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10 Sep 2007 : Column 1985W—continued
“suffers from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983”
“otherwise has a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning”,
“has a physical disability or is suffering from a physical disorder”.
Special measures include live links, video recorded evidence-in-chief, screens so witnesses cannot be seen by the defendant and intermediaries for those with communication difficulties.
Crime: Victims
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reasons are for the proposal to sub-contract statutory victim liaison work in the London probation area to outside contractors; and if he will make a statement. [155051]
Mr. Hanson: The Government are wholly committed to ensuring that a high quality service is provided to victims of serious crimes and to rebalancing the criminal justice system towards victims. The victim liaison service is a key part of delivering that commitment since it provides victims with both a means of being kept informed as the offender’s sentence progresses and opportunities to make representations on issues relating to their safety in the event of the prisoner being released.
The Government value the public sector and believe it must continue to play a major role in probation services. However, all current providers should be open to challenge and be given the opportunity to demonstrate that the services they offer are the best available. The Offender Management Act 2007 has established probation trusts, accountable through contract to the Secretary of State. We have asked probation boards to consider whether other providers have the capability to deliver service improvements and to contract with those providers who can demonstrate a more effective use of resources. This approach will allow the probation boards and trusts to focus more effectively on the core activity of offender management, and bring other providers in to deliver other services where appropriate.
As part of the move to the competitive provision of services, probation boards have been given a target of contracting out 10 per cent. of their service budget by the end of 2007/08. The London Probation Board has been working closely with the Regional Offender Manager to identify the services most appropriate for this process, and victim liaison is an area of operation where it has been agreed that steps should be taken to develop the use of external providers.
If the decision is taken to contract out the service, the statutory responsibility, and accountability for service delivery, would remain with the London Probation Board. Consequently, the London Probation Board would be accountable for ensuring that any contractor delivered its statutory responsibilities to the high standard required.
Departments: Aviation
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by his Department on (a) business class and (b) first class flights in the last 12 months. [153031]
Bridget Prentice: It is not possible to list the costs spent on (a) business class and (b) first class flights by the Department in the last 12 months as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts and may be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. The Cabinet Office has recently published the annual list of Cabinet Ministers’ overseas travel for 2006-07.
All official travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Management Code", a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.
Departments: Disabled
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of people employed by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are disabled. [153591]
Bridget Prentice: Tables 1 and 2 following show the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff employed by the former Department for Constitutional Affairs and its Agencies as at 30 September 2006, the latest published figures taken from the Office for National Statistics Civil Service employment statistics. Tables 3 and 4 show the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff currently employed by the Ministry of Justice and its Agencies as at 30 June 2007 taken from their respective internal Human Resource records. Published figures will be available in September 2007.
Table 1 shows the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff currently employed by the former DCA as at 30 September 2006.
| Table 1 | ||||||
| Percentage | ||||||
| Depts and agencies | Declared disabled | Non- disabled | Not declared or non- response | Total | Declared disabled | Not declared or non- response |
Table 2 shows the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff employed by the former DCA Agencies as at 30 September 2006.
| Table 2 | ||||||
| Percentage | ||||||
| Depts and agencies | Declared disabled | Non- disabled | Not declared or non- response | Total | Declared disabled | Not declared or non- response |
Table 3 reflects the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff currently employed by the Ministry of Justice excluding its Agencies as at 30 June 2007.
| Table 3 | |||
| MOJ department | Total staff (headcount) | Disabled staff (headcount) | Percentage of disabled |
| (1) An estimate for the staff transferring from the Home Office to the MOJ HQ corporate services is provided, as the exact figure of staff is not yet confirmed. (2) Estimate. (3) An average percentage of the total number of declared responses is provided excluding the estimate for corporate services. | |||
Table 4 reflects the total permanent staff and number of disabled staff currently employed by the Ministry of Justice Agencies as at 30 June 2007.
Departments: Flowers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by his Department on flowers in the last 12 months. [153030]
Bridget Prentice: It is not possible to list the costs spent on flowers by the Department in the last 12 months as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts and may be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the name is of each special adviser in his Department. [153027]
Bridget Prentice: The names of the Secretary of State’s special advisers are Mark Davies and Declan McHugh. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will announce this information along with the pay band of each special adviser and the total pay bill cost of special advisers for the previous financial year in his annual written ministerial statement shortly.
Departments: Press
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by his Department on newspapers and magazines in the last 12 months. [153033]
Mr. Wills: My Department spent approximately £15,000 on subscriptions for newspapers and magazines in the last 12 months. This figure includes central purchases for courts, tribunals and offices. Costs of newspapers and magazines taken by the National Offender Management Service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform are not included as they have yet to be transferred from the Home Office. Costs of subscriptions held locally by courts, tribunals and other business areas for which my Department is responsible can be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice to which periodicals his Department subscribes. [153034]
Mr. Wills: My Department holds subscriptions for the periodicals in the following list. Periodicals taken by the National Offender Management Service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform are not included as the subscriptions have yet to be transferred from the Home Office. Details of subscriptions held locally by courts, tribunals and other business areas for which my Department is responsible, could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
Administrative Court Digest
Adoption and Fostering
Adviser
Amicus Curiae
Architect's Journal
Asylum and Nationality Law
Australian Law Journal
Australian Law Librarian
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