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Legal Services Commission
Mr. Drew: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when he will make an evaluation of the performance of the Legal Services Commission with specific reference to the provision of franchise arrangements with agencies providing legal advice. [168310]
Mr. Lammy: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has reported regularly to my Department on measures they have taken to improve quality in publicly funded legal services since it replaced the Legal Aid Board in April 2000.
The Specialist Quality Mark replaced franchise arrangements in April 2002 and became a requirement for all organisations wanting to provide specialist legal services within the Criminal Legal Service (CLS) and Criminal Defence Service (CDS). The Quality Mark is a set of quality assurance standards for legal information, general advice and specialist legal services.
The LSC is aware that some of the requirements of the Quality Mark are viewed by suppliers as overly bureaucratic. In response, a revised audit process was introduced in April 2003 that will mean that the Commission can undertake less exhaustive, less frequent audits for the best performing solicitors' firms and advice agencies. The LSC is consulting on further measures to ease the burden on firms and will continue to work with the profession to improve the position.
Members of Parliament
Andrew George: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans the Department has to review the number of hon. Members elected to the House. [168403]
Mr. Leslie: The independent Parliamentary Boundary commissions of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are required by the Parliamentary Constitution Act 1986 to undertake periodic General Reviews every eight to 12 years of the number, boundaries and names of parliamentary constituencies. A review is currently under way.
Special Immigration Appeals Commission Hearings
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will place in the Library the public parts of the transcripts of Special Immigration Appeals Commission hearings relating to appeals against detention under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; and if he will make a statement. [167090]
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Mr. Lammy: The transcripts from the open sessions of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission still contain sensitive material relating to the appellants' details. It would therefore be inappropriate to release this information into the public domain pursuant to Rule 39(5)(h) of The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Procedure) Rules 2003.
Supreme Court
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent representations the Lord Chancellor has received on the location of the Supreme Court. [168409]
Mr. Leslie: We have received a number of comments on the location of the Supreme Court, both during and after consultation. Only a small proportion of these have related to specific buildings or locations.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Freeview Digital Television
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the population of (a) Newtownabbey, (b) Carrickfergus and (c) Larne are able to receive Freeview digital television services. [168197]
Estelle Morris: According to BBC Freeview prediction figures, access to Freeview in Newtonabbey is approximately 10 per cent., Carrickfergus, around 80 per cent. and in Larne, very little, if any coverage is currently predicted.
For mainly technical reasons, it will not be possible to significantly increase digital terrestrial television coverage prior to digital switchover. However, the Government are committed to ensuring that everyone who can currently receive the main public service broadcasting channels in analogue form will receive them on digital systems at switchover.
2012 Olympics
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) hon. Members and (b) political parties from Northern Ireland in relation to promoting Northern Ireland for games events for the 2012 London Olympic bid. [168640]
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Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has discussed the London 2012 bid with her ministerial colleagues from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the Sports Cabinet meetings on 23 October 2003 and 20 April 2004.
A Parliamentary All Party Olympics Group which included political parties in Northern Ireland was also formed and had its first meeting on 30 June 2003. London 2012 are responsible for selecting the venues for the bid and have announced that Windsor Park will host preliminary games of the football competition. They will also work to maximise the benefits for the whole of the UK through the Nations and Regions Group.
Gaming Industry
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the likely impact of the draft Gambling Bill on the gaming industry. [168899]
Mr. Caborn: The Government published their assessment of the impact of the draft Gambling Bill on the casino market on 5 February 2004, and on the bingo market on 8 April 2004.
The Joint Committee, which examined our draft Bill, made a number of recommendations for the casino and bingo markets and these are being considered.
Kinetika Arts Link International
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was made available by her Department and its agencies to Kinetika Arts Link International and associated companies for each of the last five years broken down by project; what the intended outcome of each project was; what the agreed assessment criteria for each project were; and what the outcome of each project was. [168849]
Estelle Morris [holding answer 26 April 2004]: The information is as follows:
Direct and Indirect Awards to Kinetika Arts Link International
Arts Council England (ACE) is the national development agency for the arts in England. It is responsible for distributing public money from DCMS and the National Lottery to artists and art organisations. ACE received £336.8 million from DCMS in 2003–04 and this will increase to £410.4 million by 2005–06.
Following is the full list of awards Kinetika received either directly or indirectly since April 1999. Kinetika is also coming on stream as a Regularly Funded Organisation of ACE in 2004–05 and will receive £15,000 in the first year, increasing to £30,000 in 2005–06.
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