the total sums involved received from members of the public in Cheshire for each of the last five years. [36391]
Mr. Streeter: The Legal Aid Board has an area officer in Chester which covers the county of Cheshire along with nine other counties or regions. The data gathered by the board do not separately identify applications received by individual counties.
The total number of applications for civil legal aid received by the Chester area office over the last five years were as follows:
For civil legal aid certificates issued by the board's Chester area office, the net cost of cases which closed during the last four years were as follows:
1991-92: 26,391
1992-93: 30,542
1993-94: 24,969
1994-95: 25,517
1995-96: 24,593
The figures for 1991-92 are not available.
1992-93: £14.056 million
1993-94: £17.657 million
1994-95: £18.320 million
1995-96: £18.622 million
Court Closures (Cheshire)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the (a) magistrates and (b) other courts closed in the county of Cheshire in each of the past five years. [36390]
Mr. Streeter: In the last five years, two courts have been closed in Cheshire. They are: Winsford magistrates court, closed in September 1992; and Ellesmere Port county court, closed in December 1994.
In addition, sittings ceased to be held at Ellesmere Port magistrates court with effect from 31 March 1996.
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Mr. William O'Brien:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many prosecutions, heard at the Leeds Crown court in the last two years, have proceeded to the Court of Appeal; and if he will make a statement. [35541]
Mr. Streeter:
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. Huebner to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 15 July 1996:
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the programme to streamline court debt-recovery procedures. [36744]
Mr. Streeter:
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. Huebner to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 15 July 1996:
The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the programme to streamline court debt-recovery procedures.
36. Mr. John Marshall:
To ask the Attorney-General when he will reach a decision on whether to prosecute Mr. al-Masari for reported anti-semitic remarks. [35540]
The Attorney-General:
Material attributed to Dr. al-Masari has been considered by the Crown Prosecution Service with a view to deciding whether there is evidence that offences of incitement to racial hatred or incitement to murder have been committed. In the light of advice from leading counsel, the CPS has concluded that there is insufficient evidence at present to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence. Any further evidence will be closely reviewed.
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37. Mr. Janner:
To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the progress in the prosecution of persons under the War Crimes Act 1991. [35542]
The Solicitor-General:
Proceedings have been commenced in the Serafinowicz case which was committed to the central criminal court on 15 April 1996 and is due for trial in January 1997. Nine other cases remain under investigation.
38. Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to reorganise the Serious Fraud Office. [35543]
The Attorney-General:
The Serious Fraud Office continues to implement recommendations made in the Graham report and by the Davie group, including measures to rationalise its investigative function and to make the most efficient use of police resources. I have no plans for further reorganisation.
39. Mr. Winnick:
To ask the Attorney-General what is the latest position over the prosecution in the United Kingdom of Asil Nadir. [35544]
The Solicitor-General:
Asil Nadir stands indicted before the central criminal court on 13 counts of theft involving over £33 million alleged to have been stolen from Polly Peck International plc. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. The Crown is ready to proceed as soon as he returns or is returned to the jurisdiction.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had with the pensions ombudsman concerning legal proceedings in connection with decisions of the ombudsman. [36379]
Sir Julian Critchley:
To ask the Attorney-General, who is the taxation master in the matter of solicitors' costs; and if he will list the names and firms of those in the legal profession who assist him. [36309]
Mr. Streeter:
I have been asked to reply.
The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of cases heard at Leeds Crown Court in the last two years which have proceeded to appeal.
In 1994, 192 appeals in cases heard at Leeds Crown Court were received in the Court of Appeal. In 1995 this rose to 211.
There is an ongoing programme to streamline certain aspects of debt recovery business in the county courts. The Summons Production Centre, which opened in 1990, operates a computerised and highly automated system for issuing summonses and now handles 47% of all summonses issued. There are further plans to centralise and computerise the handling of payments under attachment of earnings orders which will enable all employers to make payments to a single central point. It is also planned to implement a new national computer system in local county courts beginning in 1997.
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