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782453

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>In order to charge and prosecute hate crimes, the CPS uses the legal definition provided by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and Criminal Justice Act 2003. The shared police and CPS definition of hate crime is based on the perception of the victim or any other person and allows for case flagging and monitoring as well as appropriate victim support, it does not affect the charge.</p><p>This flagging definition comes from the recommended definition in the Macpherson report which was published in 1999 as a result of the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. The Macpherson Report found a lack of confidence within communities that hate crime was being treated seriously by the police and Criminal Justice System and recommended that the definition of a racist incident should be, ‘any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person’. Putting the victim’s perception at the heart of the definition gives a clear signal that, once flagged as a hate crime, an appropriate investigation will follow and evidence to support the law on hostility will be proactively sought. The definition seeks to encourage victims to report and to increase confidence in the Criminal Justice System.</p> previous answer version 22806 answering member 4538
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

758412

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>In order for an offence to constitute a “hate crime”, first a “basic” crime has to be committed. There are a number of such possible offences which can be committed by way of an insult, particularly offences under the Public Order Act 1986, the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and the Communications Act 2003.</p><p>Such offences could be designated as a “hate crime”, if they meet the required criteria for the three strands of hate crime offences – (a) racially and religiously aggravated offences; (b) homophobic, transphobic and biphobic offences and (c) disability hate crime.</p><p>The Government does not issue legal guidance to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is independent. The CPS hate crime guidance, which must be followed by all prosecutors, was reviewed and published in June 2017.</p><p> </p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

773042

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The CPS legal guidance on prosecuting racist and religious hate crime recognises the potential impact of prosecutions on Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to freedom of expression). The guidance recognises that not only is speech which is well-received and popular protected, but also speech which is offensive, shocking or disturbing. It is essential in a free, democratic and tolerant society that people are able to exchange views, even when offence may be caused. However, when making prosecution decisions the CPS must balance the rights of an individual to freedom of speech and expression against the duty of the state to act proportionately in the interests of public safety, to prevent disorder and crime, and to protect the rights of others.</p><p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has agreed a shared definition of hate crime with the police in order to ensure that all relevant cases are captured as early possible. This definition is based upon the perception of the victim or any other person and is wider than the legal definition. However, in order for the CPS to bring a successful hate crime prosecution the CPS must present sufficient evidence to prove that the offence meets the definition of the crime set out in the relevant legislation.</p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

819375

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>I would refer his Lordship to the answer to HL4421 from Lord Pearson, which was tabled on 21 December 2017, a copy of which has been made available in the Library of the House.</p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

458665

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

65209

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Electoral Commission are responsible for registering party names and descriptions and they have stated where a candidate represents a political party, it should be clear to voters which party the candidate represents. The Government supports this principle and will continue to consider how best to ensure that information on ballot papers is clear to voters.</p><p> </p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

77805

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Electoral Commission are responsible for registering party names and descriptions. Legislation permits the Electoral Commission to refuse to register a party name or description in certain circumstances, including, where it is the same as, or likely to result in electors confusing a party name or description with one that is already registered.</p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

92756

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Electoral Commission has a statutory role in registering party descriptions, and already has the power to not register certain types of descriptions, including those which are either offensive or misleading to the voter. These duties are set out in legislation and it is important that the Electoral Commission fulfils these efficiently and effectively. Following an incident earlier in the year when the Electoral Commission mistakenly registered an extremely offensive party description, an independent review made some recommendations about future practice which the Electoral Commission accepted.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has no plans to review the powers and governance of the Electoral Commission. The 11th report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Review of the Electoral Commission, recommended that the role of the Electoral Commission should be streamlined and re-focused into two core roles as a regulator of (a) political party funding and (b) of electoral administration. This recommendation was accepted by Government and the Electoral Commission.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

758413

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

592945

	registered interest
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The security of the UK’s energy supply is an important factor in the national security of the country and featured prominently in the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review, published last year. The government also produces an annual assessment of the security of the UK’s energy supply which considers the availability of electricity and gas to meet consumer demand in Great Britain over the next four years. The strategically important contributions of both domestic energy production and diversity of supply are included in this analysis.</p>
	tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson