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31 Mar 2008 : Column 553W—continued
Security: Finance
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what additional resources are being made available to support each new initiative in the new National Security Strategy; [196831]
(2) what annual budget has been allocated to monitoring the possibility of nuclear weapons or material or technology falling into the hands of terrorists, as outlined at paragraph 3.12 of the National Security Strategy of the United Kingdom, Cm 7291. [197839]
The Prime Minister: The comprehensive spending review, published on 9 October last year, set out the Government's spending plans for national security.
These plans included details of increased resources covered in the National Security Strategy, including continued rising real-terms investment in the armed forces; increased resources for diplomatic engagement in key areas; more spending on conflict prevention and stabilisation; and more spending on security, intelligence and counter-terrorism, where the budget has doubled since 2001 and will grow to £3.5 billion by 2011.
The National Security Strategy sets out the framework for targeting those resources.
United Kingdoms: Borders
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Prime Minister what geographical criteria he used in preparation of his article in The Daily Telegraph of 25 March 2008 entitled We must defend the Union. [197449]
The Prime Minister: The full article appears on the website of the Daily Telegraph, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Justice
Act of Settlement 1700
Mr. Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which other Acts of Parliament would need to be amended if the Act of Settlement 1700 were amended to end the prohibitions on Roman Catholics within that Act. [197450]
Mr. Straw: Legislation that would need to be reviewed includes the Bill of Rights 1688, the Coronation Oath Act 1688, the Union with Scotland Act 1707, the Union with England Act 1707, the Princess Sophia's Precedence Act 1711, the Royal Marriages Act 1772, the Union with Ireland Act 1800, the Accession Declaration Act 1910, and the Regency Act 1937. Any change in legislation would among other things require the consent of member nations of the Commonwealth
Administration of Justice
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps the Government have taken to clean up defunct and meaningless law as mentioned in his Department's press release of 18 March 2008. [197355]
Bridget Prentice: The Government introduced the Statute Law (Repeals) Bill into the House of Lords on 27 February 2008. It received its second reading on 18 March.
The Bill implements the recommendations made by the Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission in their joint report: Statute Law Repeals, Joint Report Law Com No 308/Scot Law Com No 210. The Bill repeals 260 whole Acts and parts of 68 other Acts. These statutory provisions no longer have any practical utility.
The Bill is the 18th Statute Law (Repeals) Bill drafted by the Law Commissions. The next Statute Law (Repeals) Bill is expected to be ready for introduction in 2012.
Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons the Children and Family Courts Advisory and Support Service no longer has key stakeholders. [189978]
Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
This is a matter for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). Anthony Douglas, the chief executive has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his letter has been placed in the House Library.
Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 12 March 2008:
I am writing to you in response to the Parliamentary Question that you tabled recently:
189978—Ms Susan Kramer to ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, for what reasons the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service no longer has key stakeholders.
Cafcass has not changed its policy or operational protocols in respect of our key stakeholders. We work in partnership with
other public sector organisations, particularly in the family justice system as well as with third sector and private companies who we either commission services from or work together with on specific projects and programmes. We regularly attend national and local Family Justice Councils, and all Local Safeguarding Children Boards in England. We have many active partnerships with organisations to develop joint policies or service agreements. Cafcass has an active Young Peoples Board, with membership drawn from children and young people who are either current or past service users. We are intending to extend this level of participation in the next financial year to focus on adult participation, building on the outcomes of focus groups we have held this year. Cafcass is proud of the high level of partnership working carried out throughout the organisation, and we aim to continue this policy. This includes a widely advertised open Board meeting every year, held in a different English city on each occasion.
A copy of this reply will be placed in the House Library.
ClearSprings: Basildon
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department is directing ClearSprings to source property in Basildon District. [197959]
Mr. Hanson: ClearSprings are not currently seeking accommodation in the Basildon district. However, there is an identified need for housing in the Basildon area for those granted bail by the courts or released on home detention curfew.
Crime: Victims
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made in appointing an independent commissioner for victims under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004; and if he will make a statement. [196527]
Maria Eagle: A recruitment exercise for a commissioner for victims and witnesses was carried out in 2006; however, we were not successful in identifying a candidate with all of the appropriate skills necessary for the proposed role.
Since 2006, we have driven substantial improvements for victims and witnesses including: the introduction of the victims code of practice; the setting up of witness care units; the roll-out of an enhanced working model for Victim Support (Victim Support plus) and the provision of independent domestic violence advisers. We are therefore considering future options for the role of commissioner for victims and witnesses in the context of these developments.
Criminal Proceedings: Retail Trade
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2008, Official Report, column 2372W, on trials: measurement, how many of the prosecutions resulted in a conviction in each year; [197347]
(2) how many people have been convicted of offences related to the use of imperial weights and measures in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [197391]
Maria Eagle: The available information on offenders found guilty under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 for offences related to weights and measures provisions has been combined with the data provided in my previous answer of 4 March 2008, Official Report, column 2372W, on trials: measurement, and is provided in the following table. Data from 2002 to 2006 have been provided.
It is not possible from the data held centrally to identify the number of these prosecutions relating solely to the use of imperial weights and measures from other prosecutions under the Weights and Measurement Act 1985.
| Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 for offences related to weights and measures provisions, England and Wales 2002 to 2006( 1, 2) | ||
| Proceeded against | Found guilty | |
| (1) These data are provided on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Court Proceedings Database—Office For Criminal Justice Reform. | ||
Debt Collection
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government plan to take to consider the welfare of children in households which bailiffs have been instructed to visit. [197357]
Maria Eagle: The Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 will set out, through the provision of regulations, the training required by bailiffs to allow them to deal with all householders, including vulnerable debtors and others present at the premises in an appropriate manner. For example, withdrawing from the premises when only minors are present.
This training will ensure that all agents have a thorough working knowledge of all relevant areas of enforcement law and the associated national standards.
This training will be underpinned by the regulation of all enforcement agents who are not Crown employees via an enhanced and extended certification process. Granting of a certificate will be at the discretion of a county court judge, and will be dependent on the agent lodging application fees and securities, proof of their suitability to hold a certificate and the successful completion of a criminal record check.
Debt Collection: Standards
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps the Government have taken to protect householders from unscrupulous bailiffs. [197356]
Maria Eagle: The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 introduces a single piece of bailiff law which brings together in one place the legal structure for all warrant enforcement, written in terms that are easily understandable and which clearly outline the rights and responsibilities of creditors, debtors and enforcement agents. This unified single piece of enforcement agent law will apply across the board to all enforcement agents.
The package of measures in the Act will lead to a more highly qualified, better trained and professional industry, fairly rewarded for carrying out what can be a difficult task in trying conditions, performing to the best of their ability while remaining within the letter and spirit of the law.
The enhanced and extended certification process will be a major contribution towards a fully regulated, highly trained and professional enforcement industry.
Departmental Information Officers
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) press and (b) communications officers his Department employed in each year since its establishment. [182514]
Mr. Straw: The Ministry of Justice was formed in May 2007. As of 28 March, the Ministry of Justice employed 32 press officers. The MoJ does not have a 'communication officer' grade but does employ a number of communications specialist staff in a range of communications roles, including strategic communications, publicity and publications, web, and internal communications roles. The 'White Book' of Contacts in government departments and agencies contains listings for the Department and related offices and is updated twice yearly.
Information on the number of press officers for agencies of the MoJ is contained in the following table.
| Organisation | Number of press officers | Number of communications officers |
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department paid in bonuses to press and communication officers in each of the last 10 years; and what the (a) highest and (b) lowest such bonus was in each of those years. [182723]
Mr. Straw:
The Department can award bonuses to staff under its reward and recognition scheme which started in 2003. This scheme is a means by which managers agree small bonuses and special bonuses throughout the year to recognise particular pieces of work well done. The totals relating to this award
scheme are given in the following tables. Information is supplied only for press officers. The Ministry of Justice does not have a ‘communication officer’ grade but does employ a number of communications specialist staff in a range of communications roles, including strategic communications, publicity and publications, web, and internal communications roles.
It is also possible to reward staff under the performance bonuses scheme. These are given to those staff assessed as top performers throughout the year. It is not possible to give details of bonuses given under this scheme in a reliable way.
Information on bonus information for agencies of the MoJ is contained in the tables.
| Reward and recognition award scheme—Ministry of Justice Press Office | |||
| £ | |||
| Highest amount | Lowest amount | Total | |
| £ | |||
| Organisation | Highest bonus | Lowest bonus | Total |
| (1) No information | |||
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