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13 Mar 2007 : Column 177W—continued
Judges: Housing
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will assess the merits of providing judges with an accommodation allowance per night to be spent either on lodgings or
on hotel accommodation at their discretion; if she will estimate the change in costs which would result from the introduction of such a system; and if she will make a statement. [125996]
Ms Harman: While the provision of judges’ lodgings is kept under constant review, and the comparative cost of hotels considered, there is presently no intention to provide judges with an independent accommodation allowance while simultaneously running lodgings.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what (a) estimate she has made of the cost and (b) assessment she has made of the merits of providing judges with hotel accommodation instead of judges’ lodgings in each location where lodgings are situated; and if she will make a statement. [125997]
Ms Harman: A straight comparison of the cost between housing judges in hotels or accommodating them in lodgings is not easily made. Judges’ lodgings are an essential requirement for accommodating high court judges sitting outside of London. They provide a safe and secure environment and enable the judges to work in privacy and ensure confidentiality for extended periods, which hotels are unable to match except at prohibitive cost.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will discontinue judges’ lodgings where they are occupied by judges for less than 50 nights in the year; and if she will make a statement. [125998]
Ms Harman: In the current locations where we have a requirement for less than 50 judge nights per year we do not own lodgings; instead we rent them.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what changes to the (a) arrangements for and (b) availability of judges' lodgings have been made since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [126092]
Ms Harman: The following are the major changes that have taken place since 1997:
The lodgings at Mold was closed.
The lodgings at Exeter, Lewes, Oxford and Truro have been replaced with better value accommodation.
There have been a significant number of actions to reduce running costs including the removal of the outdated butler posts.
A more cost-effective system for getting judges to court has been introduced using the Government Car and Despatch Agency.
Introduction of new finance and accounting regimes reducing the management overheads of running the lodgings.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which five judges' lodgings had (a) the lowest occupancy in judge nights and (b) the highest cost per judge night in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [126093]
Ms Harman: The five judges’ lodgings with the lowest occupancy in judge nights during 2005-06 (all of which are hired, not owned) were Warwick, Caernarfon, Lincoln, Northampton and Worcester.
The highest cost per judge night during 2005-06 were Maidstone, Swansea, Winchester, St. Albans and Chelmsford.
The Maidstone lodging is being sold.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which judges’ lodgings are held (a) freehold, (b) leasehold and (c) by other arrangements; what other such arrangements there are; and if she will make a statement. [126094]
Ms Harman: A schedule showing rights of occupation is detailed as follows.
| Property name | Freehold | Leasehold | Licence | Hiring |
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions she has held with the judiciary on the (a) cost and (b) future of judges' lodgings; and if she will make a statement. [126095]
Ms Harman: My officials are in regular discussion with the judiciary regarding both the cost and future of judges’ lodgings.
Culture, Media and Sport
Art: Lancashire
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Government funding local artists in Lancashire received in each of the last five years. [127117]
Mr. Lammy: The following table shows the Arts Council’s funding commitments to local artists in Lancashire between 2003-04 and 2005-06. Local artists are defined as individual artists living in Lancashire. Grant in aid funding information for individual artists in the years preceding 2003-04 is not available.
| Grant in aid (£) | |
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on arts projects in Lancashire in each of the last five years. [126151]
Mr. Lammy: The following table shows the Arts Council’s funding commitments to arts projects in Lancashire between 2001-02 and 2005-06. Arts projects are defined as time-limited activities. Grant in aid funding information for time-limited projects in the years preceding 2003-04 is not available.
| £ | |||
| Grant in Aid | Lottery | Total | |
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