HC Deb 24 November 2000 vol 357 cc341-2W
Mr. Gamier

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimates he has made of the caseload that the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales will undertake in the four years of the proposed start-up phase. [140175]

Mr. Lock

No caseload estimate has yet been made. Individual estimates, for each salaried defence service office, will be settled once final decisions have been made on the location of the offices and the timing of their opening.

Mr. Garnier

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what business plan has been prepared for the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales. [140170]

Mr. Lock

Each salaried defence service office will operate to its own business plan, as the issues facing each office will be unique to it. These will be developed once the office locations have been settled.

Mr. Garnier

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the estimated start up costs of the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales; and how they are made up. [140172]

Mr. Lock

We expect the Legal Services Commission will spend up to £3 million in the financial year 2001–02 on salaried defenders.

Precise start-up costs will depend on the exact location and size of each office.

Mr. Gamier

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the estimated annual costs are of the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales, including the cost of support services from the Legal Service Commission central services; and how they are made up. [140173]

Mr. Lock

No final decisions have been made about the total costs of the pilots. Initial estimates are that costs will be up to £3 million in the first year.

Mr. Garnier

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many offices it intends to open under the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales; and where those offices will be located. [140171]

Mr. Lock

It is planned initially to open six salaried defence service offices, at least three of which will open for business on 2 April 2001. A shortlist of nine locations is being considered, namely Carlisle, Dover, Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Swansea, Middlesbrough, Oxford and Gloucester. Final decisions will be made on the locations of all six offices by the end of this year.

Mr. Garnier

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the estimated numbers of(a) legally qualified and (b) non-legally qualified staff who will be employed in the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales. [140174]

Mr. Lock

The number of legally qualified and non-legally qualified staff employed in the salaried defence offices will depend on the locations of the offices and the success of the offices in attracting and retaining clients through the quality of the services they provide. Sufficient staff will be employed at each location to provide the comprehensive, 24 hour a day, seven day a week service necessary. Initial numbers will be agreed in conjunction with each office head.