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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Travelling to the UK on False Documentation

Mr. Malins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many persons during the last 12 months for which figures are available have been prosecuted for travelling to the UK on false documentation; how many were legally represented; how many raised the defence under section 31 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 that they wished to claim asylum; how many were convicted; and how many were sentenced to imprisonment of (a) less than six months and (b) more than six months. [98646]

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Beverley Hughes [holding answer 25 February 2003]: I have been asked to reply.

The information required to answer this question is not collected and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Children and Family Court Advisory andSupport Services

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the set-up costs for CAFCASS was spent on the new IT system. [99529]

Ms Rosie Winterton: In the year preceding CAFCASS's launch, a total of £10.2m was spent on set up costs of the new organisation; this included capital expenditure of £7.7m. Over £5m of this total, i.e. some 50% was spent on the IT service for the new organisation.

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many of the records of children who are known to CAFCASS had been transferred onto the new IT system by the end of 2002; and how many will be transferred by the end of (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005. [99530]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) is currently considering how to record cases in a standardised electronic format. Meanwhile the full case papers are held in the existing methods of storage.

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been spent by CAFCASS on new accommodation since 1 April 2001; and what proportion of this came (a) from the CAFCASS annual budget and (b) from initial start-up costs. [99531]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Since 1 April 2001 CAFCASS has been implementing a strategy to ensure its accommodation is suitable for its needs. This has involved disposing of some properties inherited from the predecessor organisations and acquiring new properties. Overall the number of properties has reduced from 184 to 146. Costs of £3.76 million in 2001–02 were met from set-up funding which was provided to CAFCASS for this and other purposes. Costs in 2002–03 are likely to be £1.34 million and have been met from their 2002–03 operating budget.

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many CAFCASS offices comply with all health and safety legislation; and how many will comply by the end of (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005. [99532]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) aims to complete, by the end of 2003–04, an internal safety audit for each office. This will give a clear indication of progress. In addition, a number of topic-specific national safety procedures have been developed, addressing a range of legislative requirements and duties, including emergency actions, induction training, first aid, workplace inspections, accident reporting, lone

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working and display screen use. CAFCASS had in any event adopted the inherited Health and Safety policies and procedures of its predecessor organisations.

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the cost is of CAFCASS staff based in (a) headquarters and (b) regional offices in 2002–03; and what proportion this represents of the overall budget. [99533]

Ms Rosie Winterton: CAFCASS salaried staff costs for 2002–03 are forecast to be £2.9 million for headquarters, 3.5 per cent. of the overall budget, and £46.4 million for staff in the regions, 55.9 per cent. of the overall budget. These figures (including London) include the costs of CAFCASS employed guardians, but not self-employed guardians or other agency or contract staff.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps she is taking to ensure that judges and the judiciary receive training to recognise and deal with cases of domestic violence. [97744]

Ms Rosie Winterton: My Department continues to work closely with the Judicial Studies Board to develop training for judges and magistrates that takes account of the growing body of knowledge about domestic violence.

All newly appointed part time judges, and all judges who are authorised to hear family cases, are required to attend a residential "Induction Course" in the relevant jurisdiction. Thereafter, both full and part time judges attend residential continuation seminars every three years in each jurisdiction they exercise. The amount of training time provided on domestic violence in JSB courses and seminars is shown in the annexed table. Many judges also attend locally organised conferences.

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.

Training of Magistrates is the statutory responsibility of individual Magistrates' Courts Committees. But the JSB assists by producing generic training materials, and is currently working on a training package specifically on domestic violence.

I also launched a guide on 21 February to inform service providers of the current remedies available to victims of domestic violence in the civil and criminal courts. It is my hope that the magistrates and the professional judiciary will also find this a useful source of information.

We will continue to identify further action in every area of our responsibilities, and in those areas of responsibility that we share with other Government Departments, to make sure that tackling domestic violence and protecting its victims (adults and children) are given the priority they deserve.

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Refurbishment

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether a building research establishment environmental assessment method document has been prepared for the refurbishment of (a) GKN House, (b) Steel House and (c) Clive House. [96408]

Ms Rosie Winterton: (a) There are no plans to undertake a BREEAM assessment on the partial refurbishment of GKN House. (b) An assessment has not yet been carried out for Steel House but it is a requirement of the contract, soon to be awarded, that such an assessment is undertaken. (c) A BREEAM method document has been prepared for Clive House.

TREASURY

Anti-poverty Targets

18. Mr. Neil Turner: To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If he will estimate the cost of meeting the anti-poverty targets of the millenium development goals. [99479]

John Healey: The UN estimates that global aid flows will need to be doubled in order to meet the Millenium Development Goals by 2015. This means that an extra $50 billion is needed per year.

The UK is seeking to develop the proposal for an International Finance Facility in partnership with the international community. The facility would borrow on the international capital markets to raise the amount of development aid for the years to 2015 from $50 billion a year to $100 billion dollars per year.

Pension Credit

19. Helen Jones: To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many pensioners in Warrington North will be eligible for the pension credit. [99480]

Dawn Primarolo: As at November 2002, over 2,700 pensioners in Warrington North were receiving the Minimum Income Guarantee. They and others besides will benefit from the Pension Credit. Nationally, the Department for Work and Pensions is aiming to ensure that at least three million pensioner households receive their entitlement by 2006.

National Insurance

20. Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the effect of the impending national insurance increases on UK competitiveness. [99481]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my response in the Chamber earlier today to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham.

Bioethanol

21. Mr. Kidney: To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If he will reduce the duty on bioethanol used as fuel for motor vehicles. [99482]

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John Healey: In the Pre Budget Report, we announced a reduced rate of duty for bioethanol, to be set at 20 pence per litre less than the prevailing rate for ultra low sulphur petrol. The date of implementation of this new rate will be announced at the time of the Budget.

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