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Consultation
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list the public consultations undertaken by her Department since 1997, indicating for each consultation (a) if copies were available online, (b) if copies were available in print, (c) the date the time period given for responses opened and (d) the date the time period given for responses closed. [69792]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultation applies to all formal national public consultation documents issued by Departments from 1 January 2001 and the information requested is not available before that date. All public consultation papers since January 2001 have been available online and in print. Since 2001, the details are as follows:
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Departmental Reports
Mr. Beith: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the cost was of publishing his Department's annual report for each of the past five years. [70482]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The costs which fell directly on the Lord Chancellor's Department of publishing its Departmental Reports for each of the past five years are: £13,527.07 (1997–98), £8,715.85 (1998–99), £14,614.65 (1999–2000) and £12,109.00 (2000–01). The final invoice for 2001–02 has not yet been received. Other costs of printing and publication are met directly by the publisher, The Stationary Office Limited (TSO), and do not fall to Government.
Freedom of Information
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the review process for a freedom of information complaint. [70887]
Yvette Cooper: The right of access to information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will come into force on 1 January 2005. Until that date, requests for Government information will be dealt with in accordance with the non-statutory Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
It is for individual bodies to make their own arrangements for the procedure used to review cases internally where information has been refused and the applicant has made a complaint. However, the Guidance on Interpretation of the Code, published by the Cabinet Office, makes it clear that:
"[Internal Review] should in all cases be a single stage process. The aim should be to ensure that the applicant has been fairly treated under the provisions of the Code, that any exemptions have been properly applied and that charges are reasonably and consistently applied. It is good practice to allow for such review to be conducted by someone not involved in the original decision".
Details of the various internal review procedures which have been adopted by Departments and most agencies or bodies which fall within the scope of the Code of Practice are set out in the annual monitoring reports on the Code. Copies of these reports are available in the House Library. In my Department reviews are carried out by the Head of the appropriate Division and the decision approved by the Permanent Secretary. The target time for responses is 20 working days.
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what legislation governs individuals' freedom to request information from the Government. [70888]
Yvette Cooper: This Government introduced the Freedom of Information Act which gives individuals a statutory right to Government information. The Act will
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be fully implemented by 1 January 2005, 11 months before the deadline set out in the Act itself. Until that date, requests for information are handled in accordance with the non-statutory Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Rape
Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2002, Official Report, column 832W, on rape, if he will place in the Library the content of the Serious Sexual Offences seminar to which he referred. [70890]
Yvette Cooper: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB) which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The content of the Serious Sexual Offences seminars held on 2–3 July 2001 and 26–27 November 2001 is described in the annual report of the Judicial Studies Board for 2001–02, a copy of which is in the Library.
Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, whether the Serious Sexual Offences seminar is attended by judges (a) before and (b) after they are authorised to hear rape trials. [70679]
Yvette Cooper: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
All Circuit Judges and Recorders are required, by the Lord Chief Justice, to attend a JSB Serious Sexual Offences seminar before they are authorised to hear rape trials. Thereafter, both Circuit Judges and Recorders authorised to hear these cases attend Serious Sexual Offences seminars every three years.
Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, who teaches the Serious Sexual Offences seminars to judges authorised to hear rape cases. [70685]
Yvette Cooper: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The Serious Sexual Offences seminar is chaired by a High Court Judge. The most recent seminar, 8–9 July 2002, was chaired by Mr. Justice Pitchers. The Seminar Director is Judge John Sessions.
Contributors on the most recent seminar were Professor Di Birch, Mrs. Maggie Dodds, Ms Ruth Mann, and Mr. Justice Crane. Details of previous seminars are set out in the annual reports of the Board, copies of which are in the Library.
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Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what steps he will take to ensure improved education for judges into the gender issues in rape trials. [70686]
Yvette Cooper: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The subject of education for judges in gender issues, including education for judges in rape trials, is kept under constant review by the Equal Treatment Advisory Committee of the Judicial Studies Board. Gender issues are also covered in Chapter 13 of the JSB's Equal Treatment Bench Book, a copy of which is given to every judge on appointment.
Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) by when the Judicial Studies Board will have considered the comments made on rape trials by the HMIC/CPSI Thematic report; [70683]
- (2) what plans there are for the Judicial Studies Board to report back to her on its consideration of the HMIC/CPSI Thematic report; [70684]
(3) what reports she has received from the Judicial Studies Board in connection with the comments made on rape trials by the HMIC/CPSI Thematic report; [70687]
(4) to whom in her Department, and when, the Judicial Studies Board will report on its consideration of the HMIC/CPSI Thematic report. [70688]
Yvette Cooper: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.
The HMIC/CPSI Thematic report has been referred to the Criminal Committee of the JSB which will consider its response and the manner and form in which this should be communicated to the Lord Chancellor.
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