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10 Feb 2004 : Column 1330W—continued

Trident

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost, in real terms, of the Trident submarine fleet, including missiles and warheads, for each year since its initial deployment; and what the overall cost was of acquiring (a) the submarines and (b) the missiles and warheads. [154106]

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Mr. Hoon: The cost, in real terms, of the Trident submarine fleet, including missiles and warheads, for each year since its initial deployment has ranged between 2 per cent. and 4 per cent. of the annual defence budget.

The overall cost of acquiring (a) the submarines is £5.481 billion and (b) the missiles and warheads is £3.727 billion.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Pre-legislative Scrutiny

36. Tony Wright: To ask the Leader of the House if he will make an assessment of the effect of scrutiny of draft Bills on the quality of legislation. [153634]

Mr. Hain: I am convinced that the scrutiny of draft Bills leads to better legislation, but it would be difficult to find objective measures by which to assess the quality of legislation and the changes made following pre-legislative scrutiny.

Gunpowder Plot

37. Mr. Brady: To ask the Leader of the House what plans he has made for the House to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot. [153635]

Mr. Hain: A group of officials from both Houses are developing a proposal for an exhibition concerning the Gunpowder Plot to be held in Westminster Hall during 2005. It is hoped that the proposal will be put to the House of Commons Commission, and to the Westminster Hall authorities, in March.

Modernisation Committee

39. Kevin Brennan: To ask the Leader of the House if he will propose to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons that it examine ways of simplifying House documents. [153637]

Mr. Hain: I am aware that many Members find the form of some House documents inaccessible and I believe there is scope for further modernisation. The Modernisation Committee is considering the accessibility of the House's publications in its current inquiry on Parliament's engagement with the public, and may wish to return to the subject in the future.

Standing Committees

40. Hugh Bayley: To ask the Leader of the House if he will reduce the number of Standing Committees in which Government Bills have precedence. [153638]

Mr. Hain: I have no plans to propose such a change to the Standing Orders.

When circumstances require it, the Government gives precedence to a Private Member's Bill in a Standing Committee where Government Bills are entitled to precedence.

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Remembrance Wreaths

Mr. Gray: To ask the Leader of the House whether the cost of poppy wreaths laid by hon. Members on Remembrance Sunday is an allowable expense against the incidental expenses provision. [153351]

Mr. Hain: No, but if the hon. Member wishes, it is open to him to make representations to the Advisory Panel on Members' Allowances, who advise on detailed rules for the incidental expenses provision and other allowances.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Witnesses

27. Hugh Bayley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what measures the Government have taken to encourage and support victims and witnesses of crimes to give evidence in court. [153656]

Mr. Leslie: Last July, the Government published a National Strategy setting out steps we are taking to deliver improved services to victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system. At its heart is the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill, introduced last November, which contains a range of measures aimed at encouraging more witnesses to come to court and give evidence.

Supreme Court

29. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the locations being considered for a new supreme court. [153658]

Mr. Leslie: A wide range of options for the location of the new Supreme Court is being considered, both commercial sites and those already on the Government estate. An evaluation is currently being conducted to identify the preferred building solution. Until this process has been completed, it could be prejudicial to our commercial position to disclose details.

Industrial Action

30. Kevin Brennan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent industrial action within the Department. [153659]

Mr. Lammy: Members of the PCS union in the DCA were called out on strike on 29 and 30 January. The Department had contingency plans in place, and this ensured that the impact on overall levels of service was minimised.

Community Legal Service

31. Ms Keeble: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps are being taken to develop the Community Legal Service. [153660]

Mr. Lammy: The Legal Services Commission, on behalf of my Department, is examining new ways of delivering services through the Partnership Initiative

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Budget and Methods of Delivery Pilots. These programmes will increase access to provision of legal and advice services for those most in need. An independent review is taking place to evaluate the impact of the CLS after three years of live operation. The report is due by 31 March 2004. Informed by the report's recommendations, Ministers will then decide how to build on the success of the CLS since its introduction.

John Mann: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the current backlog of cases is in the Community Legal Service. [153357]

Mr. Lammy: I take the 'backlog of cases' to mean the applications for civil representation received by the Legal Services Commission but not yet processed. The figures as at 30 January 2004 were as follows:

Family applications: 2,667

Non-Family applications: 584

Civil amendments/authorities applications: 2,313

Emergency applications: 346

For comparison purposes, the average number of applications received per week is currently as follows:

Family applications: 2,133

Non-Family applications: 522

Civil amendments/authorities applications: 3,210

Emergency applications: 989

Anti-social Behaviour Orders

32. Claire Ward: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what training and guidance the Lord Chancellor is giving to magistrates on the implementation of Anti-social Behaviour Orders. [153661]

Mr. Leslie: The Judicial Studies Board (JSB) issued a set of magistrates' training materials addressing the original anti-social behaviour provisions in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The training materials were revised and reissued in November 2002 and again in May 2003.

Fines (East Sussex)

33. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the collection of fines imposed by magistrates' courts. [153665]

Mr. Leslie: Following the action plan I announced last June to improve fine enforcement performance, clear progress has been made and MCCs are on track to hit the 75 per cent. payment rate target set for this year.

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what percentage of fines handed down by courts in East Sussex were collected in the last year for which figures are available. [153480]

Mr. Leslie: Information on fines imposed and collected is provided by the 42 magistrates courts committees (MCCs) in England and Wales. Separate data of fines handed down by courts in East Sussex are not available.

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As set out in the report "Magistrates' Courts Business Returns, Annual Report 2002–2003" published on 25 June 2003, Sussex Magistrates Courts Committee's payment rate was 62 per cent.—£3,958,078 was collected from a total of £6,402,558 for enforcement in Sussex.

Charitable Trusts

Mr. Drew: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs for what reason individual trustees have to disclose their date of birth when making the annual return to the Charity Commission. [154374]

Fiona Mactaggart: I have been asked to reply.

This is a matter for the Charity Commission as the Government Department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The Chief Charity Commissioner will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

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