Public Awareness (Hansard, 16 February 1999)

§ Mr. Hoon

The Lord Chancellor's Department has recently published a free booklet called "Working for Justice: A Guide to the Lord Chancellor's Department." Written in clear English and attractively designed and illustrated, it explains the role and functions of the Department, as well as tracing the history of the office of Lord Chancellor. We have printed 70,000 copies and made them available to the public through all courts in England and Wales.

Another recent publication intended to explain succinctly to the public how the department plans to take forward reform of the civil law is "Modernising Justice: A Summary of the Government's Proposals". We have printed 70,000 copies of this publication also, and made it available free of charge through the courts, public libraries and law firms. The White Paper itself is of course also available to the public.

The Lord Chancellor's Department produces an annual report, setting out its policy objectives and expenditure plans. It is available to the public through HMSO bookshops.

The Lord Chancellor's Department Internet website was upgraded last year and covers speeches, civil matters, criminal matters, legal aid, judges, magistrates, the courts, press notices and the department as a whole. There are websites for the Court Service and the Public Trust Office too.

I undertake a regular programme of speeches and talk formally and less formally to a very wide range of people, as does the Lord Chancellor. We take every opportunity to explain the role of the department and to raise awareness of its policies.

726W

Both the Lord Chancellor and I also use the media to put across the importance of the work of the department to as wide an audience as possible. The press office of the Lord Chancellor's Department issues press notices to the local, national and specialist media to keep them informed of all key developments.