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20 Dec 2005 : Column 2765W—continued
Stingray Programme
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many weapons were to have been produced
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under the Stingray programme when first planned; and what the current number envisaged is. [38185]
Mr. Ingram: The number of Stingray weapons originally procured, and the number of these to be upgraded, is classified as they could assist a potential enemy by giving an indication of our weapon reserves.
Territorial Army
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) establishment and (b) actual strength is of the Territorial Army, broken down by regiment. [38108]
Mr. Touhig: The total establishment of the Territorial Army (TA) is currently 41,610. Establishment figures are currently not available broken down by regiment. As at 1 November 2005, the overall strength of the TA was some 36,940 (this figure includes mobilized TApersonnel, the officer training corps but excludes full-time reserve service and non-regular permanent staff). I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 918W, which offers the most recent strengths by individual regiments and corps.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future role of the Territorial Army in Lancashire. [38265]
Mr. Touhig: Further to the answer I gave on 13 June 2005, Official Report, column 18W, to the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Wallace), I can confirm that no final decisions have been taken on the rebalancing of the Territorial Army. However, they are expected shortly and an announcement will follow in the new year.
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army recruits completed their basic training in each year from 2002–03. [29536]
Mr. Touhig: Territorial Army (TA) basic training is defined as Phase 1 training. The number of TA personnel who have completed Phase 1 training is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
US-registered Aircraft
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 1 January 2001 US-registered aircraft tail number (a) N44982, formerly N8068V and N379P, and (b) N313P were provided with military air traffic control services. [34633]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 12 December 2005]: These records are not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Freedom of Information Act
Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many requests for information have been received by her Department since the Freedom of Information Act 2000
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came into force; how many requests have had their deadline extended beyond 20 working days to allow consideration of where the public interest lies; and how many requests have been refused on public interest grounds. [37644]
Ms Harman: The DCA publishes quarterly bulletins on the performance of central Government under the FOIA. The third of these reports, covering the period of 1 July to 30 September, was published on 15 December 2005, Official Report, 161WS, and has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and on the DCA's website.
From 1 January to 30 September DCA has received 495 FOI requests. 61 of these requests have had the deadline extended beyond the statutory deadline of 20working days to allow consideration of where the public interest lies. However, this figure includes 15requests where the decision to extend on public interest grounds was taken after the 20 day statutory deadline had passed. This accounts for the inconsistency with the cumulative figure published in DCA's quarterly bulletins. A total of 83 requests have been refused on public interest grounds.
Juries
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she has taken to address the issues raised by Lord Justice Auld in his 2001 review on the ethnic composition of juries; whether she intends to implement Lord Justice Auld's recommendation that where the court considers that race is likely to be relevant in a case, a jury could be selected which includes up to three people from any ethnic minority group; and if she will make a statement. [37749]
Ms Harman: The Government considered Sir Robin Auld's recommendation that the trial judge should have power to arrange for a multi-ethnic jury to hear cases where race is a significant issue. It concluded, after consultation, that it would be wrong to interfere with the composition of the jury in this way, as to do so would potentially: undermine the fundamental principle of random selection; place undue weight on the views of the specially selected jurors, lead them to feel that they were expected to represent the interests of the minority ethnic defendant or victim, and give rise to tensions and divisions in the jury room as a result.
Legal Aid
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the availability of civil legal aid to people living in Kettering constituency. [38112]
Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission contracts with service providers throughout England and Wales to provide a range of legal and advice services across different categories of law.
There are currently five service providers with a contract to undertake civil legal aid work in the Kettering constituency. Service providers in Kettering may help people who live outside the area, and people who live in Kettering may visit a service provider in a different area.
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Any person residing in England or Wales can access free quality legal advice and information through Community Legal Service Direct. This service is available direct to the public through a telephone line, website and information leaflets.
Susan Kramer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) if she will list the contracted suppliers of legal aid funded services in the boroughs of (a) Richmond-upon-Thames and (b) Kingston-upon-Thames in relation to (i) housing, (ii) social welfare, (iii) mental health, (iv) employment, (v) family issues, (vi) criminal defence and (vii)immigration; [38135]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, columns 129–30W, on legal aid, how many of the suppliers in each category are solicitors' firms; and how many solicitors' firms in each borough undertake legal aid work in immigration. [38178]
Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) contracts with suppliers throughout England and Wales to provide a range of legal and advice services across different categories of law. The LSC contracts with solicitors' firms and not for profit organisations.
The contracted suppliers in the listed categories in Richmond-upon-Thames and Kingston-upon-Thames are as follows:
The contracted suppliers in Richmond and Kingston which are solicitors firms are as follows:
| Richmond-upon-Thames | Kingston-upon-Thames | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 5 | 6 |
| Social Welfare(12) | 5 | 6 |
| Mental Health | 5 | 6 |
| Employment | 5 | 6 |
| Family | 1 | 3 |
| Criminal defence | 3 | 3 |
| Immigration(13) | 0 | 0 |
(12) Social Welfare" includes the LSC's contract categories debt", welfare benefits" and "community care".
(13) The LSC assesses immigration need for London as a whole rather than by borough.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what cases qualify for legal aid; and if she will make a statement. [38165]
Bridget Prentice:
Legal aid for civil cases is available to anyone who qualifies, provided it is not outside the scope of the scheme and cases out of scope are defamation, boundary disputes, conveyancing, making wills, trust law, damage to property, cases arising out of company or partnership law or the carrying on of business and personal injury (except clinical negligence
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and through the Lord Chancellor's direction, claims against public authorities alleging serious wrong doing). Each application is considered on an individual basis and is subject to the statutory tests of the applicant's means and the merits of the case.
To qualify for legal aid representation in criminal cases, the applicant needs to demonstrate that he or she meets the Interests of Justice" test. A number of factors are considered in assessing the Interests of Justice" in relation to any one individual. This includes whether the applicant, if convicted, is likely to suffer a loss of liberty or livelihood. Under the Criminal Defence Service Bill currently before Parliament, the Government are seeking to ensure that applicants for criminal legal aid representation will in future also be subject to a means test.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list thecontracted suppliers of legal aid funded services in the London borough of Haringey in relation to (a) housing, (b) social welfare, (c) mental health, (d) employment, (e) family issues, (f) criminal defence and (g) immigration; and if she will make a statement. [39194]
Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) contracts with suppliers throughout England and Wales to provide a range of legal and advice services across different categories of law.
The contracted suppliers in the listed categories in the London borough of Haringey are as follows:
1 Social Welfare" includes the LSC's contract categories Debt", Welfare Benefits" and Community Care".
Service providers in Haringey may help people who live outside the area, and people who live in Haringey may visit a service provider in a different area.
Any person residing in England or Wales can access free quality legal advice and information through Community Legal Service Direct. This service is available direct to the public through a telephone line, website and information leaflets.
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