---

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1039W—continued

Immigration Advisory Service

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what free legal representation will be available to those refused visas by overseas posts when funding is withdrawn from the Immigration Advisory Service. [128327]

Mr. Lammy: The terms of the contract that will be awarded to the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) following the transfer of funding from the Home Office to the Legal Services Commission have yet to be finalised. Ministers will write to the IAS in the near future, once the position is clearer.

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1040W

Judges' Lodgings

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list for each judges' lodgings in each of the last four years (a) their total cost, (b) the number of nights they were used by judges, (c) the number of staff employed, (d) whether it is freehold and (e) in relation to (d) (i) the capital value if freehold and (ii) its surrender value if leasehold. [123202]

Mr. Leslie [holding answer 2 July 2003]: The information requested has been set out in the following tables. The individual capital values of judges' lodgings have not been provided as they are considered to be commercially confidential. The disclosure of individual property values could prejudice the Department's negotiating position when progressing any plans to rationalise the lodgings estate. The information is withheld under exemption 7 of the Code (relating to effective management and operations of the public service). No data are available for leasehold and license properties.

Expenditure for each judge's lodgings, for the years 1999–2003 inclusive

Lodging	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Birmingham	356,736.17	405,865.43	415,705.55	432,874.74
Leicester	40,964.94	50,432.89	44,928.71	91,569.11
Lincoln	35,075.36	39,000.34	38,385.96	42,885.14
Northampton	25,031.50	18,109.32	30,622.87	17,472.17
Nottingham	189,056.39	218,144.54	246,113.20	250,807.08
Stafford	104,226.10	137,966.93	88,366.49	99,057.55
Warwick	9,792.75	235.00	4,827.92	0
Worcester	24,001.84	33,214.04	55,280.08	31,991.60
Leeds	289,833.69	376,933.30	316,445.18	319,626.98
Plawsworth	331,201.69	430,176.19	326,003.36	305,022.17
Sheffield	322,359.72	291,088.99	242,090.17	256,479.49
Temporary judge's lodgings (Hull)	0.00	14,112.24	27,053.68	12,515.76
Carlisle	35,784.61	34,554.58	31,239.93	22,821.63
Liverpool	291,920.72	233,721.22	274,731.19	235,575.37
Manchester	340,661.18	448,365.96	382,005.97	339,810.76
Preston	213,045.95	214,021.46	223,802.25	225,748.93
Chelmsford	105,494.41	107,853.64	114,388.17	138,508.71
Lewes	142,912.21	178,327.11	159,481.23	147,923.35
Temporary judge's lodgings (Lewes)	0	0	0	22,192.13
Maidstone	185,689.18	224,916.27	206,906.43	188,572.83
Norwich	124,637.02	186,917.83	152,954.05	149,283.82
Oxford	59,168.85	42,878.64	38,768.96	33,449.34
Reading	112,420.32	123,004.54	182,071.19	169,882.14
St. Albans	216,451.08	291,011.19	224,267.65	258,149.67
Caernarfon	13,771.03	14,652.72	21,989.96	10,482.15
Cardiff	235,173.88	317,177.84	286,408.24	235,232.72
Chester	197,999.40	268,956.26	234,009.87	202,777.96
Mold	46,604.57	48,145.87	67,136.40	0
Swansea	182,186.78	213,549.28	199,587.93	177,590.17
Bristol	213,888.24	213,776.82	209,010.69	242,817.41
Exeter	46,945.43	39,512.79	64,960.49	65,923.56
Plymouth	16,856.05	17,628.52	15,537.34	18,527.92
Truro	19,967.87	19,647.59	20,637.26	14,123.77
Winchester	255,824.13	301,791.48	325,776.83	295,237.96
	4,785,683.07	5,555,690.83	5,271.495.20	5,054,934.09

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1041W

Number of judge nights each judges' lodgings was used for the period 1999–2003

Lodging	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Birmingham	620	575	560	717
Leicester	62	53	73	109
Lincoln	42	46	55	48
Northampton	23	20	40	17
Nottingham	201	239	263	313
Stafford	146	144	207	161
Warwick	38	0	30	0
Worcester	29	40	41	35
Leeds	509	549	599	576
Plawsworth	554	590	496	394
Sheffield	230	256	303	231
Temporary judge's lodgings (Hull)	0	45	90	40
Carlisle	59	60	84	35
Liverpool	529	457	491	518
Manchester	492	635	581	659
Preston	274	218	277	348
Chelmsford	151	69	145	142
Lewes	120	125	60	42
Temporary judge's lodgings (Lewes)	0	0	0	38
Maidstone	120	120	110	81
Norwich	130	125	145	120
Oxford	72	30	40	24
Reading	110	80	131	129
St. Albans	165	230	95	135
Caernarfon	13	16	26	10
Cardiff	331	426	311	249
Chester	198	199	188	206
Mold	23	20	8	0
Swansea	147	190	190	145
Bristol	323	235	229	267
Exeter	73	91	93	55
Plymouth	15	25	18	30
Truro	20	30	40	23
Winchester	370	330	224	300
	6,189	6,268	6,243	6,197

Number of staff employed at each judges' lodgings during the period 1999–2003

Lodging	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Birmingham	8	10	10	6
Leicester	—	—	—	—
Lincoln	—	—	—	—
Northampton	—	—	—	—
Nottingham	6	6	6	4
Stafford	—	—	—	—
Warwick	—	—	—	—
Worcester	—	—	—	—
Leeds	10	10	10	7
Plawsworth	7	7	7	7
Sheffield	6	6	6	6
Temporary judges' lodgings (Hull)	—	—	—	—
Carlisle	—	—	—	—
Liverpool	7	7	7	7
Manchester	9	9	7	7
Preston	6	6	5	5
Chelmsford	—	—	—	—
Lewes	4	4	3	3
Temporary judges' lodgings (Lewes)	0	0	0	—
Maidstone	4	4	5	5
Norwich	5	5	5	5
Oxford	5	5	5	5
Reading	4	4	4	2
St Albans	4	4	4	2
Caernarfon	—	—	—	—
Cardiff	6	6	6	5
Chester	5	3	4	4
Mold	3	3	3	—
Swansea	4	4	4	2
Bristol	7	5	4	4
Exeter	—	—	—	—
Plymouth	—	—	—	—
Truro	—	—	—	—
Winchester	9	8	7	5
	119	116	112	91

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1042W

Schedule of right of occupation by judges' lodgings and summary valuation of freehold properties as at 30 September 2001

Lodging	Freehold	Leasehold	License	Other
Birmingham	*	—	—	—
Leicester	—	—	*	—
Lincoln	—	—	*	—
Northampton	—	—	*	—
Nottingham	*	—	—	—
Stafford	—	—	*	—
Warwick	—	—	—	*
Worcester	—	—	*	—
Leeds	—	*	—	—
Plawsworth	*	—	—	—
Sheffield	*	—	—	—
Temporary judges' lodgings (Hull)	—	—	—	*
Carlisle	—	—	*	—
Liverpool	—	*	—	—
Manchester	*	—	—	—
Preston	*	—	—	—
Chelmsford	—	*	—	—
Lewes	—	*	—	—
Temporary judges' lodgings (Lewes)	—	—	—	*
Maidstone	*	—	—	—
Norwich	*
Oxford	—	—	*	—
Reading	*	—	—	—
St Albans	*	—	—	—
Caernarfon	—	—	*	—
Cardiff	*	—	—	—
Chester	*	—	—	—
Mold	—	*	—	—
Swansea	*	—	—	—
Bristol	—	*	—	—
Exeter	—	*	—	—
Plymouth	—	—	—	—
Truro	—	—	*	—
Winchester	*	—	—	—
	11,375,000.00		Notavailable	Notapplicable	Notapplicable

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many nights were reimbursed in relation to judges' overnight accommodation; and what the average cost was per night in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [123203]

Mr. Leslie [holding answer 2 July 2003]: No re-imbursement was made in relation to High Court judges' overnight accommodation. The average cost per night in each of the last four years is set out in the table. These figures are based on the total annual expenditure of the lodgings network and therefore not only include the costs of providing accommodation, travel and subsistence for High Court judiciary and their clerks, but also the accommodation overheads (i.e. rent, rates, capital charge) of the lodgings themselves.

	Average cost per night (£)
1999–2000	774.06
2000–01	886.36
2001–02	844.38
2002–03	815.71

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on progress of the review of judges' lodgings; and when it commenced. [123204]

Mr. Leslie [holding answer 2 July2003]: An internal review of judges' lodgings reported to the, then, Lord Chancellor in July 2000. Progress on a number of the administrative and staffing improvements has been

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1043W

good and new arrangements for transporting the judges to and from lodgings have now been introduced. We have, in addition, discontinued the use of Mold Lodgings. These measures will save in excess of £450,000 per annum in running costs.

It is still our policy intention to introduce further efficiencies, particularly on rationalisation of lodgings ownership. I will be in a position to make a statement later this year.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions he has had with the judiciary on the reform of the judges' lodging system; and if he will make a statement. [123205]

Mr. Leslie [holding answer 2 July 2003]: Discussions have taken place with the judiciary and will continue to do so.

---