HC Deb 05 December 1997 vol 302 cc378-9W
Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what funding has been made available by the Lord Chancellor's Department to family mediation services other than National Family Mediation since June 1996; and for what purpose. [18339]

Mr. Hoon

The UK College of Family Mediators has received £49,500 to date towards the production of a directory of mediators, judicial seminars and publicity projects. The Family Mediators Association will shortly receive £50,000 to enable it to help its members meet the Legal Aid Board's franchise specification.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements are(a) in place and (b) being arranged by the Legal Aid Board for publicising the family mediation pilot project under Part III of the Family Law Act 1996. [18340]

Mr. Hoon

Each pilot mediation service has been provided with initial funding for publicity. In addition, the Legal Aid Board has distributed leaflets and posters to the public and all key referral agencies in each of the pilot areas and is supporting the development of local publicity initiatives.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Legal Aid Board's publicity material for the pilot projects under Part III of the Family Law Act 1996 will be issued; and what is the budget for the provision of the publicity. [18341]

Mr. Hoon

The Legal Aid Board has already issued publicity material for Phase I and continues to do so. Between £50,000 and £60,000 has been spent by the Legal Aid Board on publicity to date.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the total budget for the family mediation pilot projects currently being run by the Legal Aid Board under Part III of the Family Law Act 1996; and if he will make a statement. [18345]

Mr. Hoon

The Legal Aid Board's expenditure on developing, administering and researching Phase I and on the development of Phase II of the family mediation pilot project is estimated to be in the region of £500,000 for 1997–98.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what funding has been made available to National Family Mediation by the Lord Chancellor's Department since June 1996; what was its purpose; and if he will make a statement. [18338]

Mr. Hoon

National Family Mediation has received £99,400, made available by this Department, to finance various projects aimed at the training of mediators and the development of mediation services. These contracts are managed by the Legal Aid Board.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much funding has been provided by the Lord Chancellor's Department to the UK College of Family Mediators for the production of a commercial directory of the college's membership; and if he will make a statement. [18337]

Mr. Hoon

£10,000 was provided by this Department to enable the UK College to complete publication of the directory of mediators. This contract is managed by the Legal Aid Board.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the budget for the family mediation pilot projects being conducted by the Legal Aid Board under Part III of the Family Law Act 1996 is being paid direct to mediation organisations and individual mediators for the provision of mediation services. [18336]

Mr. Hoon

On the basis of current volume estimates, approximately £2 million will be paid directly to mediation services for the provision of mediation in 1997–98.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the total cost of the Legal Aid Board's research into the family mediation pilot project under Part III of the Family Law Act 1996. [18335]

Mr. Hoon

The estimated cost of the family mediation pilot research project in 1997–98 is £300,000.