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27 Jan 2009 : Column 381W—continued
Repossessions: Cambridgeshire
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many court orders have been issued for the repossession of homes in South East Cambridgeshire constituency for each of the last 12 months. [250240]
Bridget Prentice:
Although figures for the South East Cambridgeshire constituency are not available, the following
table shows the number of mortgage and landlord possession orders made in Cambridge county court from October 2007 to September 2008.
The civil procedure rules state that all claims for the repossession of land must be commenced in the district in which the land is situated. However, Cambridge county court covers areas other than South East Cambridgeshire and therefore not all possession actions at this court relate to this constituency.
Figures from October 2008 are yet to be released by the Ministry of Justice as National Statistics on 20 February 2009.
Court level statistics on mortgage and landlord repossession actions from 1987 to 2007 are available on the Ministry of Justice website at:
These figures do not indicate how many homes have actually been repossessed. Repossessions can occur without a court order being made, while not all court orders result in repossession.
| Mortgage( 1) and landlord( 2) possession orders made( 3, 4) in Cambridge county court, October 2007 to September 2008 | ||
| Cambridge | ||
| Mortgage possession | Landlord possession( 5) | |
| (1) Mortgage possession data include all types of lenders whether local authority or private. (2 )Landlord possession data include all types of landlord whether social or private. (3 )Includes outright and suspended orders, the later being where the court grants the claimant possession but suspends the operation of the order. Provided the defendant complies with the terms of suspension, which usually require the defendant to pay the current mortgage or rent instalments plus some of the accrued arrears, the possession order cannot be enforced. (4 )The court, following a judicial hearing, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction. (5 )Includes landlord orders made through both standard and accelerated procedures. Landlord actions via the accelerated procedure enables the orders to be made solely on the basis of written evidence and shorthold tenancies, when the fixed period of tenancy has come to an end. (6 )Provisional figures. Source: Ministry of Justice | ||
Residence Orders: Applications
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for residence orders have been applied for by extended family members since 1 April 2008. [248906]
Bridget Prentice: Figures on the number of applications, counted by child, by the applicant relationship to the child for private law residence orders since 1 April 2008 in county and high courts in England and Wales are given in the following table. Public law applications (few in number) are not included. Figures for family proceedings courts are also not provided as comprehensive information on applicant relationships is not available. Please note that the figures are provisional.
In 1,080 of 25,064 applications there was more than one applicant relationship specified for the application. This could happen for a number of reasons. It could be that the applicant has a different relationship with each of the children in the case, that the application is made by more than one person or there may be counter applications made by two or more people. Where this happens the application will be counted more than once within the total of 26,261 applicant relationships.
Suicide: Prosecutions
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely effect of the implementation of the Government’s proposed amendments to the Suicide Act 1961 contained in the Coroners and Justice Bill on the number of prosecutions of people who (a) encourage suicide and (b) assist the suicide of a mentally competent terminally ill adult who travels abroad to have an assisted death in a jurisdiction where it is legal. [250342]
Maria Eagle: The decision to prosecute in individual cases for an offence under the Suicide Act 1961 is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service. The proposed amendments to the Suicide Act will simplify and modernise the law in this area. They will not make liable to prosecution anyone who was not liable before.
Television: Licensing
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of prosecuting suspected television licence fee evaders was in each of the last five years. [249831]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 20 January 2009]: I have been asked to reply.
The Ministry of Justice has informed me that the estimated cost to Her Majesty’s Courts Service based on the estimated time TV licence cases take to be heard in the magistrates court is as follows:
| £ | |
The BBC is independent of Government and prosecutions are a matter for TV Licensing, which is a trading name used by companies contracted by the BBC to administer the collection of television licence fees and enforcement of the television licensing system. Details of the prosecutor’s costs are not gathered or held by my Department.
Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to make regulations under the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 in relation to the use of force by bailiffs. [250928]
Bridget Prentice: The enforcement provisions in the Tribunals, Court and Enforcement Act 2007 are far reaching reforms. The provisions have recently undergone a comprehensive reassessment by Ministers to ensure that they remain appropriate. This assessment has now been concluded and a statement will be made shortly.
Young Offenders
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many young offenders held on the prison estate completed the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme at (a) bronze, (b) silver and (c) gold level in each of the last five years; [251750]
(2) how many young offenders at Feltham Young Offender Institution completed the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme at (a) bronze, (b) silver and (c) gold level in each of the last five years; [251751]
(3) how many young offenders at Portland Young Offender Institution completed the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme at (a) bronze, (b) silver and (c) gold level in each of the last five years; [251752]
(4) how many young offenders at Glen Parva Young Offender Institution completed the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme at (a) bronze, (b) silver and (c) gold level in each of the last five years; [251753]
(5) how many young offenders at Aylesbury Young Offender Institution completed the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme at (a) bronze, (b) silver and (c) gold level in each of the last five years. [251754]
Mr. Hanson: Information provided by the establishments, which is not collected centrally, is that set out in the following table. All the awards in the table are at bronze level.
| Feltham | Portland( 1) | Glen Parva | Aylesbury | |
| (1) Portland have enrolled six prisoners this year to undertake bronze level. | ||||
The information on the rest of the young offender estate is being collated and I will write to the hon. Member when this is complete.
Young Offenders: Reoffenders
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government has taken to reduce re-offending among juvenile offenders. [250832]
Mr. Hanson: I refer my hon. Friend to my response of 22 January 2009, Official R eport , column 1614W.
There has been an 18.7 per cent. reduction in the frequency rate of youth reoffending between 2000 and 2006. The Youth Crime Action Plan, published in July 2008 details the cross Government approach to reducing youth crime, including youth reoffending. It sets out a ‘triple track’ approach of enforcement and punishment where behaviour is unacceptable, non-negotiable support and challenge where it is most needed, and better and earlier prevention. The Youth Justice Board leads on the target of a 10 per cent. reduction by 2011 of the frequency rate of youth reoffending against the 2005 baseline, and is working, with Departments, to influence the key services to ensure young people have access to mainstream, and specialist services before, during and after justice.
Women and Equality
Pensioner Poverty
7. Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what estimate she has made of respective levels of poverty among female and male pensioners. [250982]
Maria Eagle: Through targeted support, and over £13 billion extra funding, the proportion of pensioners in relative low income has fallen by around a third from 29 per cent. in 1998-99 to 19 per cent. in 2006-07. Over this period the proportion of male pensioners in relative low income has fallen from 26 per cent. to 17 per cent. and the proportion of female pensioners from 30 per cent. to 20 per cent.
Violence Against Women
8. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether she plans to meet the Secretary of State for the Home Department to discuss a cross-Government strategy to tackle violence against women. [250983]
Maria Eagle: The Home Secretary confirmed to the Home Affairs Select Committee that the Government have accepted its recommendation to adopt a cross-government violence against women strategy on 13 November 2008.
A consultation on violence against women and women’s safety will be launched later this year. Feedback from the public and stakeholders will be used to inform the strategy. This Government are proud of their achievements in dealing with violence against women, but we are not complacent—which is why we want to ask people about what more we should be doing to tackle violence against women.
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