---

27 May 2004 : Column 1782W—continued

Vehicle Activated Signs

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what revenues raised from speed cameras can be used for the erection of Vehicle Activated Signs under the terms governing speed camera partnerships. [171898]

 
27 May 2004 : Column 1783W
 

Mr. McNulty: Approved traffic signs are allowable costs within the safety camera netting off programme. This includes the funding of Vehicle Activated Signs on a case-by-case basis. This matter is covered by the "Handbook of Rules and Guidelines for the Operation of the National Road Safety Camera Programme for England and Wales", 31 October 2003, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Anti-social Behaviour Orders

John Mann: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what training provision is provided for clerks to magistrates courts in    the use and application of anti-social behaviour orders. [176013]

Mr. Leslie: The responsibility for the training of court clerks currently rests locally with the 42 independent Magistrates Courts Committees (MCCs). The Judicial Studies Board (JSB) has issued guidance on the application and use of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) to all magistrates and this is available to court clerks.

The JSB has also issued MCCs with two Criminal Justice Reform updates in March and April 2004 for circulation to both court clerks and magistrates.

In addition, the Justice's Clerks Society has recently finalised a guidance document on ASBOs after consultation with the Home Office, which has been sent to all their members.

Community Legal Service

Nick Harvey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what consultations he has undertaken on (a) placing duties on local government to participate in Community Legal Service (CLS) Partnerships and (b) including CLS coverage in local authority strategic plans. [174957]

Mr Lammy: Recommendations from the Independent Review of the Community Legal Service (CLS), published on 28 April 2004, suggest changes to CLS Partnerships. CLS Partnerships have enjoyed considerable support from Local Authorities since they were set up in 2000. My Department is currently seeking views on the Review's recommendations, as part of a process of consultation. We will be considering the best way in which to build on the success of the CLS in the light of the Review's recommendations and the comments we receive. Any suggestions for a change in the interaction between Local Authorities and CLS Partnerships will be considered as part of this process.

Nick Harvey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what proposals he has to tackle, through the Community Legal Service, the unmet need and unresolved legal problems amongst low income, vulnerable and socially excluded groups. [174958]

Mr. Lammy: The Community Legal Service (CLS) has already demonstrated that the law assists in tackling social exclusion, particularly in conjunction with other
 
27 May 2004 : Column 1784W
 
Government programmes (e.g. Jobcentre Plus and the Connexions service). Further details of the achievements of the CLS in this area can be found in my evidence, and that of the Legal Services Commission, to the recent enquiry of the Constitutional Affairs Committee on Access to Legal Aid. My Department is currently seeking views on the recommendations of the Independent Review of the CLS, published on 28 April 2004, as part of a process of consultation. We will be considering the best way in which to build on the success of the CLS in the light of the Review's recommendations and the comments we receive.

Computer File Formats

Mr. Allan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what his Department's policy is in respect of the computer file formats used for the (a) distribution and (b) archiving of publicly available documents. [173356]

Mr. Leslie: The Department's documents that are generally available to the public electronically are provided through the Department's website (www.dca. gov.uk/publications.htm) These are usually available in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Portable Document format (PDF) formats. Previously published documents are archived in the same formats at: www.dca.gov.uk/pubs/archive.htm

Departmental Logo

Mr. Evans: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much has been spent in (a) creating and (b) providing name plates for the outside of Government buildings bearing his Department's new logo. [172388]

Mr. Leslie: My Department has incurred costs of (a) £655.00 for consultancy and design fees for creating the new nameplates and (b) £3,313.92 in providing external name plates for the outside of Government buildings bearing its new logo. The £3,313.92 consists of £2,256.28 for the front sign at Selborne House and £1,057.64 for a sign to the rear of the same building.

Attachment of Earnings Orders

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list the (a) upward and (b) downward payroll adjustments an employer may have to make as a result of the policies of his Department. [175179]

Mr. Leslie: The Attachment of Earnings Act 1971 allows a court to make Attachment of Earnings Orders for unpaid maintenance, fines and civil judgment debts. Employers may therefore have to make downward payroll adjustments to reflect these court orders which require the deduction of a set sum from the employee's salary.

Departmental Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many staff were employed in the Department to work in the communications field, and what the total expenditure on communications for the Department was, broken down by (a) Government Information and Communication Service
 
27 May 2004 : Column 1785W
 
staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others, in (A) 1994–95, (B) 1996–97, (C) 1997–98 and (D) 2001–02. [168685]

Mr. Lammy: The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) was created in June 2003, and therefore was not in existence during the periods for which details are required.

Minority Languages

Mr. MacDonald: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the meeting of the British-Irish Council held in November 2003 identified areas for enhanced inter-governmental cooperation in respect of indigenous, minority and lesser-used languages. [174185]

Mr. Leslie: The meeting of the British-Irish Council in November 2003 focused on indigenous, minority and lesser-used languages. It was agreed that members of the BIC should:

jointly consider outcomes of research into intergenerational language transmission;

carry out an assessment of structures supporting indigenous language learning in adult education in each of the BIC administrations;

work together to identify priorities for their respective indigenous languages in relation to information and communication technology development;

consider together the potential benefits of co-operating on the development of language use surveys; and

share information on their experiences of the relationship between planning policy and linguistic considerations.

Mental Incapacity Bill

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what protection there is in the draft Mental Incapacity Bill for a person who lacks mental capacity because they have been heavily sedated. [174216]

Mr. Lammy: The draft Mental Incapacity Bill will offer protection to any individual who lacks the capacity to make his or her own decisions. The Bill only permits actions taken or decisions made on behalf of someone who lacks capacity if they are made in their best interests. This process requires the person making the decision to consider whether it is likely that the person lacking capacity will at some time in the future have the capacity in relation to the matter and question, and therefore whether the decision may be postponed.

The use of sedation will only be permitted if the person reasonably believes its use is necessary to prevent harm to the person lacking capacity, and proportionate to the likelihood and seriousness of that harm.

The Government will also be responding shortly to the 40 recommendations of the Health Select Committee following their inquiry into elder abuse. These include recommended safeguards on the use of medication in care homes.

---