§ Phil SawfordTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellors Department what the average length of time taken by the Public Guardianship Office to determine a case was in the last year for which figures are available. [116140]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonIn the last financial year, the Court of Protection made around 4,700 orders to appoint a receiver. Of these 40 per cent. (1,942) were made within two months of the date the papers were first received by the Public Guardianship Office (PGO). 86 per cent. (4,100) were made within six months of receipt of the papers.
For the last financial year the total number of Enduring Powers of Attorneys registered was 13,670. The PGO returned and received 99 per cent. of correctly lodged cases within five days after the statutory waiting period of 35 days.
§ Phil SawfordTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellors Department how many cases were handled by the Public Guardianship Office in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [116141]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonFigures are available from 1 April 2001 when the Public Guardianship Office was established. At the end of 2001, the Agency was protecting the affairs of 23,365 Protection Division clients; directly managing the affairs of 1,533 Receivership clients; and registered 11,405 Enduring Powers of Attorney. At the end of 2002 the figures were 24,007; 632; and 11,965 respectively.
§ Phil SawfordTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellors Department how many staff were employed at the Public Guardianship Office in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [116142]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonFigures are available from 1 April 2001 when the Public Guardianship Office was established. At the end of the financial year 2001–02 351 permanent, and 187 agency staff were employed. At the end of the financial year 2002–03 the figures were 295 and 159 respectively.