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6 Feb 2007 : Column 880W—continued
While the number of contracts has fallen since 2001, in 2005-06 the number of civil acts of assistance reached its highest since 2000 at 708,510.
From 2001, the LSC introduced contracting for services provided under the Criminal Defence Service and the number of contracts held by legal aid practices at 31 March each year is as follows:
| Number | |
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether her Department takes into account loans previously received on (a) a commercial basis and (b) by private arrangement when adjudging the potential income of applicants for legal aid. [119294]
Vera Baird: The Legal Services Commission (LSC), when assessing the capital or income of an applicant for civil legal aid, may take into account any funds received through a commercial or private loan. The first £100,000 of any disputed assets can be disregarded from the means assessment process, as can up to £100,000 of any outstanding mortgage. Moreover, in assessing an applicant’s financial eligibility for civil legal aid, the LSC may take into account the resources of other persons where either another person has been maintaining the applicant or their partner, or resources from another person have been made available to the applicant or their partner.
In assessing the income of an applicant for criminal legal aid in the magistrates court, those with a weighted gross income of between £11,591 and £20,739 will have mortgage repayments in respect of their main dwelling taken into consideration by the LSC in assessing their disposable income.
Mrs. James: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what mechanisms are in place to prevent (a) repetitious and (b) fraudulent legal aid claims in child custody cases. [118389]
Vera Baird: The Legal Services Commission’s Funding Code Procedures allow a client in private family law proceedings only one legal aid certificate at any one time in respect of the same family relationship.
The procedures also allow for funding to be revoked if the client has made an untrue or misleading statement, or failed to disclose a material fact, in connection with their legal aid application.
Local Authorities: High Court
Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average length of time is between the filing of a defence and the hearing of a case in the High Court in cases where a local authority’s local plan is challenged; and if she will take steps to reduce the time taken to hear such cases. [119242]
Vera Baird: Information on the average length of time between the filing of a defence and the hearing of a case in the High Court in cases where a local authority’s local plan is challenged is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Lord Chancellor: Functions
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answers of 27 November 2006, Official Report, column 343W, and 13 December 2006, Official Report, column 1071W, on the Lord Chancellor (Functions), what the estimated cost to the public purse was of each of the seven functions in the Lord Chancellor’s official residence in Admiralty House; how many people attended each such function; and what the purpose was of each function. [113946]
Bridget Prentice: The costs for these functions are accounted for in the usual way and are not yet available. Information relating to the use of the Lord Chancellor’s residence, including costs, will be available at the end of the financial year.
Magistrates Courts
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations she has received from magistrates on administrative changes in the types of cases heard in particular courts in the 2006-07 financial year. [112574]
Ms Harman: I regularly meet magistrates to discuss a broad range of criminal, civil and family justice issues.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what recent changes there have been in the level of training offered to magistrates; what assessment she has made of the effect of the lack of training offered to magistrates on defendants’ rights under the Human Rights Act 1998; and if she will make a statement. [112575]
Vera Baird: A minimum level of training for magistrates is agreed annually between the Judicial Studies Board and Her Majesty’s Courts Service. There has been no significant change in this minimum requirement recently.
All magistrates, and their legal advisers who advise them on the appropriate legislation and case law in individual cases, were trained in the provisions of the Human Rights Act before it came into force on 2 October 2000. Since then, the Act has been part of domestic UK law, so its provisions are always considered and where appropriate incorporated in the
preparation and delivery of magistrates’ training. There have been no indications that insufficient training is being provided to magistrates on human rights.
Voting Methods: Greater London
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what recent representations she has received on (a) postal and (b) proxy voting in London. [118258]
Bridget Prentice: Since my previous answer on 22 May 2006, Official Report, column 472W, we have not received any letters from members of the public or MPs about postal and proxy voting in London. My right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State Department for Constitutional Affairs, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, answered a parliamentary question in the other place from Lord Greaves on 6 November 2006, Official Report, column WA 83, about the Metropolitan Police Authority report of 26 October 2006 on ‘Electoral offences in London following the local elections of May 2006’.
Trade and Industry
Air Pollution
Dr. Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to reduce the reliance in the UK on the use of chlorofluorocarbons permitted under the Montreal Protocol. [119078]
Malcolm Wicks: Production and consumption of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the UK has been phased out except for a few specialised uses.
Bio-energy Capital Grants Scheme
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the grants awarded under the bio-energy capital grants scheme toward biomass generation projects; and if he will make a statement. [114871]
Malcolm Wicks: Launched in February 2002, the original £66 million scheme, joint-funded by DTI and the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund was designed to encourage the development of biomass power stations and biomass-sourced heat, using both established and new technologies and to provide markets for dedicated energy crops.
In 2006 the National Lottery—now the Big Lottery Fund (BIG)—used unallocated scheme funds of £2.2 million to provide a second competitive round of funding and awarded seven further grants last September.
In December 2006, Defra announced a five-year continuation of the scheme to support the installation of biomass-fuelled heat and combined heat and power projects in the industrial, commercial and community sectors in England, with funding of £10 to £15 million available for the first two years. This funding round is currently open for applications.
The combined projects previously and presently supported by DTI, BIG and Defra under the bio-energy capital grants scheme are as follows.
| Priority 3B industrial and commercial biomass heating Department of Trade and Industry | ||
| Lead company | Project | Award (£) |
Following round 2 in 2006 there are a further seven projects that are being supported by the National Lottery Big Lottery Fund.
| Table 2 Priority 3a (heat only) projects recommended for funding | |||
| Lead company | Project | Country | Grant awarded (£) |
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