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Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have gained work after entering the Pathway Pilots; and how many remained in work after 13 weeks. [193843]
Maria Eagle: We are already starting to see very encouraging signs of an increase in off-flow rates from incapacity benefit in the first three Pathways to Work pilot areas.
We estimate that, up to the end of July 2004, over 5,000 people had been helped into work as a result of entering the Pathways to Work pilots. This number represents those directly supported by the new reform programme and is double that achieved at the same time last year in those areas. The rate of improvement in Pathways areas is twice that of the rest of the country.
Information is not yet available on the number of people remaining in work after 13 weeks.
25. Mr. Sarwar:
To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Constitutional
26 Oct 2004 : Column 1186W
Affairs if he will bring forward proposals to include Network Rail within the statutory responsibilities of the Information Commissioner. [193534]
Mr. Lammy: Network Rail is not presently subject to the Freedom of Information Act. However, Network Rail is required to provide information to the Office of Rail Regulation about its public functions. The Office of Rail Regulation is subject to the Act, and the hon. Member will be free to approach them.
26. Dr. Naysmith : To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Constitutional Affairs what measures the Department is investigating to encourage witnesses and victims to come forward and give evidence in court. [193535]
Mr. Leslie: The Government are determined to deliver improved services to victims and witnesses in the Criminal Justice System in a variety of ways. For example, the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill with its Commons Report Stage on 27 October 2004, contains a range of measures aimed at encouraging more witnesses to come to court and give evidence.
27. Miss Begg : To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the proposals for a commission for equality and human rights. [193536]
Mr. Lammy: The proposals for a Commission for Equality and Human Rights were made in the White Paper "Fairness for All" on 12 May 2004. The Government hopes to legislate soon on this subject.
28. Chris Bryant : To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the future composition of the House of Lords. [193537]
Mr. Leslie: The Government are determined to proceed with further reform of the House of Lords. It is important to consider its proper role and functions before looking at questions of composition. Policy will be developed in the context of the Labour party manifesto.
29. Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Constitutional Affairs how much the Department spent on independent research into the operation of the legal aid system in the last year for which figures are available. [193538]
Mr. Lammy:
The Department spent a total of £450, 530.75 on independent research into the legal aid system in 200304. Some £237,895.47 was paid to Frontier Economics Ltd. for reports on the economics of the legal aid market. £212,635.28 was spent on the Independent Review of the Community Legal Service, undertaken by
26 Oct 2004 : Column 1187W
Matrix Research and Consultancy Ltd. The legal aid system is also considered as part of much wider studies, such as the "Clementi" Review.
30. Mr. Chaytor : To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the availability of legal aid in domestic violence cases. [193539]
Mr. Lammy: Domestic violence proceedings are a priority area for legal aid funding. The Legal Services Commission's Funding Code Criteria for funding domestic violence cases are wider than for most other family and non-family areas. Those who need financial assistance with their legal costs are able to obtain legal aid to go to court.
31. Julie Morgan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans the Department has to make the judiciary more representative of the general public. [193540]
Mr. Leslie: We published a consultation paper entitled "Increasing Diversity in the Judiciary" on 13 October. The paper invites views on how to widen the pool from which applicants for judicial appointment are drawn, while maintaining the principle that merit must remain the sole criterion on which judicial appointments are made. The results of the consultation exercise and a programme for change will be announced next spring.
32. Mr. Soley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the Secretary of State's plans to extend the operation of Money Claim Online. [193541]
Mr. Lammy: Since the successful introduction of Money Claim Online in February 2002, I am pleased to say that it has been extended to enable defendants and their representatives to file electronically a response to a claim and to view an electronic record of the progress of a claim. While there are currently no plans to further extend its operation, we continue to meet with stakeholders such as the Law Society who are keen to see the service extended.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of civil cases in England and Wales were legally assisted in (a) 1980, (b) 1990, (c) 2000 and (d) 2003. [193531]
Mr. Lammy: The number of civil legal aid certificates issued for representation in the civil courts rounded to the nearest thousand, was as follows:
Number | |
---|---|
197980 | 192,000 |
198990 | 391,000 |
19992000 | 246,000 |
200203 | 164,000 |
It is impossible to say what percentage of total civil cases this represents, since no record is kept of civil cases which do not go to court.
The reduction in the number of publicly funded cases in the final year is due to the reforms introduced by the Access to Justice Act which introduced a more rigorous merits test and made personal injury and other money claims a matter for the private sector.
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what level of equity in a main dwelling the Government assesses as sufficient to deny a person the benefit of civil legal aid in the absence of any other capital assets or income. [194033]
Mr. Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his question on 7 September 2004, Official Report, column 1052W. The responses are currently being analysed and the Government will announce the way forward on this and the other proposals detailed in the consultation paper, in due course.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many personnel the Department has recruited under the New Deal in each of the past five years. [194030]
Mr. Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on 25 October.
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many tsars have been appointed with responsibilities which cover part of the work of his Department; and if he will make a statement. [191929]
Mr. Lammy: No tsars have been appointed within the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
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