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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 24 January 1995
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Court Accommodation
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he intends to publish his Department's court accommodation plan for the next five years.
Mr. John M. Taylor: The Lord Chancellor's Department's accommodation plan, covering the next three years, will be published by the end of March 1995.
Court Rooms
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many county court rooms and Crown court rooms are currently not in (a) full-time use and (b) part-time use in England and Wales, excluding London; and what percentage of the total number of court rooms these figures represent.
Mr. John M. Taylor: There are 98 county court rooms and Crown court rooms in England and Wales, excluding London, currently being used part time. This is 17 per cent. of the total number of court rooms in England and Wales, excluding London. There are 16 county court rooms and Crown court rooms in England and Wales,
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excluding London, currently not in use at all. This is 3 per cent. of the total number of court rooms in England and Wales.Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many county court rooms and Crown court rooms in London are currently not in (a) full-time use and (b) part-time use; and what percentage of the total number of court rooms these figures represent.
Mr. John M. Taylor: There are five county court rooms and Crown court rooms in London currently being used part time. This is 3 per cent. of the total number of court rooms in London. There are no court rooms in London currently not in use at all.
Court Closures
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many county court centres, court caller offices and Crown court centres he has decided to close in (a) the last five years and (b) the next five years.
Mr. John M. Taylor: Some 35 courts and offices have been closed in the last five years. One court is scheduled for closure.
Fees (Civil Business)
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the increases in the fees for civil business introduced by his Department in the last three years and the percentage rise in the cost of civil business that each increase represents.
Mr. John M. Taylor: In the last three years--1992, 1993 and 1994-- fees have been increased in the Supreme court and the county court. In the Supreme court, fees were increased once during this period, on 11 January 1994. In the county court, fees were increased twice, on 30 November 1992 and 15 August 1994. Details are given.
Supreme court fees
New |Fee |Brief description |Pre |Percentage |Percentage |Percentage
fee |number |1992 |1992 |rise pre- |rise |1994 |rise
|£ |£ |1992 to 1992 |1993 |1992-93 |£ |1993-94
|Supreme court fees
|Before 1992 Supreme |(Amendment) Order
|court
|fees (Amendment) |1993 WEF 11 January
|Order
|1990 WEF 1 September |1994..Fee
|1990
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|In Every Division of High Court
|Commencement
|1 |On sealing writ of |70.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |100.0 |42.86
|summons, originating
|summons, origination
|notice of motion, or
|originating petition
|On sealing originating
|summons for:
|2(a) |approval of settlement |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |15.00 |50.00
|2(b) |Part 2 of Solicitors Act |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |15.00 |50.00
|1994 (taxation of costs)
|2(c) |for discovery |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |15.00 |50.00
|2(d) |examination of witness |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |15.00 |50.00
| abroad
|3 |On presenting a petition of |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |15.00 |50.00
| course
|4 |Leave to apply for judicial |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |100.00
| review
|Progress of proceedings
|5A |On taking appointment |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |100.00
|before master etc.
|5B |On lodgings summons |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
|before judge or official
|referee
|5C |On ex parte application to |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
|judge or official referee
|5D |On lodging a motion |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
|5F |On setting down for trial |30.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |50.00 |66.67
|5J |On obtaining allocation of |30.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |50.00 |66.67
|cause of official referee
|5K |On filing an order for |30.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |50.00 |66.67
|hearing of a cause
|6 |On setting down a cause or |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |15.00 |50.00
|motion
|7 |On examination of witness |5.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |10.00 |100.00
|before trial
|8(a) |On an inquiry etc. on |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
|adjourned summons
|9 |On sealing notice of appeal |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
|11A |On filing notice of appeal to |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
| High Court
|11B |On filing a case stated for |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
|High Court
|11C |On filing a notice of cross |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |15.00 |50.00
|appeal to High Court
|11D |On filing respondent's |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |15.00 |50.00
|notice of appeal to High
|Court
|Enforcement of
|Judgments
|12 |On sealing a writ of |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |100.00
|execution
|13 |Application for a garnishee |17.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |25.00 |47.06
|order
|14 |Ex parte application to |17.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |25.00 |47.06
|examine a judgment debtor
|16(a)(i) |Ex parte application to |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |100.00
|register incoming judgment
|16(a)(ii) |Providing certified copy of |10.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |100.00
|judgment for use abroad
|16(b)(i) |Ex parte application to |2.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |10.00 |400.00
|register an outgoing order
|16(b)(ii) |Providing certified copy of |2.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |10.00 |400.00
|judgment for use abroad
|Miscellaneous
|21(a) |On filing document under |5.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |10.00 |100.00
|Bills of Sale Acts
|21(b) |On filing a fiat of |5.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |10.00 |100.00
|satisfaction
|22A |Certificate of search in |2.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |5.00 |150.00
|Bills of Sale Index
|22B |For continuation search if |1.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |2.00 |100.00
|within one month
|23(a) |On taking an affidavit or |3.50 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |5.00 |42.86
|affirmation
|23(b) |For each exhibit to affidavit |1.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |2.00 |100.00
| or affirmation
|24 |Per hour or part for search |1.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |5.00 |400.00
|for bills of sale
|Admiralty
|26(a) |On lodging a warrant for |60.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |100.00 |66.67
|arrest
|26(c) |On entering a reference for |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |50.00 |233.33
|hearing by registrar
|Court of Appeal
|27(a)(i) |filing notice of appeal from |75.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |100.00 |33.33
|county court
|27(b) |On filing notice of cross |30.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |50.00 |66.67
|appeal
|Companies/Insolvency
|30(a) |Presenting petitions to wind |40.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |50.00 |25.00
|up
|30(b)(i) |Presenting bankruptcy |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
|1petition by debtor
|30(b)(ii) |Presenting bankruptcy |45.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |50.00 |11.11
| petition by creditor
|30(d) |On hearing of a public |15.00 |As previously |0.00 |As previously |0.00 |20.00 |33.33
|examination
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what he estimates will be the total shortfall in fee income from civil business for (a) the current financial year and (b) the next financial year; and what the figure was for the previous financial year.
Mr. John M. Taylor: The estimated shortfall in fee income from civil business for the current financial year is £71.1 million. We plan to meet our reduced income target in full next financial year. The shortfall in the financial year 1993 94 was £53.4 million.
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the increases in the fees for civil business that he plans to introduce in the next 12 months.
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Mr. John M. Taylor: We have no definite plans for increases yet, but we do propose to review the fee structure to introduce a daily hearing fee, and will need to revise the fee levels then.
Mr. Boateng: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the new fees for civil business that his Department has introduced in the last three years; the levels at which they are currently set; and the percentage rise in the cost of civil business that these new fees represent.
Mr. John. M. Taylor: During the last three years 1992, 1993 and 1994 new fees were introduced in the county court on 1 April 1993 and 15 August 1994. Details are given.
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County Court fees-New fees
New fee number |Description |1992 |1993 |Percentage Rise |1994 |Percentage Rise
|£ |£ |1992-93 |£ |1993-94
|County Court Fees |County Court Fees
|Before 1992 County |(Amendment) Order |(Amendment) Order
|Court fees |1992
|(Amendment) Order |(Article 4) WEF 1 |1994 WEF 15 August
|1988. No |April
|new fees in 1992 |1993.....FEE |1994.....FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Summons Production centre
Fee 1(i)(b) |On issuing a summons at the |10p per £ or part
| Summons Production Centre | minimum fee £10.00 |New
|maximum fee £60.00 |New
|Setting Down for Trial
Fee 2A |(i) On a request for
| a date for trial |50.00 |New
|(ii) On filing a time estimate |50.00 |New
|(iii) On fixing a date |50.00 |New
|Parking
4A(ii) |Warrant to enforce parking
| penalty charge |5.00 |New |As 1993 |0.00
TRANSPORT
Fennell Report
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress London Transport has made in implementing the
recommendations of the Fennell report into the King's Cross underground fire.
Mr. Norris: London Transport has implemented, either as one-off or on-going actions, over 90 per cent. of the report's recommendations. I have therefore agreed that the latest progress report submitted by LT, a copy of which
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has been placed in the Library of the House, should be the last one. Work on implementing the remaining recommendations is in hand and HM railway inspectorate will continue to monitor regularly the progress being made.Fire Safety
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review fire safety arrangements in areas with (a) regional airports and (b) major chemical works; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Norris: The responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation, including the operational safety of airports rests with the Civil Aviation Authority. Airports operate under the terms of the Air Navigation Order 1989. Detailed guidance for aerodrome licence holders are given in CAA document CAP168--"Licensing of Aerodromes".
There are no plans to revise the current regulations but the authority is always willing to consider amendments to its instructions for regional airports in order to ensure the safety of aircraft operations is maintained.
The arrangements for areas with major chemical works is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive.
Salvage Tugs
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps were taken by his Department to ensure that the crew and officers on the vessels Brodispas Moon and Sun chartered by his Department were proficient in the English language.
Mr. Norris: The emergency towing study team from the Coastguard agency visited and assessed tugs from each of the shortlisted companies prior to the award of the contract. During those visits, discussions were conducted with the vessels' officers and crews and their proficiency in the English language was assessed. Both tugs have British liaison masters.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what actions he took to secure British crewing of the salvage tug vessels charted by his Department prior to his decision to award the contract to Croation crews; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris: Tenders for the contract were invited from a wide range of salvage and towing companies against a tight specification. In accordance with Government policy, no limitation was placed on flag or crew nationality as such, subject to vessels meeting international safety requirements. Only two of the 34 vessels offered by tenderers for this contract were both UK crewed and registered. The contract was awarded on the basis of performance against the specification and value for money, to a company with good salvage back-up facilities. The selected tugs are managed in the UK by a UK company and have been employed in the North sea working for major oil companies for the last three years.
Mr. Charles Kenndey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement outlining the circumstances which led to the coastguard tug, Brodospas, being stationed at Stornoway, with specific reference to its (a) sailing under a flag of convenience, (b) being registered in St. Vincent, West Indies and (c) carrying a Croatian crew; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 17 January 1995]: The Brodospas Sun is one of the two tugs currently under contract to the Coastguard agency and which are stationed at Stornoway and Dover for a trial period this winter. This meets Lord Donaldson's recommendation that there should be interim emergency towing arrangements this winter: the inquiry recommended that priority should be given to the Dover strait and north- west Scotland. Tenders were invited from a wide range of salvage and towing companies against a tight specification. In accordance with Government policy, no restriction was placed on flag or crew nationality as such, though the vessels proposed were expected to meet international safety requirements
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such as the safety of life at sea convention. The contract was awarded on the basis of performance against specification and value for money.Aircraft Security
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will institute an inquiry into how British Airways security allowed a representative of ICL Technical Plastics to carry on a British Airways aircraft from Glasgow to London an electro-shock weapon.
Mr. Norris: From the scant details given, we are unable to trace this incident.
Double-decker Buses
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 17 January, Official Report, column 414, what proposals are being considered by the European Commission which would prohibit the manufacture and use in the United Kingdom of double-decker buses; and what response has been made by Her Majesty's Government.
Train Cancellations and Delays
Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains were cancelled; how many of those cancellations were attributable to (a) train breakdowns, (b) signal failures, (c) track/points failures, (d) leaves on the line, (e) staff shortage, (f) adverse weather conditions and (g) other factors; and what percentage of timetabled trains was cancelled in each of the Network SouthEast divisions in each four-week period during (i) 1992, (ii) 1993 and (iii) 1994.
Mr. Watts: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the causes of train delays and cancellations that are (a) recorded and (b) not recorded in British Rail's four-weekly track record on punctuality and reliability under the terms of the citizens charter.
Mr. Watts: All train delays and cancellations are recorded in British Rail's track record figures apart from those caused by circumstances outside British Rail's control. Examples of the types of delays and cancellations included and excluded from the track record figures are as follows:
a) Recorded delays and cancellations
Delays and cancellations resulting from:
--Derailments
--Locomotive or train failures
--Infrastructure failures
--Engineering work
--Accidents and incidents
--Staff Shortages
--Leaf Fall
--Bad Weather
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b) Non-recorded delays and cancellationsDelays and cancellations resulting from:
--Acts or threats of vandalism/terrorism
--Suicides/Accidents to trespassers
--Motor vehicles striking bridges or level crossings
--Line closures at the request of police or emergency services --Gas leaks or fires in lineside buildings not caused by rail industry employees or agents
--Fire or failure due to electrical failure or defect not caused by rail industry employees or agents
MOT Certificates (Fraud)
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new measures he plans to introduce to reduce fraud in the issue of MOT certificates for (a) cars and (b) other vehicles.
Mr. Norris: I have no such immediate plans.
Vessel Registration
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) Spanish, (b) Dutch and (c) Danish-owned vessels registered as British there are in each of the major ports and by total.
Mr. Norris: The information available relates to ships of 100 gross registered tonnes and more. The figures are taken from Lloyd's Register of Shipping and are given in the table:
Foreign parent owned vessels registered in British
ports
Port of Registry |Vessels
---------------------------------------------------
(a) Spanish
Unknown |1
Brixham |8
Plymouth |1
Falmouth |7
Penzance |2
Milford Haven |12
Fleetwood |1
Ayr |6
Peterhead |1
Aberdeen |6
North Shields |1
Grimsby |1
Lowestoft |3
Total |50
(b) Dutch
Southampton |2
Hull |2
London |6
Total |10
(c) Danish
Newcastle |1
Lowestoft |1
London |1
Total |3
Source:
Lloyd's Register of Shipping.
M65-M6 Link
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the daily
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increase in the number of vehicles leaving the M65 at Colne following the completion of the M65-M6 link.Mr. Watts: We expect an extra 2,000 vehicles per day eastbound on the M65 to junction 7 when the link to M6 is completed. There are no forecast of how much of this additional traffic would continue along the motorway to leave the M65 at Colne.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of construction of the M65-M6 link.
Mr. Watts: Some £145 million, excluding VAT.
Heavy Goods Vehicles (Accidents)
Mr. Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents in each of the past five years leading to the death or serious injury of (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists, (c) motor cyclists and (d) other motorists involved a heavy goods vehicle; and what proportion this represents of all road traffic accidents affecting each category.
Mr Norris: The information requested is shown in the table.
Number of accidents involving an HGV and a pedestrian, where the pedestrian was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989-93 Accidents/percentage Vehicle type |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pedestrians |139 |128 |104 |107 |97 Percentage of all pedestrian accidents |0.24 |0.22 |0.20 |0.22 |0.21
Number of accidents involving an HGV and a pedal cycle, where the cyclist was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989-93 Accidents/percentage Vehicle type |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pedal cyclists |299 |229 |223 |218 |196 Percentage of all pedal cycle accidents |1.03 |0.86 |0.89 |0.87 |0.81
Number of accidents involving an HGV and a TWMV<1> where the TWMV user was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989-93 Accidents/percentage Vehicle type |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TWMV |471 |381 |270 |252 |215 Percentage of all TWMV accidents |1.09 |0.96 |0.87 |0.92 |0.85 <1> Two wheeled motor vehicle-includes scooters and mopeds.