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25 Jun 2003 : Column 859W—continued
Timber
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department's procurement policy includes timber used on and in the construction of departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement. [116849]
Yvette Cooper: It is the policy of the Office of Deputy Prime Minister to purchase only timber and timber products from sustainable and legal sources. This policy is in line with commitment made by the UK Government and is as set down in the departmental Greening Operations Policy Statement, published in October 2002.
This policy is applied to construction projects by including a Model Contract Specification Clause for timber procurement within the works specification.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Inquests (Prescribed Drugs)
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will broaden the remit of inquests so that coroners can take into account the influence of prescribed drugs in suicide. [119776]
Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
The Courts have confirmed that, under the current law, the purpose of an inquest is to ascertain how the deceased came by a violent or unnatural death. It is a matter for the coroner to decide on the scope of the investigation but in most cases coroners will take evidence of what drugs were prescribed and commission tests for the presence of drugs which may have been a factor in a death apparently due to self harm.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Court Dress
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to review court dress; and if he will make a statement. [120008]
Mr. Leslie: The consultation paper "Court Working Dress in England and Wales", published on 8 May 2003, is due to close on 14 August 2003. In its foreword Lord Irvine of Lairg wrote:
- "I hope this consultation exercise will encourage as high a response rate from members of the public as from legal professionals. I want to establish the extent to which court working dress impacts on public confidence, on court users and on the wider public esteem in which our courts are held, either positively or otherwise."
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I am arranging for a copy of the paper to be sent to the hon. Member.
Immigration Appeals
Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance issued on 1 October 2001 to immigration adjudicators by the Chief Adjudicator in relation to the proper determination of paper-only appeals. [120598]
Mr. Lammy: A copy of the relevant Chief Adjudicator's guidance note of 1 October 2001 to immigration adjudicators has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans he has to provide feedback from adjudicators to entry clearance officers on the quality of decision-making in relation to family visit visa applications. [120600]
Mr. Lammy: It is not the role of independent judicial officers to provide feedback to entry clearance officers on the quality of decision-making. Decision makers receive a copy of the adjudicator's determination in every case and it is for the entry clearance managers to address any issues of concern over the quality of decision making. If adjudicators identify a matter giving rise to a more general concern then the Chief Adjudicator may write to the head of UK Visas to address that specific issue.
Immigration Appellate Authority
Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will take steps to establish regular meetings between the Immigration Appellate Authority and UK visas to provide a forum for discussions. [120601]
Mr. Lammy: Representatives from UK Visas and the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) attend the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) managed migration sub-programme board. This board oversees delivery of the IND plans for managed migration and already provides both UK Visas and the IAA with a regular forum for discussions.
Judicial Appointments Commission
Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether the Judicial Appointments Commission will fix judicial salaries. [120248]
Mr. Leslie: Judicial salaries are determined by Government in the light of recommendations by the Senior Salaries Review Body. We are not proposing to change this arrangement with the establishment of a Judicial Appointments Commission.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many hon. Members hold judicial appointments [120830]
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Mr. Leslie: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Legal Aid
Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what powers the Lord Chancellor has in relation to the granting of legal aid support in civil actions. [120932]
Mr. Lammy: Legal aid in civil cases is granted from the Community Legal Service (CLS) fund according to criteria set by the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor and approved by Parliament. However, although Noble and Learned Friend and I have Ministerial responsibility for the CLS scheme, individual decisions about funding in civil cases are entirely a matter for the Legal Services Commission, which is an independent body.
The only involvement that Ministers have in individual cases occurs when the Commission, under s.6(8)(b) of the Access to Justice Act 1999, requests the Lord Chancellor to authorise exceptional funding to a case which is outside the scope of the CLS scheme. In such cases decisions are made according to the standard means and merits tests and according to criteria specific to exceptional funding applications.
Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs in what circumstances a court can deny payment of legal aid in civil actions where a legal aid certificate has previously been granted. [120933]
Mr. Lammy: When a legal aid certificate is issued, the acting legal representatives are entitled to be paid what is considered to be reasonable when the costs are
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assessed (either by the court or the Legal Services Commission). Payment may be substantially reduced if a lawyer has acted outside the scope of his instructions, outlined in the terms of the funding certificate; or, if a lawyer was negligent in some way causing the courts to strike out a claim.
It is possible for costs to amount to nil when it is assessed that work done had no value or was unnecessary.
A lawyer has the right of appeal, if their payment is denied.
Lord Chancellor
Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what research the Department has commissioned on the abolition of the post of Lord Chancellor. [120832]
Mr. Leslie: None. I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 19WS.
Magistrates
Mr. Brady: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will list for each magistrates bench where his Department is responsible for appointments (a) the political balance of the bench and (b) the voting pattern for the area. [121100]
Mr. Leslie: Information at bench level is not readily available. However, the table sets out the breakdown of magistrates political affiliations by commission area as at 1 April 2003. My officials do not maintain a central list of the corresponding voting patterns, which could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
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