House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Apr 2001 (pt 26)

Disability Discrimination Act (Claims)

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people have received legal aid in respect of claims under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [157234]

Mr. Lock: In the 11 months from 1 April 2000 to 28 February 2001, two certificates were issued for people to receive legal representation in court cases under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. It is not possible to identify the number of people who have received other levels of publicly funded legal service under the Disability Discrimination Act, as no specific case category exists on the computer system that records these types of work.

Immigration Adjudicators

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time immigration adjudicators are employed to hear immigration and asylum appeals. [157506]

Jane Kennedy: As of 1 April 2001 there are:

(a) 76 full-time and

(b) 323 part-time adjudicators.

Children and Family Court Advisory and

Support Service

Mr. Ian Stewart: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she will publish the framework document for the children and family court advisory and support service. [158232]

Jane Kennedy: The framework document for CAFCASS has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library and sent to interested parties. Further copies are available from the Department on request.

Law Centres

Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much money was allocated to neighbourhood law centres in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000; and what plans he has to increase the budget allocation for such centres. [R] [157437]

Mr. Lock: The Legal Aid Board made grants to nine law centres. It made payments to these and other not-for-profit (NfP) organisations (including to law centres not funded by grants from the board) for civil legal aid work that they undertook. Total payments to law centres were:

(a) in 1997-98, £4.439 million out of a total payment to NfPs of £12.927 million;

(b) in 1998-99, £4.164 million out of a total payment to NfPs of £17.321 million; and

(c) in 1999-2000, £4.044 million out of a total payment to NfPs of £18.478 million.

Since January 2000, the Legal Services Commission (which has replaced the Legal Aid Board) has provided legal help services exclusively under contracts with providers able to meet the specified quality standards. The

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Lord Chancellor has directed the commission to spend at least £20 million on contracts with NfP organisations, including law centres and neighbourhood advice agencies. Contracts with NfP organisations let in the 15-month period January 2000-March 2001 had a value of £36,111,227.

On 12 March 2001, the Legal Services Commission issued a consultation paper about future funding within the CLS for the nine law centres which it funds by grants. The paper set out proposals for translating current grant funding into contract funding. The Lord Chancellor has said that he expects these grants to be phased out by April 2002 and to be replaced by contracted funding targeted on eligible clients and priority needs. The Legal Services Commission is working with the Law Centres Federation and the law centres to effect this change.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Forestry Commission Research Agency

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets were set for the Forestry Commission Research Agency for 2000-01; and what targets have been set for 2001-02. [158233]

Mr. Morley: The targets for the Forestry Commission Research Agency in 2000-01 and 2001-02 are as follows:

2000-01

1. To achieve a customer satisfaction rating of at least 96 per cent.

2. To increase the output of peer reviewed scientific papers submitted and subsequently accepted for publication by 10 per cent. on the 1998-99 actual.

3. To have the work of Woodland Ecology Branch and the statisticians reviewed by visiting groups.

4. To hold the weighted average cost of a researcher day to the same level as 1999-2000 in real terms.

5. To achieve a 2 per cent. reduction in real terms in the cost of support services.

6. To achieve 100 per cent. cost recovery including a return on capital employed of 6 per cent. in real terms.

2001-02

1. To achieve a satisfaction rating for FC customers of at least 96 per cent.

2. To maintain the output of peer reviewed scientific papers submitted and subsequently accepted for publication at 2000-01 levels.

3. To have the work of Pathology Branch and Environmental Research Branch reviewed by visiting groups.

4. To hold the weighted average cost of a researcher day and support services at 2000-01 levels in real terms.

5. To achieve at least 99 per cent. cost recovery including a return on capital employed of 6 per cent. in real terms.

Copies of the Forest Research Agency's Corporate Plan for 2001-04, which contains more information about the Agency's targets, will be placed in the Library of the House when it is published in May.

EU Enlargement

Mr. Jack: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement setting out the factors so far identified in the EU enlargement negotiations which could lead to a breaching of the current agricultural budgetary guideline. [157524]

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Ms Quin: The financial perspective for 2000-06, agreed at the Berlin Council in March 1999, set aside up to 58 billion euro for spending in the new member states. This included 12.41 billion euro to extend CAP and rural development measures to the new member states. The Government's objective is to ensure that the financial perspective is respected.

Foot and Mouth

Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what basis the level of compensation for the Animal Welfare Disposal scheme was set for (a) new season lambs and (b) ewes in lamb or with lamb. [156653]

Ms Quin [holding answer 2 April 2001]: The welfare payment for breeding ewes was derived from the pre-FMD value of a breeding ewe with lambs at foot which are normally traded at a fixed price per life. The value for new season lambs that have already been weaned and are being fed concentrates for the early lighter lamb market is a percentage of the expected market value. The rates of payment announced will apply for two months and be reviewed before expiry of the period.

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the impact on the value of (a) domestic and (b) overseas United Kingdom livestock trade in each of the next five years based on the assumption of endemic foot and mouth disease. [156917]

Ms Quin [holding answer 5 April 2001]: No such estimate has been, or will be made. As my hon. Friend knows, the Government are committed to reduce and then completely eradicate the current foot and mouth disease outbreak thus ensuring that FMD does not become endemic in the UK.

Ms Oona King: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that RSPCA officers are present during any cull of over 5,000 livestock. [157541]

Mr. Morley: The RSPCA have an open invitation to visit the major culling sites and they have already been to Great Orton several times.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will relax the rules regarding set-aside grasslands so that cattle from other farmers can be grazed on such grasslands where feed supplies are running short. [157371]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 6 April 2001]: A derogation from the arable area payment scheme to allow set-aside land to be used for grazing, where foot and mouth disease restrictions prevent movement of the animals, was announced on 16 March.

Organic Farming Scheme

Mr. Breed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers have made applications for funds from the organic farming scheme; and how many of those applications have been successful in each phase of the scheme since it began. [157161]

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Mr. Morley: Between the organic farming scheme opening on 6 April 1999 and it closing for review on 30 November, 1,270 valid applications were received. Since the scheme re-opened on 2 January this year around 600 further valid applications have been received.

Correspondence

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will respond to the fax of 20 March from the hon. Member for North Essex concerning restrictions relating to the welfare, movement and sale of livestock belonging to Mr. P. Gladwin of Carr House Farm, Great Wigborough, Essex. [157390]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 6 April 2001]: I replied to the fax from the hon. Member for North Essex on 4 April 2001.

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