Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 19 November 2008
House of Commons Commission
Cromwell Green Entrance
Mr. Evans: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what assessment the Commission has made of the effects of the new visitors reception and security entrance at Cromwell Green on the number of hon. Member-sponsored tours of the House. [235507]
Nick Harvey: The Cromwell Green Entrance opened as the main public entrance to Parliament on 21 April 2008.
In the six months April to September 2008, there were 65,978 visitors on Member-sponsored tours of the Palace of Westminster. In the equivalent six months in 2007, there were 67,358; and in the same period in 2006 there were 63,919.
The number of hon. Member-sponsored tours is adjusted up or down from time to time by the visitor services team in the light of experience. The most recent adjustment was a reduction in May for new bookings, when the morning maximum was reduced to ensure visitors could be securely accommodated without major overcrowding or delays.
The Commission has not conducted any assessment of the effects of the new visitor reception arrangements on the number of tours sponsored by hon. Members. The parliamentary visitor board (comprising senior officials in both Houses) is conducting a review of visitor handling, to include the operation of the new entrance. This will be taken to the relevant committees in each House in the new year.
Meat
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the countries of origin have been of (a) beef, (b) chicken, (c) bacon, (d) sausages, (e) pork and (f) lamb procured by the Department of facilities and its predecessor in the last three years. [237158]
Nick Harvey: The House of Commons catering service does not maintain a record of the country of origin of foods purchased and so it is not possible to confirm the provenance of meat and poultry supplies in each of the last three years.
Since October 2007, butchery suppliers have periodically been required to confirm the country of origin of meats and poultry they have supplied to the House of Commons. Based on the information provided, it is estimated that in 2007 (a) all beef supplied was UK reared except a small quantity of Halal beef sourced from the Republic of Ireland; (b) 97 per cent. of poultry was UK reared, with the balance being specific products sourced from
France; (c) , (d) and (e) all bacon, sausages and pork was from UK reared pigs; and (f) all lamb was UK reared.
The House authorities believe that the provenance of meat and poultry supplies was similar in previous years.
Parliamentary Tours
Mr. Evans: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much income has been generated from visitors to the House during the summer openings in each of the last three years; and what the cost to the House was of operating summer opening in each year. [235508]
Nick Harvey: The summer opening programme continues to run as a cost-neutral (self-financing) operation, the strategy being to break even over a three-year period. The current three-year period, for this purpose, is 2007-09. Figures relating to the last three years are as follows:
| £ | ||
| Summer of: | Income | Cost |
| (1) 2008 figures still subject to final adjustments. | ||
These figures relate to both Houses’ shares. The Commons’ share of costs and income is 70 per cent.
Mr. Evans: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the average hourly pay rates are for (a) Blue Badge Guides employed during the summer openings and (b) guides employed directly by the House; and what the reasons are for any differences. [235509]
Nick Harvey: During the summer opening programme, professionally qualified Blue Badge Guides are employed to conduct tours of the Palace of Westminster. Half-day and full-day rates are calculated on the basis of nationally agreed Blue Badge rates. A qualified London Blue Badge Guide delivering a standard parliamentary tour in English would earn £38.30 per hour; in foreign languages £43.30. The cost of the Blue Badge Guides is covered by the ticket price.
For Member-sponsored tours when Parliament is sitting, the current policy is that guides are drawn primarily from serving or retired House staff and that Parliament should bear the expense of the tours. The current rate for in-house guides is £22.70 per hour.
The difference in pay reflects the higher level and formal nature of the training and qualification of Blue Badge Guides. The higher level of training includes the mechanics of guiding and detailed knowledge of London as a whole (which fits in with the requirements of summer opening visitors), as well as an independent parliamentary qualification.
Justice
Cemeteries
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what research his Department has undertaken into (a) the management of burial grounds and (b) memorial safety in the last three years. [236502]
Bridget Prentice: In January 2004, a report on research into cemeteries and their management was published by the Home Office. Following the transfer of responsibility for burial law we published the results of a survey of English and Welsh burial grounds in June 2007. This can be found on the Department’s website at:
We have not conducted research into memorial safety, but have discussed with stakeholders how best to assess and deal with the risks associated with unstable gravestones. We are now arranging for the publication of appropriate guidance.
Children: Protection
Mr. Timpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many people convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult since 2005
received (a) a custodial sentence of less than 12 months, (b) a custodial sentence of more than 12 months but less than four years, (c) a custodial sentence of four years of more, (d) an indeterminate sentence for public protection, (e) a suspended sentence, (f) a community sentence and (g) a conditional discharge; [237309]
(2) how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been for the offence of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult under section 5 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. [237310]
Maria Eagle: The requested information is contained in the following tables.
2006 is the latest year for which annually published statistics are available.
Data for 2007 will be published on 27 November.
Commonhold
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 5 November 2008, Official Report, column 626W, on the Land Registry, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the level of take-up of commonhold in residential dwellings since 2002. [236148]
Bridget Prentice: The commonhold legislation came into force on 27 September 2004, creating a voluntary alternative to long leasehold ownership for flats and other similar premises. In view of the low take-up, my noble friend, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, announced that the Government intended to consult with key parties to see what could be done to improve it on 26 July 2007, Official Report, column 908. As I said in my reply on 28 October 2008, Official Report, column 851W, to the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson), we are reviewing our plans for the publication of a consultation document in the light of other priorities and I will make a statement when a decision has been made.
Conveyancing: Internet
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what role the Valuation Office Agency is playing in the Land Registry’s development of e-conveyancing. [236079]
Mr. Wills: The Valuation Office Agency are not involved in the development of e-conveyancing but the two organisations keep in regular contact.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the latest timetable for the implementation of electronic conveyancing is; and how much his Department has allocated to support the scheme over each of the next three years. [236174]
Mr. Wills: The latest revision of Land Registry’s business case for the Electronic Conveyancing Programme estimates that the programme of work will be fully implemented in 2014-15. The Ministry of Justice gives no financial support to the programme which will be financed in full by Land Registry who estimate total costs will be in the range of £270 to £310 million.
Court of Protection
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases held in the Court of Protection have been reported since it became a Court of Record in October 2008; and how the public are able to obtain information on the decisions of the court. [236537]
Bridget Prentice: Under the Court of Protection Rules 2007, the general position is that hearings before the court will be held in private, but the court may decide that all or part of the hearing should be held in public. The court may also authorise the publication of a text or summary of a judgment or order made by the court. The court can authorise the publication of information on its own initiative or on an application made by one of the parties to proceedings. Since 1 October 2007, the court has not held any hearings in public and nor has it authorised the publication of any information about proceedings held in private. For any future cases, where the judge authorises publication of information, details of the order or judgement will be published on the Office of Public Guardian website.
Court Orders
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many charging orders have been issued in each court area in each of the last five years. [236176]
Bridget Prentice: The following table shows the numbers of charging orders made in each county court and HM courts service area in each of the last five years.
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