House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 11 Dec 2002 (pt 19)

11 Dec 2002 : Column 379W—continued

Non-working People

Mr. Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the numbers of people of working age who are able and willing to work, but are neither working, nor registered as seeking work or as claimants. [80132]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: According to the Labour Force Survey for Summer 2002, there were 586,000 people who were economically inactive, had not been seeking work and were not registered as unemployed, but said they wanted to work and would be able to take up a job if one were offered in the next two weeks.

Source:

The Office for National Statistics' Labour Force Survey.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) residential care and (b) nursing care receive the #100 winter fuel allowance. [85733]

Mr. McCartney: The information is not available in the format requested. However, such information as is available shows that some 148,000 people living in various types of care home, have so far this year received winter fuel payment of #100 each.

Source:

GMS Matching Data.

PRIME MINISTER

Bali Bombing Report

Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to lay the Intelligence and Security Committee's report into the terrorist bombings on Bali. [87121]

The Prime Minister: I am today laying before the House the Intelligence and Security Committee report of their inquiry into the intelligence, assessments and advice prior to the terrorist bombings on Bali on 12 October 2002. Copies will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Engagements

Mr. Walter: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 11 December. [84835]

The Prime Minister: This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will have further such meetings later today.

Euro

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what steps he plans to take to acquaint the public of the pros and cons of the euro; and if he will make a statement; [86590]

11 Dec 2002 : Column 380W

The Prime Minister: A comprehensive and rigorous assessment of the five tests will be made within two years of the start of this Parliament. Once the assessment is complete, it will be published and will be subject to intensive public scrutiny and debate.

Gibraltar

Mr. Spring: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Prime Minister of Spain concerning Gibraltar at the NATO summit in Prague; what was agreed there on the future of the Brussels process; when he expects the next meeting in the Brussels process to occur; and if he will make a statement. [86546]

The Prime Minister: I had informal discussions at Prague with Prime Minister Aznar on a number of issues. We agreed on the need to continue the search for a more stable and prosperous future for Gibraltar. No date has yet been set for a further meeting under the Brussels process.

India

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister when he last met the Leader of the Congress party of India. [86725]

The Prime Minister: I have not yet met Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, but hope to do so soon.

Landfill Tax Credit

Mr. Gray: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 4 December, Official Report, column 903, which community schemes near his constituency have benefited from the landfill tax credit. [86608]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 10 December 2002]: I understand environmental bodies within County Durham have invested in around 50 on-going or completed environmental projects as a result of the landfill tax credit scheme.

Peter Foster

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister if he will ask the Cabinet Secretary to conduct an inquiry into the extent of the (a) propriety, (b) completeness and (c) accuracy of (i) attributable and (ii) non-attributable briefings given to the media in relation to information about Peter Foster provided by (A) permanent civil servants, (B) temporary civil servants and (C) others in his office on behalf of the Government and its members. [86947]

The Prime Minister: No. All contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service.

11 Dec 2002 : Column 381W

Social Chapter

Mrs. Browning: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 4 December to the hon. Member for North-West Norfolk, Official Report, column 898, which areas of social policy have been influenced by signing the social chapter which would not have been had the UK not signed it. [86747]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 10 December 2002]: The Government are determined to tackle unemployment and social exclusion both at home and throughout the European Union. Signing the social chapter has allowed us to influence the broad direction of EU social policy, and to ensure that employment creation has been put at the heart of the Lisbon agenda for economic reform. Since 1997, over 10 million new jobs have been created in the EU, 6 million of which have been taken up by women, and the number of unemployed has fallen by over 4 million. This has provided a route out of social exclusion for many millions of European citizens.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Cleveland Magistrates Court

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what grants have been given to the Cleveland Magistrates Court Service in each of the last five years. [86400]

Yvette Cooper: The Lord Chancellor's Department provides separate grants for revenue and capital (buildings and IT) to local authorities for magistrates courts costs. Grant is paid at 80 per cent. of expenditure, with the remaining 20 per cent. met by local authorities.

The total budget for magistrates courts in Cleveland by financial year (in 100 per cent. terms) is:

# million

Revenue Building IT Total grant

1998–99 3.92 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0.12 4.04

1999–2000 3.77 0.34 0.16 4.27

2000–01 4.33 0.32 0.06 4.71

2001–02 5.26 0.43 0.09 5.78

2002–03 4.86 1.41 0.07 6.34

	Revenue	Building	IT	Total grant
1998–99	3.92	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0.12	4.04
1999–2000	3.77	0.34	0.16	4.27
2000–01	4.33	0.32	0.06	4.71
2001–02	5.26	0.43	0.09	5.78
2002–03	4.86	1.41	0.07	6.34

⁽¹⁶⁾ Figures for building capital not available

11 Dec 2002 : Column 382W

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many hours training judges receive on domestic violence (a) per year and (b) during the course of their term. [86425]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB) which is an independent body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.

All newly appointed part-time judges are required to attend a residential induction course before they sit judicially. In addition all judges authorised by the Lord Chancellor on the strength of their experience and ability, to exercise an additional jurisdiction such as family law, are required to attend a further residential induction course before they start to exercise the relevant jurisdiction.

Thereafter, both full and part-time judges attend residential continuation seminars every three years in each jurisdiction they are authorised to exercise (i.e. criminal law, civil law and family law). The amount of training time provided on domestic violence in JSB courses and seminars is shown in the table. The number of hours training received by any individual judge will depend upon the number of jurisdictions they are authorised to exercise.

In addition, all full and part-time judges sitting in the Crown court attend an annual one-day circuit seminar on sentencing issues, for which the theme last year was domestic violence. This provided, on average, up to five hours of additional training on this subject in 2000–01.

The term of appointment of an individual judge varies according to their age on appointment and their age of retirement, as determined by the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act (1993). It is therefore not possible to determine how many hours training on domestic violence in total a judge may receive during his or her term of office.

Time provided on training for judges in relation to domestic violence

Course-seminar Lecture Group discussion

Criminal Induction Sentencing exercise (15 mins.)

Criminal Continuation Sentencing exercise (15 mins.)

Civil Induction Domestic violence (15 mins.)

Civil Induction Committals (15 mins.)

Civil Continuation Judicial responses to violence in the home (45 mins.) Syndicate exercises (45 mins.)

Induction course for district judges authorised under Section 8 Children Act 1989 Emergency applications (45 mins.) Current issues in contact (30 mins.) Psychiatric overview of contact (45 mins.) Making contact work/The National Association of Child Contact Centres (60 mins.) Syndicate exercises (45 mins.)

Seminar for potential care judges Proof of fact in physical/sexual abuse (15 mins.)

Nominated care district judges induction and continuation Making the best of a contact centre (30 mins.)

Induction (private family law) Proof of fact in physical/sexual abuse cases (15 mins.) Applications for contact (4 hours). This comprises a talk by a circuit judge with particular reference to the decision by the Court of Appeal in the case of Re LVMH, the report by Drs. Sturge and Glaser and the guidelines produced by the advisory board on family law. A talk by a child psychiatrist and a plenary discussion exclusion orders and non-molestation orders (40 mins.) Syndicate discussion (1 hour 30 mins.)

Continuation (private family law) Split trials in domestic violence cases (15 mins.) Psychiatric perspective of children with a violent parent (45 mins.) Injunctions and committals (1 hour) Syndicate discussion (1 hour 30 mins.)

Course-seminar	Lecture	Group discussion
Criminal Induction		Sentencing exercise (15 mins.)
Criminal Continuation		Sentencing exercise (15 mins.)
Civil Induction	Domestic violence (15 mins.)
Civil Induction	Committals (15 mins.)
Civil Continuation	Judicial responses to violence in the home (45 mins.)	Syndicate exercises (45 mins.)
Induction course for district judges authorised under Section 8 Children Act 1989	Emergency applications (45 mins.) Current issues in contact (30 mins.) Psychiatric overview of contact (45 mins.) Making contact work/The National Association of Child Contact Centres (60 mins.)	Syndicate exercises (45 mins.)
Seminar for potential care judges	Proof of fact in physical/sexual abuse (15 mins.)
Nominated care district judges induction and continuation	Making the best of a contact centre (30 mins.)
Induction (private family law)	Proof of fact in physical/sexual abuse cases (15 mins.) Applications for contact (4 hours). This comprises a talk by a circuit judge with particular reference to the decision by the Court of Appeal in the case of Re LVMH, the report by Drs. Sturge and Glaser and the guidelines produced by the advisory board on family law. A talk by a child psychiatrist and a plenary discussion exclusion orders and non-molestation orders (40 mins.)	Syndicate discussion (1 hour 30 mins.)
Continuation (private family law)	Split trials in domestic violence cases (15 mins.) Psychiatric perspective of children with a violent parent (45 mins.) Injunctions and committals (1 hour)	Syndicate discussion (1 hour 30 mins.)

11 Dec 2002 : Column 383W

The seminars for care district judges include sessions, which cover domestic violence. Dr. Dare speaks on the effects upon a child witnessing violence between parents.

The Family Law Act seminars deal with orders made under Part IV of the Family Law Act 1996.

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