15. To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he next expects to meet senior members of the judiciary to discuss the budget for HM Courts Service. (230384)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor meets with the senior judiciary on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues, including the budget or Her Majesty’s Courts Service.

19. To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the (a) court time expended and (b) cost to the Courts Service of cases of television licence fee evasion. (230388)

In 2006, we published estimates regarding television licence evasion cases in ‘Delivering Simple, Speedy, Summary Justice’ showing that in 2005 there were 173,000 cases taking approximately 5,800 hours of court time.

20. To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he next expects to meet senior members of the judiciary to discuss the budget for HM Courts Service; and if he will make a statement. (230389)

We expect the proposed allocation of funds to Her Majesty's Courts Service for 2009-10 to become known in early November. We expect to be consulting with the judiciary under the terms of the Framework Agreement during mid/late November. We expect the allocation to Her Majesty's Courts Service to be finalised by the Ministry of Justice after these discussions have concluded.