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Written Answers to Questions

Monday 12 December 2005

ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Registered Third Parties

Mr. Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport,representing the Speaker's Committee on the ElectoralCommission how many (a) organisations and (b) individuals are registered with the Electoral Commission as Registered Third Parties; and how many were so registered in each month since 2004. [33787]

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission's statutory register of recognised Third Parties is available at www.electoralcommission.org.uk. There are currently 22 recognised Third Parties on this Register, 20 of which are organisations and two are individuals.

As of the last day in each month since January 2004 the number on the register was:

	Total
2004
January	9
February	11
March	11
April	12
May	14
June	14
July	14
August	15
September	16
October	16
November	15
December	16
2005
January	16
February	18
March	20
April	26
May	26
June	26
July	25
August	23
September	23
October	23
November	22

Mr. Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how many officials in the Electoral Commission deal with the registration of Registered Third Parties; at what grade; and if he will make a statement. [33788]

Peter Viggers: The Commission informs me that no staff are employed full time on the registration of recognised Third Parties, but aspects of this form part of the duties of three officials. The staff concerned are at manager, officer and assistant level respectively.
 
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SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Correspondence

Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many(a) letters from hon. Members, (b) letters from members of the public and (c) parliamentary questions from (i) hon. Members and (ii) Lords were dealt with by the Law Officers' Department in each year since 1995 in respect of what percentage his Department took (A) more than one month and (B) more than three months to provide a substantive answer; and if he will make a statement. [34539]

The Solicitor-General: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members/Peers correspondence. The Report for 2004 was published on 6 April 2005, Official Report, columns 137–40WS. Reports for earlier years are available in the Library of the House.

In respect of correspondence from members of the public, my Department have provided statistics dating back to November of last year, when the Correspondence Unit was first set up. During the period 1 November 2004 to date we have replied to 91 per cent. of correspondence within 20 working days. Following tables show these figures.
LSLO correspondence unit: response to letters from 'general public' November 2004

	Number
Number of letters	59
On time	54
Out of time	6

Note:
Performance target reached: 92 per cent.




December 2004

	Number
Number of letters	49
On time	43
Out of time	6

Note:
Performance target reached: 88 per cent.




January 2005

	Number
Number of letters	96
On time	67
Out of time	29

Note:
Performance target reached: 70 per cent.




February 2005

	Number
Number of letters	90
On time	81
Out of time	9

Note:
Performance target reached: 90 per cent.





 
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March 2005

	Number
Number of letters	131
On time	120
Out of time	11

Note:
Performance target reached: 92 per cent.




April 2005

	Number
Number of letters	109
On time	98
Out of time	11

Note:
Performance target reached: 90 per cent.




May 2005

	Number
Number of letters	79
On time	7
Out of time	6

Note:
Performance target reached: 92 per cent.




June 2005

	Number
Number of letters	68
On time	58
Out of time	10

Note:
Performance target reached: 85 per cent.




July 2005

	Number
Number of letters	97
On time	94
Out of time	3

Note:
Performance target reached: 97 per cent.




August 2005

	Number
Number of letters	93
On time	87
Out of time	6

Note:
Performance target reached: 94%




September 2005

	Number
Number of letters	58
On time	54
Out of time	4

Note:
Performance target reached: 93 per cent.




October 2005

	Number
Number of letters	66
On time	63
Out of time	3

Note:
Performance target reached: 95 per cent.





 
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November 2005

	Name
Number of letters	69
On time	69
Out of time	0

Note:
Performance target reached: 100 per cent.




Up to 7 December 2005

	Name
Number of letters	9
On time	9
Out of time	0

Note:
Performance target reached: 100 per cent.

Statutory Instruments

Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many statutory instruments introduced by the Department had to be (a) withdrawn, (b) amended by a further statutory instrument and (c) reprinted because of defective drafting in each session since 1997; and what steps he (i) is taking and (ii) plans to take to prevent further such instances. [34535]

The Solicitor-General: None have been withdrawn or reprinted because of defective drafting. Two have been revoked and replaced by statutory instruments giving effect to new legislation.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

A120 (Expansion)

Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to safeguard the efficient use of agricultural land affected by the proposed expansion of the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey. [35750]

Dr. Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.

The Highways Agency will seek to minimise the impact of the new A120 road improvement on agricultural holdings and farm practices, within a balanced environmental design strategy. The strategy, which is still in development stage, will consider agricultural land take, the severance of individual or associated farm units and the creation of non-viable land parcels, whilst maintaining farm access routes, or providing acceptable alternatives where necessary.

Animal Welfare

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of animals likely to need re-homing as a result of the introduction of the new welfare offence in the Animal Welfare Bill; and what percentage change she expects in the number of animals in need of re-homing. [34592]

Mr. Bradshaw: We have no statistics for the number of animals currently requiring re-homing. However the introduction of the welfare offence is not expected to increase overall numbers significantly. We believe that
 
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the majority of sanctuaries are run satisfactory, providing a valuable service to animal welfare. However, there is evidence that a minority pose a risk. The Animal Welfare Bill will enable this risk to be addressed throughthe introduction of secondary legislation. The Regulatory Impact Assessment published in conjunction with the Bill proposes that all sanctuaries should be required to register with local authorities on the basis of a veterinary assessment and be subject to a code of practice by 2009. The regulation of animal sanctuaries under the Animal Welfare Bill will enable reliable data to be built up by local authorities so that high-risk establishments can be identified and inspected.

We propose to work closely with welfare organisations and representatives of animal sanctuaries in preparing secondary legislation. This consultation will enable us to refine our thinking on key issues such as the criteria for regulating a sanctuary and the guidance which the code will give on rehabilitation and re-homing. The draft regulations and code will be subject to public consultation and there will also be the opportunity for discussion in Parliament.

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many animal sanctuaries she estimates are open to the public in England; [34593]

(2) what recent estimate she has made of the number of animal sanctuaries there are in England. [34594]

Mr. Bradshaw: Because animal sanctuaries are notregulated there is a lack of comprehensive data on their numbers in England. The Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which accompanied the Animal Welfare Bill, published on 14 October 2005, gave a conservative estimate of 700 sanctuaries in England and Wales based on previous consultations with animal sanctuary interests. It is not known what percentage of animal sanctuaries are open to the general public.

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what process her Department undertakes to estimate the number of animal sanctuaries; and what definition of a sanctuary is used. [34595]

Mr. Bradshaw: Animal sanctuaries are not regulated, so there is a lack of comprehensive data on their numbers in England. The Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which accompanied the Animal Welfare Bill, published on 14 October 2005, gave a conservative estimate of 700 sanctuaries in England and Wales based on previous consultations with animal sanctuary interests.

There is no legal definition of an animal sanctuary. However, the term is generally taken to mean any establishment that takes in displaced, injured or unwanted animals, ranging from domestic pets to wild animals, re-homing or rehabilitating animals or providing long-term care.

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