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22 Jun 2006 : Column 2074W—continued
Courts Act
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the operation of the Courts Act 2003; and what recent representations she has received about the operation of this Act. [78831]
Ms Harman: The Courts Act 2003 (CA 2003) has implemented the courts-related recommendations contained in Sir Robin Auld’s review of the Criminal Courts in England and Wales (published in 2001). I have not received any recent representations concerning the operation of the CA 2003, which I continue to keep under review.
Data Protection
Mr. Steen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many organisations have (a) been found guilty of breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998 and (b) been taken to court since it came into force. [78972]
Vera Baird: Failure to comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act is not in itself a criminal offence. Criminal offences can be committed under section 17 (processing personal data without notification) and section 55 (unlawful obtaining and selling of personal data).
Since the Act came into force the Information Commissioner, who is the independent supervisory authority, has successfully prosecuted individuals and organisations in the criminal courts on 46 different occasions for offences under sections 17 and 55 of the Act. These figures do not include all those who have breached the Act or been served with an enforcement notice for a breach which is not a criminal offence.
Departmental Staff
David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many staff in her Department have had (a) five or more, (b) four, (c) three and (d) two periods of sick leave of less than five days in each of the last three years. [73006]
Vera Baird: The number of sickness absence days is recorded by the Department; however while it is possible to extract information on absence spells from the data collection system currently in place, to do so would be a lengthy process, the cost of which would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.
The Department is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and has actively adopted the recommendations of the recently published “Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector”. A number of initiatives, including a new managing attendance policy and supporting systems, have been implemented over the last six months. These include awareness sessions and training for individuals and managers, stress and managing attendance toolkits, and targeted support from HR and welfare teams.
Departmental Websites
Charles Hendry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many websites there are within her responsibilities; and what the total cost of maintaining such websites was in the last year for which figures are available. [79071]
Bridget Prentice: The information requested is listed in the following table.
The table includes details and costs of websites.
Numbers (1 )and( 2) indicate the hosting contract to which the website belongs. The costs of the two contracts are listed in the notes.
Where a site has a declared cost but also comes under the auspices of a wider maintenance contract, the declared
figure relates to costs incurred over and above the maintenance and hosting contract (such as domain name registration or software licence procurement).
Entries with declared cost only do not belong to either hosting contract.
DNA Bioscience
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what guidance her Department issues to laboratories which wish to become accredited to provide court-admissible DNA tests; [20036]
(2) what measures are in place to ensure that laboratories not accredited to conduct court-admissible DNA tests do not submit DNA tests in court hearings; [20110]
(3) how many laboratories with accreditation to undertake court-admissible DNA testing have closed down in the last five years; [20111]
(4) how many laboratories have had their applications for licences to undertake court-admissible DNA tests turned down in each of the last four years for which figures are available; and what reasons were
given for turning down their applications in each case; [20120]
(5) whether laboratories accredited to conduct court-admissible DNA testing are permitted to contract DNA tests out to other (a) accredited companies and (b) other unaccredited companies; [20121]
(6) what consultations were undertaken in the drawing up of the criteria applicable to laboratories applying for a licence to conduct DNA tests for paternity cases; [20122]
(7) what criteria her Department applies to laboratories applying for a licence to conduct court-admissible DNA tests; and when the criteria were most recently updated; [20123]
(8) how many laboratories licensed to undertake court-admissible DNA testing are operating in the UK; and how many laboratories have applications pending to undertake such testing; [20124]
(9) if she will list the laboratories licensed to conduct court-admissible DNA tests; and which (a) hold and (b) do not hold an International Standards Organisation 17025 Certificate; [20125]
(10) how many visits representatives of the Department made to the laboratories of DNA Diagnostics in Ohio, USA; and how many visits have been made by agencies based in the US on the Department’s behalf; [21598]
(11) if she will list the companies accredited by the Department for conducting court-admissible DNA tests which have laboratories outside the UK; [21275]
(12) whether the Department has received representations concerning DNA Bioscience from the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) during 2005; [21276]
(13) if she will place in the Library a copy of the application for accreditation to conduct court-admissible DNA tests submitted by DNA Bioscience; [21599]
(14) what systems are in place to monitor the financial accounts of companies that have been accredited to conduct court-admissible DNA tests; [21600]
(15) what action will be taken by the Department against companies that supply incorrect information during the accreditation process for conducting court-admissible DNA tests. [21601]
Bridget Prentice: My Department is currently investigating the matters raised in the hon. Member’s question, and I will write when I am in a position to do so.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what measures are in place to ensure that laboratories licensed to perform court admissible DNA tests conform to the standards required by the ISO 17025 Certificate. [20883]
Bridget Prentice: My Department is currently investigating the matters raised in the hon. Member’s question, and I will write when I am in a position to do so.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) if she will take steps to ascertain the nature and level of the ISO certification of (a) DNA Diagnostic and (b) DNA Bioscience as providers of services to her Department; [22730]
(2) what representations have been received by the Department on the performance of DNA Bioscience; and if she will make a statement; [22744]
(3) what investigations have been initiated by the Department into DNA Bioscience. [22745]
Bridget Prentice: I refer the hon. Member for Monmouth to my reply on 24 October 2005, Official Report, column 8W. I am still investigating the matters raised in the hon. Member’s questions, and I will write when I am in a position to do so.
Substantive answer from Ms Harman to David T.C. Davies:
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