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Lone Parents (Working Hours)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average amount that lone parents work per week. [70279]
Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director for the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 10 February 1999:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the hours of work of lone parents.
The latest estimates available from the UK Labour Force Survey are that in autumn 1998 46 per cent. of lone parents with dependent children were in employment. They worked an average of 29 hours per week.
This average is defined using total usual hours, that is, hours usually worked including paid and unpaid overtime and excluding meal breaks. The estimate is based on respondents' main jobs and is not seasonally adjusted. Dependent children are defined as those aged 0-15 and 16-18 year olds in full-time education.
Public Bodies
Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the executive non- departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings, (b) hold public meetings, (c) have lay or consumer representatives on their boards and (d) operate some form of appeal or complaints procedure; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69978]
Mr. Hoon: The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 when the previous Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the Authorised Practitioners Scheme.
The Answers in respect of the Legal Aid Board are:
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) the minutes of meetings, (b) the
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agendas of meetings and documents for those meetings and (c) a register of members' interests; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69945]
Mr. Hoon:
The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 when the previous Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the Authorised Practitioners Scheme.
The Legal Aid Board does not publish either the minutes of, or the agendas and documents for, meetings.
It does have a register of interests, which is published.
There are no relevant statutory requirements.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings, (b) hold public meetings and (c) have lay or consumer representatives on their boards; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69960]
Mr. Hoon:
For the advisory non-departmental public bodies listed under my Department in the Cabinet Office publication 'Public Bodies 1998', the answers are as follows:
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and which are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner. [69909]
Mr. Hoon:
The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 when the previous Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the Authorised Practitioners Scheme.
The Legal Aid Board has a statutory base and is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his
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Department publish (a) the minutes of meetings, (b) the agendas of meetings and documents for those meetings and (c) a register of members' interests; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69831]
Mr. Hoon:
For the advisory non-departmental public bodies listed under my Department in the Cabinet Office publication 'Public Bodies 1998', the answers are as follows:
There are no statutory requirements in these areas.
Mr. Gardiner:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to end the monopoly in London of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners. [70040]
Mr. Hoon:
The Government have concluded that the monopoly of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners over notarial work in the central London area should be ended. An appropriate amendment will be moved to the Access to Justice Bill.
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his proposals for developing the commercial potential of the output of public sector research establishments. [70900]
Mrs. Roche:
I am very pleased to announce that John Baker, who is Chairman of Medeva plc, has agreed to investigate the commercialisation of public sector research establishments (PSRE) outputs, with the view to making recommendations for increasing the rate of their exploitation. The study takes forward a commitment made in the Competitiveness White Paper, published last December. Mr. Baker will be working closely with HM Treasury and the Office of Science and Technology, who are collaborating on the initiative.
It is time we took a close look at how we maximise the commercial potential of the high quality research that is carried out by the PSREs, where it is possible to do so. We need to identify the barriers to commercialising research and make sure that the PSREs share the best ways of overcoming them. The results should be of great benefit to the PSREs and the Departments that sponsor them.
The intention is that the study will look in particular at the coverage of commercialisation in research contracts between PSREs and their sponsors, the organisation of the knowledge transfer process and incentives for PSRE staff.
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John Baker will begin this work very soon; seeking the views of key people in the PSREs and sponsor Departments. He is expected to report later this year.
The terms of reference of this study are as follows:
(a) no
(b) no
(c) yes
(d) yes, but not under a statutory requirement.
(a) none
(b) none, but the Civil Justice Council will be holding annual open meetings.
There is no statutory requirement for these bodies in these areas.
(c) the following bodies have lay or consumer representatives:
The Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct has lay members: the Lord Chancellor must by statute have regard to the desirability of appointing persons who have experience in, or knowledge of, consumer affairs.
The Civil Justice Council and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee have lay and consumer representative by Statute.
The Legal Aid Advisory Committee (NI) has both lay and consumer representation. The relevant Order indicates the attributes required for membership.
All the Advisory Committees on JPs have at least one lay member as do most of the Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax.
(a) none, although the Advisory Council on Public Records and the Civil Justice Council publish summary reports.
(b) none
(c) the Advisory Council on Public Records and the Legal Aid Advisory Committee (NI) have registers of members' interests. Registers for the other bodies are at various stages of preparation, except where the body is due to be wound up soon.
To investigate the commercialisation of research in the Government's public sector research establishments (PSREs) and make recommendations for increasing the rate at which PSRE research outputs are successfully commercialised, consistent with other Government objectives for PSREs, with reference in particular to:
the role of sponsor departments/Research Councils in promoting the exploitation of research in the PSREs;
progress in improving the culture of entrepreneurship within PSREs--particularly through the adoption of new guidance on exploiting Government assets;
the organisational capacity and expertise for managing and exploiting Government IP effectively;
specific institutional barriers, and possible new incentives;
spreading best practice;
the scope for closer co-operation with the private sector.
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