§ Mr. MullinTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he has taken to implement the measures outlined in the Government's response to the Third report of the Home Affairs Committee, Session 1996–97, on Freemasonry in the Police and Judiciary; if he will set out his proposed timetable for the remaining measures; and if he will make a statement. [52918]
§ Mr. HoonAll new appointees to the judiciary, including the magistracy, are now asked, as a condition of appointment, to state, for the purpose of a public register, whether or not they are Freemasons and, if not, to give notice if they subsequently join. Serving members of the judiciary were recently invited, by means of a copy of a letter from the Lord Chancellor to the Lord Chief Justice, to declare their Masonic status voluntarily for the purposes of the public register. Secretaries to Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace have also recently been asked to distribute a questionnaire to serving lay magistrates, inviting them to declare their Masonic status voluntarily for the same purpose. The information is currently being collected and will be made publicly available in due course.
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§ Mr. HoonThe IT equipment purchased by the Department and other organisations reporting to the Lord Chancellor in the financial year 1997–98 is shown in the table.
For both the Lord Chancellor's Department Headquarters and the Court Service, future IT services and equipment will be provided under Private Finance Initiative Agreements and charged on a usage basis.