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 grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label attachment file name title
tabling member	label

Search

1133329

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, whether he has had discussions with the CPS on removing reference to the merits-based approach from (a) guidance and (b) training materials on rape and sexual offences.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	266818
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>Rape and serious sexual offences are horrific crimes and can have a devastating impact on victims, and the CPS will always seek to prosecute where there is sufficient evidence to do so. The Attorney General and I regularly discuss issues related to rape and sexual offences with the CPS; however, charging decisions are made independently by the CPS.</p><p> </p><p>There has been no change in policy in how the CPS makes charging decisions in rape cases. Prosecutors in the CPS follow a ‘Code’, which sets out a well-established two stage test that a case must pass before a charge can be made. The first stage of this test is the evidential stage, which considers whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against each suspect on each charge. That test has remained and continues to remain the same. It applies to every single offence no matter how minor or serious.</p><p> </p><p>The Code that prosecutors follow has never included any specific reference to a merits-based assessment of the realistic prospect of conviction because it is an integral part of the evidential test. The second stage of the test is whether it is in the public interest to proceed with a prosecution, this is considered after the evidential stage is fulfilled.</p><p> </p><p>From 2009, DPP guidance included reference to a merits based approach.</p><p> </p><p>Following an inspection by HMCPSI in 2016, it became clear that including a separate reference to the merits based approach in the guidance was causing confusion leading to the incorrect application of the code test. To avoid this confusion, changes were made to the guidance provided by the DPP to prosecutors, including removing a document on the merits based approach.</p><p> </p><p>Those changes should not have, and did not have any impact on the proper application of the Code test that prosecutors follow when making a decision on whether to charge.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 28/06/2019 12:06:30 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1132666

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Employment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, what is the percentage breakdown of public sector employees by (1) gender, and (2) ethnicity, for each region of the United Kingdom.
	tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
	uin	HL16444
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p>Dear Viscount Waverley,</p><p><br>As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what the percentage breakdown of public sector employees is by (1) gender, and (2) ethnicity for each region of the United Kingdom (HL164444).</p><p><br>Estimates of employees by sector of employment are available from the Annual Population Survey (APS), a household survey of people in the UK. In the APS, the distinction between public and private sector is based on respondents’ views about the organisation for which they work. This may differ from how we would classify them for the headline measure of public sector employment. The APS also collects information regarding respondents’ sex and ethnicity.</p><p> </p><p>Table 1 contains estimates of the percentage of public sector employees broken down by sex within each region. Table 2 contains estimates of the percentage of public sector employees broken down by ethnicity within each region. Both breakdowns use APS data for April 2018 to March 2019, the latest period for which data are available.</p><p>As the data are quite extensive, copy of both tables have been placed in the House of Commons Library.</p><p><br>Yours sincerely,</p><p><br><strong>John Pullinger</strong></p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 28/06/2019 13:49:32 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham attachment 1 file name HL16444 - Table.xlsx title UKSA Final Response
	tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1133479

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Skynet: Procurement
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) the Service Delivery Wrap, and (2) the Global Interconnect Network, still form part of the Skynet acquisition and tender process.
	tabling member printed	Lord Robathan
	uin	HL16514
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>It is confirmed that both the Service Delivery Wrap and the Global Interconnect Network form part of the ongoing SKYNET 6 Acquisition Programme.</p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 28/06/2019 13:18:43 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
	tabling member	334 label Biography information for Lord Robathan

1133821

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Bahrain: Military Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 4 June (HL15900), whether the British Armed Forces have provided training to the Royal Guard of Bahrain at any time over the past three years; if so, on what dates the training was delivered; and what was the purpose of any such training.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL16572
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The British Armed Forces provided the Bahrain Royal Guard with physical training instruction in 2018, and close protection and military annual training tests (medical and basic life support) training in 2019.</p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 28/06/2019 13:19:00 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1132623

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Television Licences: Older People
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place for the BBC to receive information about those in receipt of Pension Credit; and whether they are satisfied that any such measures comply with the General Data Protection Regulation.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL16401
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The BBC is responsible for the cost and the administration of the over 75 licence fee concession from June 2020, including data protection compliance.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The BBC proposes to operate a self-verification model for the over 75 licence fee concession from June 2020, with those who consider themselves eligible responsible for sharing evidence of their entitlement directly with the BBC.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>However, any necessary changes should be as easy to understand as possible and we look forward to hearing more about the detailed plans for communicating and implementing this change from the BBC.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 28/06/2019 13:19:28 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1132624

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Television Licences: Older People
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish details of the agreement reached with the BBC about the TV licence fee arrangements for those who are 75 or over, in particular how the agreement will be enforced.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL16402
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The decision on the future of the free TV licence fee concession is entirely a matter for the BBC. In the 2015 funding settlement, we agreed that responsibility for the concession would transfer to the BBC in June 2020. The agreement became part of the Digital Economy Act 2017, discussed and passed by the House, and enshrined in the new Royal Charter in 2017. Both the Act and the Royal Charter are already in the public domain.</p><p> </p><p>The BBC conducted an extensive public consultation with over 190,000 responses, before coming to a view that only those aged 75 and above and in receipt of pension credit will continue to receive a free television licence.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State expressed disappointment with the BBC for taking the most narrowly focused reform option despite receiving its highest ever level of licence fee funding. We have asked the BBC to do more to help the most vulnerable groups affected by the decision.</p><p> </p><p>Enforcement of the licence fee is also a matter for the BBC. But we have asked the BBC to consider among its measures of support for vulnerable groups, those which might alleviate concerns around enforcement among the over 75s.</p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 28/06/2019 13:45:35 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1132625

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Television Licences: Older People
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to enforce the proposed new licence fee arrangement for those aged 75 or over, in the event of non-payment.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL16403
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The decision on the future of the free TV licence fee concession is entirely a matter for the BBC. In the 2015 funding settlement, we agreed that responsibility for the concession would transfer to the BBC in June 2020. The agreement became part of the Digital Economy Act 2017, discussed and passed by the House, and enshrined in the new Royal Charter in 2017. Both the Act and the Royal Charter are already in the public domain.</p><p> </p><p>The BBC conducted an extensive public consultation with over 190,000 responses, before coming to a view that only those aged 75 and above and in receipt of pension credit will continue to receive a free television licence.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State expressed disappointment with the BBC for taking the most narrowly focused reform option despite receiving its highest ever level of licence fee funding. We have asked the BBC to do more to help the most vulnerable groups affected by the decision.</p><p> </p><p>Enforcement of the licence fee is also a matter for the BBC. But we have asked the BBC to consider among its measures of support for vulnerable groups, those which might alleviate concerns around enforcement among the over 75s.</p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 28/06/2019 13:46:54 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1132647

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Internet: Hate Crime
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made, further to the Law Commission’s Scoping Report on Abusive and Offensive Online Communications published on 1 November 2018, to improve the current criminal law concerning abusive and offensive online communications, in order to tackle online abuse more effectively.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL16425
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport and the Ministry of Justice have engaged the Law Commission on a second phase of their review of abusive and offensive online communications. This will begin in July 2019 and will build on the analysis undertaken for the Scoping Report.</p><p>In Phase 2, the Law Commission will review existing communications offences to establish whether the law is fit for purpose, and make specific recommendations about options for reform in this area. This will include considering whether co-ordinated harassment by groups of people online could be more effectively dealt with by the criminal law.</p><p>The Law Commission will also look at the criminal law around the non-consensual taking and sharing of intimate images. The review will look at existing offences and identify whether there are any gaps in the scope of the protection already offered to victims, making recommendations to ensure that the criminal law provides consistent and effective protection against the creation and sharing of intimate images without consent.</p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 28/06/2019 11:40:45 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1133845

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Television Licences: Older People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government plans to take to help protect vulnerable older people from prosecution for unpaid TV licences.
	tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
	tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
	uin	267716
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, not government.</p><p> </p><p>The BBC set out in its decision document on the future of the over 75 licence fee concession that enforcement action would be a last resort, and that it will consider ‘people’s vulnerability'.</p> answering member constituency Stourbridge answering member printed Margot James question first answered 28/06/2019 13:42:56 answering member 4115 label Biography information for Margot James
	tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1132312

	registered interest
	date	14/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	English Language: Education
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) review the provision of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) for recognised refugees, and (2) issue guidance on funding and best practice for ESOL.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL16381
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The government recognises that learning English is essential in enabling refugees to rebuild their lives. We are working across government to develop a new strategy for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) in 2019. This strategy will provide a shared vision for all publicly funded English language provision, including addressing the needs of refugees.</p><p>The department funds ESOL through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), which is allocated to providers on an annual basis. Colleges and adult learning providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their AEB allocation to meet the needs of their communities. This includes planning, with local partners, the ESOL courses that they will deliver locally. The AEB also provides additional support for learners who face specific financial hardship which is preventing them from taking part and/or continuing in learning.</p><p>The Home Office and the Department for Education have also provided £10 million to enable refugees resettled through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme to access additional classes.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton grouped question UIN HL16382 question first answered 28/06/2019 11:41:07 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton