House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 23 Jun 2003 (pt 29)

23 Jun 2003 : Column 636W—continued

Magistrates Courts

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs if she will set out for each magistrates court in Greater Manchester (a) the amount of fines levelled by each court in each of the last five years, (b) the amount of fines written off by each court and (c) the percentage of fines collected. [119442]

Mr. Leslie: Magistrates Courts Committees (MCCs) have a responsibility for the collection of a range of debts imposed by the magistrates courts and the Crown

23 Jun 2003 : Column 637W

court. Debt collected includes not only fines but also fees, compensation, confiscation orders, legal aid contributions and some maintenance orders. It is not possible to separate out only fines from the total.

Prior to 1999, the Magistrates Courts Committees were not asked as part of their data collection to provide full information on the amounts imposed or paid. The national data for the period 1996–98 for amounts 'written off' was collected only for the last quarter of each calendar year.

The figures for the magistrates courts areas within Greater Manchester are contained in the table, including that for the first three quarters in 2002–03, which is currently the latest data published.

23 Jun 2003 : Column 638W

Greater Manchester Magistrates Courts Committee⁽⁵²⁾

Imposed in Quarter 4 (£) Amount written off in Quarter 4 (£) Percentage written off

October to December 1998

Trafford 670,595 43,342 6

Tameside 547,542 64,073 12

Stockport 447,094 56,208 14

Oldham 486,091 70,328 14

North and West Greater Manchester (includes Bolton, Bury, Wigan, City of Salford, Rochdale, Middleston and Heywood) 2,957,003 649,753 22

Manchester 1,782,543 701,137 39

	Imposed in Quarter 4 (£)	Amount written off in Quarter 4 (£)	Percentage written off
October to December 1998
Trafford	670,595	43,342	6
Tameside	547,542	64,073	12
Stockport	447,094	56,208	14
Oldham	486,091	70,328	14
North and West Greater Manchester (includes Bolton, Bury, Wigan, City of Salford, Rochdale, Middleston and Heywood)	2,957,003	649,753	22
Manchester	1,782,543	701,137	39

⁽⁵²⁾ Information regarding debt is calculated over a rolling year and the percentages paid and written off in each area will also include amounts that were imposed in previous years.

Greater Manchester Magistrates Courts Committee⁽⁵³⁾

Imposed (£) Percentage paid Amount written off (£) Percentage written off

April 1999 to March 2000

Trafford 4,728,186 24 425,537 9

Tameside 1,861,182 57 241,934 13

Stockport 2,227,346 49 ⁽⁵⁴⁾— ⁽⁵⁴⁾—

Oldham 1,106,743 101 630,844 57

North and West Manchester (includes Rochdale, Wigan, Leigh and Bury) 10,727,563 60 2,467,339 23

Manchester 6,035,529 49 2,172,790 36

April 2000 to March 2001

Trafford 3,951,052 33 1,382,868 35

Tameside 1,776,096 54 390,741 22

Stockport 1,558,011 89 545,304 35

Oldham 1,063,770 114 531,885 50

North and West Manchester (includes Rochdale, Wigan, Leigh and Bury) 9,921,380 63 2,976,414 30

Manchester 6,700,253 52 2,345,089 35

April 2001⁽⁵⁵⁾ to March 2002

Trafford 4,302,658 28 258,159 6

Tameside 1,334,217 71 400,265 30

Stockport 1,381,183 92 414,355 30

Oldham 1,028,870 106 473,280 46

Salford 931,028 123 484,135 52

Bolton 1,448,566 97 260,742 18

Wigan (includes Bury, Leigh and Rochdale) 6,329,356 54 1,329,165 21

Manchester 6,278,014 52 2,511,206 40

April 2002 to December 2002⁽⁵⁶⁾

Trafford 2,401,929 40 1,925,967 ⁽⁵⁷⁾80

Tameside 894,495 74 271,097 30

Stockport 1,178,904 83 311,214 26

Oldham 866,642 90 235,192 27

Salford 906,237 93 292,542 32

Bolton 1,331,538 81 277,014 21

Wigan (includes Bury, Leigh and Rochdale 3,417,731 72 918,541 27

Manchester 5,973.128 49 2,776,921 46

	Imposed (£)	Percentage paid	Amount written off (£)	Percentage written off
April 1999 to March 2000
Trafford	4,728,186	24	425,537	9
Tameside	1,861,182	57	241,934	13
Stockport	2,227,346	49	⁽⁵⁴⁾—	⁽⁵⁴⁾—
Oldham	1,106,743	101	630,844	57
North and West Manchester (includes Rochdale, Wigan, Leigh and Bury)	10,727,563	60	2,467,339	23
Manchester	6,035,529	49	2,172,790	36

April 2000 to March 2001
Trafford	3,951,052	33	1,382,868	35
Tameside	1,776,096	54	390,741	22
Stockport	1,558,011	89	545,304	35
Oldham	1,063,770	114	531,885	50
North and West Manchester (includes Rochdale, Wigan, Leigh and Bury)	9,921,380	63	2,976,414	30
Manchester	6,700,253	52	2,345,089	35

April 2001⁽⁵⁵⁾ to March 2002
Trafford	4,302,658	28	258,159	6
Tameside	1,334,217	71	400,265	30
Stockport	1,381,183	92	414,355	30
Oldham	1,028,870	106	473,280	46
Salford	931,028	123	484,135	52
Bolton	1,448,566	97	260,742	18
Wigan (includes Bury, Leigh and Rochdale)	6,329,356	54	1,329,165	21
Manchester	6,278,014	52	2,511,206	40

April 2002 to December 2002⁽⁵⁶⁾
Trafford	2,401,929	40	1,925,967	⁽⁵⁷⁾80
Tameside	894,495	74	271,097	30
Stockport	1,178,904	83	311,214	26
Oldham	866,642	90	235,192	27
Salford	906,237	93	292,542	32
Bolton	1,331,538	81	277,014	21
Wigan (includes Bury, Leigh and Rochdale	3,417,731	72	918,541	27
Manchester	5,973.128	49	2,776,921	46

⁽⁵³⁾ Information regarding debt is calculated over a rolling year and the percentages paid and written off in each area will also include amounts that were imposed in previous years.

⁽⁵⁴⁾ Data not available.

⁽⁵⁵⁾ Following the amalgamation in April 2001 of 73 MCCs into 42 there was a change of areas making up Greater Manchester Magistrates Court Committee.

⁽⁵⁶⁾ Only three quarters data are currently available for the 2002–03 financial year.

⁽⁵⁷⁾ During 2002, as part of on-going performance management, Trafford magistrates court have been running an initiative to bring to a conclusion old accounts by writing off impositions held on the system where defendants cannot be traced. When these defendants reappear the debt is then written back for collection purposes.

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Office for the Supervision of Solicitors

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs what his latest assessment is of the effectiveness of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors. [120116]

Mr. Lammy: There is some evidence of improvements at the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors (OSS). During 2002 OSS met:

all the turnaround targets for the resolution of compensation fund application complaints;

two out of four turnaround targets for the resolution of service and conduct complaints;

one out of three turnaround targets for the resolution of remuneration certificate complaints; and

the Legal Services Ombudsman (LSO) was satisfied in 67 per cent. of cases dealt with by the OSS, up 10 per cent. on the previous year.

The OSS has produced robust management information that shows how they intend to build on their performance over the next 3 years in order to reach and exceed acceptable standards overall. Also, the OSS are undertaking an exercise to bench-mark their complaints handling schemes against the best in the services sector to identify an objective standard by which to measure performance.

Additionally, the Law Society have accepted in principle, 11 wide-ranging recommendations to improve complaints handling by their Independent Commissioner, Sir Stephen Lander.

However, we continue to have concerns about the age profile of cases and about the performance of the OSS in recent months. We will monitor closely the measures undertaken by the OSS to ensure they deliver real benefits to consumers.

Pro Bono Work

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, what action he is taking to promote pro bono work in the legal profession; and if he will make a statement. [120006]

Mr. Lammy: The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) has a seat on the Attorney General's National Pro Bono Co-ordinating Committee, whose aims are to increase awareness of pro bono work in the legal professions and beyond and to encourage increased participation.

The DCA also provides the Committee with secretarial support. We provide 50 per cent. of the funding (in partnership with the Active Community Unit of the Home Office) for the LawWorks project an initiative between the Solicitors Pro Bono Group, the Law Centres Federation and the Bar Pro Bono Unit. This amounts to £345,000 over three years. The initiative aims to create 2,000 new volunteering opportunities by June 2004 and provide public access to electronic pro bono advice.

Supreme Court/Judicial Appointments Commission

Mr. Allen: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, what consultation the

23 Jun 2003 : Column 640W

Lord Chancellor will undertake on the creation of (a) a Supreme Court and (b) a Judicial Appointments Commission. [119979]

Mr. Leslie: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 19WS.

Website Access

Dr. Cable: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs if he will list the actions the Department (a) has taken and (b) is taking to ensure that the websites of the Department, its Agencies and non-departmental public bodies are accessible to partially sighted and blind people; and if she will make a statement. [118846]

Mr. Leslie: My Department has done much recently to ensure that its major sites are accessible to partially sighted and blind people, although in some areas, further improvements need to be implemented. The table that shows what each website has done, and intends to do, to improve accessibility has been placed in the Library.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Bogus Ground Rent

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to protect leaseholders from bogus ground rent charges. [120044]

Mr. Raynsford: The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, which contains wide-ranging provisions to improve leaseholders rights, includes provisions that will protect leaseholders from ground rent abuses. These provide that a leaseholder will not be liable to pay ground rent unless the landlord has sent a written demand in a prescribed format. They also provide that the landlord cannot take forfeiture action unless a breach of the lease has been admitted, or determined by a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. In addition, a landlord cannot take forfeiture action for amounts which are less than a sum to be prescribed by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister—unless the amount has been outstanding for more than a prescribed period. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister aims to bring these provisions into force in early 2004.

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