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20 Oct 2004 : Column 773W—continued
Lord Chancellor
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what Government policy is on the position of Lord Chancellor; and what the timetable is for proposals for change. [192696]
Mr. Leslie: The Constitutional Reform Bill is being considered in the Other Place and will then be brought to this House. We will proceed with implementation once Royal Assent has been received.
Lord Chancellor (Consultations)
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what consultations the Secretary of State has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the past 12 months; [192655]
(2) what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department with regard to effective sentencing procedures for youth courts. [192695]
Mr. Leslie: I have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (internal advice and discussion) on the grounds that it would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Magistrates (Expenses)
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total amount paid in expenses to magistrates was in each of the last 10 years. [192688]
Mr. Leslie: From the information available to my Department, the total amount paid in expenses to magistrates in the last seven years is:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 11,764,279 |
| 1997–98 | 12,412,420 |
| 1998–99 | 12,451,135 |
| 1999–2000 | 12,459,786 |
| 2000–01 | 13,052,640 |
| 2001–02 | 14,125,733 |
| 2002–03 | 13,874,885 |
| 2003–04 | (37)15,104,885 |
| Total | 119,364,465 |
(37) Estimated outturn.
Note:
Information for years prior to 1996–97 is not available.
20 Oct 2004 : Column 774W
Magistrates Court Closures
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many appeals against closures of magistrates courts were lodged in each of the last five years; how many of those were successful; and what percentage this was of appeals in each year. [192220]
Mr. Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 March 2004, Official Report, column 1419W. Since I gave that answer, I have dismissed one further appeal against the closure of Stourbridge Magistrates Court.
The provision of magistrates courthouses is a matter for the 42 Magistrates Courts Committees (MCCs) and as such my Department does not collect, centrally, information on all determinations from each of the MCCs. Therefore, the exact percentage of appeals in each year cannot be accurately calculated.
Ministerial Expenses
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much the Department spent on (a) maintenance, (b) renovation, (c) council tax and (d) running costs of residential properties used by Ministers and officials in each year since 1997. [191394]
Mr. Lammy: Between 1997 and 2004, my Department has had no residential properties used by Ministers or officials.
Mobile Phones
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many mobile phones were used by (a) Ministers and special advisers and (b) officials in his Department in each year since 1997; how many were (i) lost and (ii) stolen; and what their cost was. [191435]
Mr. Lammy: My Department has provided the following number of mobile phones to (a) Ministers and special advisers and (b) officials in the Department since 1997:
| (a) Ministers and special advisers | (b) Officials | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | n/a | n/a |
| 1998–99 | n/a | n/a |
| 1999–2000 | n/a | n/a |
| 2000–01 | n/a | n/a |
| 2001–02 | 9 | 139 |
| 2002–03 | 9 | 154 |
| 2003–04 | 10 | 173 |
| 2004 to September 2005 | 10 | 192 |
Notes:
1. Figures from 1997 to March 2001 cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.
2. During the period 2001 to 2004, four phones have been reported lost and one phone reported stolen. The only cost to the Department has been for the replacement handsets and this equates to £250.00 in total.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many official visits he has made to magistrates courts in the last 12 months. [192694]
20 Oct 2004 : Column 775W
Mr. Leslie: I visited eight magistrates courts in the last 12 months. They were Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Salford, Birmingham, Camberwell and Horseferry Road.
Queen's Counsel
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans he has for the retention of the Queen's Counsel distinction for barristers. [192697]
Mr. Leslie: My written Parliamentary Statement of 26 May 2004 sets out our policy for the reform of the rank of Queen's Counsel. The legal professional bodies, with the help of my Department, are at present designing the interim scheme.
Theft and Fraud
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what his estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997. [191419]
Mr. Lammy: It is not possible to distinguish between the Department and its agencies. Available figures for the cost of theft and fraud since 1997 are:
| £ | ||
|---|---|---|
| Department and agencies | NDPBs | |
| 1997–98 | 21,721.52 | — |
| 1998–99 | 79,923.02 | — |
| 1999–2000 | 21,558.40 | — |
| 2000–01 | 8,338.16 | — |
| 2001–02 | 48,801.47 | 13,137 |
| 2002–03 | 158,388.00 | 31,911 |
| 2003–04 | 14,048.25 | — |
Figures for the current financial year are not yet available. These figures do not include those for the Legal Service Commission who will be answering separately.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Disabled Facilities Grant
7. David Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made towards abolishing the system of means testing applicants for the disabled facilities grant in England. [192482]
Mr. Raynsford: In response to a Parliamentary Question in another place on 5 January 2004, my right hon. Friend Lord Rooker announced a review of the disabled facilities grant programme.
This review is now under way. Its terms of reference are to review the operation and outcomes of the disabled facilities grant programme and to make proposals to improve its efficiency and fairness. This will include a review of the DFG means test.
The review group will report to Ministers in May 2005.
20 Oct 2004 : Column 776W
Single Regeneration Budget
8. Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements are in place for (a) meeting and (b) monitoring the running costs of capital projects paid for by the single regeneration budget since 1997. [192483]
Phil Hope: During the lifetime of all single regeneration budget schemes, funding costs, including the running costs relating to delivery of specific capital projects, are met and monitored by the relevant SRB partnership. Partnerships are encouraged to secure the regeneration benefits achieved through SRB support by building into their forward (or exit) strategy the means to sustain the scheme's objectives after funding has completed.
Telecommunications Masts
9. Dr. Cable : To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will issue fresh planning guidance to local authorities in respect of telecommunications masts to be sited close to schools. [192484]
Keith Hill: Current planning guidance on telecommunications is set out in the revised Planning Policy Guidance Note 8: Telecommunications. The Government have no plans to revise PPG8 at the current time.
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