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19 Sept 2002 : Column 220W—continued

Public Consultations

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the public consultations undertaken by his Department since 8 June 2001, indicating the (a) length and (b) number of responses received in each case. [68705]

19 Sept 2002 : Column 221W

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is as follows:

Consultation	Length	Responses
Northern Ireland Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2002	5 months	15
Creating a Safer Northern Ireland through Partnership	3 months	31
Consultation Paper on the Review of Part 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997	3 months	22
Consultation of Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) (Amendment) (No2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001	6 weeks	12
Trainee Regulation	3 weeks	6
Flags and Emblems Regulation	3.5 weeks	41
Planning Regulation	6 weeks	3
Code of Practice on the appointment of Independent members to District Policing Partnerships	14 months	20

19 Sept 2002 : Column 222W

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much is set aside for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for 2002–03. [67335]

Desmond Browne: A budget of £1.2 million has been made available for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for the financial year 2002–03.

Consultation

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the public consultations undertaken by his 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. [69800]

Jane Kennedy: 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. Since 2001, the details are as follows:

Consultation	Available online	Available In print	Date opened	Date closed
Review of Part 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997	Yes	Yes	16.07.01	19.10.01
Police (Recruitment) (NI) Regulations 2001	No	Yes	28.02.01	21.03.01
Police Trainee Regulations (NI) 2001	No	Yes	04.09.01	21.09.01
Police Emblems and Flags Regulations (NI) 2002	Yes	Yes	19.11.01	12.12.01
The Police (NI Act) 2000 (Policing Plan) Regulations 2002	No	Yes	21.12.01	01.02.02
Code of Practice on the appointment of independent members to District Policing Partnerships	No	Yes	13.03.02	22.05.02
Police Service of NI (Recruitment of Police Support Staff) Regulations (NI) 2002	No	Yes	13.03.02	08.04.02
Criminal Injuries Compensation (NI) Order 2002	Yes	Yes	28.06.01	30.11.01
Review of the Juvenile Justice Centre Estate	Yes	Yes	31.03.00	30.06.00
Creating a Safer Northern Ireland Through Partnership	Yes	Yes	11.04.02	03.07.02
The Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) (Amendment) (No 2) Order (NI) 2001	Yes	Yes	24.09.01	26.10.01
Proceeds of Crime Bill Consultation on Draft Legislation	Yes	Yes	05.03.01	29.05.01
Criminal Justice Review (plus 18 research volumes)	Yes	Yes	30.03.00	29.09.00
Review of the Criminal Justice system in Northern Ireland	Yes	Yes	12.11.01	07.01.02
Draft Justice (NI) Bill/Implementation Plan

Parades Commission

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the annual cost of the Parades Commission in Northern Ireland since its inception; and how much in allowances has been paid to those currently on the Commission. [69938]

Jane Kennedy: The annual cost of the Parades Commission since it's inception in March 1997 was:

1997–98	£613,564*
1998–99	£1,066,220
1999–2000	£1,023,559
2000–01	£1,105,677
2001–02	£1,119,807
Total:	£4,928,827

In relation to allowances, those on the Commission are entitled to mileage and subsistence allowances. It is not possible to identify these allowances from the total cost of travel.

Departmental Press Office

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) full-time equivalents were employed by his press office and (b) secondees were placed in his press office in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [70542]

{**con**}{**/con**}

Jane Kennedy: (a) The number of staff employed in the Information Service in the last five years is as follows:

April 1998	40
April 1999	52
April 2000	52
April 2001	36
April 2002	37

(b) There have not been any secondees placed in the Information Service in the last five years.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Pension Tax Credit

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost to the Exchequer will be of

19 Sept 2002 : Column 223W

the pension tax credit when implemented for (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05, (c) 2005–06 and (d) 2006–07. [71577]

Mr. McCartney [holding answer 24 July 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Perth (Annabelle Ewing) on 24 July 2002. Official Report, column 1542W.

19 Sept 2002 : Column 224W

Benefits (London)

Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost of (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit in (i) the London Borough of Enfield and (ii) Greater London was in each of the last 10 years. [73538]

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit expenditure in the London Borough of Enfield and Greater London (£ millions)

London Borough of EnfieldGreater London
	Housing Benefit	Council Tax Benefit	Housing Benefit	Council Tax Benefit
1991–92	38	7	1,465	187
1992–93	47	8	1,826	220
1993–94	53	11	2,248	301
1994–95	64	12	2,441	330
1995–96	72	12	2,644	373
1996–97	78	13	2,735	398
1997–98	74	13	2,611	399
1998–99	75	13	2,524	383
1999–2000	77	14	2,534	380
2000–01	81	15	2,546	389

Source:

annual subsidy returns by local authorities to the Department for Work and Pensions and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1 million.

2. The figures for 2000–01 are provisional. All other figures are actual annual expenditure but are subject to change as local authority activity is fully audited.

3. Figures are consistent with those published in the Chancellor's Budget Report, April 2002.

4. Greater London consists of the 32 London boroughs and the Corporation of the City of London.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Crown Prosecution Service

Ms Drown: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to allow the Crown Prosecution Service to attend hearings of appeals against sentences to represent the victim's interests. [73414]

The Solicitor General: Sir Robin Auld in his Review of the Criminal Courts (October 2001) recommended in relation to the work of the Court of Appeal that:

"The Crown Prosecution Service should consider on a case by case basis whether to appear on the hearing of an appeal against sentence so as to be able to assist the Court, if required, on matters of fact, including the effect on any victim, or of law" (Recommendation 321)

The Government has accepted that recommendation which will be taken forward by the Lord Chief Justice building on existing arrangements that enable the CPS to be represented at some sentencing appeals in the Court of Appeal. The role of the CPS at such hearings is to represent the state. In doing so it can take account of the interests of individual victims.

Pensions Appeal Tribunal

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Pensions Appeal Tribunal finds that a pension payable to a retired disabled officer was granted on account of medical unfitness attributable to military service from when payments of that pension are payable. [72850]

Dr. Lewis Moonie: I have been asked to reply.

When the Pensions Appeal Tribunal (PAT) decides that disablement is attributable to, or aggravated by, service the Secretary of State for Defence assesses the degree of disablement and decides from which date any payment of pension should be paid in accordance with Schedule 3 to the Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions Order 1983. There is a right of appeal against the decision on the level of assessment of disablement and since 9 April 2001 a right of appeal against the decision on the commencement date of the pension.

If an appeal is successful the pension will normally be paid from the date of the claim or date of the application for review, whichever led to the appeal.

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