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HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much asylum seekers cost public funds in the last 12 months per head of tax paying population. [132337]

Beverley Hughes: The cost of supporting asylum seekers in the last financial year for which final data are available (2001–02) was £1,046 million.

Drugs

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had about reclassifying amphetamines from a class B to class A drug. [135315]

Caroline Flint: Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, amphetamines are classified as a Class B drug.

The Government keep the control of drugs under review but have had no recent discussions with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs nor any other party about moving amphetamines to class A.

Gun Crime

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the level of gun crime. [134091]

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Caroline Flint [holding answer 27 October 2003]: Although the incidence of firearms offences is low compared to recorded crime as a whole, too many people are still being killed and injured by firearms. This is unacceptable.

We are taking forward a programme to tackle gun crime on a number of fronts. This includes:

tackling the links to drug supply and crime;


reducing the supply and availability of firearms;


effective police operations to drive down firearm offences;


tough laws and effective enforcement and engaging the worst affected communities to address the underlying gun culture.

Passports

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average administrative cost was of issuing a passport in each of the last five years. [134364]

Beverley Hughes [holding answer 27 October 2003]: The administration costs of producing a passport over the past five years was as follows:

Financial year	Administrative expenditure (£)	Passports issued	Administrative cost per passport (£)
1998–99	15,783,000	4,737,057	3.33
1999–2000	20,596,000	5,316,490	4.03
2000–01	25,433,000	5,543,994	4.59
2001–02	35,866,000	5,583,266	6.42
2002–03	36,081,000	5,354,348	6.74

Administration costs are classified in the Agency's accounts as all non-production costs including costs of the change programme, support staff and accommodation.

The main reason for the increase over time has been to deliver a growing change programme.

Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to ensure that councils are not financially disadvantaged by continuing the care of unaccompanied asylum seekers beyond the age of 16. [131494]

Beverley Hughes [holding answer 14 October 2003]: The Home Office is responsible for paying grant to local authorities supporting Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASCs) until the age of 18. The grant allows for local authorities to claim the same level of grant for UASCs aged 16–18 as for under 16s—provided that they applied for asylum before reaching the age of 16.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Small Claims Court

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans he has to compile annual reports on the work of the small claims court separately from the report on the Courts Service. [134938]

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Mr. Leslie: The Court Service will shortly be publishing the first edition of the County Court Annual Report. It will cover the period 2002–03.

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether those who adjudicate in the small claims court are given training to help them assist unrepresented parties to actions in the small claims court. [134294]

Mr. Leslie: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), an independent body chaired by Lord Justice Keene. The JSB provides written guidance to judges on the conduct of small claims cases in its Civil Bench Book and on the particular needs of litigants in person in its Equal Treatment Bench Book. Both publications are publicly available via the JSB's website (www.jsboard.co.uk). Judges who sit in the county court attend an Induction Course on first appointment and further training is provided at three-yearly intervals for all who exercise the civil jurisdiction. All such training includes sessions on the needs of litigants in person.

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what mediation resources are made available to (a) claimants and (b) defendants involved in actions in the small claims court. [134297]

Mr. Lammy: There is no national provision of mediation services within the court system. A pilot scheme for mediating small claims cases is provided by the Devon and Exeter Law Society at Exeter, Barnstaple and Torquay County Courts. If it proves successful we will consider extending a similar service to other courts.

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average cost has been to public funds of each action brought in the small claims court in the last three years. [134298]

Mr. Lammy: The only cost to public funds in pursuing a small claim through the county court is in relation to the exemption and remission of fees. Separate figures on exemption and remission are not collected on claims which fall in the monetary bands of the small claims track.

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what legal advice and support is available to (a) claimants and (b) defendants involved in actions in the small claims court. [134300]

Mr. Lammy: Although there is no specific provision of legal advice at small claims courts themselves, Court Service staff do provide assistance to claimants and defendants on procedural matters regarding the hearings. Money Claims Online, launched in December 2001, also allows claimants and defendants in small claims proceedings to submit their claims and responses online, thereby reducing pressure on the courts themselves. In addition, all courts in England and Wales are Quality Marked Information Points for The Community Legal Service (CLS) and hold the CLS directory which contains information on service providers such as Citizens Advice Bureaux, Law Centres, independent advice agencies and solicitors. Through the CLS information and advice is available in

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a wide range of categories such as consumer claims, disputes between landlords and tenants about repairs, deposits and rent arrears.

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how the effectiveness of the small claims court as a means for the public to recover small claims economically is monitored and assessed by the Department. [134303]

Mr. Leslie: There is no measure in place to monitor or assess the effectiveness of the county court as a means for the public to recover small claims economically. However, under the department's Public Service Agreements we have a number of business targets which have been identified to measure our performance in reducing unnecessary delay, reducing unnecessary cost and improving enforcement.

Sutton Coldfield Courthouse

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of the courthouse in Sutton Coldfield. [135806]

Mr. Leslie: I have decided that the appeal of Birmingham city council, against closure, should be allowed. Therefore the magistrates courthouse at Sutton Coldfield will remain open.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Benefits/MOT Testing

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the United Kingdom in relation to (a) the overlapping of social security benefits and (b) MOT testing; and if he will make a statement. [134829]

Angela Smith: The information is as follows:

(a) There is a long-standing policy of parity in social security matters between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. NI social security legislation relating to overlapping benefits is therefore already in line with that in GB.

(b) MOT testing in Northern Ireland is conducted to the same standards and within the same framework of EU requirements as elsewhere in the UK. However, an

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earlier proposal to lower the age at which private cars in Northern Ireland must undergo an MOT test from four years to three years, in line with practice in the rest of the United Kingdom, was deferred pending the outcome of a review of three year testing in Great Britain.

MOT tests, along with all other statutory vehicle tests, are carried out exclusively in Northern Ireland by the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA) of the Department of the Environment. There are no arrangements to allow private garages in Northern Ireland to carry out MOT tests on private cars, as is the practice in Great Britain. In light of the on-going difficulties with MOT test waiting times, there have been some calls for the GB arrangements to be introduced in Northern Ireland. However, following the recent programme to refurbish and re-equip DVTA's 15 test centres, under a £57 million private finance initiative contract, and on completion of the current project to introduce telephone, and subsequently internet, test booking, I expect the Agency to return to its previously high levels of performance and customer service. I believe these arrangements best suit the circumstances in Northern Ireland and I have no plans at present to review them.

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