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Northern Ireland: Civil Justice Reform Group Report
Lord Dubs asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What action they are taking in respect of the recommendations in the final report of the Civil Justice Reform Group in Northern Ireland. [HL314]
The Lord Chancellor: The final report of the Civil Justice Reform Group was published on 16 June with a consultation period until the end of September. My original purpose in establishing the group was to ensure a reform programme tailored to Northern Ireland's needs and informed by those with practical experience of the system.
I am very grateful to Lord Justice Campbell, who chaired the group, and to the other members for their work. I am also grateful to those who responded
during the consultation period. Broadly, I accept the report's main direction and its principal recommendations. There are notable departures from arrangements in England and Wales but I am satisfied they are appropriate in the Northern Ireland context.There are a few technical recommendations in relation to expert evidence on which I do not share the views expressed in the report. These will require further consideration and of course there are other points of detail to be looked at closely during the implementation process, but overall I am of the view that the report's recommendations represent a major step forward in the reform of the civil justice system in Northern Ireland to make it as accessible, economic and efficient as possible. Implementation will begin as soon as possible with an increase in the small claims jurisdiction early this year followed by an approximately two-year rolling programme of subordinate legislation and operational changes.
Marriage and Relationship Support
Lord Grabiner asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What grants they have made towards marriage and relationship support in the current financial year. [HL348]
The Lord Chancellor: During the current financial year (2000-01), my department will spend £4 million on marriage and relationship support, an increase of £0.8 million on funding for the financial year 1999-2000.
The funding has been allocated as follows: Relate--£2,396,585; Tavistock Marital Studies Institute £486,161; Marriage Care--£333,516; One Plus One--£357,000; Jewish Marriage Council--£48,313; Family Welfare Association--£99,925; London Marriage Guidance--£100,000; Parentline Plus--£60,000; National Marriage Week--£30,000; Community Family Projects--£30,000; 2as1.net--£40,000; and Asian Family Counselling Service--£18,500.
The funding will be spent on improving existing marriage and relationship support services, research into the most effective interventions, and disseminating good practice.
I am increasing the amount of money available to £4.5 million from the next financial year (2001-02).
Local Authority Publicity: Code of Recommended Practice
Baroness Goudie asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they intend to review the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity. [HL346]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty): As indicated in our response to the report of the Joint Committee on the Draft Local
Government (Organisation and Standards) Bill (Cm 4529) we intend to review the code to reflect the changes in councils' constitutions and the referendums and petitions resulting from the Local Government Act 2000.We have today, therefore, issued a consultation paper setting out proposed alterations to the code. These proposals reflect in particular the importance of councils consulting with their local communities, that individual councillors can take decisions, and that referendums, petitions and mayoral elections can take place under the Local Government Act 2000. A copy of this paper has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Litter Collection on Motorways and Trunk Roads
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list the contractors at present holding contracts with the Highways Agency for the removal of litter from the motorways and trunk roads in England, indicating in respect of each contract the dates of starting and ending and the roads to be covered.[HL280]
Lord Whitty: On motorways and the trunk roads listed in Table A below, sweeping and cleaning is the responsibility of managing agents who supervise term contractors also employed by the Highways Agency. A map has been placed in the Library which, with Table B below, shows the areas where the agents and contractors operate and the starting and ending dates of their contracts.
| Road No. | Description |
| A2 | From its junction with the M2 motorway (Junction 1) to its junction with the M25 motorway (Junction 2) |
| A282 | From its junction with the M25 motorway (Junction 30) to its junction with the M25 motorway (Junction 2) |
| A27 | From the southern end of the A3(M) to its junction with the M27 motorway |
| A56 | From its junction with the M66 motorway to its junction with the M65 motorway |
| A5103 | From its junction with the M56 motorway (Junction 3) to its junction with the M60 (was M63) motorway (Junction 9) |
| Maintenance Area | Management Agent | Contractor |
| Area 1 Cornwall & Devon | Mott MacDonald April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | Amey Construction April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 2 Somerset, Avon, Wilts, Glos & Oxon | WS Atkins April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 | Raynesway Construction April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 |
| Area 3 Hampshire, Surrey & W Sussex | Mott MacDonald April 1997 to end of August 2001 | Raynesway Construction April 1997 to end of August 2001 |
| Area 4 Kent, Essex & E Sussex | W S Atkins April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | Carillion April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 5 Berks, Oxon, Bucks, Herts & Essex | Kennedy & Donkin April 1997 to end of August 2001 | Amey Construction April 1997 to end of August 2001 |
| Area 6 Herts, Essex, Cambs, Suffolk & Norfolk | Owen Williams Consulting Engineers April 1997 to end of August 2001 | Ringway Group April 1997 to end of August 2001 |
| Area 7 Leics, Notts, Cambs, Rotherham & Rutland | PLaN (Parkman, Leics CC and Notts CC) April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | BLN Routecare (Bardon Aggregates) April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 8 Bucks, Herts, Beds, Essex, Cambs & Northants | Thorburn Colquhoun April 1997 to end of August 2001 | Carillion April 1997 to end of August 2001 |
| Area 9 Glos, Herefords, Worcs & Shropshire | W S P Graham April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | Ringway Group April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 10 Cheshire and Shropshire | Babtie April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | Amey Construction April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 11 Northants, Warks, Leics, Staffs & Shropshire | W S Atkins April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | Accord-Jarvis JV April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 12 West Midlands | W S Atkins April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | Accord-Jarvis JV April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 13 Lincs | Opus International April 1999 to end of March or May* 2002 | Amey Construction April 1999 to end of March or June* 2002 |
| Area 14 Derbyshire, South Pennines, Staffs & Cheshire | Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | Carillion April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 15 Greater Manchester Motorways | Parkman Ltd April 1998 to March or May* 2002 | Alfred McAlpine April 1998 to March or May* 2002 |
| Area 16 West & South Yorks & Humber Ports Motorways | WSP Graham April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 | Carillion April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 |
| Area 17 Lancs & North Merseyside | Lancashire CC April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 | Nuttall April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 |
| Area 18 Durham, North, East & West Yorks | Halcrow Consulting Engineers April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 | Amey Construction April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 |
| Area 19 Cumbria | Mouchel Consulting/Amey Construction JV April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 | Carillion April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 |
| Area 20 Northumbria | Northumbria Trunk Road Partnership April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 | Colas April 1999 to end of March or May* 2003 |
*End Dates: Contracts run to 31 March but for operational reasons these may be extended for a few months.
| The following 4 Contracts Have been novated to London Mayor | ManagingAgent | Term Contractor |
| Area 21 North London | Mouchel From April 1998 | Accord-Jarvis JV From April 1998 |
| Area 22 East London | W.S. Atkins From April 1998 | Fitzpatrick Contractors From April 1998 |
| Area 23 South London | Parkman Ltd From April 1997 | Fitzpatrick Contractors From April 1997 |
| Area 24 West London | WSP Graham From April 1997 | Amey Construction From April 1997 |
| Company Name | Road Number | Description | Dates |
| Road Management Services (Peterborough) | A1(M) | A1 350m south of junction with Great North Road (A604) to 280m north of Fletton Parkway interchange (21km), also short section of A604 (was A14). | Feb 1996 for 30 years. |
| Yorkshire Link | M1/A1 | M1 from Lofthouse interchange (Junc. 42) to A1 1km north of A64 | |
| (A1 south limit is at Hook Moor), Also M62 East of Junction 28 to Lofthouse interchange. Total 29Km | March 1996 for 30 years | ||
| Road Management Services (Gloucester) | A417 & A419 | M5 junction 11a near Gloucester to M4 junction 15 near Swindon, 51Km | Feb 1996 for 30 years |
| Road Link (A69) | A69 | M6 near Carlisle to A1 (Newcastle upon Tyne western Bypass) 84Km | Jan 1996 for 30 years |
| Autolink Concessionaires (A19) | A19 & A168 | From A1 north of Dishforth to Junction with A19 south of Thirsk, then A19 northwards to junction with A185 immediately south of southern entrance to Tyne tunnel; also A174 from Junction with A19 to junction with A1053; also A1053 from junction with A19 to junction with A1053 also A1053 from junction with A19 to junction with A1085. 104km | Oct 1996 for 30 years |
| Connect (A30) | A30 & A35 | A30 from M5 junction 29 to A30/A35 junction near Honiton, then A35 to A31/A35 junction at Bere Regis. 101Km | July 1996 for 30 years |
| Connect (A50) | A50 & A564 (now redesignated A50) | From junction with A521 near Forsbrook (south east of Stoke on Trent) to junction with A6 near Shardlow, close to M1 at junction 24 56Km | May 1996 for thirty years |
| UK Highways | M40 | Junction 1 (A40 at Denham) to Junction 15 (A46 at Warwick) 122Km | October 1996 for thirty years |
Notes for Map: In London the Mayor has taken over all trunk roads within the Greater London area and all responsibilities associated with them, except for the ends of motorways that reach into London (for example the M4 or the M1). In the case of these roads the responsibility remains with the Highways Agency and its managing agents and term contractors.
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