Grant payments transfer to Legal Policy Unit

WRITTEN QUESTIONS
9th Assembly

01/11/2004

226. Grant payments transfer to Legal Policy Unit

Ms Carney to MINISTER for Justice and Attorney-General


QUESTION

I would be grateful if you would provide the answers to the following questions in relation to the Justice Department's Budget for 2004-05. In order to assist you, please note that this question relates to output group: 1.0 Legal Services (1.1: Solicitor for the NT).

1. Under the heading ‘key variations’ on page 115, it is stated ‘Grant payments of $2.9m have been transferred from the Solicitor for the NT output to the Legal Policy output from 2003-04.’ On page 116 the ‘grant payments’ are described as “Legal Aid grants” -

[Legal Policy ‘develops reviews and implements legislative change, advises the Attorney-General and the Government on law and justice measures, and provides Ministerial support’. [p117] - }

(a) What is the main purpose of the grants;
(b) Why were the grant payments transferred to Legal Policy;
(c) Did Treasury make a recommendation to transfer the grants, or was the decision made in the Department of Justice;
(d) What are the policy or budgetary reasons for transferring legal aid grants to Legal Policy;
(e) Why have the grant payments been transferred now and not in the past;
(f) Is it the case that this transfer of $2.34m amounts to an injection of funds directly to assist the Attorney-General do his job; and
(g) What will the $2.34m be used for.

ANSWER

Answered on