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1137663

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Probate: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the probate system.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	911811
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>Waiting times in the probate service have recently increased. However, following urgent action by the courts service, they are now starting to improve.</p><p> </p><p>The temporary delays were the result of more work coming into the system and the impact of the initial move to a new IT system for managing probate work.</p><p> </p><p>Now that move is complete, and the unusually high workload has been dealt with, we expect waiting times to continue to improve – and be back to normal levels in the coming weeks.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 09/07/2019 16:19:12 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

485706

	registered interest
	date	23/03/2016
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Government Departments: Databases
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether, when considering whether to acquire a bulk personal dataset from another government department under the Investigatory Powers Bill, she plans to consult the Secretary of State for that department.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	32335
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text <p>The Investigatory Powers Bill provides for robust and transparent safeguards relating to the security and intelligence agencies’ use of bulk personal datasets (BPDs). This includes a new requirement for warrants to authorise the retention and examination of BPDs. The Bill provides for both class BPD warrants, covering datasets of a particular class, and specific BPD warrants, covering an individual dataset. The draft statutory Code of Practice provides further guidance on the factors that the security and intelligence agencies should consider in determining which type of warrant to apply for. These include whether the nature or the provenance of the dataset raises particularly novel or contentious issues; whether it contains a significant component of intrusive data; and whether it contains a significant component of confidential information relating to members of sensitive professions. All warrants will be subject to the ‘double-lock’ safeguard meaning that they will be subject to approval by both a Secretary of State and a Judicial Commissioner.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 11/04/2016 16:26:17 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

723188

	registered interest
	date	21/04/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrants: Detainees
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether procedures have changed as a result of recent successful prosecutions for unlawful immigration detention.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	71612
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2017 answer text <p>The cross-system Detention Gatekeeper has now been introduced to scrutinise all proposed detentions independently of an arresting team. Individuals can now only enter immigration detention with the authority of the Detention Gatekeeper, who will ensure that there is no evidence of vulnerability which would be exacerbated by detention, that return will occur within a reasonable timeframe and check that any proposed detention is lawful.</p><p> </p><p>Separately, Case Progression Panels have been introduced to review all cases within immigration detention by a peer-led panel. These panels focus on ensuring that there is progression toward return for all individuals detained, and that detention remains lawful.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 26/04/2017 09:54:28 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

722136

	registered interest
	date	18/04/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Drugs: Misuse
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Government's new Drug Strategy will be published.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	71008
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2017 answer text <p>We are currently developing the new Drug Strategy, working across government and with key partners. The new strategy will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 24/04/2017 12:22:12 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

91063

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to ratify the Istanbul Convention.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	208460
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Coalition Government signed the Istanbul Convention on 8 June 2012 signalling its strong commitment on tackling violence against women and girls. The UK already has some of the most robust protections in the world against violence towards women and we already comply with the majority of the articles to the Convention. <br><br>One of the key components was the criminalisation of forced marriage which has now come into force following Royal Assent of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. However Government Departments and the Devolved Administrations continue to rigorously examine whether we are doing everything necessary to be able to ratify the Convention. In particular, this includes considering the extent to which we first need to take extra-territorial jurisdiction in respect of offences established in accordance with the Convention.</p><p /> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Norman Baker question first answered 16/09/2014 16:32:04 answering member 28 label Biography information for Norman Baker
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

723021

	registered interest
	date	20/04/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration Enforcement Directorate
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans for the Immigration Enforcement Business Plan for 2016-17 to be published.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	71513
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2017 answer text <p>The Department’s plans for immigration enforcement will be communicated in due course.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 25/04/2017 12:21:01 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

1166762

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support is available for EU citizens with (a) dementia and (b) other similar health conditions when applying for settled status given the possibility that they may have lost the necessary paperwork.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	6360
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">The EU Settlement Scheme is designed to make it simple and straightforward for EU citizens and their family members to apply to stay in the UK after we leave the EU. We are looking for reasons to grant status, not reasons to refuse, and the scheme is performing well.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">The Home Office has put in place a comprehensive vulnerability strategy to ensure that the EU Settlement Scheme is accessible for all, including those requiring someone to make an application on their behalf. We are also engaging with relevant stakeholders, such as the Department for Health and Social Care, the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Devolved Administrations, to assess the needs of vulnerable groups and ensure they are met.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">The Home Office has introduced a range of support for applicants, including assisted digital support at around 300 locations across the UK and the EU Settlement Scheme Resolution Centre, open seven days a week, to provide help and information by telephone and e-mail. We have also provided up to £9 million of grant funding to 57 voluntary and community organisations across the UK to enable them to mobilise services targeted at vulnerable EU citizens.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">Regarding specific support for (a) those with dementia and (b) other similar health conditions, such as those without mental capacity, the Home Office has designed a scheme that allows applicants to consent to an appropriate third party to apply on their behalf. This means that care givers, family members and friends can provide the necessary assistance to those who need it.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">The Home Office is aware that a range of vulnerable applicants may face significant challenges in securing evidence to support their application. For this reason, we will in such circumstances accept a range of evidence of identity and residence on behalf of an applicant, working with the person making the application to establish the applicant’s eligibility based on all the evidence available. Caseworkers are trained to exercise discretion in the applicant’s favour where appropriate.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The EU Settlement Scheme is designed to make it simple and straightforward for EU citizens and their family members to apply to stay in the UK after we leave the EU. We are looking for reasons to grant status, not reasons to refuse, and the scheme is performing well.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Home Office has put in place a comprehensive vulnerability strategy to ensure that the EU Settlement Scheme is accessible for all, including those requiring someone to make an application on their behalf. We are also engaging with relevant stakeholders, such as the Department for Health and Social Care, the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Devolved Administrations, to assess the needs of vulnerable groups and ensure they are met.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Home Office has introduced a range of support for applicants, including assisted digital support at around 300 locations across the UK and the EU Settlement Scheme Resolution Centre, open seven days a week, to provide help and information by telephone and e-mail. We have also provided up to £9 million of grant funding to 57 voluntary and community organisations across the UK to enable them to mobilise services targeted at vulnerable EU citizens.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Regarding specific support for (a) those with dementia and (b) other similar health conditions, such as those without mental capacity, the Home Office has designed a scheme that allows applicants to consent to an appropriate third party to apply on their behalf. This means that care givers, family members and friends can provide the necessary assistance to those who need it.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Home Office is aware that a range of vulnerable applicants may face challenges in securing evidence to support their application. For this reason, we will in such circumstances accept a range of evidence of identity and residence on behalf of an applicant, working with the person making the application to establish the applicant’s eligibility based on all the evidence available. Caseworkers are trained to exercise discretion in the applicant’s favour where appropriate.</ins></p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 31/10/2019 17:25:04 question first ministerially corrected 01/11/2019 11:32:58 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 3185 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

573747

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2016
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to accelerate the process of family reunification for unaccompanied refugee children in Europe.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	44498
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2016 answer text <p>The Government began work to implement the ‘Dubs amendment’ immediately after the Immigration Bill gained Royal Assent. Over 30 children who meet the criteria in the Immigration Act have been accepted for transfer since it received Royal Assent in May, the majority of these have already arrived in the UK.</p><p>We continue to work with the French, Greek and Italian authorities and others to speed up existing family reunification processes or implement new processes where necessary for unaccompanied children. We have seconded a UK official to Greece, we have a long-standing secondee working in Italy and will shortly be seconding another official to the French Interior Ministry to support these efforts.</p><p>We have established a dedicated team in the Home Office Dublin Unit to lead on family reunion cases for unaccompanied children. Transfer requests under the Dublin Regulation are now generally processed within 10 days and children transferred within weeks. Over 120 children have been accepted for transfer this year from Europe.</p><p>We also continue to consult local authorities about the transfer unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK, where it is in their best interests.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 12/09/2016 15:27:43 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

709731

	registered interest
	date	09/03/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Forensic Pathology in England and Wales Review
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the Government's response to the Hutton review of forensic pathology in England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	67380
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2017 answer text <p>The key strategic recommendations of the Hutton review of forensic pathology have been discussed both with Home Office ministers and at a bi-lateral meeting between Home Office and Ministry of Justice ministers.</p><p>Whilst it was recognised the longer-term resilience of both services would be best addressed through a ‘combined autopsy service’, it was decided that more urgent issues in coronial pathology should be addressed first. Therefore the Home Office will retain responsibility for the running of forensic pathology, whilst the Ministry of Justice will work with other relevant government departments to take forward the coronial pathology issues raised by Professor Hutton in his report.</p><p>In addition there have been a number of important changes recommendations that have been implemented, including guidance for first attenders in respect of dealing with sudden and unexpected deaths, the establishment of a national list of paediatric and organ specific pathologists willing to engage in police cases and the commencement of a number of reviews in response to detailed recommendations on training, the Code of Practice/Performance Standards implemented by the Home Office.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 15/03/2017 16:17:24 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

388650

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2015
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to commission an independent review of support rates paid to asylum applicants under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 before making changes to that level of support.
	tabling member constituency	Totnes
	tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
	uin	6175
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2015 answer text <p>Asylum seekers who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their essential living needs. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review. If they are recognised as refugees they are able to claim mainstream benefits in the normal way.</p><p>The Government currently has no plans to establish an independent review of these arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 15/07/2015 15:27:56 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
	tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston