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Winter Fuel Payments

Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham): The Secretary of State received a letter from the editor of Disability Now, dated 19 December. A reply was sent on 30 January.

The letter urged the Government to extend the winter fuel payment scheme to severely disabled people under 60 who are receiving the middle or higher rate of the disability living allowance care component, or the higher rate of the mobility component.

Winter fuel payments were introduced as part of our commitment to alleviate fuel poverty by providing help to older households towards their winter fuel bills. Information from the 1996-97 English Housing Conditions Survey shows that around 50 per cent of all fuel-poor households contain someone aged 60 or over.

For younger disabled people, disability living allowance provides a contribution towards the extra costs associated with disability. The care and mobility needs entitlement criteria to the benefit are used as broad indicators of all the extra costs, including heating costs, that a disabled person may have. The disability premium in income-related benefits is paid in recognition that the poorest disabled people need additional help. Disabled people are free to use either of these benefits to pay for additional heating costs.

Mr Panicos Tsiakourmas

Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The Foreign Secretary has written to both Mr Denktash and Turkish Foreign Minister Cem about the circumstances of Mr Tsiakourmas' arrest and emphasising the importance we attach to this very

14 Feb 2001 : Column WA40

serious matter. Our High Commissioner in Nicosia has also made strong and regular representations to Mr Denktash. Our concerns have also been raised on several occasions with the Turkish authorities in Nicosia, Ankara and London. We will continue to raise the issue until it is resolved satisfactorily.

Harare: Press Freedom

The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:

    In the context of the bombing of the printing presses of the Daily News, Harare, to what extent they believe that freedom of the press is a bulwark and precondition of democracy.[HL587]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A free and independent press is a vital element in the maintenance of democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law in any country. HMG condemn the attack on the Daily News in Harare. The UK and the EU have called on the Government of Zimbabwe to bring the culprits to justice and to reaffirm its obligations to respect freedom of expression.

Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group: Mandate

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether, as members of the Commonwealth High Level Review Group, they will seek to ensure that the group recommends to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Brisbane in October 2001 that the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group's mandate should be extended to cover states where, in the opinion of the CMAG, there is a threat to freedom of expression.[HL595]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government believe that the right to freedom of expression should be one of the Commonwealth's core values. We will continue to seek to ensure that the High Level Review Group recommends to Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting in Brisbane in 2001 that the mandate of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group is expanded to cover serious violations of that right.

Magistrates' Courts

Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will publish a table in the Official Report to show, by each county in England and Wales, the location of each courthouse for use by magistrates available on 30th September 1995 and on 1st January 2001.[HL567]

The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Lord Bach): The information in the table is by Magistrates' Courts Committee area. The data in

14 Feb 2001 : Column WA41

the column headed "Open as at 1/1/01" has been assembled from courthouse usage returns up to December 2000, not from a specific survey of courthouses, and is subject to confirmation on the next survey.

Location of Magistrates' Courts

MCC CourthouseOpen as at 30/9/95Open as at 1/1/01
AvonBath
AvonBristol
AvonFlax Bourton
AvonWeston super Mare
AvonYale
Avon55
Barking & DagenhamBarking (East Street)
Barking & DagenhamBarking (North Street)
Barking & Dagenham22
BarnetBarnet
BarnetHendon
Barnet22
BarnsleyBarnsley
Barnsley11
BedfordshireAmpthillclosed
BedfordshireBedford
BedfordshireBiggleswadeclosed
BedfordshireDunstableclosed
BedfordshireLeighton Buzzardclosed
BedfordshireLuton
Bedfordshire62
BexleyBexley
Bexley11
BrentBrent
Brent11
BromleyBromley (London Road)not yet open
BromleyBromley (South Street)closed
Bromley11
CalderdaleHalifax
Calderdale11
CambridgeshireCambridge
CambridgeshireEly
CambridgeshireHuntingdon
CambridgeshireMarchclosed
CambridgeshirePeterborough
CambridgeshireWisbech
Cambridgeshire65
CheshireChester
CheshireCrewe
CheshireEllesmere Portclosed
CheshireMacclesfield (Hibel Rd)
CheshireMacclesfield (Park Green)
CheshireNorthwich
CheshireRuncorn
CheshireWarrington (Arpley Street)
CheshireWarrington (Patten Hall)
CheshireWidnes
Cheshire109
City of LondonCity of London
City of London11
ClevelandGuisborough
ClevelandHartlepool
ClevelandMiddlesbrough
Cleveland33
CroydonCroydon
Croydon11
CumbriaApplebyclosed
CumbriaBarrow in Furness
CumbriaCarlisle
CumbriaKendal
CumbriaKeswickclosed
CumbriaPenrith
CumbriaWhitehaven
CumbriaWigtonclosed
CumbriaWindemereclosed
CumbriaWorkington
Cumbria106
DerbyshireAlfreton
DerbyshireAshbourne
DerbyshireBakewell
DerbyshireBuxton
DerbyshireChesterfield (Brimington Rd)
DerbyshireChesterfield (West Bars)
DerbyshireDerby (Bold Lane)
DerbyshireDerby (Derwent St)
DerbyshireDerby (Derwent Street)
DerbyshireDerby (Swadlincote)
DerbyshireGlossop
DerbyshireIkeston
DerbyshireMatlock
Derbyshire1313
Devon & CornwallAxminster
Devon & CornwallBarnstaple
Devon & CornwallBideford
Devon & CornwallBodmin
Devon & CornwallCamborne
Devon & CornwallCullompton
Devon & CornwallExeter
Devon & CornwallExmouth
Devon & CornwallHoniton
Devon & CornwallIsles of Scilly
Devon & CornwallKingsbridge
Devon & CornwallLaunceston
Devon & CornwallLiskeard
Devon & CornwallNewquay
Devon & CornwallNewton Abbot
Devon & CornwallOkehampton
Devon & CornwallPenzance
Devon & CornwallPlymouth
Devon & CornwallSouth Molton
Devon & CornwallTavistock
Devon & CornwallTeignmouth
Devon & CornwallTiverton
Devon & CornwallTorquay
Devon & CornwallTotnes
Devon & CornwallTruro
Devon & Cornwall2525
DoncasterDoncaster
DoncasterThorneclosed
Doncaster21
DorsetBlandford
DorsetBournemouth
DorsetBridport
DorsetChristchurchclosed
DorsetDorchester
DorsetGillingham
DorsetPoole
DorsetSherborne
DorsetWareham
DorsetWeymouth
DorsetWimborne
Dorset1110
DurhamBarnard Castleclosed
DurhamBishop Auckland
DurhamChester le Street
DurhamConsett
DurhamDarlington
DurhamDurham
DurhamNewton Aycliffe
DurhamPeterlee
DurhamSeahamclosed
Durham97
DyfedAberystwyth
DyfedAmmanford
DyfedCardigan
DyfedCarmarthen
DyfedHaverfordwest
DyfedLampeter
DyfedLlandovery
DyfedLlanelli
DyfedPembrokeclosed
DyfedTenby
Dyfed109
EalingActon
EalingEaling
Ealing22
East SussexBrighton
East SussexEastbourne
East SussexHastings
East SussexLewes
East Sussex44
EnfieldEnfield
Enfield11
EssexBasildon
EssexBraintreeclosed
EssexChelmsford
EssexClacton on Seaclosed
EssexColchester (Stanwell House)
EssexColchester (Town Hall)
EssexEpping
EssexGrays
EssexHalsteadclosed
EssexHarlow
EssexHarwich
EssexSaffron Waldenclosed
EssexSouthend on Sea
EssexWitham
Essex1410
GatesheadBlaydon
GatesheadGateshead
Gateshead22
GloucestershireCheltenham
GloucestershireCirencester
GloucestershireColeford
GloucestershireDursley
GloucestershireGloucester
GloucestershireStow on the Wold
GloucestershireStroud
GloucestershireTewkesbury
GloucestershireWhitminsterclosed
Gloucestershire98
GwentAbergavenny
GwentAbertillery
GwentBargoedclosed
GwentBlackwood
GwentCaerphilly
GwentChepstow
GwentCwnbran
GwentMonmouthclosed
GwentNewport (Civic Centre)
GwentNewport (Pentonville)
GwentPontlottynclosed
GwentPontypoolclosed
GwentTredegar
Gwent139
HampshireAldershot
HampshireAlton
HampshireAndover
HampshireBasingstoke
HampshireEastleigh
HampshireFareham
HampshireHavant
HampshireLyndhurst
HampshirePortsmouth
HampshireSouthampton
Hampshire1010
HaringeyEnfield
HaringeyHighgate
Haringey22
HarrowHarrow
Harrow11
HaveringRomford
Havering11
Hereford & WorcesterBromsgroveclosed
Hereford & WorcesterDroitwich
Hereford & WorcesterEvesham
Hereford & WorcesterHereford
Hereford & WorcesterKidderminster
Hereford & WorcesterLedburyclosed
Hereford & WorcesterLeominster
Hereford & WorcesterRedditch
Hereford & WorcesterWorcester
Hereford & Worcester97
HertfordshireBishop's Stortfordclosed
HertfordshireCheshunt
HertfordshireHatfieldclosed
HertfordshireHemel Hempstead
HertfordshireHertford
HertfordshireHitchinclosed
HertfordshireSt. Albans
HertfordshireStevenage
HertfordshireWatford
Hertfordshire96
HillingdonUxbridge
Hillingdon11
HounslowBrentford
HounslowFeltham
Hounslow22
HumbersideBridlington
HumbersideBrough
HumbersideDriffield
HumbersideGoole
HumbersideGrimsby
HumbersideHornseaclosed
HumbersideHowdenclosed
HumbersideHull (Guildhall)
HumbersideHull (Lowgate)
HumbersideMarket Weightonclosed
HumbersidePocklington
HumbersideScunthorpe
HumbersideWithernsea
Humberside1310
Inner LondonBalham
Inner LondonBelmarsh
Inner LondonBow Street
Inner LondonCamberwell Green
Inner LondonClerkenwellclosed
Inner LondonGreenwich
Inner LondonHampsteadclosed
Inner LondonHighbury Corner
Inner LondonHorseferry Road
Inner LondonMarlborough Streetclosed
Inner LondonMarylebone (181 Marylebone Rd)
Inner LondonMarylebone (185 Marylebone Rd)closed
Inner LondonOld Streetclosed
Inner LondonSeymour Placeclosed
Inner LondonSouth Western
Inner LondonThames
Inner LondonTower Bridge
Inner LondonWells Street
Inner LondonWest London
Inner LondonWoolwich
Inner London2014
Isle of WightNewport
Isle of Wight11
KentAshford
KentCanterbury
KentChatham
KentDartford
KentDover
KentFolkestone
KentGraveshamclosed
KentMaidstone
KentMargate
KentSevenoaks
KentSheernessclosed
KentSittingbourne
KentTonbridgeclosed
KentTunbridge Wells
KentWest Mallingclosed
Kent1511
Kingston upon ThamesKingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames11
LancashireAccrington
LancashireBlackburn
LancashireBlackpool
LancashireBurnley
LancashireChorley
LancashireFleetwood
LancashireLancaster
LancashireLeyland
LancashireLythamclosed
LancashireOrmskirk
LancashirePreston
LancashireReedley
LancashireRossendale
Lancashire1312
LeedsLeeds
LeedsMorleyclosed
LeedsOtleyclosed
LeedsPudseyclosed
LeedsWetherby
Leeds52
LeicestershireCoalville
LeicestershireHinckley
LeicestershireLeicester
LeicestershireLoughborough
LeicestershireLutterworthclosed
LeicestershireMarket Harborough
LeicestershireMelton Mowbray
LeicestershireRutland
Leicestershire87
LincolnshireBoston
LincolnshireBourne
LincolnshireCaistor
LincolnshireGainsborough
LincolnshireGrantham
LincolnshireHorncastle
LincolnshireLincoln
LincolnshireLong Sutton
LincolnshireLouth
LincolnshireMarket Rasenclosed
LincolnshireSkegness
LincolnshireSleaford
LincolnshireSpalding
LincolnshireStamford
Lincolnshire1413
ManchesterManchester
Manchester11
MerseysideBirkenhead
MerseysideBootle
MerseysideKnowsley
MerseysideLiverpool (Crosshall St)
MerseysideLiverpool (Crown & Jerome Bldgs)
MerseysideLiverpool (Dale St)
MerseysideSouthport
MerseysideSt Helens
MerseysideWallasey
Merseyside99
MertonWimbledon
Merton11
Newcastle Upon TyneGosforth
Newcastle Upon TyneNewcastle Upon Tyne
Newcastle Upon Tyne22
NewhamStratford
Newham11
NorfolkCromer
NorfolkDissclosed
NorfolkEast Derehamclosed
NorfolkFakenham
NorfolkGreat Yarmouth
NorfolkHunstantonclosed
NorfolkKing's Lynn
NorfolkNorwich
NorfolkSwaffham
NorfolkThetford
Norfolk107
North & West ManchesterBolton
North & West ManchesterBury
North & West ManchesterLeigh
North & West ManchesterMiddleton
North & West ManchesterRochdale
North & West ManchesterSalford
North & West ManchesterWigan
North & West Manchester77
North TynesideNorth Shields
North Tyneside11
North WalesAbergele
North WalesAmlwchclosed
North WalesBalaclosed
North WalesBangor
North WalesBlaenau Festiniogclosed
North WalesCaernarfon
North WalesCorwenclosed
North WalesDenbigh
North WalesDolgellau
North WalesFlint
North WalesHolyhead
North WalesLlandudno
North WalesLlangefni
North WalesLlangollenclosed
North WalesMold
North WalesPrestatyn
North WalesPwlheli
North WalesTywynclosed
North WalesWrexham
North Wales1913
North YorkshireBedaleclosed
North YorkshireEasingwoldclosed
North YorkshireHarrogate
North YorkshireIngletonclosed
North YorkshireLeyburnclosed
North YorkshireMaltonclosed
North YorkshireNorthallerton
North YorkshirePickering
North YorkshireRichmond
North YorkshireRiponclosed
North YorkshireScarborough
North YorkshireSelby
North YorkshireSkipton
North YorkshireStokesleyclosed
North YorkshireThirskclosed
North YorkshireWhitby
North YorkshireYork
North Yorkshire179
NorthamptonshireCorby
NorthamptonshireDaventry
NorthamptonshireKettering
NorthamptonshireNorthampton
NorthamptonshireTowcester
NorthamptonshireWellingborough
Northamptonshire66
NorthumberlandAlnwick
NorthumberlandBedlington
NorthumberlandBerwick upon Tweed
NorthumberlandHexham
Northumberland44
NottinghamshireMansfield (Commercial St)closed
NottinghamshireMansfield (Rosemary St)not yet open
NottinghamshireNewark
NottinghamshireNottingham (Carrington St)not yet open
NottinghamshireNottingham (Guildhall)closed
NottinghamshireNottingham (Sand Field House)closed
NottinghamshireRetford
NottinghamshireWorksop
Nottinghamshire65
OldhamOldham
Oldham11
PowysBrecon
PowysLlandrindod Wells
PowysMachynlleth
PowysNewtown
PowysYstradgynlais
Powys55
RedbridgeRedbridge
Redbridge11
Richmond upon ThamesRichmond upon Thames
Richmond upon Thames11
RotherhamRotherham
Rotherham11
SheffieldShefield
Sheffield11
ShropshireBridgnorth
ShropshireLudlow
ShropshireMarket Drayton
ShropshireOswestry
ShropshireShrewsbury
ShropshireTelford
ShropshireWhitchurch
Shropshire77
SomersetBridgwater
SomersetFrome
SomersetMinehead
SomersetTaunton
SomersetWells
SomersetYeovil
Somerset66
South TynesideHebburnclosed
South TynesideSouth Shields (Kepple Street)closed
South TynesideSouth Shields (Millbank)not yet open
South Tyneside21
South WalesAberdare
South WalesBarry
South WalesBridgend
South WalesCardiff
South WalesLlantrisant
South WalesMerthyr Tydfil
South WalesPontypridd
South WalesRhondda
South Wales88
StaffordshireBiddulphclosed
StaffordshireBurton upon Trent
StaffordshireCannock
StaffordshireCheadleclosed
StaffordshireKidsgroveclosed
StaffordshireLeek
StaffordshireLichfieldclosed
StaffordshireNewcastle under Lyme
StaffordshireRugeley
StaffordshireStafford
StaffordshireStoke on Trent
StaffordshireTamworth
StaffordshireWombourne
Staffordshire139
StockportStockport
Stockport11
SuffolkBury St Edmunds
SuffolkFelixstoweclosed
SuffolkHaverhillclosed
SuffolkIpswich
SuffolkLowestoft
SuffolkMildenhall
SuffolkNewmarketclosed
SuffolkSaxmundhamclosed
SuffolkStowmarketclosed
SuffolkSudbury
Suffolk105
SunderlandHoughton le Spring
SunderlandSunderland
Sunderland22
SurreyCamberley
SurreyChertseyclosed
SurreyDorking
SurreyEpsom
SurreyFarnhamclosed
SurreyGuildford
SurreyOxtedclosed
SurreyRedhill
SurreyStaines
SurreyWoking
Surrey107
SuttonSutton
Sutton11
TamesideAshton under Lyne (Henry Sq)not yet open
TamesideAshton under Lyne (Manchester Rd)closed
TamesideDuckinsfieldclosed
Tameside21
Thames ValleyAbingdonclosed
Thames ValleyAmersham
Thames ValleyAylesbury
Thames ValleyBanbury
Thames ValleyBeaconsfield
Thames ValleyBicester
Thames ValleyBracknell
Thames ValleyBuckingham
Thames ValleyDidcot
Thames ValleyHenley on Thamesclosed
Thames ValleyMaidenhead
Thames ValleyMilton Keynes
Thames ValleyNewbury
Thames ValleyOxford
Thames ValleyReading
Thames ValleySlough
Thames ValleyThame
Thames ValleyWantage
Thames ValleyWindsorclosed
Thames ValleyWitney
Thames ValleyWycombe
Thames Valley2118
TraffordSale
Trafford11
Waltham ForestWaltham Forest
Waltham Forest11
WarwickshireAtherstone
WarwickshireLeamington Spa
WarwickshireNuneaton
WarwickshireRugby
WarwickshireStratford upon Avon
Warwickshire55
West GlamorganGowerton
West GlamorganNeath
West GlamorganPontardaweclosed
West GlamorganPort Talbot
West GlamorganSwansea
West Glamorgan54
West MidlandsBirmingham (Corporation St)
West MidlandsBirmingham (Newton Street)
West MidlandsBirmingham (Youth Court)
West MidlandsCoventry
West MidlandsDudley
West MidlandsHalesowen
West MidlandsSolihull
West MidlandsStourbridge
West MidlandsSutton Coldfield
West MidlandsWalsall (Aldridge)
West MidlandsWalsall (Stafford Street)
West MidlandsWarley
West MidlandsWest Bromwich
West MidlandsWolverhampton
West Midlands1414
West RidingBingley
West RidingBradford
West RidingCastleford
West RidingDewsbury
West RidingHuddersfield
West RidingKeighleyclosed
West RidingPontefract
West RidingWakefield
West Riding87
West SussexArundel
West SussexChichester
West SussexCrawley
West SussexHaywards Heath
West SussexHorsham
West SussexWorthing
West Sussex66
WiltshireChippenham (Market Place)closed
WiltshireChippenham (Pewsham Way)not yet open
WiltshireDevizes
WiltshireSalisbury
WiltshireSwindon
WiltshireTrowbridge
WiltshireWootton Bassettclosed
Wiltshire65
Grand Total514*428

* This corrects the number shown in an earlier answer to the noble Lord on 6 March 2000, Official Report (WA 129).

14 Feb 2001 : Column WA49


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