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Public Defence Solicitors Officer
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the Public Defence Solicitors Officer pilot scheme in Edinburgh. [140176]
Mr. Lock: An on-going assessment by a team of researchers is being made of the PDSO pilot scheme in Edinburgh for the Scottish Executive. Account will continue to be taken of the results of the research programme into this office as they emerge. Although, the detailed scope and nature of the Edinburgh pilot is different to the proposals made for England and Wales, both my officials and I have visited Edinburgh to ensure that we are able to learn from their experience.
I have visited the Scottish pilot Public Defence Solicitors Office in Edinburgh and was impressed by their professionalism, commitment and effectiveness, views which were endorsed by my discussions with the local judiciary.
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Judges
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will take account of (a) candidates' home addresses proximity to Crown courts on circuits and (b) the need for High Court judges on that circuit when making appointments to the position of High Court judge; and if he will make a statement. [139729]
Mr. Lock: My right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor will recommend for appointment to each High Court vacancy the candidate who appears to him to be best qualified, with reference to the published criteria alone.
The home address of the candidate is not a relevant factor. Likewise, the needs of a circuit are not a relevant factor in considering an individual's suitability for appointment. High Court judges are not appointed to individual circuits; they go on circuit to meet the business needs of the courts as they arise. However, the needs of the justice system as a whole are taken into account when assessing the number and type of vacancies on the High Court Bench.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance is issued to High Court judges on (a) commuting from home and (b) staying in judges' lodgings when sitting on circuit. [139736]
Mr. Lock: No such guidance has been issued to High Court judges by the Department.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance is issued to circuit judges on (a) commuting from home and (b) claiming overnight hotel accommodation expenses when sitting on circuit away from their home court. [139735]
Mr. Lock: No precise limit of distance or travelling time within which it would be considered reasonable for a judge to take hotel accommodation rather than return home has been fixed; cases are considered in the light of the individual circumstances, taking account of such matters as the method of travel, the time of year and road conditions.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
European Court of Human Rights
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has made to members of the Council of Europe to increase the budget of the European Court of Human Rights; how many cases are before the court; how many such cases were registered (a) before and (b) after the establishment of the full-time court; what his estimate is of the average time taken for the court to reach a decision; and what proposals he has to improve the procedures of the court. [139082]
Mr. Vaz: It is for the President of the European Court of Human Rights to propose any increases he considers necessary in the Court's budget, and for the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) to propose how these should be accommodated in the CoE Ordinary Budget. On 1 September 2000, there were 15,107
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registered applications pending before the Court. About 3,400 of these were registered before the new Court came into operation in November 1998. At present, the Court's objective is that, from the time of application, cases should be decided within three years. The Court has a longer term objective of reducing this to two years. The Court President has made a number of proposals to improve the efficiency and output of the Court, for example with new IT equipment and additional staff. Member states will shortly be asked to consider these proposals and their budgetary implications.
Adrian Thorpe
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those people who were issued a copy of the document produced by Adrian Thorpe on Derry in June 1972; what was his Department's response to Adrian Thorpe's document; if he will place a copy of the document in the Library; and what positions Adrian Thorpe has held in his Department. [140304]
Mr. Vaz: Mr. Thorpe was a desk officer in Republic of Ireland Department in 1972. His manuscript note summarised the contents of a large document which looked at several options for containing the violence in Londonderry. It went only to his Head of Department, whose response was that the issues it addressed had been overtaken by events. The document was submitted to the Saville Inquiry by the FCO, and has been passed to the interested parties by the Inquiry. It would be wrong for us to publish, piecemeal and out of context, individual documents submitted to the Inquiry while it is still sitting. Mr. Thorpe joined the FCO in 1965 and has had postings in Beirut, Tokyo, Bonn, Kuala Lumpur and Manila. He is currently Ambassador to Mexico.
Treaty of Nice
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advantages Her Majesty's Government are seeking to gain through agreeing to qualified majority voting in certain areas of the Treaty of Nice. [140280]
Mr. Vaz: QMV has delivered a range of measures which the UK has backed but would not have secured if others had had a veto, for example in the single market.
Where more QMV is in the UK's interests, we will back it. But where it is not, we will retain unanimity.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government will set out its detailed response to the most recent draft of the proposed Treaty of Nice. [140278]
Mr. Vaz: The Presidency published a Progress Report on the Intergovernmental Conference on 3 November. It is a draft composite text setting out drafting changes for most IGC issues (though not the rewieighting of votes, size and structure of the Commission or the allocation of seats in the European Parliament). The Government's position on all IGC issues is set out in the White Paper laid before the House on 15 February, and updated on numerous occasions since then, most recently in its response to the Foreign Affairs Committee's Report on the IGC (which was published as a Command Paper on 27 October). I refer the right hon. Member to these.
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European Security and Defence Policy
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the creation of the ESDP requires EU treaty revisions. [140088]
Mr. Vaz: The Government are satisfied that the existing provisions of the Treaty on European Union provide a sufficient legal basis for implementing the arrangements for strengthening the common European security and defence policy as set out in the Presidency reports endorsed by the Helsinki and Feira European Councils, including those currently being developed under the French Presidency.
Euro Grid
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister has lead responsibility for the euro grid; and what is its annual budget. [140282]
Mr. Vaz: As Minister for Europe, I am responsible for the European News Grid. There are no specific costs associated with work on the European News Grid, which is compiled as part of normal working practices.
Government Statements (Europe)
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister has lead responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's statements and publicity on European matters. [140277]
Mr. Vaz: As the Minister for Europe, I have lead responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's statements and publicity on European matters.
ASSIST Programme
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Assistance to Support Stability with In-Service Training programme; and what changes to the programme are planned. [137177]
Mr. Vaz [pursuant to his reply, 6 November 2000, c. 51W]: An administrative error led to an omission in my answer of 6 November to my hon. Friend. The correct answer should read as follows:
The ASSIST programme was established on 1 April 1998 to replace the UK Military Training Assistance Scheme (UKMTAS), with the main purpose of re-focusing support to the Government's priority of promoting respect for human rights and good governance.
The ASSIST expenditure for 1999-2000 was £8.95 million which was spent in accordance with FCO priorities for engagement with the armed forces and law enforcement agencies in a broad range of countries. All expenditure was compatible with the ASSIST criteria.
Examples of projects funded from ASSIST include:
- Regional Peace Support Operations training for senior and junior military officers from over 20 African countries;
- Courses for Indian police trainers to promote best practice in ethical dealing with women, victims of violence, and ethnic related incidents;
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A joint exercise involving British, Jamaican and other Caribbean Defence personnel and elements of the Jamaican police force to enhance peacekeeping skills, promote democratic policing methods and respect for human rights;
- Assistance to reduce stockpiles of ex-Soviet military equipment in Moldova;
- The secondment of a UK police officer to the Royal Nepalese Police Academy to develop the Academy's human rights training programme.
- English Language Training in countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe as well as in Guatemala, Vietnam and Mozambique.
- allow the funding of some classroom based training equipment within projects;
- allow the specific inclusion of Customs, border guards, prison officers within the range of eligible recipients of ASSIST funded training;
- provide increased flexibility to support the fight against drugs and international crime.
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