§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2001,Official Report, columns 1135–36W, on judges' accommodation, what (a) sporting, (b) recreational and (c) leisure facilities are provided in each of the judges' lodgings listed. [21604]
§ Mr. WillsThe only sporting, recreational and leisure facilities provided at lodgings are as follows:
- Birmingham—Snooker room
- Leeds— Snooker room
- Nottingham— Snooker room
- Plawsworth— Tennis court.
§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2001,Official Report, columns 1135–36W, on judges accommodation, what assessment has been made of the scope that exists for savings to be obtained by his Department if it accommodates judges on circuit other than in the judges' lodgings listed. [21603]
§ Mr. WillsAs part of the Triennial Review of Judges Lodgings, a notional comparison was made of the value for money provided by lodgings with alternative forms of accommodation providing appropriate standards of security, privacy and comfort. The review concluded that, taking account of the security requirements and extra environmental benefits offered by lodgings, they continue to provide the best balance between meeting the needs of the judges on the one hand and obtaining fair value for money on the other.
While the review therefore recommended that there be no change to the overall principle that lodgings continue to be the main method by which accommodation is provided, the Lord Chancellor has now decided that it will be taken forward in the context of relevant recommendations of Lord Justice Auld's report which was published on 8 October.
§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2001,Official Report, columns 1135–36W, on judges' accommodation, if he will list for each of the judges' lodgings in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01, (i) the capital value and date of last valuation, (ii) the rent paid, (iii) the number of staff employed, their job titles and whether full or part-time, (iv) the cost incurred on (A) security and (B) non-security staff, (v) the amount spent on refreshments, (vi) the running and maintenance costs, not covered by (ii), (iv) or (v) above, (vii) the number of bedrooms for judges accommodation, (viii) the number of days that judges 841W were in residence and (ix) the number of days that one or more of the bedrooms for judges accommodation were empty.[21602]
§ Mr. WillsThe information requested is contained in the schedules I am placing in the Library, save for the following: the estate was last valued on the 30 June 2000. However data relating to the individual capital values are classified as 'Commercial in Confidence'.
An analysis of the number of staff and their job titles was carried out as part of the Judges Lodgings Review and figures for 1999–2000 are therefore available; to provide a similar analysis for the other years would incur a disproportionate cost. Collation of the information regarding the number of days when bedrooms were empty would also incur a disproportionate cost.
An all-encompassing allowance covers a judge's stay at a lodgings; the amount spent on refreshments is not separated out from this allowance.