| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
7 Jan 2008 : Column 135W—continued
Chelmsford Crown Court: Facilities
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what facilities are available at Chelmsford Crown court for (a) defendants, (b) families of defendants and (c) victims of crime; what such facilities were available in (i) 1996, (ii) 1998, (iii) 2001, (iv) 2005 and (v) 2006; what plans he has to improve facilities; what recent representations he has received on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [174070]
Maria Eagle: Facilities available at Chelmsford Crown court are as follows:
(a) Since March 2006, there has been a dedicated suite available for defendants on bail.
(b) Rooms are not normally provided for families of defendants. However, where there are special circumstances, a lockable interview room is available and can be allocated for use by the families of defendants.
(c) Since 1996, there have been three rooms available for victims of crime; the normal witness assembly room plus two other dedicated rooms for vulnerable witnesses or families of murder victims.
Separately, during 2007, there have been representations on proposed new magistrates court buildings in Chelmsford both from a local Councillor and an MP.
There are currently no plans to improve facilities at the Crown court.
Chelmsford Prison
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) adults and (b) young offenders there are in Chelmsford Prison. [174982]
Mr. Hanson: At the end of October 2007, there were an estimated 370 adult offenders (aged 21 and over) and 180 young adult offenders (aged 18 to 20) detained in Chelmsford prison. These figures exclude individuals on remand awaiting trial.
Information on the total number of prisoners in all prison establishments in England and Wales can be found at the website:
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Christmas
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether it is his Department's policy to use (a) incandescent light bulbs and (b) LED lights for festive decorations on departmental premises. [173497]
Maria Eagle: The information is as follows:
Ministry of Justice Headquarters Estate:
The Corporate HQ Facilities M&E Contractor (ASEL) purchases lights for festive decoration across the CHQ Estate. The only festive lights ASEL have purchased are lights for the Christmas tree and there is currently no policy in place with regards to light bulb type. The overriding decision making process is governed by Health and Safety policy.
In respect of the delivery Agencies of the Ministry of Justice (including NOMS, HMPS, HMCS and tribunals), these are matters that are left to local management, who are best placed to judge what is most appropriate for local circumstances.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his Department's policy is on the selection of (a) real and (b) artificial Christmas trees for his Department's festive decorations; and how real trees are disposed of. [173513]
Maria Eagle: There is currently no written policy in place for the selection of Christmas trees for the Corporate HQ Estate. However, the Corporate HQ Estate Christmas trees are sustainably sourced and recycled after use.
The Corporate HQ Facilities Team organise for MJ Ferguson to purchase the trees from www.pinesandneedles.com. The trees are recycled at Cringle Dock Waste Management, which comes under Western Riverside Waste Authority (www.wrwa.gov.uk). Cringle Dock Waste Management has a special section for Christmas tree recycling.
In respect of the delivery agencies of MoJ (including NOMS, HMPS, HMCS and tribunals), these are matters that are left to local management, who are best placed to judge what is most appropriate for local circumstances. They are, however, being advised to take advantage of the Woodland Trust's scheme for the sustainable disposal of Christmas trees.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on (a) Christmas cards and (b) postage of Christmas cards in 2007. [176917]
Maria Eagle: This is the first year that an MoJ Christmas card has been produced by our print room. To date, 6,000 have been ordered at a cost of 34 pence each, totalling £2,040. These cards are not centrally funded, and each business area will cover the costs of the cards they have ordered from their stationery budgets.
It is not possible to ascertain the specific postage costs relating to these Christmas cards, as all postage is accounted for as a whole, rather than broken down into separate components.
The Department has a general policy where all post is sent out second class unless it is stated otherwise.
Constituencies
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the timetable is for (a) interim reviews of parliamentary boundaries in particular parts of England and Wales and (b) the ratification of parliamentary boundaries for Northern Ireland constituencies. [176670]
Bridget Prentice: The decision to hold interim reviews of parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales, and the timing of such reviews, rests with the Boundary Commissions for England and Wales respectively, which are independent of Government. The Boundary Commissions for England and Wales will give notice of any interim reviews that they intend to carry out.
The Boundary Commission for England is currently conducting an interim review of certain constituencies in Northamptonshire and Somerset. Local inquiries have recently been held in relation to the constituencies that are the subject of the review, and the Assistant Commissioners who conducted the inquiries will now prepare their reports for consideration by the Boundary Commission. I understand that the Boundary Commission has decided to suspend the interim review it had previously announced in Northumberland and Wiltshire.
The Boundary Commission for Wales is currently carrying out an interim review of the parliamentary constituencies of Neath and Brecon and Radnorshire and I understand that it is expected to be completed shortly.
The Boundary Commissions, once they have completed an interim review, will submit a report of their recommendations to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who will lay the report before Parliament together with a draft Order to give effect to the new boundaries, having allowed a reasonable period for consideration of the report, and, in particular, any representations that may be made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor in respect of specific recommendations. If agreed by Parliament, the report’s recommendations will come into force at the next general election.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland proposes to lay the recent report of the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland before Parliament at the earliest opportunity with a draft of an Order in Council giving effect without modifications to the recommendations contained in the report. Again, if agreed by Parliament, the report’s recommendations will come into force at the next general election.
Courts: Buildings
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to provide new court buildings in London; and if he will make a statement. [175360]
Maria Eagle: There are plans to provide new and renovated court buildings at four sites in the London region. Of these, the new Rolls Building in Fetter Lane, which will provide new court facilities for High Court work, the Supreme Court in Parliament Square and an extension to the Crown Court at Isleworth are in construction. A project to provide a new 10-courtroom magistrates court for the City of Westminster in Marylebone Road is in procurement.
Courts: Colchester
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent progress has been made on the private finance initiative project for a new courthouse in Colchester; and if he will make a statement. [175427]
Maria Eagle: Work to finalise the outline business case for the Essex magistrates courts scheme, of which Colchester is a part, is being progressed as one of the priorities within the court building programme. This involves the evaluation of procurement routes, including private finance initiative, to ensure the selected route represents best value for money for the taxpayer. The outline business case is due to be completed early in 2008 and submitted for approval to proceed by the end of the financial year.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of successful claims from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme have been awarded to (a) private and (b) public sector workers in each of the last 10 years. [176120]
Mr. Straw: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) records the occupation of claimants, when provided, under 18 broad categories of occupational type e.g. professional/managerial, clerical, skilled worker, student, unemployed, miscellaneous etc. But it does not ask or record whether they work in the private or public sector, since this information is not necessary for the purposes of determining claims. It is not possible therefore for CICA to provide the information requested.
Crown Courts: Milton Keynes
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to establish a Crown court in Milton Keynes. [174581]
Maria Eagle: There are currently no plans to establish a Crown court in Milton Keynes. However, in June 2007, the then Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, announced a major investment in building six new courts, of which a Crown court at Aylesbury was one.
Data Protection
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the terms of reference are of the review into the way that personal information is shared between and protected by the public and private sector. [176523]
Mr. Wills: The terms of reference for the independent data sharing review being led by Richard Thomas and Dr. Mark Walport are:
The review will consider whether there should be any changes to the way the Data Protection Act 1998 operates in the UK and the options for implementing any such changes. It will include recommendations on the powers and sanctions available to the regulator and courts in the legislation governing data sharing and data protection. It will also make recommendations on how data sharing policy should be developed in a way that ensures proper transparency, scrutiny and accountability. To inform its recommendations, the review panel will consult with:
(a) the devolved Administrations
(b) the European Commission
(c) the academic and legal community and the media
(d) representatives of the IT community and the private sector
(e) a representative sample of Government departments and agencies with an interest in data sharing and privacy
(f) other parties identified by the review team
The recommendations will seek to take account of technological advances and strike a balance that ensures appropriate privacy and other safeguards for individuals and society, while enabling sharing information to protect the public, increasing transparency, enhancing public service delivery as well as taking into account the need to minimise the burden on business.
Departmental Data Protection
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what reviews have been undertaken of his Department's rules on data protection in the last two years; if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the last review of his Department's compliance with data protection laws; and if (a) his Department and (b) his Department's agencies will undertake a review of their compliance with data protection laws. [168078]
Mr. Wills: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments' procedures will be made on completion of the review. An interim progress report on the review was published on 17 December by the Cabinet Office through a written ministerial statement, column 98WS.
My Department is reviewing the way it handles data alongside the work being carried out by the Cabinet Secretary which will be published in due course.
Mr. Philip Hammond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies confidential data have been downloaded on to compact discs (i) without and (ii) with encryption in the last 12 month period for which figures are available; how many of those discs have been posted without using recorded or registered delivery; what procedures his Department has in place for the (A) transport, (B) exchange and (C) delivery of confidential or sensitive data; what records are kept of information held by his Department being sent outside the Department; what changes have been made to his Department's rules and procedures on data protection in the last two years; on how many occasions his Department's procedures and rules on data protection
have been breached in the last five years; what those breaches were; what procedures his Department has in place on downloading confidential data on to computer discs before its transfer; what technical protections there are in his Department's computer systems to prevent access to information held on those systems which is not in accordance with departmental procedures; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each of his Department's rules and procedures on the protection of confidential data on individuals, businesses and other organisations. [168259]
Mr. Wills: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments' procedures will be made on completion of the review. An interim progress report on the review was published on 17 December by the Cabinet Office through a written ministerial statement, column 98WS.
No information is available on the number of times that confidential data has been downloaded onto compact discs. Downloading, transport, exchange and delivery of sensitive data, and the recording of these actions, is governed by agreed procedures in line with HM Government standards. My Department's main information systems have been designed to operate at a level of security that covers the requirements for handling personal information.
There is no standard set of rules and procedures required for compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. What is appropriate will depend on the circumstances and the nature of the personal data itself. Accordingly, data protection measures are specific to location, type and sensitivity of the data in question. There is no overarching set of rules and the Department follows HM Government procedures for assessing risks and establishing controls. Therefore the information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The definition of ‘breach' in data protection rules and procedures can be broad. Depending on their nature, breaches by Government Departments of the Data Protection Act can be dealt with by the information commissioner, the courts or by Departments at an informal local level. The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many employees of each grade in his Department (a) have access to confidential or sensitive data and (b) are authorised to download such data to disk; how many of his Department's employees have undergone data protection training in the last 12 months; what the average length of time is that each employee of (i) his Department and (ii) his Department's agencies has spent on data protection training; how many investigations of employees of his Department for improperly accessing confidential information have taken place in the last 12 months; how many such investigations resulted in cases of disciplinary action; and what the circumstances of each of those cases were. [168279]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |