HC Deb 31 July 1998 vol 317 cc569-70W
Mr. Todd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints have been received by the Public Trust Office in each of the last three years. [53899]

Mr. Hoon

Complaints are received and reported to year ending 31 March. The table gives figures for complaints received year ending 31 March.

Minister Venue Purpose of visit Accompanied by Reason for inclusion Cost to public funds of those accompanying (£)
Lord Chancellor Trinidad and Tobago 4 January 1998–10 January 1998 Attendance at the Commonwealth Speakers Conference Lady Irvine Jenny Rowe (Private Secretary) It is customary for spouses to accompany minister's to these conferences and they are specifically invited by the organisers. To provide practical and policy advice 5,332.00 (Lady Irvine's costs were met from House of Lords funds)
Parliamentary Secretary Brussels 2 February 1998 Address to the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, as part of the EU Presidency Jonathan Freeman (Private Secretary) Edwin Kilby (International Branch Policy Officer) To provide practical and policy advice 538.00
Lord Chancellor Paris 26 February 1998–1 March 1998 Speech to the Cour de Cassation and meetings with senior judiciary and members of the government Lady Irvine Sir Thomas Legg (Permanent Secretary) and Lady Legg Jenny Rowe To provide practical and policy advice 478.00 (Lady Irvine's and Lady Legg's costs were not paid out of public funds)
Parliamentary Secretary Brussels 24 Apr 98 Speech to the CCBE (European Lawyers' organisation), as part of the EU Presidency Jonathan Freeman (Private Secretary) Edwin Kilby (International Branch Policy Officer To provide practical and policy advice 692.10
Lord Chancellor Luxembourg 29 April 1998 Visit to the European Courts of Justice Jenny Rowe (Private Secretary) To provide practical and policy advice 435.90
Parliamentary Secretary Lisbon and Madrid 5 May 1998–7 May 1998 Meeting with Portuguese and Spanish Ministers of Justice as part of the UK's EU Presidency Jonathan Freeman (Private Secretary) Edwin Kilby (International Branch Policy Officer) To provide practical and policy advice 1,502.74
Lord Chancellor Washington D.C. 9 May 1998–12 May 1998 To deliver US Supreme Court Heritage Society Lecture, the Oxford and Cambridge Society speech and to hold meetings with senior members of the judiciary and the government Lady Irvine Jenny Rowe (Private Secretary) To provide practical and policy advice 2,666.00 (Lady Irvine's costs were not paid out of public funds)

Year ending 31 March Number of complaint received by the Public Trust Office Number of complaints received by Lord Chancellor's Department in respect of operation of the Public Trust Office
1996 331 21
19971 443 33
19981 512 20
1 In order to analyse customer satisfaction in greater depth, complaints to SEO Managers were monitored form 1 July 1996. The figures from 1997 onwards include complaints to SEO Managers