House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 26 Feb 2001 (pt 67)

Family Graduated Fees Scheme

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the Lord Chancellor will assess the final comments he invited the Family Law Bar Association to provide, before seeking to implement any new family graduated fees scheme. [150663]

Jane Kennedy: The Lord Chancellor and I are considering the comments made by the Family Law Bar Association in response to the Lord Chancellor's final proposals on the structure of the scheme and rates to be

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 577W

paid and on the draft regulations to bring the scheme into force. The Lord Chancellor has previously agreed revisions to the structure of the scheme to address a number of concerns raised by the Bar Council and the Family Law Bar Association.

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations the Lord Chancellor has had with the Family Law Bar Association regarding a new family graduated fees scheme. [150662]

Jane Kennedy: The Lord Chancellor and I have consulted extensively with the Bar Council and the Family Law Bar Association. The main consultation period was extended by a number of weeks at the request of the Bar Council to allow further time for consideration of the Lord Chancellor's proposals. Following the consultation exercise, the Lord Chancellor has met with the chairman of the Bar Council on several occasions to discuss the concerns raised by the Family Law Bar Association.

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 578W

Departmental IT Projects

Mr. Field: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the IT projects the Lord Chancellor's Department plans to undertake in the next year; and if he will state in each case the (a) expected date of commencement and completion and (b) cost. [151467]

Mr. Lock: The following is a list of the IT projects the Lord Chancellor's Department plans to undertake in the next year. Probity and value for money in contracting for IT projects is ensured through compliance with EC public procurement rules, UK Government domestic procurement policy and best practice guidance, government accounting rules and national audit requirements.

I am pleased to say that the Lord Chancellor's Department has already implemented a number of the recommendations outlined in the report "Successful IT--Modernising Government in Action", which was published in May 2000, and will continue to work towards full implementation.

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 577W

Project Commencement padate Completion date Cost (£) Comment

IMS (Itineraries Management System) Not yet finalised March 2002 800,000 Currently in the specification stage. No contract awarded, completion and cost figures are estimates only.

CLAT 2 (Centralisation of Crown Court Legal Aid) Not yet finalised February 2002 ⁽⁹¹⁾-- Currently in the specification stage, no contract awarded; go-live is an estimate only. No cost information is available, as indicative prices have not yet been sought from suppliers.

XGSI (connection to Government secure Intranet for transmission of confidential material) April 2001 Not yet known ⁽⁹¹⁾-- The full scope of the project is currently being finalised. PFI suppliers are preparing design and costs for a range of options and we are therefore not yet in a position to confirm completion date or cost.

Project	Commencement padate	Completion date	Cost (£)	Comment
IMS (Itineraries Management System)	Not yet finalised	March 2002	800,000	Currently in the specification stage. No contract awarded, completion and cost figures are estimates only.
CLAT 2 (Centralisation of Crown Court Legal Aid)	Not yet finalised	February 2002	⁽⁹¹⁾--	Currently in the specification stage, no contract awarded; go-live is an estimate only. No cost information is available, as indicative prices have not yet been sought from suppliers.
XGSI (connection to Government secure Intranet for transmission of confidential material)	April 2001	Not yet known	⁽⁹¹⁾--	The full scope of the project is currently being finalised. PFI suppliers are preparing design and costs for a range of options and we are therefore not yet in a position to confirm completion date or cost.

⁽⁹¹⁾ Not yet known

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 577W

Mr. Field: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the IT projects currently undertaken in his Department; and if he will state the (a) expected completion date and (b) cost of each project. [151514]

Mr. Lock: The following is a list of the IT projects currently undertaken in the Lord Chancellor's Department. Probity and value for money in contracting for IT projects is ensured through compliance with EC

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 578W

public procurement rules, UK Government domestic procurement policy and best practice guidance, Government accounting rules and National Audit requirements.

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 577W

Project Completion Date Cost Comment

MIS (Management Information System) Late 2002 £14 million MIS is being implemented in three phases. The completion date shown reflects the expected implementation date for Phase 3.

CLAT (Criminal Legal Aid Transition) March 2001 £575,000 --

LIBRA Late 2003 £318 million LIBRA is a PFI project. The completion date relates to the physical rollout of the service. The cost shown relates to the provision of the service over the life of the contract (i.e. 2013) and includes physical rollout and ongoing service charges.

CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) April 2001 £5.8 million IT Infrastructure project initiated by the Lord Chancellor's Department. CAFCASS will become an NDPB from 1 April 2001.

CaseMan+ June 2002 £7.5 million This project is being implemented in two Phases. The date shown relates to the implementation of Phase 2.

The Crown Court Programme 2005 Between £94 million- £125 million The CCP incorporates a number of projects. These have not been broken down as the exact nature of each has yet to be settled. The Programme covers case progression, in-court workstations, digital audio recording, electronic presentation of evidence and provision of information to court users and the public.

MANIFEST (Estates Management Finance System) April 2001 £4.23 million --

JUROR (computerised jury summoning and management system) May 2001 £3.9 million --

IRIS (Immigration Appellate Authority database system) Summer 2001 £10 million IRIS implemented in four Phases. Completion date shown refers to implementation of Phase 4.

IAA Judicial Support Services (IT for Judiciary and Voice Recognition) Early 2002 Not yet known Final costs not yet known as the pilot is still in the very early stages of development.

PREMA PILOT (allows solicitors to apply by email directly to judges about cases proceeding in Preston County Court) August 2001 £65,000

LINE ISSUE (allows anyone to commence and progress specified civil cases using the internet) Early 2002 £2 million Time scales and costs are indicative only as the project is only just reaching project initiation phase.

ARAMIS (outsource of PGO's IT services to LCD's existing PFI supplier) Not yet known Not yet known Proposals are being sought form PFI providers for the outsourced provision of IT services to Public Guardianship Office, Court Funds Office and Office of the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee (following the re-structuring of the Public Trust Office). Proposals have been submitted but no decision has been taken on whether to proceed or on the scope of proposal to be accepted. Therefore no cost of completion data is available and no contract has been awarded.

MERIS (Mental Health Renaissance Information System) March 2003 £3.2 million Costs quoted are estimates based on project investment appraisal.

Electronic Records Management (Public Guardianship Office) September 2003 £500,000 Costs quoted are estimates based on project investment appraisal.

Project	Completion Date	Cost	Comment
MIS (Management Information System)	Late 2002	£14 million	MIS is being implemented in three phases. The completion date shown reflects the expected implementation date for Phase 3.

CLAT (Criminal Legal Aid Transition)	March 2001	£575,000	--

LIBRA	Late 2003	£318 million	LIBRA is a PFI project. The completion date relates to the physical rollout of the service. The cost shown relates to the provision of the service over the life of the contract (i.e. 2013) and includes physical rollout and ongoing service charges.

CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service)	April 2001	£5.8 million	IT Infrastructure project initiated by the Lord Chancellor's Department. CAFCASS will become an NDPB from 1 April 2001.
CaseMan+	June 2002	£7.5 million	This project is being implemented in two Phases. The date shown relates to the implementation of Phase 2.

The Crown Court Programme	2005	Between £94 million- £125 million	The CCP incorporates a number of projects. These have not been broken down as the exact nature of each has yet to be settled. The Programme covers case progression, in-court workstations, digital audio recording, electronic presentation of evidence and provision of information to court users and the public.

MANIFEST (Estates Management Finance System)	April 2001	£4.23 million	--

JUROR (computerised jury summoning and management system)	May 2001	£3.9 million	--

IRIS (Immigration Appellate Authority database system)	Summer 2001	£10 million	IRIS implemented in four Phases. Completion date shown refers to implementation of Phase 4.

IAA Judicial Support Services (IT for Judiciary and Voice Recognition)	Early 2002	Not yet known	Final costs not yet known as the pilot is still in the very early stages of development.

PREMA PILOT (allows solicitors to apply by email directly to judges about cases proceeding in Preston County Court)	August 2001	£65,000

LINE ISSUE (allows anyone to commence and progress specified civil cases using the internet)	Early 2002	£2 million	Time scales and costs are indicative only as the project is only just reaching project initiation phase.

ARAMIS (outsource of PGO's IT services to LCD's existing PFI supplier)	Not yet known	Not yet known	Proposals are being sought form PFI providers for the outsourced provision of IT services to Public Guardianship Office, Court Funds Office and Office of the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee (following the re-structuring of the Public Trust Office). Proposals have been submitted but no decision has been taken on whether to proceed or on the scope of proposal to be accepted. Therefore no cost of completion data is available and no contract has been awarded.

MERIS (Mental Health Renaissance Information System)	March 2003	£3.2 million	Costs quoted are estimates based on project investment appraisal.

Electronic Records Management (Public Guardianship Office)	September 2003	£500,000	Costs quoted are estimates based on project investment appraisal.

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 579W

Serco Contracts

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the contracts that exist between Serco and his Department, its executive agencies and associated public bodies; and if he will list those which have existed in the last three years. [151339]

Mr. Lock: The Lord Chancellor's Department replies on behalf of its agencies and HM Registry, the Public Record Office and the Northern Ireland Court Service.

No contracts exist or have been entered into with Serco in the last three years. However, contracts have been entered into with companies which are similarly named. Details are listed as shown:

Serco Ltd. January 1998 to December 2000

Gross value £6,232.68 (Refuse collection)

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 580W

Serco Systems Ltd. June 1998 to January 2000

Gross value £80,891.71 (Security Telecommunications equipment)

Justices of the Peace

Mr. Cox: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) men and (b) women who were appointed justices of the peace for the Greater London area during the last 12 months were from an ethnic minority background. [151016]

Jane Kennedy: In the 1999-2000 financial year (the latest figures available) 38 people (14 men and 24 women) from an ethnic minority background were appointed as justices of the peace in the Greater London area out of a total of 175 appointments made; that is 21.7 per cent. of the total.

26 Feb 2001 : Column: 581W

Next Section

Index

Home Page