---

6 May 2004 : Column 1740W—continued

Unemployment (Huntingdon)

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in the Huntingdon constituency in each year since 1997. [170844]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jonathan Djanogly, dated 6 May 2004:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (170844)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, the LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment in the Huntingdon Constituency.

 
6 May 2004 : Column 1741W
 

ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.

The table below gives the annual average number of JSA claimants for the Huntingdon constituency for each year since 1997.

Annual average number of JSA claimants—Huntingdon constituency, 1997–2003

	Number of claimants
1997	1,451
1998	1,214
1999	1,198
2000	964
2001	712
2002	786
2003	870

CABINET OFFICE

Recycled Paper

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what date his Department expects to implement in full the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that (a) all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste. [167736]

Mr. Alexander: The Cabinet Office has already implemented in full the quick win targets for copying paper and paper for printed publications.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which of the regulatory impact assessments used in the Burdens Barometer 2004 published by the British chambers of commerce relate to legislation originating from (a) the UK Parliament and (b) the EU. [170310]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 4 May 2004]: The Regulatory Impact Assessments which the British Chambers of Commerce used in their "Burdens Barometer 2004" are a matter for them.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

CPS Guidance

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance on which matters to prosecute his Department and its predecessor have given to the Crown Prosecution Service since May 1997; and if he will publish all such guidance issued. [169865]

 
6 May 2004 : Column 1742W
 

Mr. Leslie: None. Ministerial responsibility for Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lies with the Law Officers. CPS Prosecution decisions are undertaken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Specific guidance on prosecuting particular offences is contained in the CPS Prosecution Manual. This guidance and the Code are published under the CPS Freedom of Information publication scheme.

Juries

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the consultation paper on jury research and investigations into juror impropriety has been published. [170518]

Mr. Leslie: The consultation paper has not yet been published.

Operation Payback

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the implementation of Operation Payback on the Wirral; [170213]

Mr. Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 4 May 2004, Official Report, column 1453W.

Queen's Counsel

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions he has had with the legal professions concerning the future of the QC system. [167092]

Mr. Leslie: The Secretary of State and his officials have discussed the future of the QC rank with representatives of the legal professional bodies for England and Wales and Northern Ireland.

Speed Cameras

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much money was received by central Government funds in 2003 in Northern Ireland in fines paid by motorists who were prosecuted for speeding as a result of the location of fixed cameras. [169760]

Mr. Leslie: Between 1 July 2003, when the fixed speed camera initiative commenced and 31 December 2003, the money received in fines paid by motorists prosecuted for speeding as a result of the location of fixed cameras was £412,223.

Trials (Merseyside)

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce the percentage of ineffective trials in Merseyside. [170533]

Mr. Leslie: From 1 April 2003 to 31t March 2004 the ineffective trial rate in Merseyside decreased from 36.7 per cent. to 34.8 per cent..
 
6 May 2004 : Column 1743W
 

The following initiatives have recently been implemented in Merseyside to further reduce ineffective trials. The Effective Trial Management Programme (ETMP) was rolled out in February 2004. ETMP is part of the Government's Criminal Case Management Programme which incorporates the "Charging" and "No Witness, No Justice" initiatives, with a view to improving the criminal justice process. A fifth District Judge and an extra Deputy District Judge have been appointed to the Liverpool Magistrates' Court and a case progression system has been initiated to track the progress of all cases listed for trial. The impact of these will continue to improve performance in the Magistrates' Courts.

In the Crown Courts the latest figure for March 2004 is 25.1 per cent.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adoption

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children aged (a) under two and (b) over two years were adopted in each of the last five years. [169041]

Margaret Hodge: The following table shows the number of looked after children adopted in England during the years ending 31 March 1999 to 2003.
Looked after children adopted during the years ending 31 March⁽⁸⁾

Age at adoption	1999 2	2000 2	2001 3	2002 3	2003 3
Under 2	600	680	800	900	1,000
2 and over	1,600	2,100	2,200	2,500	2,500
Total	2,200	2,700	3,100	3,400	3,500

⁽⁸⁾ Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
⁽⁹⁾ Figures are based on the Key Statistics Return (KS1) and the SSDA903 sample return.
⁽¹⁰⁾ Figures are based on the AD1 return.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many adoption placements broke down in each of the last five years. [169042]

Margaret Hodge: The following table shows the estimated number of placements for adoption in England that ended without the making of an adoption order during the years ending 31 March 1999 to 2003.

	Number of placements that ended without the making of an adoption order1, 2
1999	320
2000	260
2001	270
2002	270
2003	250

⁽¹¹⁾ Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
⁽¹²⁾ Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
The information provided is derived from the SSDA903 return, a one-third sample survey of all looked after children in England, and as such these are estimated figures.




 
6 May 2004 : Column 1744W
 

---