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23 Jan 2006 : Column 1834W—continued
Departmental Estate
Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the former (a) buildings and (b) land of (i) her Department and (ii) (A) non-departmental public bodies, (B)agencies and (C) independent statutory bodies for which her Department is responsible which have been sold since 7 May 1997; what the sale price of each (1) was at the time of sale and (2) is at current prices; and whether the money accrued was (x) retained by her Department and (y) claimed by the Treasury. [40134]
Bridget Prentice: It is not possible for the Department to provide full detailed information as requested in the question without incurring disproportionate costs.
Departmental Phone Directories
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the most recent internal phone directory for the Department was published; how often it is updated; and if she will place a copy in the Library. [41748]
Ms Harman:
My Department no longer produces a paper copy departmental telephone directory so I am unable to place a copy in the Library. Since 1999, our
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telephone directory has been available electronically on the Department's intranet site and it is updated on a regular basis.
Departmental Vehicles
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many cars are (a) owned and (b) leased by her Department; what models the cars are; what type of petrol each model requires; and what the fuel efficiency is of each model. [41355]
Ms Harman: My Department currently uses a fleet of 685 leased and owned vehicles as detailed in the following tables.
The fuel efficiency of all models listed are in accordance with the relevant manufacturers published guidelines. The Department has not collected a complete listing for each model and could be obtained now only at disproportionate cost.
For vehicles provided to Government Departments by the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport has asked the Chief Executive of the GCDA to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
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Dukedom of Leinster
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the disputed claim to the Dukedom of Leinster. [43683]
Ms Harman: The Dukedom of Leinster is the Premier Dukedom of Ireland created by Letters Patent in 1766. Gerald Fitzgerald the late 8th Duke of Leinster formerly sat in the House of Lords by virtue of a Viscountcy of Great Britain. This Viscountcy was created by Letters Patent in 1747.
The late 8th Duke had proved his succession to the Viscountcy of Great Britain and took his seat on 21 October 1976 on the death of his father Edward the 7th Duke who died in March 1976. The late 8th Duke subsequently established formally his succession to the Dukedom in March 1977. Following the 8th Duke's death in December 2004, his only son Maurice Fitzgerald submitted a claim through the Crown Office, to prove his succession to the peerage.
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A competing claim to the title has also been submitted on behalf of Paul Maurice Fitzgerald who claims to be the true heir apparent of the 5th Duke.
Both claims are presently under consideration by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs.
Electoral Administration
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 236W, on electoral administration, whether, when the Electoral Administration Bill is enacted, political parties will continue to have access to the data from marked registers (a) during and (b) after elections. [43544]
Ms Harman: The marked register of electors is compiled on the day of poll. Access to this, therefore, is limited to after an election. Political parties will continue to have access to the marked registers, following an election, under the provisions within the Electoral Administration Bill.
Judicial Appointments Commission
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what progress has been made with the setting up of the Judicial Appointments Commission in Northern Ireland. [44890]
Bridget Prentice: The Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission was established on 15 June 2005. It is chaired by the Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland with 12 other members, including five members of the Judiciary, five lay members, a barrister and a solicitor.
Magistrates Courts (Gravesham)
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether magistrates courts staff in Gravesham took strike action in December 2005. [43253]
Ms Harman: The Department has been engaged in discussions on pay throughout 2005 with the unions representing staff subject to former magistrates courts service (MCS) terms and conditions of service. The Department made a pay offer which officials believe is fair given the current economic circumstances, public sector pay awards generally and what the Department could afford. The unions rejected this, and industrial action commenced with a one-day strike on 20 December 2005.
Union members at Chatham magistrates court did take action, although no staff took action at Dartford. Contingency plans worked well with both courts remaining open to the public. All essential services continued to be delivered.
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