Robert Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons inquests into the deaths of Scottish service personnel overseas are held by HM Coroner for Wiltshire. [297217]
Bridget Prentice:
There is no provision in the Scottish legal system for coroners’ inquests and fatal accident inquiries cannot be held into deaths outwith Scotland. However, we are committed to ensuring that the death of every serviceman or woman overseas is subject to an independent inquiry and therefore inquests into the deaths of Scotland-based service personnel in military operations overseas are conducted by the coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon. We recognise the burden this places on bereaved families, in having to travel to Wiltshire to attend inquests. As a result, earlier this year UK Ministers met with Scottish Ministers to ask them to agree that we should enable fatal accident inquiries to be held in Scotland into the deaths abroad of service personnel on active service, where the bereaved family is based in Scotland. The Government have subsequently amended the Coroners and Justice Bill, which is currently before Parliament, to facilitate this.
Crime
Mr. Timpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criminal offences enacted since 1997 have never resulted in (a) a criminal prosecution and (b) a criminal conviction. [297845]
Claire Ward:
At present there is no central system that routinely records the number of prosecutions and convictions for new offences created across Whitehall.
However, this information is currently being collated and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available. A copy will be placed in the House Library.
Departmental Postal Services
Mr. Carmichael:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which companies are under contract to his Department to provide mail services; and when each such contract expires. [296084]
Mr. Wills:
The Ministry of Justice currently has no formal contracts for mail services. However, it has a number of local agreements with both Royal Mail and DX limited. We recognise that the absence of established contracts is not satisfactory and are in the process of completing a further competition against the Buying Solutions Postal Framework. It is expected that we will have a formal contract in place by January 2010.
Electoral Systems: Armed Forces
David Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2009, Official Report, columns 1475-6W, on electoral systems: armed forces, how many of the 9,670 service personnel not eligible to vote in general elections are (a) under 18 years and (b) citizens of each country other than the UK, Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland. [296825]
Mr. Kevan Jones:
I have been asked to reply.
5 Nov 2009 : Column 1190W
There are 4,551 service personnel under the age of 18 years.
The following table, based on declared nationality, gives the number of service personnel not eligible to vote in general elections other than citizens of the UK, Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland:
Nationality
Grand total
Afghan
1
Albanian
1
Citizen of the Central African Republic
3
Colombian
1
Foreign
4
French
1
German
7
Greek
1
Nepalese
4,143
Norwegian
1
Slovenian
1
Swazi
18
United States citizen
5
Ukrainian
2
Yugoslavian
1
No Nationality Recorded
928
Total
5,119
Legal Aid: Immigration
Frank Dobson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what data were used by the Legal Services Commission to decide that providers of legal advice and help in London in (a) asylum cases should have to undertake a minimum of 70 cases a year and (b) in non-asylum immigration cases should have to undertake a minimum of 30 cases a year. [294860]
Bridget Prentice:
In 2008 the Legal Services commission (LSC) set out its plans for procuring Civil Legal Aid contracts in the consultation paper Civil Bid Rounds for 2010 Contracts. The paper proposed minimum contract sizes, measured by "new matter starts" (NMS). The aim was to make sure there was good access to advice, and to ensure providers gain sufficient experience in the areas of law in question to give clients a good service. This is particularly important in asylum where there is little or no private market to ensure specialist knowledge and expertise is maintained in a frequently changing legal environment.
The proposed minimum for asylum was 100 NMS and for immigration was 50 NMS. When setting minimum new matter start sizes LSC took into account the existing pattern of provision, and whether one full time fee earner could meet the contract requirement. That ensures that smaller bodies are able to bid for contracts.
There were concerns raised in consultation that minimum matter start sizes had been set too high in immigration and asylum. As a result LSC reduced the levels for both. LSC have also responded to calls for greater recognition of geographical issues by setting the minimum matter start size at 70 for asylum and 30 for immigration in London, and at 35 for asylum and 15 for immigration in areas outside London.
In London there is already a good level of access to legal representation and there is a high demand for the 5 Nov 2009 : Column 1191W
service. For that reason LSC have set a higher minimum matter start size in London.
Frank Dobson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations in the London procurement area received funds from the Legal Services Commission in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08 and (c) 2008-09; and for each such organisation how many (i) asylum and (ii) non-asylum immigration cases they had in which Legal Services Commission funding started in each of those years. [294861]
Bridget Prentice:
The information in Table 1 shows active legal aid providers in the London procurement area for financial years 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 delivering immigration and/or asylum work.
Table 1
Financial year
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
A C S Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
A. B. Law
Yes
Yes
No
Abiloye & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Aden & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
No
Afrifa & Partners
Yes
Yes
Yes
Afro-Asian Advisory Service
Yes
Yes
Yes
Agape Solicitors
Yes
Yes
No
Aman Solicitors Advocates
Yes
Yes
Yes
Andrews
Yes
Yes
Yes
Anthony Louca Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Antons Solicitors
Yes
No
No
Arden Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Asylum Aid
Yes
Yes
Yes
A-Z Law
Yes
Yes
Yes
Azam & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Baker Jayacodi Solicitors
Yes
No
No
Barnes Harrild & Dyer
Yes
Yes
Yes
Barnet Law Service
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bart-Williams & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Battersea Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bermondsey CAB
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bindman & Partners
Yes
Yes
Yes
Birnberg Peirce & Partners
Yes
Yes
Yes
Blavo & Company Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Brent CAB
Yes
Yes
Yes
Brent Community Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
CAB - Whitechapel
Yes
Yes
No
Camden Community Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cardinal Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Central London Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Charles Allotey & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Charles Annon & Co. Ltd
Yes
Yes
Yes
Charles Simmons
Yes
Yes
No
Chartwell & Sadlers
Yes
Yes
Yes
Chinese Information & Advice Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Chipatiso & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Christian Gottfried & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Christian Khan
Yes
Yes
Yes
CK Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cleveland & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Clore & Co.
Yes
Yes
No
Community Law Clinic Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Corbin & Hassan Ltd.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Crimson Phoenix Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
5 Nov 2009 : Column 1192W
Croydon & Sutton Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
CT Emezie Solicitors
Yes
Yes
No
Dare Emmanuel Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Deighton Guedalla
Yes
Yes
Yes
Devonshires RE Lawson Turner & Gilbert
Yes
No
No
Devonshires RE Phoenix Nova Sols
Yes
No
No
Dhillon & Co. Solicitors plc
Yes
Yes
Yes
Doves Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Duncan Lewis & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Duncan Lewis (SB)
No
No
Yes
Duncan Lewis Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Edmunds Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Elder Rahimi Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Enfield Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Eve Wee
Yes
Yes
No
Fadiga & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Figueiredo & Bailey Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Fisher Meredith
Yes
Yes
Yes
Fletcher Dervish & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Freemans
Yes
Yes
Yes
Geeta Patel & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Genga & Co. Solicitors Ltd.
Yes
Yes
No
Gillman-Smith Lee
Yes
Yes
Yes
Glazer Delmar
Yes
Yes
Yes
Goldkorn Mathias Gentle
Yes
Yes
No
Greenland Solicitors LLP
Yes
Yes
No
Greenwich Community Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Gupta and Partners (Harleseden)
Yes
Yes
No
H C L Hanne & Co.
Yes
Yes
No
H S Kang & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hackman Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hackney Community Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hameed & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hammersmith & Fulham Community Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Haringey CAB
Yes
Yes
Yes
Harrow Solicitors & Advocates
Yes
Yes
Yes
Havillands & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hayat & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hereward & Foster
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hersi & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hiace Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hillingdon Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hoshi & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hounslow Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Howe & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ikie
Yes
No
No
Immigration Advisory Service
No
Yes
Yes
Immigration Advisory Service (Hounslow)
No
Yes
Yes
Immigration Advisory Service (London)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Irving & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Islington Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
J D Spicer & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
J R Jones
Yes
Yes
Yes
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
Yes
Yes
Yes
Kensington CAB
Yes
Yes
—
Kenwright & Lynch
Yes
Yes
Yes
Kibedi & Co.
Yes
—
—
5 Nov 2009 : Column 1193W
Kingston & Richmond Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Knights Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Knox & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lambeth Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Law For All—Acton Law Shop
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lawrence & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lawrence Lupin Solicitors Ltd.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lawson Adefope Solicitors
Yes
No
No
LB & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Leslie & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lewisham Law Centre Ltd.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Leytonstone CAB
Yes
Yes
Yes
Luqmani Thompson & Partners
Yes
Yes
Yes
Mang & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Marziano Khatry & Mak Solicitor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Merton Racial Equality Partnership
No
No
Yes
Migrants Resource Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Moss, Beachley Mullem & Coleman
Yes
No
No
Mountain Partnership Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Nag & Co.
Yes
No
No
Nandy & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Nathaniel & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
No
Newham CAB
Yes
Yes
Yes
Noden & Co. Intervention
Yes
Yes
No
North Kensington Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Nucleus
Yes
Yes
Yes
O'Keeffe Solicitors
Yes
Yes
No
Ovo Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Owen White & Catlin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Oxford House in Bethnal Green
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ozoran Turkan Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
P. Krama & Company
Yes
Yes
Yes
Paddington Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Palis Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Patricks Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Pearson & Winston Solicitors
Yes
Yes
No
Perera & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Pinidiya Solicitors LLP
Yes
Yes
Yes
Polpitiya & Co. Ltd.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Powell & Co.
Yes
No
No
Powell Spencer and Partners
Yes
Yes
No
Popkin & Co. Solicitors
No
No
Yes
Rahman & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Raja & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ratna & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Refugee Legal Centre (London Region)(1)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ross Simon & Co.
Yes
No
No
S C Pelentrides & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
S J Solicitors
Yes
No
No
S S Basi & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Salfiti & Co.
Yes
Yes
No
5 Nov 2009 : Column 1194W
Sam & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Samars Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Samuel & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sasdev & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Scott-Moncrieff Harbour & Sinclair
Yes
Yes
No
Scudamores Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Shahid Rahman
Yes
No
No
Shan & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sharma & Co. Solicitors
Yes
Yes
No
Sheikh & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sheikh & Co. Solicitors Ltd.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Shergill & Co.
Yes
Yes
No
Simman Solicitors
Yes
Yes
Yes
Simply Legal Solicitors
No
No
Yes
Southwark Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Southwark Race & Equalities Council
Yes
Yes
Yes
Spence & Horne
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sriharans
Yes
Yes
Yes
Stanley and Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sutovic & Hartigan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tamil Welfare Association (Newham) UK
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tayo Arowojolu Solicitors
Yes
No
No
Terrence Higgins Trust Advice Centre (FAO Jean Foreman)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Thakrar & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Thamesmead Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Theva & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Thompson & Co.
Yes
Yes
No
Tower Hamlets East CAB
No
No
Yes
Tower Hamlets Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Trivedy & Virdi
Yes
No
No
Trott & Gentry
Yes
Yes
Yes
Vahib & Co.
Yes
No
No
Walthamstow CAB
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wandsworth & Merton Law Centre
Yes
Yes
Yes
Waran & Company
Yes
Yes
Yes
Warnapala & Co. Ltd.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Westminster Citizens Advice
Yes
Yes
Yes
White Ryland
Yes
Yes
No
Wick & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wilson & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wilson Houlder & Co.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yanakas Votsis Associates
Yes
Yes
Yes
YVA Solicitors
No
No
Yes
Zelin & Zelin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ziadies
Yes
Yes
Yes
(1 )The Refugee Legal Centre (London Region) is now known as Refugee & Migrant Justice.
