House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 25 Oct 2001 (pt 22)

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Asylum Appeals

Mr. Malins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans she has to improve the speed of the appeals process in asylum cases; and if she will make a statement. [9459]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) is working closely with its Home Office and Lord Chancellor's Department colleagues to improve the end-to-end processing time for asylum appeals.

The IAA has set up a new listing system; is making more effective use of judicial time; is reducing unnecessary adjournments and speeding up the service of decisions; and is introducing twilight working for administrative staff.

Dudley Magistracy

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) men and (b) women (i) applied to join, (ii) were appointed to and (iii) left the Dudley magistracy in each of the last five years. [9623]

Mr. Wills: The table sets out the breakdown of applications, appointments and 'leavers' (resignations, retirements and deaths) for the Dudley bench for the last four years. The figures for applications received include

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 400W

those for Stourbridge and Halesowen bench as well because they are recorded for the Advisory Committee area as a whole and not broken down by bench. No breakdown is available for the years before that because the information was not recorded until my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor introduced a new, more comprehensive Annual Report form in 1998.

Breakdown of applications, appointments and 'leavers' (resignations, retirements and deaths) for the Dudley bench

Applied⁽²⁷⁾ Appointed Left⁽²⁸⁾

Year Male Female Male Female Male Female

2000–01 17 18 4 7 5 6

1999–2000 30 14 8 6 3 4

1998–99 12 17 2 8 14 5

1997–98 23 12 5 3 8 0

	Applied⁽²⁷⁾	Appointed	Left⁽²⁸⁾
Year	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
2000–01	17	18	4	7	5	6
1999–2000	30	14	8	6	3	4
1998–99	12	17	2	8	14	5
1997–98	23	12	5	3	8	0

⁽²⁷⁾ Includes Stourbridge and Halesowen

⁽²⁸⁾ Retired/Died/Resigned

Golden Jubilee

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list the applicants for the grant of a Lord Mayoralty or Lord Provostship to mark Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee. [10823]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Applications for the grant of a Lord Mayoralty have been received from the following cities and are under consideration:

Bath

Cambridge

Carlisle

Chichester

Derby

Exeter

Gloucester

Lancaster

Lincoln

St. Albans

St. David's

Salford

Southampton

Sunderland

Wolverhampton

Worcester.

Death Certificates

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what special arrangements he has made for the issue of death certificates to relatives of UK citizens killed abroad following the terrorist attacks in the United States. [9274]

Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.

The US authorities are allowing expatriate (ie non- resident in the USA) Next-of-Kin (NOK) of British victims to obtain death certificates by completing and signing an affidavit before a US Consular Officer in the United Kingdom. Police Family Liaison Offices in the UK are fully briefed to be able to help relatives with the procedures, and a group of American lawyers in London have offered their services on a pro bono basis if any relative needs help with the US requirements.