HC Deb 03 November 1997 vol 300 cc50-2W
Mr. Ruane

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients were removed from general practitioners lists by(a) county and (b) health authority in each of the past five years. [14212]

Mr. Win Griffiths

The presently available information, for the years 1993–94 and 1994–95, is given in the table:

Mr. Burnett

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what criteria and methods his Department intends to use to measure the probability of success in cases of civil litigation; and if he will make a statement. [13719]

Mr. Hoon

The decision whether to litigate and the criteria applied to judge the likely success or merits of the case are matters for the client on the professional advice of his lawyer if he has one.

Mr. Burnett

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations his Department has held with members of the insurance industry, and related experts, on the subject of arrangements for insurance civil litigants who will be able to litigate using the intended extension of the conditional fee agreement; what were the conclusions of such discussions; and if he will make a statement. [13715]

Mr. Hoon

My officials are in discussion with interested parties, including representatives of the insurance industry, about the range of issues connected with the extension of conditional fees, and not least the provision of insurance against the potential liability for an opponents costs and who should meet those costs.

Mr. Burnett

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations his Department is holding on plans for changes in the legal aid and civil justice system; which bodies he is willing to accept representations from; and what the deadlines are for consultation on each aspect. [13717]

Mr. Hoon

I include a table showing the consultation papers that are presently planned. In many cases the dates are provisional and may be changed in the light of circumstance.

I welcome representations from anybody who wishes to contribute and not simply the professional bodies, special interest and consumer groups who are routinely consulted. Copies of consultation papers are available without charge from my department and can also be found on the Internet (www.open.gov.uk/lcd/index.htm) and responses can be made by e-mail.

Civil justice reform Issue date Responses required by
Clinical negligence procedures Paper issued on 31 October 1997 31 December 1997
Multi-party situations Paper issued on 31 October 1997 31 December 1997
Specialist jurisdictions (Chancery, Admiralty, Official Referees etc.) Planned for November 1997 Expected to be end of January 1998
Small claims limit and fast track limit Planned for November 1997 Expected to be end of January 1998
Civil court fees Planned for November 1997 Yet to be decided
Fast track costs and fixed costs Planned for April 1998 Expected to be end of July 1998
Extension of conditional fees Planned for January 1998 Yet to be decided
Changes to scope of civil legal aid Planned for January 1998 Yet to be decided
Legal Aid reform proposals for introducing contracts and a revised merits test Consultation will take place during the first half of 1998 It is planned to complete the consultation by end of june 1998

Mr. Burnett

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the expenditure implications of the changes in(a) training, (b) staffing and (c) information technology required for the implementation of those of Lord Woolf's civil justice proposals which Her Majesty's Government intends to implement by April 1999. [13714]

Mr. Hoon

The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the Hon. Member.

Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. John Burnett, dated 3 November: The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the costs of Lord Woolf's Civil Justice proposals. We are currently working out the detailed implications of the effects of the changes on (a) training, (b) staffing and (c) information technology of the Lord Chancellor's recent announcement on the Middleton Review, but are not yet in a position to give specific expenditure figures. However, although there will be implementation costs in the short term, they will be in line with the Government's commitment to remain within current expenditure plans and therefore will be absorbed within existing budgets.