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Work Permits

Mr. Letwin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many in-country work permits were approved in 2002; and what proportion were granted to those previously holding a work permit. [101078]

Beverley Hughes: There were 40,888 in-country work permits issued in 2002, and a further 24,506 authorised extensions to previously issued work permits. Applications can be made in respect of overseas workers already in the UK where there has been a change of employment or a technical change of work. The Immigration Rules also make provision for students who have obtained a degree whilst studying in the UK, and postgraduate doctors, nurses and dentists who have remained in the UK after becoming qualified, to "switch" to work permit status.

The right hon. Member may have been misled into thinking that work permits can be issued to asylum seekers. Asylum seekers cannot apply for work permits, and are not in the categories of those allowed to "switch" into work permit status.

PRIME MINISTER

Forward Strategy Unit

Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the activities of Lord Birt as a member of the Forward Strategy Unit over the last 12 months; on how many occasions Lord Birt has travelled by public transport in the last 12 months as part of his work with the Forward Strategy Unit; and how much Lord Birt has claimed in expenses as a result of his appointment to the Forward Strategy Unit. [102382]

The Prime Minister: Lord Birt is my unpaid strategy adviser. He is not a member of the Strategy Unit, but works alongside the Strategy Unit on a range of issues. The nature of Lord Birt's work is to provide private internal advice to me and other Cabinet Ministers. This advice is not disclosed under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Lord Birt works primarily in London and my understanding is that he regularly uses public transport. He has not claimed any expenses in the last 12 months.

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Iraq

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what steps the Government has taken (a) to minimise environmental damage and (b) to restore environmental damage caused in the event of a war in Iraq. [102498]

The Prime Minister: No decision to launch military action against Iraq has been taken.

Johnson Press

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Prime Minister on (1) what occasions members of his Office have (a) met and (b) spoken to (i) Mr. Roger Parry, Chairman and (ii) Mr. Tim Bowdler, Chief Executive of Johnston Press, in connection with the Hartlepool Mail in the last 12 months; [102490]

(2) on what occasions he has (a) met and (b) spoken to (i) Mr. Roger Parry, Chairman and (ii) Mr. Tim Bowdler, Chief Executive of Johnston Press in the last 12 months. [102489]

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister when he last had discussions with Mr. Roger Parry of Johnson Press. [102540]

The Prime Minister: Ministers and Government officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings, under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Kyoto Protocol

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister when he last discussed the Kyoto Protocol with President Bush; and if he will make a statement. [102499]

The Prime Minister: I have regular discussions with President Bush on a wide range of international issues including energy policy and climate change. The Government welcomes the US's recognition that climate change is a serious problem and the fact that it is taking domestic action.

The UK is fully committed to the Kyoto Protocol, with its binding targets and timetables, which is designed to deliver absolute global emissions reductions. The UK will work with other governments to develop the technologies needed to reduce global emissions further in the longer term.

Lords-Lieutenant

Harry Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister what requirements there are for Lord Lieutenants to declare political affiliation. [101886]

The Prime Minister: Lord Lieutenants are aware that their role is essentially non-political. As Her Majesty's representatives Lord Lieutenants should stand apart from politics in their respective counties or areas and should not, therefore, take part in local political activities or hold office in local political party organisations. Lord Lieutenants are also advised that

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participation in national political activity may carry some potential risk for their impartiality at county or area level.

Security Council (Veto)

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy relating to judging a veto in the UN Security Council as unreasonable. [102496]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) at Prime Minister's questions on 26 February 2003, Official Report, columns 250–51.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Departmental Press Officers

22. Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) full and (b) part time press officers were employed by her Department in April 1997; and how many are employed now. [101891]

Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 20W. In relation to (a) the Lord Chancellor's Department employed three full-time press officers in 1997 and now employs 10.

With regard to (b), the Lord Chancellor's Department has not employed any part time press officers.

Legal Aid

23. Mr. Cameron: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much was spent in legal aid on funding asylum (a) hearings, (b) appeals and (c) judicial reviews in the last two years; and if she will make a statement. [101892]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Legal Service Commission's computer systems do not record expenditure according to the stage a case has reached; nor is it possible to identify asylum expenditure separately from the more general category of immigration matters. However, for the last two completed financial years, expenditure on immigration and asylum was £81 million in 2000–01 and £130 million in 2001–02, We estimate that at least 90 per cent. of that expenditure related to asylum matters.

Legal Services (Consumer Choice)

25. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what progress has been made in increasing consumer choice in legal services. [101894]

Ms Rosie Winterton: In April 1998, the Institute of Legal Executives joined the Bar Council and the Law Society as an authorised body in its own right and as a fully fledged part of the legal profession. In November 1999, the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents was similarly designated. These developments represent a small, but important, increase in the number of people

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qualified to appear before the courts, widening the availability of legal services to the public. Reform of the law relating to conditional fees agreements has also allowed innovative products to be developed, which have increased the funding options available to individuals with winnable cases.

The Government remain keen to remove restrictive practices not in the public interest. The removal of such practices could provide an incentive for lawyers, or other providers, to introduce innovative, high quality and affordable services to the public. In most cases, open and competitive markets are the best way to ensure that consumers get the best possible service, while continuing to protect consumers and ensuring probity. The Government have consulted on matters that fall to it following on from the Office of Fair Trading's report on competition in professions. We are currently considering the responses to that consultation.

Magistrates Courts

26. Mr. Paice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Department has to open new Magistrates courts in Cambridgeshire. [101895]

Yvette Cooper: There are no plans to open any new Magistrates courts in Cambridgeshire. Cambridgeshire Magistrates Courts Committee (MCC) will continue to operate from the five Magistrates courts based at Peterborough, Cambridge, Wisbech, Huntingdon and Ely. The MCC in providing an effective and efficient service to all court users has responsibility to explore opportunities for the provision of replacement buildings if necessary.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) adults and (b) juveniles were tried at Chorley Magistrates Court in each of the last three years. [100839]

Yvette Cooper: The total number of adult and youth cases dealt with by Lancashire MCC in Chorley South Ribble and Ormskirk Magistrates Courts as whole is as follows:

Adult	2000–01	2001–02	(7)2002–03
Indictable	2,394	1,942	1,848
Breaches	453	295	392
Summary Non Motoring	5,289	5,027	3,217
Motoring	4,316	4,261	5,278
Youth	825	719	685

⁽⁷⁾ Projected

The MCC has not allocated separation figures for Chorley.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what criteria are used when determining the (a) closure and (b) retention of magistrates courts; and what the process and timescale is. [100836]

Yvette Cooper: Under section 56(1) of Justice of the Peace Act 1997 (JPA), decisions to close or retain magistrates courts are made by locally based Magistrates Courts Committees (MCCs) after consultation with the local paying authority. The paying

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authority concerned is notified in writing of any determination to close and has the right of appeal to the Lord Chancellor within one month of the written notification, section 56(3) JPA 1997. Opportunities for representation are given to all concerned parties and the appeal is concluded when the Lord Chancellor is satisfied that this has happened and then makes his decision. His decision is final and binding on both parties. There is no pre-determined timescale.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress is being made with those Magistrates courts that are working with computer network technologies. [101168]

Yvette Cooper: Under the Libra Project, a common national infrastructure and Office Automation has now been delivered to over 90 per cent. of Magistrates courts staff. There are four MCCs remaining in the rollout programme and these will be completed by spring 2003. A total of 9,116 workstations have been deployed, giving access to 10,701 users.

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