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24 May 2005 : Column 97W—continued
Rape Trials
Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what re-training is given to judges ticketed to try rape; and after what intervals from the date of their ticketing such training is given; [586]
(2) what the contents are of the Judicial Studies Boards serious sexual offence courses; and who is obliged to attend them; [590]
(3) what training on trying rape is given to judges prior to them being ticketed to hear such trials. [595]
Harriet Harman: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), an independent body chaired by Lord Justice Keene.
No judge may hear a case involving rape or a serious sexual offence in the first instance without first having
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received appropriate JSB training, and the designated course for this is the Serious Sexual Offences Seminar (SSOS). Those authorised will be called to continuation training every three years from the date of their first attendance. SSOS is currently designed to cater for both those newly authorised and those receiving continuation training on the basis that a strong element of the training is in the sharing of experiences in general discussions, and in particular during the syndicate work for sentencing and practical problems. However, the question as to whether there should be separate seminars for those attending for the first time, and those receiving continuation training, is kept under review.
The seminar is currently a residential two-day (over three) event and past programmes have included talks on the following:
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(1) research into public attitudes to sexual offending and the views of complainants and victims on the way in which sexual offences proceedings are handled.
(2) The policies and practices of the police and Crown Prosecution Service in handling serious sexual offences.
(3) Issues of evidential and procedural law and practice which bear on the conduct of trials in such cases.
(4) Sentencing issues and the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders in the community and in prison. Also included in the programme is a series of discussions, in small groups, of trial and sentencing issues.
In addition, judges of every rank, including the High Court and the Court of Appeal, who exercise the criminal jurisdiction, also received some training on the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 as part of a programme of training on the Criminal Justice Reforms that ran between January and March 2005. This was supplemented with written material provided at the time the Act came into force.
Newly appointed High Court Judges attend a Serious Sexual Offences Seminar at the earliest opportunity if they have not recently done so in a previous capacity. Further continuation training for High Court Judges is arranged at their request.
Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what monitoring is carried out of the frequency with which individual judges allow applications to admit previous sexual history in rape trials. [589]
Harriet Harman: The Government do not monitor decisions made by individual judges in exercise of their judicial discretion.
Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what proportion of rape trials were cracked at court with the defendant tendering a plea of guilty to a lesser offence during (a) 2003 and (b) 2004. [611]
Harriet Harman:
In 2003 one (0.4 per cent.) case out of 286 cracked at court because the defendant tendered a guilty plea to a lesser offence. In 2004, it was two (0.8 per cent.) out of 254.
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DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Business Rates
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the 2005 business rates revaluation in England was revenue-neutral. [377]
Mr. Woolas: The Local Government Finance Act 1988 limits the increase in the non-domestic multiplier in line with the retail prices index and takes into account losses from appeals over the life of the rating lists. This ensures that no additional revenue is collected purely as a result of revaluation.
The total yield for 2004–05 (provisional outturn) is £16,214 million. Based on current estimates from local authorities, the estimated total yield for 2005–06 is £17,000 million.
Council Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he expects the 2007 council tax revaluation in England to be revenue-neutral. [278]
Mr. Woolas: The Government set out in its 2001 White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services" its policy that revaluation should not lead to a change in the overall council tax yield.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effects on (a) the council tax base and (b) council tax receipts of reducing council tax discounts on (i) empty homes and (ii) second homes in England. [281]
Mr. Woolas: According to budget returns from local authorities, reductions in council tax discounts in England for long-term empty and second homes for 2004–05 led to increases in the council tax base of 42,600 and 62,700 Band D equivalent properties respectively.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not collect information on the effect of changes to these discounts on council tax receipts.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average Band D council tax in (a) county councils, (b) metropolitan councils, (c) unitary councils and (d) London boroughs was in each year from 1997–98 to 2005–06. [291]
Mr. Woolas: The information requested is shown in the following table.
(8) Amounts shown are headline taxes, before transitional relief and benefits.
(9) Amounts shown for 2005–06 are before capping
Source:
BR1, BR2 and BR3 forms
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Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to introduce council tax revaluation transitional relief in England in 2007; and if he will make a statement. [306]
Mr. Woolas: The Government are committed to a transitional relief scheme. They will consult on their proposals for the scheme at the same time as they consult on proposals for revaluing and reforming council tax in the light of the Lyons Inquiry.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average council tax per dwelling levied in each billing authority in England was in each year from 1997–98 to 2005–06. [356]
Mr. Woolas: The figures requested have been made available in the Library of the House.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of local government revenue expenditure in England was financed by council tax in each year since 1996–97; and what the estimated proportion for 2005–06 is. [358]
Mr. Woolas: The proportion of local government revenue expenditure financed by council tax in England each year from 1996–97 is shown in the following table.
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 22 |
| 1997–98 | 24 |
| 1998–99 | 25 |
| 1999–2000 | 25 |
| 2000–01 | 25 |
| 2001–02 | 25 |
| 2002–03 | 25 |
| 2003–04 | 25 |
| 2004–05 | 26 |
The data are as reported by local authorities and are taken from outturn figures for 1996–97 to 2003–04 and budget estimates for 2004–05. The figures shown are gross of council tax benefit.
Estimates are not yet available for 2005–06.
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