Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1216834

registered interest
date	23/06/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Treasury Solicitor's Department
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what plans he has in place to ensure that the Treasury Solicitor - Bona Vacantia Division (a) undertakes investigations into the existence of wills for the deceased in an efficient and diligent manner and (b) administers estates in accordance with the law.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	63512
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2020 answer text <p>The Bona Vacantia Division (BVD) of the Government Legal Department (GLD) deals with the estates of people domiciled in England &amp; Wales who appear to have died without leaving a valid will or relatives entitled to share in their estates in priority to the Crown.</p><p> </p><p>Estates are administered by BVD in compliance with the law and the legal duties which apply to the administrators of estates.</p><p> </p><p>This includes making reasonable enquiries to establish whether the deceased has left a valid will or relatives entitled to share in the estate in priority to the Crown. Such enquiries include publishing details of the estate on BVD’s website and in the national and local press; making enquiries of banks, local solicitors and other parties and potentially conducting a search of the deceased’s property to establish whether they left a will.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 29/06/2020 10:52:45 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1205287

registered interest
date	18/06/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Sentencing: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many (a) appeals and (b) successful appeals the Government has made against sentences on the basis of undue leniency, in each of the last 20 years.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	61628
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>The statistics from 2000 are provided below. It should be noted that Attorney General’s Office does not hold accurate data prior to 2001 and we are not in possession of the data indicating the number of successful appeals for the year 2000.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Appeals the Government has made against sentences on the basis of undue leniency</p></td><td><p>Successful appeals the Government has made against sentences on the basis of undue leniency</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2000</p></td><td><p>31</p></td><td><p>Data unavailable</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2001</p></td><td><p>147</p></td><td><p>90</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2002</p></td><td><p>148</p></td><td><p>94</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2003</p></td><td><p>96</p></td><td><p>78</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004</p></td><td><p>105</p></td><td><p>66</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>67</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>144</p></td><td><p>104</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>76</p></td><td><p>53</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>59</p></td><td><p>46</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>84</p></td><td><p>58</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>77</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>117</p></td><td><p>94</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>82</p></td><td><p>62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>70</p></td><td><p>61</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>122</p></td><td><p>106</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>136</p></td><td><p>102</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>180</p></td><td><p>130</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>173</p></td><td><p>137</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>140</p></td><td><p>99</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>97</p></td><td><p>63</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 23/06/2020 14:28:46 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1202419

registered interest
date	10/06/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Intestacy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, whether she has made a recent assessment of levels of compliance among local authorities with the guidance issued by the Government Legal Department on the referral to the Bona Vacantia Division of estates of people who have died without (a) known entitled relatives and (b) leaving a will and instead passing the details directly to a single heir hunting firm.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	58045
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2020 answer text <p>The Bona Vacantia Division (BVD) of the Government Legal Department (GLD) deals with the estates of people domiciled in England &amp; Wales who appear to have died without leaving a valid will or relatives entitled to share in their estates in priority to the Crown. Estates which potentially fall to be dealt with as bona vacantia may be referred to BVD by a variety of routes, for example, banks, other financial institutions, solicitors or members of the public.</p><p> </p><p>There is no statutory obligation to refer estates to BVD but guidance on the referral process and the circumstances in which a referral will be accepted are published on BVD’s website (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/bona-vacantia" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/bona-vacantia</a>). It is for local authorities to determine whether an estate should be referred to BVD.</p><p> </p><p>In 2017-2018, 2768 estates were referred to BVD of which 909 were referred by local authorities. In 2018-2019, 1971 estates were referred to BVD of which 575 were referred by local authorities.</p><p>In 2019-2020, 2336 estates were referred to BVD of which 561 were referred by local authorities</p><p> </p><p>GLD has no responsibility for overseeing local authorities or their compliance with guidance issued by GLD about the handling of estates. Such information – including whether an estate has been referred to the Bona Vacantia Division of GLD, or whether the local authority has instructed an heir hunter – will be held by the particular local authority concerned.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 24/06/2020 16:20:38 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1202420

registered interest
date	10/06/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Intestacy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, if she will make it her policy to strengthen the guidance issued by the Government Legal Department to local authorities on handling the estates of people who have died without (a) known entitled relatives and (b) leaving a will to ensure that they refer all eligible estates as soon as possible after death to the Bona Vacantia Division and do not pass the details directly to a single heir hunting firm.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	58046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2020 answer text <p>The Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department (GLD) handles the estates of people who die without known entitled relatives, and without leaving a will. There is no statutory obligation to refer estates to GLD. However, GLD publishes guidance on the matter. In addition, local authorities can and do seek advice from GLD about the referral of specific cases.</p><p> </p><p>GLD does not provide advice to local authorities on the use of heir hunters.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 24/06/2020 16:23:59 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1202467

registered interest
date	10/06/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Attorney General: Carers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many staff in her Office had caring responsibilities in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Kingston and Surbiton
tabling member printed	Sir Edward Davey
uin	57889
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>The Annual Civil Service People Survey includes a question on caring responsibilities. The affirmative responses to this question for the Government Legal Department (GLD), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Serious Fraud Office (SFO) are listed below. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) responses are not included due to the small number of staff and the risk of individuals being identified.</p><p> </p><p>Please note that figures collected from the People Survey may not fully represent the number of carers as it is reliant on responses to the question. The CPS and SFO do not hold records of the responses to the question for all of the past five years. The CPS cannot provide data before 2018, the SFO cannot provide data before 2019 and GLD is also unable to provide data for 2018 as those data stores are no longer accessible and records were not held by the departments. Please also note that the wording of the question in 2016 and 2019 were different and the higher figures are likely due to the inclusion of childcare responsibility in those years.</p><p> </p><p>Government Legal Department (GLD):</p><p>2015 – 266 out of 1,602 who responded stated they had caring responsibilities</p><p>2016 – 580 out of 1,530 who responded stated they had caring responsibilities</p><p>2017 – 300 out of 1,780 who responded stated they had caring responsibilities</p><p>2018 – No data</p><p>2019 – 482 out of 2,214 who responded stated they had caring responsibilities</p><p> </p><p>Serious Fraud Office (SFO):</p><p>2015 – No data</p><p>2016 – No data</p><p>2017 – No data</p><p>2018 – No data</p><p>2019 – 84 out of 448 who responded stated they had caring responsibilities</p><p> </p><p>Crown Prosecution Service (CPS):</p><p>2015 – No data</p><p>2016 – No data</p><p>2017 – No data</p><p>2018 – 1,359 out of 3,974 who responded stated they had caring responsibilities</p><p>2019 – 1,102 out of 3,720 who responded stated they had caring responsibilities</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 23/06/2020 14:30:40 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	188 label Biography information for Ed Davey

1198010

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what discussions he has had with the CPS on the capacity to deal with the increase in domestic violence cases during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Warwick and Leamington
tabling member printed	Matt Western
uin	52354
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is working closely with colleagues across the Criminal Justice System to ensure that these offences continue to be brought to justice. Cases are still being referred to the CPS for charging decisions, trials are being listed and domestic abuse cases are treated as a high priority.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS has worked with police colleagues to introduce an Interim Charging Protocol to ensure that the most serious cases are prioritised effectively and put before the courts at the earliest opportunity. The CPS is committed to working closely with CJS partners and the third sector to make sure victims and witnesses remain at the heart of the process.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 08/06/2020 14:19:25 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4617 label Biography information for Matt Western

1198577

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Metropolitan Police Service's Handling of Non-recent Sexual Offence Investigations Alleged against Persons of Public Prominence Independent Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, with reference to paragraph 2.4.137 in the report entitled The Independent Review of the Metropolitan Police Service's handling of non-recent sexual offence investigations alleged against persons of public prominence, published on 4 October 2019, what assessment the CPS has made of the potential merits of seeking the prosecution of the two individuals referred to as potential witnesses A and B for perverting the course of justice and wasting police time.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	51754
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutes criminal cases that have been investigated by the police and other investigative organisations in England and Wales. If a crime is reported it is for the police to decide whether to investigate.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS has not been asked to consider any charges against witness A or B, nor have they provided any early investigative advice to the police. It is a matter for the police as to whether they pursue an investigation in to witness A and witness B.</p><p> </p><p>Once a case is referred to the CPS, any decision to prosecute is made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, and must meet the evidential and public interest tests.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 08/06/2020 14:51:16 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1198578

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Metropolitan Police Service's Handling of Non-recent Sexual Offence Investigations Alleged against Persons of Public Prominence Independent Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, with reference to paragraph 1.37 of the report entitled The Independent Review of the Metropolitan Police Service's handling of non-recent sexual offence investigations alleged against persons of public prominence, published 4 October 2019, how many of the 159 cases of false allegations of rape or domestic violence were prosecuted; and how many of the (a) referrals and (b) subsequent prosecutions were related to (i) rape and (ii) domestic violence charges.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	51755
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The Metropolitan Police Review refers to 159 cases of false allegations of rape and/or domestic violence made between January 2011 to May 2012. These were cases that had been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a charging decision. The Review erroneously refers to the period as being between 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p>The 159 cases were reviewed by the DPP and the Crown Prosecution Service published a report of these cases, entitled ‘‘Charging Perverting the Course of Justice and Wasting Police Time in Cases involving allegedly False Rape and Domestic Violence Allegations’ in 2013.</p><p> </p><p>Of the 159 cases referred for a charging decision,</p><p> </p><ul><li>121 related to an allegedly false allegation of rape – of these 35 were prosecuted; 25 for perverting the course of justice and ten for wasting police time;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>27 related to allegedly false allegations of domestic violence (the term in use at the time) – six were prosecuted for perverting the course of justice and one for wasting police time.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>11 related to allegedly false allegations of both rape and domestic violence – three were prosecuted, all for perverting the course of justice.</li></ul><p> </p><p>During the period of the review there were 5,651 prosecutions for rape and 111,891 for domestic violence by the Crown Prosecution Service across England and Wales.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 08/06/2020 15:20:31 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1198087

registered interest
date	21/05/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Barristers and Solicitors: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what the average salary is for (a) trainee solicitors and (b) pupil barristers working for the Crown Prosecution Service as at 1 June 2020.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull East
tabling member printed	Karl Turner
uin	51904
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2020 answer text <p>The average salary for trainee solicitors and pupil barristers working for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as at 1<sup>st</sup> June 2020 is as follows:</p><p> </p><p>(a) trainee solicitor <strong>£27,961</strong></p><p> </p><p>(b) pupil barrister <strong>£26,038</strong></p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 08/06/2020 14:21:53 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4030 label Biography information for Karl Turner

1197171

registered interest
date	19/05/2020
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Remand in Custody
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, on how many occasions the Director of Public Prosecutions was informed of a failure to comply with custody time limits in April 2020.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	48995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2020 answer text <p>The Director of Public Prosecutions is only informed of a custody time limit failure if it is deemed to be the responsibility of the CPS following review of the case. In April 2020, the Director of Public Prosecutions was informed of one custody time limit failure. This failure occurred in December 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS has made efforts to prioritise cases with a custody time limit during the pandemic, including via the interim charging protocol effective from 1 April.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 02/06/2020 12:05:52 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham