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N umber of new matters started within for legal help in civil categories of law by location of the service provider within LSC regions
Financial year	West Midlands	South East	South Western	Eastern	Wales	Yorkshire and Humberside
2001-02	66,000	64,000	52,000	48,000	49,000	74,000
2002-03	70,000	67,000	59,000	52,000	51,000	75,000
2003-04	63,000	60,000	56,000	47,000	49,000	68,000
2004-05	57,000	57,000	51,000	47,000	46,000	59,000
2005-06	66,000	64,000	57,000	53,000	53,000	65,000

Financial year	Merseyside	London	North Western	North East	East Midlands
2001-02	44,000	196,000	84,000	51,000	59,000
2002-03	42,000	200,000	86,000	54,000	60,000
2003-04	37,000	168,000	72,000	49,000	53,000
2004-05	34,000	146,000	72,000	47,000	48,000
2005-06	38,000	158,000	75,000	55,000	50,000

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N umber of certificates issued in civil matters which may proceed to representation based on the location of the legal service provider within LSC regions
Financial year	West Midlands	South East	South West	Eastern	Wales	Yorkshire and Humberside
2001-02	13,000	9,000	15,000	13,000	10,000	6,000
2002-03	15,000	9,000	15,000	14,000	10,000	6,000
2003-04	14,000	9,000	15,000	12,000	10,000	5,000
2004-05	14,000	8,000	14,000	12,000	9,000	5,000
2005-06	15,000	8,000	14,000	12,000	9,000	5,000

Financial year	Merseyside	London	North West	North East	East Midlands
2001-02	50,000	18,000	9,000	10,000	8,000
2002-03	50,000	19,000	10,000	11,000	8,000
2003-04	49,000	18,000	9,000	11,000	9,000
2004-05	46,000	17,000	9,000	10,000	9,000
2005-06	46,000	17,000	10,000	10,000	9,000

N umber of people helped through the CIS Direct Helpline since it started based on when the cases closed. The cases recorded under CIS Direct are by location of the client within LSC regions
	West Midlands	South Eastern	South Western	Eastern	Wales	Yorkshire and Humberside
2004-05 (July to March)	4,000	1,000	2,000	3,000	2,000	2,000
2005-06	8,000	5,000	3,000	8,000	5,000	5,000

	Merseyside	London	North West	North East	East Midlands	Unknown region( 1)
2004-05 (July to March)	0,000	2,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	4,000
2005-06	1,000	10,000	3,000	3,000	4,000	16,000
(1 )These figures are for cases not forming part of the five main categories of work dealt with by CIS Direct. A regional breakdown for these categories is mot available.

Legal Aid Scheme: Wales

Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many law firms in Wales have not signed new contracts with the Legal Services Commission. [145512]

Vera Baird: The unified contract for civil work was issued to 200 solicitors’ offices in Wales. 196 contracts have been returned signed. 29 contracts were issued to not-for-profit organisations in Wales and all have been returned signed.

Legal Profession: Regulation

Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what the Government's policy is on the provision of funding to cover the start-up costs of regulatory bodies overseeing the legal professions. [145411]

Bridget Prentice: The Ministry of Justice will be making a contribution of £2.4 million towards the implementation costs, the legal profession should fund the start up costs associated with establishing the proposed Legal Services Board and the Office for Legal Complaints. Legal service providers enjoy exclusive access in the provision of reserved legal services, which often leads to the commission of ancillary legal
25 Jun 2007 : Column 353W
services. In addition the professions stand to benefit from the increased consumer confidence that these reforms will generate. It is, therefore, totally appropriate that they should meet both the implementation and running costs associated with legal services reform.

Magistrates: Wales

Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many magistrates are employed in courts in Wales; how many of those are expected to leave the magistracy in 2007-08; and how many magistrates her Department expects to recruit to courts in Wales in 2007-08. [145511]

Ms Harman: At the financial year ending 31 March 2007, there were 1,949 serving magistrates throughout Wales.

During the financial year 2007-08, 50 magistrates are due to retire throughout Wales. An unknown number of magistrates are expected to leave due to other reasons such as resignation, transfer etc.

During the financial year 2007-08, it is expected that 82 magistrates will be recruited throughout Wales. This is based on predicted business need.

Miscarriages of Justice: Pensions

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (1) what steps have been taken by the Government to check whether pursuant to section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 the Assessor for Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice has notified the Information Commissioner of the processing of personal data of applicants for compensation; [144335]

(2) what resources have been (a) sought by and (b) paid to the Assessor for compensation for miscarriages of justice in relation to his obligations to notify the Information Commissioner of the processing of personal data of applicants for compensation; [144336]

(3) what assessment of Lord Brennan’s knowledge of the content and principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 and his compliance with his obligations under that Act was made as part of the re-appointment procedure conducted in 2006. [144337]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Lord Brennan, the independent Assessor of compensation for miscarriages of justice, acts on behalf of the Secretary of State in making assessments of compensation. The Ministry of Justice’s notification to the Information Commissioner covers personal data processed by him and staff of the Office of Criminal Justice Reform. No resources have, therefore, been sought by or paid to Lord Brennan in this context. His knowledge of the Data Protection Act
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1998 was not a criterion used in the consideration of his re-appointment It is a matter of fact, however, that in his private practice Lord Brennan is registered with the Information Commissioner as a data controller.

Police Custody

Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what the range is of the nightly cost of police cells used by her Department and the Prison Service; and which such cells are the most expensive. [144968]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The estimated average cost of holding a prisoner in a police cell is £385 per night. Actual cost depends on the size of the units made available, the length of time they are required and any additional costs incurred. Police forces invoice NOMS for the use of police cells in arrears. Not all invoices have yet been received and so the full range of costs is not yet known.

Prison Service: Manpower

Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice what the recommended ratio is between staff and inmates in HM Prison Service. [145380]

Mr. Sutcliffe: There is no one recommended ratio. Staff to prisoner ratios are determined by a range of factors including type and geography of the establishment; type and mix of prisoners and security and control issues.

Prison Service: Pensions

Mr. Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice at what age a prison officer is allowed to draw his or her full pension. [144273]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, the normal pension age is 60, but for prison officers with reserved rights under the 1987 ‘Fresh Start’ Agreement, the pension age is 55.

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