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11 July 2006 : Column 1735W—continued
Elections
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many complaints she has received from residents of West Lancashire in relation to being unable to vote in (a) local, (b) general and (c) European elections in each year since 1997. [83645]
Bridget Prentice: As far as DCA records show, we have received one item of correspondence complaining that postal ballot papers did not arrive for the 2004 elections in Lancashire. No other correspondence from West Lancashire relating to being unable to vote has been received, and my Department does not hold any information on this subject prior to 2001.
Judiciary
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to increase diversity in the judiciary. [84582]
Ms Harman: The Judicial Diversity Strategy was announced to Parliament on 17 May 2006, Official Report, column 57WS and sets out how the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the Judicial Appointments Commission and the judiciary will work together to increase the diversity of the judiciary.
The strategy will: promote judicial service and widen the range of people eligible to apply for judicial office; encourage a wider range of applicants, to ensure the widest possible choice of candidates for selection; promote diversity through fair and open processes for selection to judicial office solely on merit; and, will ensure that the culture and working environment for
judicial office holders encourages and supports a diverse judiciary and increases understanding of the communities served.
Legal Aid
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations she has received about eligibility for legal aid in criminal cases. [84563]
Vera Baird: I have regular and constructive dialogue with stakeholders, including members of the legal professions, MPs and members of the public, about eligibility for criminal legal aid. For example, I received a number of representations on this point in response to the recent consultation exercise on the draft regulations under the Criminal Defence Service Act.
Legal Profession (Complaints)
John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what performance standards she has set for the length of time a consumer complaint to the Law Society takes to be resolved, including where the solicitors refuses to accept decisions of the Law Society Adjudication Panel and the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. [83899]
Bridget Prentice: I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Substantive answer from Bridget Prentice to John Mann:
None. The legal profession is independent and self-regulating, and as such I have no powers to set targets for the Law Society. However, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State appointed Ms Zahida Manzoor, as the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner (LSCC) in February 2004. The LSCC has powers to set targets for the handling of complaints, make recommendations about the complaints systems, require the Law Society to submit a plan for complaints handling; and impose a fine if the Law Society fails to meet the agreed plan for improvements in complaints handling.
John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) how many solicitors have refused to accept decisions of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in each of the last 10 years; [83900]
(2) what rights of redress are available to those who have won decisions at both the Law Society Adjudication Panel and the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal; [83901]
(3) what sanctions are available against solicitors who refuse to accept decisions of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal; [83902]
Bridget Prentice: I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Substantive answer from Bridget Prentice to John Mann:
Depending on the matter in question, respondents before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal have an automatic right, under the Solicitors Act 1974, of appeal to the Master of the Rolls or the High Court. The information on the number of appeals
against decisions by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for the last 10 years is unavailable, however, the figures for the last five years are as follows:
| Number of appeals | |
In the absence of an appeal, an order of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal is immediately enforceable as a High Court order. If the solicitor is fined by the Tribunal, the fine is enforced by the Treasury Solicitor—through the courts if necessary. If the solicitor is struck off or suspended from practice, that decision would be immediately recorded with the Law Society and the solicitor would be unable to practise. In the event that he continued to practise as a solicitor following an order suspending him or striking him off the Roll of Solicitors, he would be committing a criminal offence under the Solicitors Act and may be prosecuted in the criminal courts.
The Law Society’s Adjudication Panel deals with redress issues and is able to award complainants up to £15,000 in compensation. If a solicitor refuses to accept a decision of the Adjudication Panel, including a decision that he pay compensation, it is open to the Society to prosecute him/her before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. The Tribunal cannot award compensation, but if the Law Society has previously awarded compensation, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal can make that award enforceable as a High Court order.
Magistrates Courts
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the facilities available for victims and witnesses in magistrates courts. [84525]
Ms Harman: In 2005 “Priority Minimum Standards” (e.g. availability of reading materials, witness room routinely cleaned) and “Desirable Minimum Standards” (e.g. en-suite toilet facilities in witness waiting rooms, video/DVD equipment provided) for witness accommodation were developed and defined in consultation with key stakeholders. To establish how existing waiting facilities met up to these standards, an audit was undertaken in all Crown and magistrates courts in July 2005. Subsequent to that audit, additional funding totalling over £3 million was allocated between the regions to improve facilities where the standards were not being met. A further audit will be undertaken during the summer to ascertain how witness waiting rooms measure up against the standards now that this funding has been spent.
Online Census Project
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which contractors tendered by 30 June 2006 for work on the English and Welsh 1911 Online Census Project; and what her timetable is for appointment of a contractor. [83694]
Vera Baird: The National Archives sought expressions of interest from suppliers through a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union, the closing date for which was 4 July 2006.
Conduct of this procurement process will follow normal practice on commercial confidentiality.
All expressions of interest received by the closing date will be evaluated on 10 July 2006.
On 11 July 2006 potential suppliers who are shortlisted will be invited to participate in the Competitive Dialogue process to be used for the contract.
It is anticipated that a contract will be awarded in January 2007.
Notification will be made in accordance with the Public Services Regulations.
Leader of the House
Business Statement
Mr. Amess: To ask the Leader of the House how many (a) Ministers, (b) hon. Members, (c) staff of hon. Members, (d) Members of the House of Lords, (e) officials in Government Departments and (f) members of the public receive his office’s weekly business statement by e-mail; how much it costs per week to (i) prepare and (ii) distribute, broken down into (A) officials’ time and (B) other costs; if he will place a copy of each edition from this Session in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [82467]
Mr. Straw: This information is not held in the format requested.
To date, a total of 813 people have subscribed to the business statement newsletter. Much of the work in issuing the newsletter is largely automated.
The average cost of officials’ time to upload the business statement each week is £3.99, with a further 67p being incurred in distributing it, ie £4.66 in all. This task forms part of the core duties of the private office staff who maintain the website.
All previous business statements are freely available on the Office of the Leader of the House website at www.commonsleader.co.uk.
I note that the hon. Member has so far not subscribed to the newsletter. If he wishes to do so, he can register at: www.commonsleader.co.uk/output/Page637.asp.
Late Sittings
Mr. Amess: To ask the Leader of the House on what dates the House sat later than 1.30 am since February 1986; and at what time the House subsequently adjourned on each date. [82324]
Mr. Straw: The information is as follows:
| Session/date | Time adjourned |
| (1) Over 24 hour sitting | |
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