| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Legal Costs
Mr. Bercow: To ask the President of the Council what legal costs have been incurred by his Department in each of the last four years. [34289]
Mr. Robin Cook: My Department has incurred no legal costs during the period mentioned.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Marriage and Relationship Support
Mr. Caton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what grants she will make towards marriage and relationship support in the financial year 2002–03. [41698]
Ms Rosie Winterton: During the next financial year (2002–03), the Lord Chancellor's Department will spend £5 million on marriage and relationship support, an increase of £0.5 million on the funding for the financial year 2001–02.
This is the first financial year in which the marriage and relationship support fund has been allocated using the new grant programme launched in September 2001. The new programme introduced openly published criteria, which have been used to evaluate all applications received for this round of allocations. The aim of the Department is that the marriage and relationship support grant should be targeted on improving existing service delivery, as well as developing research, innovative projects, and the
6 Mar 2002 : Column 405W
dissemination of better links and good practice among a wider and more diverse range of service providers than in previous years.
The funding has been allocated as set out in the tables:
6 Mar 2002 : Column 406W
| Research and development funding | Project title | Amount allocated (£) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Exeter, School of Psychology | Money management and marital commitment in new couples: An evaluation of the efficacy of the FOCCUS inventory | 43,000 |
| Relate | Accessibility (follow-on bid) | 32,000 |
| Relate | Domestic Violence (follow-on bid) | 40,000 |
| Care for the Family | Asian Family Matters | 19,000 |
| Relate | Quality Assurance (follow-on bid) | 30,000 |
| 2as 1 | Development and Adaptation of Relate Training Material | 66,000 |
| London Marriage Guidance Council | Community Development | 71,000 |
| The Minster Centre | Aracas Project (domestic violence) | 72,000 |
| Tavistock Marital Studies Institute | Brief Psychotherapy | 32,000 |
| 2as 1 | Partnership project (Relate)—Awareness campaign to promote MARS to the Black African and Afro-Caribbean communities | 120,000 |
| Sussex Family Mediation Service | One Stop Shop | 26,000 |
| The Church of England | Marriage Preparation and Support in the South East | 54,000 |
| Brook in Birmingham | Counselling for Young Couples | 39,000 |
| Marriage Care | Emotional Literacy: Foundations for a Good Life: Phase 2 | 30,000 |
| The Richmond Centre | Videos are Valuable | 38,000 |
| One Plus One | Investigation of Use and Value of Helpline Services | 39,000 |
| One Plus One | Investigation of Relationship Support | 46,000 |
| Jewish Marriage Council | Starting Marriage on the Right Foot | 40,000 |
| Talking Matters(15) | Infrastructure for Marriage Preparation in the Orthodox Jewish Community | 24,000 |
| Total | 861,000 |
(15) Moved from core to R&D
Rail Journeys (Staff)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will make it her policy that rail journeys undertaken by staff in her Department should ordinarily be on standard class tickets. [40434]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Paragraph 8.2.1 of the Civil Service Management Code requires Departments and agencies to ensure that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel in the circumstances, taking into account any management benefit or the needs of staff with disabilities. In the headquarters of the Lord Chancellor's Department (including associated offices), the Court Service and the Public Guardianship Office, staff at or above the equivalent of senior executive officer level who travel on official business by train may travel first class. Staff at more junior levels may also do so if there is a business need for them to accompany staff who are permitted to travel first class. There are no present plans to change this policy.
Magistrates Pilot (Bristol)
Jean Corston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will make a statement on the success of the scheme run in conjunction with Operation Black Vote and piloted in Bristol, East which enables members of the ethnic minority community to spend time shadowing magistrates on the Bristol and Northavon circuit. [40351]
Mr. Wills: Bristol is one of seven areas piloting the magistrates shadowing scheme that my Department is running in conjunction with Operation Black Vote. The other areas are Birmingham, Bradford, Cardiff, Inner London, Middlesex and Oldham. It is a little too soon for me to be able to make a general statement on the success of the scheme. A full evaluation of the pilots is due to take place in the summer once all the pilots have been completed. The Lord Chancellor and I have been struck by the enthusiasm of the participants in Bristol and other pilot areas. I hope that participants will go out into their communities and explain and promote the role of magistrates, and so encourage more people from ethnic communities to put themselves forward for appointment.
Court Closures
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which magistrates courts have closed since 1 May 1997. [39376]
6 Mar 2002 : Column 407W
Mr. Wills: The courthouses that have closed since 1 May 1997 are listed in the table.
Magistrates courts committees are not statutorily required to inform the Lord Chancellor's Department of proposed courthouse closures which are not subject to an appeal by its paying authority or authorities.
It is the Government's policy that decisions concerning the number, location and future of magistrates courts are for each magistrates courts committee to determine, in consultation with its local paying authority or authorities.
6 Mar 2002 : Column 408W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |