House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 20 Nov 2003 (pt 4)

Royal Prerogative

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will require Government Departments to lay before Parliament each month from 1 January 2004 a written statement listing decisions (a) made and (b) implemented using the Royal Prerogative. [140204]

Mr. Leslie: No. As the Prime Minister has indicated previously to the House, records are not kept of the individual occasions on which powers under the Royal Prerogative are exercised, nor would it be practicable to do so.

Consultants

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost to his Department was of the use of external consultants in (a) 2002–03 and (b) the last six months. [139245]

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Mr. Lammy: The Department's net expenditure with external consultants in the financial year dated 2002–03 was £5.7 million.

My Department only collects information on consultancy expenditure on an annual basis at the end of the financial year, so figures for the current year are not yet available.

Crown Immunity

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make a statement on the impact of (a) the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and (b) human rights legislation on disclosure of information from hearings under which access is restricted owing to Crown Property immunity from prosecution. [133075]

Mr. Leslie: Consideration is being given to the issue of the State's immunity from criminal proceedings. Both the Government's consultation paper on the reform of the law on involuntary manslaughter, in May 2000. and 'Revitalising Health and Safety' in June 2000, contained proposals for removing or modifying that immunity.

In the light of the responses to those publications, an inter-departmental working group was established. My noble Friend. the Under Secretary of State, Lord Filkin. will write to the hon. Member when further infomation is available.

Departmental Expenditure (Official Residences)

Mr. Flight: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much the Department spent on (a) maintenance, (b) renovation, (c) council tax and (d) running costs of residential properties used by Ministers and officials in each year since 1997. [134684]

Mr. Lammy: My Department has no residential properties used by Ministers or officials.

Electronic Voting

Mr. Watson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what meetings he has had with manufacturers of electronic voting machines. [140027]

Mr. Leslie: I have not met with any manufacturers to discuss electronic voting machines, but my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Local Government has met a number of such manufacturers as part of the local elections pilots programme over the past three years.

Gender Recognition Certificates

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the impact on a marriage where one person is granted a full gender recognition certificate, (b) the effect on children in a marriage where one person is granted a FGRC and (c) the financial effects of one partner in a marriage being granted a FGRC. [138168]

Mr. Lammy: This Government are committed to understanding and recognising the needs and aspirations of transsexual people. We recognise that transsexual people face many challenges not least the

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impact on their family should they decide to seek legal recognition in an acquired gender. The purpose of the draft Bill is specifically to give transsexual people legal recognition in their acquired gender, and with that legal recognition transsexual people will be expected to conform with gender specific arrangements that would apply to anyone sharing their legal gender.

(a) The issue of what to do with existing marriages is a complex one. The Government's policy is clear on existing marriages that involve a transsexual person. It is a policy founded on the fact that UK law does not recognise marriage between two people of the same legal gender and the Government do not intend to see that position charmed.

(b) Transsexual parents will no doubt consider carefully what impact their gaining legal recognition in an acquired gender might have on their children. A transsexual person will retain his or her parental status after being granted a full gender recognition certificate and, thereby, legal recognition in their acquired gender.

(c) The issue of an interim gender recognition certificate makes the existing marriage of the successful applicant voidable at the application to the Courts of either party to the marriage but has no effect beyond that. In granting the annulment, the Court will be able to make orders dealing with financial and other issues arising from the annulment of the marriage.

(d) The Government have conducted a consultation exercise for same sex civil partnership and will publish their response in due course. If a civil partnership scheme is created, an individual who has been married prior to receiving recognition in the acquired gender could, subsequent to receiving recognition, register a civil partnership with the same individual.

House Sales

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many house sales there were at more than (a) £50,001,

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(b) £100,001, (c) £200,001, (d) £500,001, (e) £750,001 and (f) £1 million in London in each of the last six years for which figures are available. [139932]

Mr. Lammy: The figures for each completed calendar year are as follows. Land Registry collects residential property price data by specified price bands and it is not possible to provide figures for sales specifically at "more than £750,001". An alternative range has therefore been provided.

More than (£) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

50,001 74,570 65,405 63,064 41,335 30,720 16,134

100,001 44,801 50,443 69,947 69,665 82,899 87,567

200,001 15,859 18,535 29,968 35,032 46,098 64,462

500,001 1,616 1,842 2,867 3,636 4,188 5,899

800,000 401 383 682 928 1,112 1,378

1 million 480 608 939 1,428 1,070 2,046

More than (£)	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
50,001	74,570	65,405	63,064	41,335	30,720	16,134
100,001	44,801	50,443	69,947	69,665	82,899	87,567
200,001	15,859	18,535	29,968	35,032	46,098	64,462
500,001	1,616	1,842	2,867	3,636	4,188	5,899
800,000	401	383	682	928	1,112	1,378
1 million	480	608	939	1,428	1,070	2,046

Lord Chancellor

Lady Hermon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many responses he received to the "Constitutional Reform: Reforming the Office of the Lord Chancellor" consultation document; how many of these responses came from (a) the judiciary and legal professions, (b) Government Departments and agencies, (c) political parties and hon. Members, (d) main representative groups and interested parties, (e) ecclesiastical representatives and organisations in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland; and when the Government intend to issue its response to the responses received. [140101]

Mr. Leslie: There have been 225 responses to the consultation paper on "Constitutional Reform: reforming the office of the Lord Chancellor". There have been four responses from Northern Ireland, and two from Scotland. Apart from this, all responses have been from England. A further breakdown of these responses is set out in the following table.

The Government will be announcing its decisions in the light of responses to the consultation as soon as possible.

Total England Wales N. Ireland Scotland

A) Judiciary and legal 19

Judges 4 4 0 0 0

Associations/ societies 14 11 0 2 1

Solicitors 2 0 0 0 0

B) Government Departments/agencies 9

Government Departments 5 5 0 0 0

Advisory committees/ local authorities 4 4 0 0 0

C) Political parties and hon. members 2

Political parties 0 0 0 0 0

Members of the House of Lords 2 0 0 0 0

Members of the House of Commons 0 0 0 0 0

D) Main representative groups and interested parties36 33 0 2 1

E) Ecclesiastical representatives/ organisations 142 142 0 0 0

	Total	England	Wales	N. Ireland	Scotland
A) Judiciary and legal	19
Judges	4	4	0	0	0
Associations/ societies	14	11	0	2	1
Solicitors	2	0	0	0	0

B) Government Departments/agencies	9
Government Departments	5	5	0	0	0
Advisory committees/ local authorities	4	4	0	0	0

C) Political parties and hon. members	2
Political parties	0	0	0	0	0
Members of the House of Lords	2	0	0	0	0
Members of the House of Commons	0	0	0	0	0

	D) Main representative groups and interested parties36	33	0	2	1

E) Ecclesiastical representatives/ organisations	142	142	0	0	0

There have been 17 responses from members of the general public

225 responses received in total

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Magistrates (Wales)

Chris Ruane : To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the declared political allegiance of magistrate benches in Wales was in the last year for which figures are available. [140367]

Mr. Leslie: Applicants to the magistracy are no longer asked to declare their political affiliation. The most recent figures, however, give the position in April 2003. These show that, of those who declared any affiliation, 526 declared for Labour, 473 for the Conservatives, 240 for the Liberal Democrats and 126 for Plaid Cymru.

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