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Charter Mark
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to extend the charter mark award scheme. [80321]
Mr. Kilfoyle: We expect to receive 1,500 applications in 1999; a 25 per cent. increase over the record 1998 figure of 1,200. We have also launched a self-assessment pack, to encourage more and better applications, and as a useful quality tool in its own right.
In 2000 we are expanding the Scheme to include all voluntary organisations which provide a public service and which are 50 per cent. or more financed from public funds; and to include sub-contractors to the public sector which are providing services also provided by the public sector.
Government Intranet
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to establish links between the Government Intranet and the European Parliament equivalent. [80318]
Mr. Kilfoyle: The Central Information Technology Unit (CITU) and the European Secretariat in the Cabinet Office are currently piloting an electronic link to the European Council Secretariat. CITU, together with the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) and the European Commission are investigating the technical options for connecting the Government Secure Intranet and networks of the IDA project (Interchange of Data between Administrations).
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Unmarried Fathers
Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department when he plans to implement the commitment that unmarried fathers will have the same responsibilities as married fathers under the Children Act 1989. [80725]
Mr. Hoon:
With one in three children born outside marriage, the Government want to encourage unmarried fathers to recognise their responsibilities towards their children. The Children Act 1989 already enables unmarried fathers to acquire parental responsibility either by making a parental responsibility agreement with the child's mother or by applying to the court for a parental responsibility order. When an appropriate legislative opportunity arises, the Government intend to introduce a
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provision that unmarried fathers who sign the birth certificate jointly with the mother will acquire parental responsibility without further formality.
Mr. McLoughlin:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how much absence through illness was recorded at the Legal Aid Board during the year 1998-99 in relation to grades 7 and above; and what the figures were for 1995-96. [81249]
Mr. Hoon:
The Board has this month begun to collect information on sick absence centrally. This information is not readily available in the form requested for any earlier period, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he takes on receipt of a complaint against a member of the judiciary; and if he will make a statement. [81222]
Mr. Hoon:
The Lord Chancellor takes complaints about members of the judiciary very seriously. In order to maintain the independence of the judiciary, judges are not accountable to the Lord Chancellor for their judicial decisions. The appropriate recourse against judicial decisions lies in the appeal or review process in the courts. However, when complaints are made about the personal conduct of a judge, the Lord Chancellor instructs officials to make inquiries on his behalf. These inquiries generally include drawing the matter to the attention of the judge concerned and giving him or her an opportunity to comment. Where necessary, the Lord Chancellor will also call for transcripts or other additional information. The judge's comments are considered by the Lord Chancellor and, if appropriate, are used by him to inform a reply to the complainant, and a copy is sent to the judge. Each complaint is dealt with individually.
The Lord Chancellor's statutory powers are limited to the dismissal of judicial office holders, below the level of the High Court Bench, on the grounds of misbehaviour and incapacity and these are accordingly exercisable only in extreme cases. But the Lord Chancellor, as Head of the Judiciary, is able to guide, counsel, advise, or rebuke with a view to ensuring that judges uphold the standard of conduct which the public expect of them.
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints he has received about the behaviour of members of the judiciary in each of the last three years; how many have been upheld; and if he will make a statement. [81246]
Mr. Hoon:
The principle of judicial independence, which is central to our constitutional arrangements, means that it is not open to the Lord Chancellor or his Department to consider complaints about judicial decisions made by judges within their own independent sphere. The Lord Chancellor does, however, consider complaints about the personal conduct of members of the judiciary. In the period between August 1998 (when new internal arrangements for handling such complaints came into force) and March 1999, the Lord Chancellor received a total of 2,109 complaints about members of the judiciary, the majority of which related to judicial decisions. Of
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the remainder, 183 were taken forward for investigation as they related to personal conduct. To date, 26 of these cases are outstanding. Out of the 157 completed cases, there were five occasions when the Lord chancellor saw fit to take further action, either by writing to the judge or by arranging for him or her to be seen by officials. Comparable figures for the period before August 1998 are unavailable.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff by grade are employed as professional statisticians in his Department; how many of these staff have been accepted as fast stream by the Civil Service Selection Board; and how many have been granted chartered statistician status by the Royal Statistical Society. [81204]
Mr. Hoon:
Currently, there are seven professional statisticians within the Department, who have been accepted as fast streamers. None has been granted chartered statistician status by the Royal Statistical Society.
| Grade | Number (13) |
|---|---|
| Grade 6 statistician | 1 |
| Grade 7 statistician | 3 |
| Assistant statistician | 3 |
| Total | 7 |
(13) The figures include professional statisticians who may be currently working in administrative posts.
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff who have worked as professional statisticians in his Department have left on early retirement in each of the past 10 years. [81184]
Mr. Hoon: No professional statisticians have left on early retirement in the past 10 years.
Legal Aid (Cape plc)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department which members of his Department had discussions with GJW on (a) how many occasions and (b) what dates concerning the wish by Cape plc to amend the Access to Justice Bill [Lords] to ban foreign employees of British companies obtaining legal aid; how many officials were involved; what undertakings were given; what plans he has to introduce amendments to the Bill that will meet the wishes of Cape plc; and when he informed other Ministers of Cape plc's representations. [81151]
Mr. Hoon: No members of my Department have had discussions with GJW concerning the wish of Cape plc to amend the Access to Justice Bill [Lords] to ban foreign employees of British companies from obtaining legal aid.