| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Young Offenders
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average length of time between arrest and conviction for young offenders in 1994-95. [937]
Mr. Streeter: The exact information requested is not available although similar figures are recorded by the magistrates courts time intervals survey. This survey collects information on defendants in indictable, including triable either way, cases against whom proceedings are completed in three sample weeks a year--in February, June and October. The June survey also collects information about proceedings in summary cases. The period which corresponds most closely with that requested is charge to verdict, although it is not possible to separate those defendants who were found guilty from those whose cases were dismissed.
The average time from charge to verdict for defendants whose cases were dealt with by summary proceedings in the youth court, as reported by the surveys in the period
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 611
April 1994 to March 1995, was 84 days and 73 days for defendants charged with indictable and summary offences respectively. These figures include only defendants who were charged and not those who were summonsed. In addition, cases where proceedings did not progress as far as a verdict are excluded, for example, where charges were withdrawn.
Mr. Byers:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to extend the period in which actions can be brought under civil law by victims of child sex abuse. [2980]
Mr. Streeter:
The Law Commission has undertaken a comprehensive review of the law of limitation periods with a view to its simplification and rationalisation, and the Government will consider the recommendations made when the Law Commission completes its report. We do not plan to modify the law relating to limitation of actions before then.
Mrs. Wise:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions in the last five years the Official Solicitor has appeared in cases involving applications for obstetric interventions without the consent of the patient, and (a) in how many of these he acted as (i) guardian ad litem and (ii) amicus curiae, (b) on how many occasions the application resulted in an order, (c) in how many the use of force was explicitly authorised by the court, (d) in how many cases the patient was detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and (e) in how many cases the patient was under the age of 18 years. [1844]
Mr. Streeter:
The Official Solicitor has appeared in four cases in the last five years involving applications for obstetric interventions--emergency caesarean sections--without the consent of the patient, (a) in two cases he has acted as guardian ad litem and two as amicus curiae; (b) in each case an order authorising a caesarean section was made; (c) in two cases the use of force was explicitly authorised by the court; (d) two of the patients were detained under the Mental Health Act 1983; (e) none of the patients was under the age of 18 years. In three of the cases an emergency caesarean was performed. In one case a normal vaginal delivery took place.
Mrs. Wise:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance the president of the family division has issued to judges in the family division relating to applications for court orders for obstetric interventions without the consent of the patient. [1845]
Mr. Streeter:
No guidance has been issued by the president of the family division on these matters. Every such application is to be considered by the judge concerned according to its merits.
Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what amount of fines imposed by magistrates courts is currently outstanding; and what plans he has to allow magistrates courts to charge interest on outstanding fines; [2561]
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 612
Mr. Streeter:
Separate figures for outstanding fines imposed by the Crown court and magistrates courts are not available. However, from returns made to my Department by magistrates courts I can say that the total outstanding in respect of fines imposed by the Crown court and magistrates courts was about £239 million at the end of the June quarter this year. I have no plans to allow magistrates courts to charge interest on outstanding fines.
Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to give magistrates immunity from court action in respect of decisions taken by them in the discharge of their official duties. [2560]
Mr. Streeter:
On 23 August 1996, the Lord Chancellor issued a consultation paper on this subject entitled, "Liability of Judicial Officers and others for Costs in Court Proceedings". Responses are requested by 29 November 1996. The matter will then be considered in light of representations made.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department against how many magistrates' benches legal action is currently outstanding. [2559]
Mr. Streeter:
This information is not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Ms Corston:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he plans to bring into effect section 13 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, in respect of (a) abolition of the £5,000 administration order limit, (b) abolition of the requirement for a county court judgment and (c) the three-year limitation period; and if he will make a statement. [2369]
Mr. Streeter:
The delay in implementing section 13 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 is due to practical problems identified as likely to result from its operation. My Department has been seeking a way forward which avoids these problems, and this work will continue in the context of the changes to civil procedure recommended by Lord Woolf. In the meantime, a number of steps have already been taken to improve the operation of administration orders, including the introduction of guidance to court staff that the debts included in an application for such an order should be considered for composition by the district judge if the applicant cannot pay the outstanding debt within three years.
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 613(2) what is the percentage of fines transferred to magistrates courts by Crown court for collection which are outstanding. [2556]
Deregulation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the rules and regulations he proposes to repeal or amend by means of a reference to the Deregulation Committee before the end of 1996; and if he will make a statement. [1407]
Mr. Hanley: This Department issues very few rules and regulations. We have no current plans to repeal or amend any rules or regulations by the end of 1996.
International Criminal Court
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to support the establishment of an international criminal court at the United Nations; and if he will make a statement. [2982]
Dr. Liam Fox: This Department supports the establishment of an international criminal court to try certain of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. Our support for the establishment of such a court is dependent, among other things, upon its being a court of last resort in cases where states are unable or unwilling to act. A court should be established only if it is generally accepted by the international community.
Asylum and Immigration Appeals
Mr. David Martin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in appointing a person, under section 10(3AA) of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993, to monitor the refusals of entry clearance where there is no right of appeal by virtue of section 10(3A) of the Act. [3602]
Dr. Liam Fox: My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has invited Dame Elizabeth Anson to serve a second three-year term as the independent monitor of entry clearance refusals when her current term expires on 30 November. I am pleased to report that Dame Elizabeth has agreed to do so.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Information Technology Projects
Ms Church: To ask the Lord President of the Council how many information technology projects at the Office of the Lord President of the Council have been undertaken since 1992 and are planned for the coming year, in cost bands of £1,000,000. [1902]
Mr. Newton: Actual and planned Privy Council Office expenditure on information technology in the years in question is as follows:
- 1992: £8,265
- 1993: £11,057
- 1994: £66,703
- 1995: £15,165
- 1996: £25,355.
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 614
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |