House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 24 Feb 2003 (pt 4)

24 Feb 2003 : Column 12W—continued

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Court Video Links

Geraint Davies: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will provide additional funding to extend the use of live links to enable witnesses other than the defendant to give evidence through a live link in criminal proceedings. [97901]

24 Feb 2003 : Column 13W

Yvette Cooper: Video link equipment is used in the Crown and magistrates' courts for two purposes: to enable defendants held in custody to participate in pre-trial hearings without having to attend court; and to allow vulnerable or intimidated witnesses to give evidence from outside the courtroom.

All Crown Court centres have TV link equipment, which allows witnesses to give evidence from outside the courtroom but within the court building. 12 Crown Court centres have video conferencing facilities, which allow witnesses to give evidence from a remote location. In addition, equipment linking courtrooms with specific vulnerable and intimidated witness rooms will be installed in 29 Crown Court centres by the end of 2003. This equipment will also allow witnesses to give evidence from a remote location.

133 vulnerable and intimidated witness rooms had been installed in magistrates' courts by the end of September 2002. Work is currently under way to establish the number of additional video links that are required to meet current and future demand. The Court Service will then liaise with Criminal Justice System partners, including the Crown Prosecution Service and the Home Office, on how to take this forward.

Geraint Davies: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures her Department is putting in place to ensure that the waiting time for child witnesses is kept to a minimum where the use of a live link is required. [97902]

Yvette Cooper: Crown and magistrates' courts ensure that priority is given to cases involving children or other vulnerable or intimidated witnesses. Courts offer fixed dates for trial at the earliest possible opportunity, subject to the readiness and availability of those involved in the case. Additional video links are being installed in the Crown Courts during 2003. The provision of equipment in the magistrates' courts is now under review to ensure that current and future demand is met, as far as funding allows.

Capital Projects

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will place the evaluations for Capital Modernisation Fund projects in the Lord Chancellor's Department since 1998 in the Library; and if she will make a statement. [97031]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department received funding for three projects from the Capital Modernisation Fund for a range of initiatives contributing towards modernisation in the courts. As the projects have not concluded, a full evaluation report is not yet available.

Computer Crime

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft her Department recorded in 2001–02; and on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i) within and (ii) outside her Department. [97562]

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Ms Rosie Winterton: The number of cases of computer hacking, fraud and theft recorded by my Department in 2001–02 is: computer (a) hacking—2; (b) fraud—0; (c) theft—25. Illegal access by computer hackers in 2001–02 (i) within the Department—1; (ii) outside the Department—1. Neither of the hacking incidents caused damage to the Departmental computer systems.

Domestic Violence

Mr. Connarty: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps her Department is taking to inform victims of domestic violence of their rights. [96736]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government remain committed to tackling domestic violence. My Department's main responsibility is to make sure that victims of domestic violence have a swift and effective route to protection and perpetrators of violence are brought to justice.

We were involved in the production of the Law Society's "Family Law Protocol", which covers best practice in all aspects of private family law disputes, including domestic abuse. One of the many actions we are currently taking is to look at good examples of inter-agency working at local level, from which we shall produce a template of good practice.

I have set up a Domestic Violence Advisory Group that consists of people from voluntary organisations, lay magistrates, judges and police officers. We use these experts to make sure that our policies have a real impact in improving the lives of the families who suffer as a result of domestic violence.

The Community Legal Service (CLS) Just Ask! website provides on-line CLS leaflets and an up-to-date CLS Directory of legal suppliers, including solicitors, law centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux within England and Wales. The site also provides legal information in different languages and an Advice Search function so that users can search for legal information and advice from a selection of about 300 screened and approved sites. The Legal Services Commission produces a "Divorce and Separation" leaflet which gives information about further help and contacts. The LSC have plans to produce a new leaflet specifically covering domestic violence which they hope will be available in the summer.

Margaret Moran: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) when she plans to consult on new guidance in respect of child contact and domestic violence; [97741]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The report on the second survey to monitor the "Children Act Sub-Committee Guidelines for Good Practice on Parental Contact in Cases where there is Domestic Violence" will be available at the end of March 2003. A copy will be laid in the Library of both Houses. No other recent guidance in respect of child contact and domestic violence has been issued.

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E-mail Addresses

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department by what e-mail address members of the public may contact (a) The Lord Chancellor and (b) each of the Ministers in her Department; and for each e-mail address if she will state (i) the date it became active and (ii) the number of e-mails received in each month since activation. [97452]

Yvette Cooper: Members of the public may contact the Lord Chancellor and each of the Ministers in his Department via the following e-mail addresses:

LordChancellor@lcdhq.gsi.gov.uk (this e-mail address became active on 6 January 1999);

Baroness.Scotland@lcdhq.gsi.gov.uk (active from 12 June 2001);

Rosie.Winterton@lcdhq.gsi.gov.uk (active from 12 June 2001);

Yvette.Cooper@lcdhq.gsi.gov.uk (active from 29 May 2002).

It has not proved possible, in the time available, to collate information on the volume of e-mails which have been received by each e-mail address since activation. However this information is being collated and I will write to the hon. Member with the information shortly.

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External Consultancies

Mr. Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body spent on external consultancy in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (planned); and if he will make a statement. [92236]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information available (1995–96 to 2001–02) is provided in the table.

A record of planned expenditure for the current financial year is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Information relating to actual spend will be collated early in the next financial year.

The level of expenditure in recent years with external consultants is explained by a wide-ranging and fast paced programme of change, designed to modernise and increase efficiency, provide better customer service, and value for money.

Delivering such a programme has necessitated the use of external expertise to supplement internal resources.

£

Department 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02

Lord Chancellor's 1,235,732 397,662 377,522 827,891 926,893 1,444,381 2,548,064

Agencies

Court Service 552,064 690,802 341,197 362,975 996,949 1,167,030 3,997,630

Land Registry ⁽³⁾— 449,710 482,320 1,026,000 722,681 1,049,458 1,755,136

Public Records Office ⁽³⁾— 532,000 1,027,762 1,111,427 1,356,634 1,031,485 757,828

Public Guardianship Office ⁽³⁾— 69,281 230,500 273,233 101,447 810,000 2,162,000

NDPBs

Legal Services Commission 44,429 59,691 125,550 60,777 66,540 91,002 47,388

CAFCASS ⁽⁴⁾— ⁽⁴⁾— ⁽⁴⁾— ⁽⁴⁾— ⁽⁴⁾— 334,488 1,276,596

Department	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02

Lord Chancellor's	1,235,732	397,662	377,522	827,891	926,893	1,444,381	2,548,064
Agencies
Court Service	552,064	690,802	341,197	362,975	996,949	1,167,030	3,997,630
Land Registry	⁽³⁾—	449,710	482,320	1,026,000	722,681	1,049,458	1,755,136
Public Records Office	⁽³⁾—	532,000	1,027,762	1,111,427	1,356,634	1,031,485	757,828
Public Guardianship Office	⁽³⁾—	69,281	230,500	273,233	101,447	810,000	2,162,000
NDPBs
Legal Services Commission	44,429	59,691	125,550	60,777	66,540	91,002	47,388
CAFCASS	⁽⁴⁾—	⁽⁴⁾—	⁽⁴⁾—	⁽⁴⁾—	⁽⁴⁾—	334,488	1,276,596

⁽³⁾ No information available.

⁽⁴⁾ Prior to establishment.

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