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19 May 2008 : Column 63W—continued
Departmental Official Hospitality
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many receptions he has hosted and funded in his capacity as Secretary of State in the last 12 months; which individuals and organisations (a) were invited to and (b) attended each reception; and what the cost was of each reception. [203857]
Mr. Straw: In my capacity as Secretary of State for Justice, in the last 12 months I have hosted six receptions for a range of organisations and groups as follows:
Reception for Senior Leaders (SCS) from the Ministry of Justice at Selborne House. Cost: £1,265.
Reception for front line staff of the Ministry of Justice and representatives of a wide variety of statutory, voluntary and charitable organisations, involved in the areas of work of the Ministry at Lancaster House. Cost: £6,200.
Reception for the media at Selborne House. Cost: £1,340.
Lord Chancellor’s breakfast. This is an annual event hosted by the Lord Chancellor to mark the beginning of the Legal Year. Senior Judiciary from the UK and overseas are invited. Cost: £31,250.
Reception for Senior Judiciary following the State Opening of Parliament. Cost: £1,436.57.
Reception for the media at Selborne House. Cost: £960.
Electoral Register
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make it his policy to identify on electoral registers the person in any given household who (a) completes the electoral registration form and (b) certifies that the information given is true. [206304]
Bridget Prentice: The present system of household registration enables any occupant of a household to complete the prescribed annual canvass form. However, the person completing the form is required to certify that the information they supply is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge by providing a signature and by printing their name. Also electors who complete a rolling registration form on an individual basis are required to sign that form.
As all completed registration forms are held by the Electoral Registration Officer it is not necessary for details about the person completing the registration form to be identified on the electoral register. If the ERO has doubts about the validity of a person’s registration details he may initiate or conduct a review. In addition, any individual may also make an objection to the ERO about another person’s registration details at any time. The Electoral Administration Act 2006 also made it an offence to supply false information on an electoral registration form, which is punishable by a prison sentence of up to six months or a fine not exceeding £5,000.
Internet: Privacy
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent action the Government has taken to protect individuals’ right to privacy when using the internet. [206059]
Mr. Wills: The use of computerised personal information in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Data Protection Act 1998. The Information Commissioner administers and enforces the Act independently of the Government. His office produces advice for individuals about their rights and guidance for organisations on how to comply with the Act when using personal information and websites. For example, in January 2007 the Information Commissioner’s Office published a Personal Information Toolkit for the general public; in June 2007 it produced guidance to data controllers about collecting personal information on the internet and in November 2007 it launched a new website to provide tips and advice on safe social networking and to help young people protect their personal information.
Government have commissioned an independent review to consider whether there should be any changes to the legislation governing data protection. The Data Sharing Review, being conducted by the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, and Dr. Mark Walport, will publish its report in the first half of 2008. The impact of technology was one of the issues covered by the review’s consultation paper and we look forward to seeing the final report. More generally, the Government and the Information Commissioner’s Office keep legislation under review in light of ever-increasing technological changes in the field of data protection.
Legal Aid Scheme
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many solicitors in each bid zone began providing legal services to clients who required legal aid for (a) civil law and (b) criminal law in each of the last five years; [194386]
(2) how many solicitors providing legal services to clients who required legal aid for (a) civil law and (b) criminal law there were in each bid zone in each of the last five years; [194387]
(3) how many solicitors in each bid zone ceased providing legal services to clients who required legal aid for (a) civil law and (b) criminal law in each of the last five years. [194388]
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many solicitors’ offices provided legal aid to clients in Wales who required legal aid for (a) civil and (b) criminal cases in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority. [197909]
Maria Eagle: I apologise to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) and the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnorshire (Mr. Williams) for the time that it has taken to respond to their questions. I have now placed the information requested in the House of Commons Library.
Michael Shields
Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what (a) advice he has commissioned on and (b) response he has made to the recent letter from the
government of Bulgaria on the possibility of a pardon for Michael Shields; and if he will make a statement. [206587]
Maria Eagle: Further advice is being sought on Michael Shields case, including on the legal issues involved. I will respond to Mr. Shields’ representative as soon as I can.
Arlene McCarthy MEP recently forwarded to me a letter received from the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria and I have responded to her in similar terms to those aforementioned.
Parking Offences
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many parking penalties were issued in each area where local authorities have taken over for the police responsibility for parking enforcement in the 12 months (a) prior to and (b) following the changeover. [206303]
Maria Eagle: Figures are only available on a calendar year basis and, given the comparison requested, can only be provided by police force area once responsibility for parking enforcement was taken over by all the local authorities within a given area. As a result, the following table provides information for London (Metropolitan and City of London police combined) and a further nine forces.
| Total police action( 1) prior to changeover and total police action plus penalty charge notices issued after changeover( 2) in respect of offence group ‘obstruction, waiting and parking offences’ for CJS areas that fully changed over by January 2006 | ||||
| Police force area | Last full calendar year prior to changeover | Total police action within that year | First full calendar year after changeover | Total police action plus penalty charge notices for that year |
| (1) Total police action is the addition of written warnings, fixed penalty notices and court proceedings. (2) Generally, not all local authorities within the aforementioned areas accepted responsibility for parking enforcement at the same time. (3) Metropolitan and City of London police force areas combined. (4) Includes findings of guilt from court proceedings rather than total court proceedings. Note: 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 police forces and local authority areas. 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. | ||||
Polling Stations: Disabled
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Electoral Commission on the access of people with disabilities to polling stations; and if he will make a statement. [205708]
Bridget Prentice:
My Department has regular discussions with the Electoral Commission on a range of electoral issues, including issues concerning the accessibility of the electoral process. The Government are keen to ensure that the electoral process is accessible to all electors. The Electoral Administration Act 2006 extends the duty placed on local authorities to review polling
places to ensure that, as far as is reasonable and practicable, they are convenient and accessible for electors. Under the Act, local authorities must carry out a full review of polling places at least every four years, and representations can be made to the Electoral Commission in respect of reviews carried out by local authorities.
Under the Electoral Administration Act 2006, if certain prescribed persons, e.g. a local councillor, or 30 or more local electors, consider that the designated polling place is not suitable, they can make representations to the Electoral Commission to review the local authority’s decision.
Prison Service: Emergencies
Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2008, Official Report,
columns 790-1W, on the prison service: emergencies, if he will give details of the operational emergencies declared in the last 36 months which involved bringing into immediate use additional accommodation or places at individual establishments, including (a) the prison where each emergency was declared, (b) how many additional places were consequently brought on stream and (c) what the use and official status of these places were prior to being put into use. [205738]
Maria Eagle: The operational emergencies declared in the last 36 months which involved bringing into immediate use additional accommodation or places at individual establishments are set out in the following table.
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