| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Money Laundering
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firms of solicitors in (a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales reported matters to NCIS relating to money laundering in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001. [51971]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: From the data currently held relating to suspicious transaction reports made to the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), it is not possible to differentiate between those made by solicitors firms in Scotland and those in England and Wales. However, the total number of reports received from solicitors in the United Kingdom as a whole was 164 in 2000 and 176 in 2001.
Football Hooligans
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals, by category, are classified as football hooligans in England and Wales. [50010]
Mr. Denham: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 22 April 2002, Official Report, column 37W.
Prisoners' Property
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to improve the
25 Apr 2002 : Column 440W
security of prisoners' property (a) in storage and (b) in transfer between establishments, including those operated by private contractors. [51928]
Beverley Hughes: There are no plans at present to alter existing procedures relating to the security of prisoners' property. These procedures are the same across the prison estate, including those establishments run by private contractors. A comprehensive review of matters relating to prisoners' property is currently being conducted and the issue of the security of property is being considered as part of the review.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Egypt
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the detention in Egypt of Mr. Nawaz from Southend and two other persons (Ref: 1–46906/02); and if officials of the embassy have been permitted to see them. [52317]
Mr. Bradshaw: Mr. Nawaz and three other British Nationals have been detained in Egypt since 1 April. Consular access has been granted and the detainees have been visited twice, on 11 April and 23 April. On 18 April the ambassador met the Interior Minister to discuss the case and establish more information about the legal process. The ambassador has also raised the case in a meeting with the Foreign Minister on 11 April.
GCHQ
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the recruitment statistics for GCHQ in 2000. [53244]
Mr. Straw: GCHQ notified the Civil Service Commissioners that as a result of recruitment schemes run in 2000, 324 individuals have joined the Department or are awaiting completion of the application process. This compares with 241 reported for 1999 recruitment schemes. In addition, one former member of staff was reappointed in 2000, compared with nine in 1999.
WALES
Local Government Finance
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by local authority the level of (a) rent and (b) council tax arrears in each year since 1993 in Wales. [50330]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Since 1 July 1999 this is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.
The following table lists the available information in respect of council tax arrears prior to July 1999.
Comparable information in respect of rent arrears is not held centrally.
25 Apr 2002 : Column 441W
| Former local authority | 1993–94 | 1994–95 | 1995–96 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alyn and Deeside | 582 | 432 | 175 |
| Colwyn | 732 | 410 | 456 |
| Delyn | 334 | 264 | 351 |
| Glyndwr | 871 | 508 | 254 |
| Rhuddlan | 327 | 288 | 294 |
| Wrexham Maelor | 726 | 702 | 580 |
| Carmarthen | 475 | 448 | 519 |
| Ceredigion | 554 | 538 | 558 |
| Dinefwr | 510 | 361 | 433 |
| Llanelli | 524 | 503 | 526 |
| Preseli Pembrokeshire | 327 | 230 | 208 |
| South Pembrokeshire | 407 | 304 | 332 |
| Blaenau Gwent | 434 | 382 | 390 |
| Islwyn | 365 | 241 | 217 |
| Monmouth | 555 | 456 | 379 |
| Newport | 787 | 694 | 619 |
| Torfaen | 268 | 204 | 338 |
| Aberconwy | 228 | 271 | 259 |
| Arfon | 241 | 229 | 216 |
| Dwyfor | 83 | 141 | 107 |
| Meirionnydd | 151 | 261 | 169 |
| Ynys Mon | 397 | 357 | 417 |
| Cynon Valley | 197 | 170 | 184 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 215 | 205 | 162 |
| Ogwr | 618 | 654 | 864 |
| Rhondda | 227 | 169 | 246 |
| Rhymney Valley | 373 | 336 | 419 |
| Taff Ely | 401 | 428 | 465 |
| Brecknock | 96 | 162 | 166 |
| Montgomeryshire | 207 | 203 | 251 |
| Radnorshire | 93 | 98 | 104 |
| Cardiff | 1,954 | 2,101 | 2,338 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 500 | 453 | 655 |
| Port Talbot | 263 | 270 | 276 |
| Lliw Valley | 237 | 238 | 235 |
| Neath | 311 | 252 | 370 |
| Swansea | 1,005 | 1,336 | 1,344 |
| Total Wales | 16,575 | 15,299 | 15,876 |
| Percentage of total debit | 6.1 | 5.4 | 4.9 |
(14) Amounts outstanding at the end of each year in respect of the council tax due for that year. Previous year's arrears are not included.
(15) Amounts outstanding at the end of each year in respect of the council tax due for that year. Previous year's arrears are not included.
25 Apr 2002 : Column 442W
Strategic Rail Authority Funding
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he is taking to ensure that in future Wales is allocated a greater share of Strategic Rail Authority funding. [35636]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Allocation of such funding is a matter for the Strategic Rail Authority. To assist the Strategic Rail Authority in delivering the 10-year transport plan targets, the Government are providing it with an extra £155 million over the next two years. I will shortly be meeting Richard Bowker, Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority, and will be discussing their Strategic Plan, and in particular the Welsh dimension.
Welsh travellers will benefit from investment in improved rail links outside Wales, just as those from elsewhere in the UK will benefit from investment in Wales. In these circumstances a simple population share division of investment could be disadvantageous to rail travellers in Wales and I have no intention of pressing the SRA to adopt such an approach.
The Assembly also has a close working relationship with the Strategic Rail Authority, well beyond the formal requirement in the Transport Act which requires that the Strategic Rail Authority consult the Assembly on its strategies relating to Wales.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Personal Injury Pre-action Protocol
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the personal injury pre-action protocol was introduced; and what changes have been made since its inception. [50999]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The personal injury pre-action protocol was published in January 1999 and came into force from 26 April 1999. Some minor amendments were introduced in June 2000 following suggestions from the personal injury protocol working party. The amendments were aimed at clarifying various elements, such as the scope of the protocol, rather than substantive changes.
The personal injury working party is currently conducting a comprehensive review of the protocol and will be considering what, if any, further amendments may be required. The first meeting of the working party to discuss the review is scheduled for 7 May 2002.
25 Apr 2002 : Column 443W
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has to issue guidance on the case of Carlson v. Townsend heard in the Court of Appeal in April 2001. [51001]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 18 April 2002]: My Department has no plans to issue guidance on the case of Carlson v. Townsend.
That said, the judgment in that case will be one of the issues considered by the personal injury protocol working party as part of its comprehensive review of the protocol.
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the implications are for the operation of the personal injury pre-action protocol arising out of the case of Carlson v. Townsend heard in the Court of Appeal in April 2001. [51002]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The question of whether the personal injury pre-action protocol will require redrafting in the light of this judgment is one of the issues that will be considered by the personal injury protocol working party as part of its comprehensive review. The first meeting of the working party to discuss the review is scheduled for 7 May 2002.
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what obligation there is on the part of a defendant to disclose medical reports to a third party under the personal injury pre-action protocol. [50924]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 18 April 2002]: Under the personal injury pre-action protocol parties are encouraged to exchange information but are not obliged to do so. However, if the dispute proceeds to court, the judge may impose costs sanctions if it is deemed that by not disclosing information the party has acted unreasonably.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |