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Commercial Lobbyists
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met commercial lobbyists to discuss matters relating to the business of his Department; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings; [8079]
- (2) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have attended meetings with organisations representing (i) commercial and (ii) non-commercial interests organised by commercial lobbying firms; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings. [8080]
Mr. Hoon:
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in response to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) Official Report, 2 June 1997 column 99, Ministers and officials in the Department receive deputations from many groups who are concerned to press their own interests of those of their clients, which Ministers and officials take due care to consider within the wider public interest and Government policy. As it is not practicable to distinguish particular groups as lobbyists, the Department can not keep a register of such meetings.
17 Jul 1997 : Column: 331
Mrs. Ann Cryer:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when building work will begin on the new magistrates court house in Keighley. [7851]
Mr. Hoon:
The provision of a new magistrates court in Keighley is in our Private Finance Initiative (Public/Private Partnership) building programme but I cannot say, at this time, when building work will commence.
Ms Beverley Hughes:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce regulations to govern the qualifications and registration of those persons practising the writing of wills. [7873]
Mr. Hoon:
The Government has no current intention to regulate the practice of will-writing. We are aware that there have been complaints about some firms providing will-writing services and are keeping the matter under review.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if it is his policy that the Crown Prosecution Service shall have rights of audience in Court. [7304]
Mr. Hoon:
Barristers and solicitors in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have full rights of audience in the magistrates' courts where the vast majority of criminal cases are dealt with. The Government is addressing the issue of whether it would be in the interests of justice to extend rights of audience to include CPS lawyers. The Government is considering the existing statutory procedures in this area.
Mr. Lock:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to extend automatic exemption from the requirements to pay fees (a) in (i) county court and (ii) High Court proceedings to litigants in receipt of (1) income-based jobseeker's allowance, (2) family credit and (3) disability working allowance and (b) in family proceedings to litigants in receipt of (x) family credit and (y) disability working allowance; and if he will make a statement. [9154]
Mr. Hoon:
The Lord Chancellor has announced his intention to review the structure of civil court fees. As part of that review, he intends to examine the basis on which remissions are granted and to consider whether it would be appropriate for other categories of benefit to give rise to an automatic exemption from the liability to pay court fees. In Family Proceedings exemption from fees is already granted automatically to those in receipt of family credit as well as those in receipt of income support or of advice and assistance under the Green Form scheme. Other forms of benefit are in practice taken into account by court staff, to whom the day-to-day exercise of the Lord Chancellor's power to reduce or remit fees is delegated.
17 Jul 1997 : Column: 332
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have refused to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings with hon. Members to discuss matters relating to interests registered by those Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8069]
Dr. David Clark:
The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) made it clear that, when Members are meeting Ministers or others on topics in which they have an interest, the onus is on the Member to declare that interest not the Minister to know [paragraph 63 of Cm 2850]. It is not practicable for Ministers and officials, amongst their other duties, to vet requests for meetings against the Register of Members' Interests.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will ensure that (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department refuse requests from hon. Members to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings relating to interests held by those Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8066]
Dr. Clark:
The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) recognised the value of enabling Ministers to retain interests outside the House, provided these were properly declared, both in the Register of Members' Interests and on other occasions. Subject to these requirements, and to the rules of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, Members are free to seek meetings with Ministers and officials, who will consider such requests alongside the many other approaches from individuals and organisations concerned to press their own interests or those of others.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met commercial lobbyists to discuss matters relating to the business of his Department; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings; [8067]
Dr. David Clark:
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in response to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) 2 June, column 99, Ministers and officials in the Department receive deputations from many groups who are concerned to press their own interests or those of their clients, which Ministers and officials take due care to consider within the wider public interest and Government policy. As it is not practicable to distinguish particular groups as lobbyists, the Department cannot keep a register of such meetings.
17 Jul 1997 : Column: 333
Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he intends to publish the White Paper on Freedom of Information; and if he will make a statement. [8908]
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to publish his White Paper on Freedom of Information. [9088]
Dr. David Clark:
I hope to publish the White Paper on Freedom of Information later this year.
Mr. Gunnell:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which areas of Yorkshire are in the ownership of the Duchy. [6981]
Dr. David Clark
[holding answer 16 July 1997]: The Duchy of Lancaster has approximately 18,125 acres of land in Yorkshire in its possession. These include areas of Pontefract, Pickering, Goathland, Cloughton, Scalby and
17 Jul 1997 : Column: 334
Tickhill which are ancient inheritances and mainly consist of farmland and woodland. The Duchy also owns property in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much his Department spends on biking press releases to (a) hon. Members and (b) other individuals or groups, each time his Department issues a press release; how many such press releases were issued by his Department (i) in the period 1 May to 1 July and (ii) in the period 1 January to 1 March; and if he will review his Department's use of couriers to deliver press releases and investigate the possibility of using fax or e-mail. [8825]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
Cabinet Office does not use couriers to bike press notices to hon. Members or to individuals or groups.
(2) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have attended meetings with organisations representing (i) commercial and (ii) non-commercial interests organised by commercial lobbying firms; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings. [8068]