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16 Dec 2008 : Column 563W—continued
Marine Management Organisation
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the operational effectiveness of the proposed Marine Management Organisation in carrying out its functions as a non-departmental public body and (b) the operational effectiveness of the Marine and Fisheries Agency in performing those functions. [242391]
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ensure that it is fit for purpose the Government intends the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to have the degree of independence from any one Minister or Department that the Marine Fisheries Agency, as an executive agency of DEFRA, currently lacks.
This independence from a single Department of Government is key as the MMO will deliver functions on behalf of Government as a whole—not just for DEFRA. There is also a strong desire across Government for stakeholders to be confident that the MMO is neutral.
It is largely for these reasons that the Government have decided that the MMO should be a non-departmental public body.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to re-allocate funds from existing budgets to fund the location outside London of the proposed Marine Management Organisation. [242404]
Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA has been aware of the potential funding required for a relocation for some time. My decision on location of the Marine Management Organisation will be taken into account when 2009-10 budget allocations within DEFRA are agreed in the new year.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of the 40 new posts to be created at the proposed Marine Management Organisation will be in (a) marine planning, (b) corporate services and (c) other areas. [242405]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Marine Management Organisation will create approximately 43 new posts. 19 will be in marine planning, four will be in corporate services and 20 will be in other areas.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many marine plans are to be drafted for the proposed Marine Management Organisation; and what deadline has been set for such plans to be produced. [242406]
Huw Irranca-Davies: We are aiming to put in place a significant number of marine plans over a 20 year period. We have not set out in the Marine and Coastal Access Bill either the number of plans or the deadline for their production because this is a new system which needs to evolve.
The figures in the impact assessment published alongside the Bill are based on 10 plans, although the eventual number of plans, and their size will depend on local ecological and regional characteristics and needs in the areas where planning is most needed. We envisage that plans will be created through a phased approach, with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) prioritising resources to the areas where it is determined that early planning will be of most benefit.
We aim to start developing the first plans as soon as the MMO is established. We will be examining these issues during the course of the next year and will consult with stakeholders as part of developing our approach.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff he estimates will be working on marine planning in the proposed Marine Management Organisation’s first year of operation. [242407]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Of the 43 new posts the Marine Management Organisation will create, 19 will be in marine planning.
Our impact assessment suggests that we may need teams of six to co-ordinate each plan, supported by resources from the wider organisation to address requirements such as science, data management and analysis, geospatial systems, legal advice, communications and stakeholder engagement.
Therefore depending on how many plans the MMO works on at any given time it would be likely to require dedicated staff with further input from a range of specialists. The MMO will not be working alone but will be seeking to involve marine and planning expertise from the stakeholder community. Ultimately the numbers engaged in the planning process will be determined by the priority allocated to planning and the availability of resources, in essence the needs of the business.
Pesticides: Health Hazards
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will publish (a) the papers from the Study of Health in Agricultural Work by Dr. Andrew Povey et al., of the University of Manchester, (b) the Survey of Health and Pesticide Exposure by Dr. Tony Fletcher of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and (c) the case-control study of neuropsychological and psychiatric functioning in sheep farmers exposed to OP pesticide by Dr. Sarah Mackenzie Ross of University College, London, commissioned by his Department. [243548]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The reports from Dr. Povey and Dr. Mackenzie Ross will be published when the current peer review has been completed.
The consolidated epidemiological and clinical reports from Dr. Fletcher's study have been passed to the Medical and Scientific Panel of the Veterinary Products Committee for their independent view of the findings. Once the Medical and Scientific Panel's views are received the consolidated report will be published.
The epidemiological report from Dr. Fletcher's study was published on the DEFRA website in June 2005 and can be found at:
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document =VM0299_260_TRP.doc.
Pet Travel Scheme
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will increase the funding available to collect and analyse disease surveillance data relating to cross-border pet movement. [241476]
Jane Kennedy: DEFRA undertakes extensive work in relation to rabies and other important diseases that may be carried by pet animals that arrive in the United Kingdom via both PETS (the Pet Travel Scheme) and those going into quarantine. Also, DEFRA regularly reviews the targeting of the resources it has available to carry out disease surveillance. Reviews are carried out in accordance with the reasons for Government intervention as set out in the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy. Consideration of re-allocation of surveillance resource between different animal species and diseases, to permit increased funding of surveillance in relation to cross-border pet movement, is included in this process.
Plastics: Recycling
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans his Department has to fund new mixed plastics recycling plants; and if he will make a statement; [241868]
(2) what plans his Department has to fund new mixed plastics recycling plants; and if he will make a statement. [242549]
Jane Kennedy: There are no current plans for new capital investment in mixed plastic recycling infrastructure, but this position is being reviewed in light of the current global market conditions.
Justice
Chelmsford Prison
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many prisoners at Chelmsford Prison share a room with (a) one and (b) two other prisoners; [244183]
(2) what the designated maximum number of prisoners is who can be housed in Chelmsford Prison; [244184]
(3) how many (a) adults and (b) young offenders there are in Chelmsford Prison. [244185]
Mr. Hanson: On 12 December, the operational capacity of Chelmsford prison was 695. The number of adults and young offenders held in the prison overnight was 482 and 203 respectively. 276 prisoners shared a cell with another person. No prisoners were held three to a cell.
Community Orders: Per Capita Costs
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average (a) daily, (b) weekly, (c) monthly and (d) annual cost of supervising an offender on a community sentence was in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [243287]
Mr. Hanson: Probation Services meets the cost of delivering Community Sentences through their grant as they see fit to meet their statutory duties. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 established the new Community Order as a single community sentence with a number of elements in respect of offences committed after 4 April 2005.
Probation Boards and trusts spent £614 million in 2007-08 supervising around 244,000 offenders. It is not currently possible to separate the cost of supervising offenders on community sentence as probation caseloads also include significant numbers of offenders that have been released from a custodial sentence or released temporarily into the community.
Work is in hand in the National Offender Management Service to ensure that all offender services delivered in custody and in the community are properly specified and costed so that commissioners can ensure that resources are targeted effectively to protect the public and reduce re-offending.
County Courts: Kent
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to increase the rate of throughput of civil cases at county courts in Kent. [242569]
Bridget Prentice: In terms of key performance indicator 6, which deals with the proportion of small claims (claims up to £5,000) that are dealt with other than by a hearing (settlement), Kent has increased from 52.4 per cent. at the end of 2007-08, to 55.1 per cent. for the first six months of this year. Increased administrative support is being given to the Kent small claims mediator to improve the throughput of civil cases where the parties believe that mediation outside the courtroom may lead to settlement.
For key performance indicator 7, which measures the proportion of defended small claims that are completed (from issue to final hearing) within 30 weeks, there has been a decline in throughput of civil small claims cases in Kent in 2008-09 based on figures to the end of September 2008. Her Majesty’s Courts Service, Kent has taken the following steps to improve the performance. On small claims cases, deputy district judge sittings have increased by an additional 66 days to improve performance. Greater use is being made of listing a block of cases before two or more district judges sitting on the same day at the same location, thus utilising judicial time more effectively. A pilot exercise is being undertaken whereby the Kent small claims mediator attends that same court to offer on-the-spot mediation to parties awaiting hearing who wish to take advantage of this free mediation service. Closer scrutiny of the reasons for cases not meeting target will be carried out by court managers from December 2008.
In line with the key performance indicator to increase the amount of civil work initiated online, Kent has made progress and in October 2008, 67 per cent. of customers issued possession claims online as compared with 41.3 per cent. a year ago. Further work is planned to increase online take up.
In relation to (the supporting indicator, for) large multi-track cases (over £15,000), the system by which these cases are heard at each location at Kent within the same fortnight is being extended to three fortnights a year, rather than two, to improve performance against target. A review of all multi-track cases at Canterbury county court was recently carried out by the designated civil judge to ensure that cases were being dealt with in a timely manner and not incurring avoidable delay.
Supporting management information is provided in relation to the proportion of administrative process completed within five days. Kent’s performance is slightly below the South East region’s figure of 92.9 per cent., at 91.2 per cent. for the first six months of this year. During the first part of the year in Kent, a number of county court manager roles were covered on a temporary basis at Canterbury (seven months), Medway (ongoing temporary promotion), and Tunbridge Wells (temporary promotion, four months), as well as at Maidstone county court. The majority of court manager vacancies are now filled and with the training of new staff that has taken place, improvement in the management of administrative process at these sites is anticipated.
Kent has been included, as part of wider regional reviews including the Civil Listing Review, District Judge Complementing Review and Circuit Judge Complementing Review. These reviews have made recommendations on listing practices and the operation of concurrent jurisdiction for circuit and district judges and the requirement to hear civil work at the most appropriate level. These recommendations are now being considered by the area director and the designated civil judge with a view to realigning judicial resource where appropriate to bring improvement in performance across all areas of civil work.
Departmental Data Protection
Paul Holmes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many civil servants in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c)
dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on departmental equipment and (B) confidential information in each year since its inception. [242929]
Mr. Wills: In the ex-DCA, details of the number of staff investigated for losing and deliberately disclosing data and confidential information were not held centrally in a format that would enable us to answer this part of the question. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Information regarding suspensions and the outcome of disciplinary proceedings is held centrally and these records indicate that no members of staff have been suspended or dismissed since 9 May 2007 for these offences.
In the National Offender Management Service, details of the number of staff investigated or suspended for losing and deliberately disclosing data and confidential information are not held centrally in a format that would enable us to answer this part of the question. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Information regarding the outcome of disciplinary proceedings is held centrally and these records indicate that no members of staff have been dismissed since 9 May 2007 for these offences.
Departmental Procurement
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there has been any nugatory cost to his Department and its agencies relating to tendered procurement where the tender process has been cancelled prior to the award of the contract since the inception of his Department. [242458]
Maria Eagle: There have been no nugatory costs to the Department and its agencies, since its inception, relating to tendered procurement where the tender process has been cancelled prior to award of the contract.
Departmental Public Consultation
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on which occasions his Department has convened a citizens’ jury or randomly drawn panel of people to aid the Department’s policy making since 2000; whether the participants were paid in each case; and if he will make a statement. [243037]
Mr. Wills: The Ministry of Justice has not convened any citizens’ juries or randomly drawn panel of people to aid the Department’s policy making. However we recognise the important contribution that the public can make in this area and carry out a wide range of activities which allow Ministers and officials to listen to and understand the views of the public and stakeholders in developing policy.
Deportation: Ukraine
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many prisoners were returned to Ukraine under prisoner transfer agreements in the last year for which figures are available; [244460]
(2) how many prisoners were removed from England and Wales under prisoner transfer agreements in the last year for which figures are available; [244463]
(3) how many prisoners were returned to (a) the Netherlands and (b) the Netherlands Antilles under prisoner transfer agreements in the last year for which figures are available. [244464]
Mr. Hanson: In the calendar year 2007, 111 prisoners were transferred from England and Wales to other countries under relevant international prisoner transfer arrangements. Of these, 75 prisoners were transferred to the Netherlands and five prisoners were transferred to the Netherlands Antilles. No prisoners were transferred to the Ukraine.
Juries
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to establish parallel juries for the purposes of research into how juries reach their verdicts. [243198]
Maria Eagle: We have no plans to establish parallel juries for the purposes of research into how juries reach their verdicts.
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