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Security Services

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from representatives of the security services on the granting of trade union rights for members of the security services; and if he will make a statement. [142798]

The Prime Minister: None.

Type 45 Destroyer

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from BAE Systems regarding the Government's competitive procurement strategy for the Type 45 destroyer; and if he will make a statement. [142562]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 14 December 2000]: The BAE Systems Type 45 Prime Contractor and Ministry of Defence have received an unsolicited proposal from BAE Systems Marine concerning the procurement approach to the Type 45 programme. The proposal will be evaluated and the MOD will consult with other interested Departments before coming to a conclusion. This process will take some months. In the meantime, the current competitive procurement strategy remains.

Nice Summit

Mr. Brady: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement on 11 December 2000, Official Report, column 349, on the Nice European Council, if he will list those aspects of industrial policy over which he has agreed to end the national veto at the Nice Summit. [142885]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 15 December 2000]: The Nice European Council agreed to move to qualified majority voting on Article 157 paragraph 3. This is subject to an exemption for measures concerning taxation and the rights and interests of employed persons, which are not subject to this treaty Article.

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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Social Security Commissioners

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps are being made to ensure that the Department of Social Security and Court Service websites give details of how to obtain the quarterly volumes of reported Commissioners' decisions. [143623]

Jane Kennedy: The Department of Social Security's website page provides details of how the quarterly volumes of reported Commissioners' decisions can be obtained. The revised Court Service website will provide this information and will be in place by mid January 2001. The two sites will be linked to ensure maximum coverage.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements have been made to publicise the availability of the quarterly volumes of reported social security Commissioners' decisions in loose-leaf format to (a) advice agencies, (b) law centres, (c) social security practitioners in legal aid firms and (d) law libraries. [143622]

Jane Kennedy: The Department of Social Security wrote to the following agencies to publicise the publication of quarterly volumes:















In January 2001, the Office of the Social Security and Child Support Commissioners will send a notice to publicise the availability of this information to those agencies, centres, practitioners, libraries, etc., mentioned and its other users.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department where claimants and their advisers can obtain the quarterly loose-leaf binders of reported commissioners' decisions; and how much each volume will cost. [143621]

Jane Kennedy: The binders, containing two years decisions, can be obtained from:









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The cost of each binder, containing two years' decisions, is £15.00.

Decisions can be viewed and obtained from the Department of Social Security internet site (Commissioners Decisions) at www.dss.gov.uk/advisers/ index.htm. This site also includes details of how to purchase the decisions in loose-leaf format from Print Solutions.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Lord Chancellor's Department will update the Court Service website information concerning the Social Security and Child Support Commissioners to reflect changes in procedure and time limits since 1 June 1999. [143620]

Jane Kennedy: We have reviewed all the information on the Court Service website concerning the Social Security and Child Support Commissioners. The website will be updated to reflect the changes mentioned and other changes by the middle of January 2001.

Access to Children

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the Government have notified the President of the European Council of their intention to opt into the negotiations on the proposal for a Council Regulation on the mutual enforcement of judgments on rights of access to children. [143407]

Jane Kennedy: On 12 October the Government notified the President of the European Council of the United Kingdom's intention to participate in the adoption of this proposal.

Community Legal Service

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has to encourage innovation in Community Legal Service Partnership areas. [144040]

Mr. Lock: In view of the success achieved in developing Community Legal Service Partnerships, the Lord Chancellor has decided to make additional funds available, within the Legal Services Commission's budget, to support innovative initiatives at local level. £15 million over the next three years will be earmarked for a Partnership Innovation Budget. Grants from the Budget will be available, on a joint funding basis, for projects which have the support of their local Community Legal Service Partnership. My Department is today issuing a consultation paper which will enable us to take account of the views of funders and providers of local legal services in finalising the details of the budget.

Family Mediation

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Legal Services Commission will publish the results of Professor Gwynn Davis's research into publicly funded family mediation implemented under Part III of the Family Law Act 1996. [144041]

Jane Kennedy: The research report "Monitoring Publicly Funded Mediation" has been published by the Legal Services Commission today. Copies have been

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placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The Government are grateful to Professor Davis for his detailed and helpful report, and we will be considering its implications carefully.

Family Graduated Fees Scheme

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she will publish the summary of the consultation on the Family Graduated Fees Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [143081]

Jane Kennedy: The general consultation period on the proposed rates, structure and draft regulations for the Family Graduated Fees Scheme formally ended on 22 September 2000. The consultation period was extended for the Bar Council and the Law Society until 12 October, at their request. Responses have been collated and analysed.

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The Lord Chancellor and I are considering all the views and suggestions received from respondents and are re-examining all the issues in the light of the concerns raised. Once we have made final decisions on the structure of the scheme and the rates to be paid, a summary of the views of respondents and the Government's response to them will be published. It is intended that the scheme will now be implemented in the spring of 2001.

Shrewsbury County Court

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on the progress made on refurbishing Shrewsbury county court. [143374]

Jane Kennedy: Negotiations are continuing with the landlord to secure the leasehold interest to provide alternative accommodation for Shrewsbury county court. Refurbishment is expected to be completed by June 2001.