§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 3 February 2000,Official Report, columns 673–74W, on the Council of Europe, if he will list each case relating to an Independent Commonwealth State heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the past five years, and the sums received in reimbursement of the United Kingdom's costs of hosting the appeals, including the costs of the judges. [109242]
§ The Prime MinisterThe table shows the numbers of appeals and petitions for leave to appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council from independent Commonwealth countries in each of the last five years. No direct contribution to the costs of running the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is made by the countries concerned as such, save that certain countries, especially New Zealand, provide (at their own expense) serving judges to sit as members of the Judicial Committee from time to time. However, court fees are payable by the parties to proceedings, which in some cases are the governments or other public authorities of the countries concerned. The table also shows the total fee income of the Judicial Committee in each of the last five years, the greater part of which will have been paid in respect of petitions and appeals from independent Commonwealth countries.
277W
Year Appeals heard Petitions heard Total fee income (£) 1995 42 55 35,439.59 1996 51 62 67,914.10 1997 46 60 70,715.36 1998 42 74 71,421.45 1999 44 77 31,228.90