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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

1220624

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2020
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Administration of Estates
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many estates of people who died without known entitled relatives and left a will were referred to the Bona Vacant Division of the Government Legal Department in (a) March, (b) April and (c) May in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	68760
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2020 answer text <p>The Bona Vacantia Division (BVD) of the Government Legal Department (GLD) deals with the solvent estates of people domiciled in England &amp; Wales who appear to have died <strong>without</strong> leaving a valid will or relatives entitled to share in their estates in priority to the Crown. It therefore does not generally deal with estates where there is a valid will.</p><p> </p><p>If the referral contains information which suggests the deceased has left a valid will disposing of their entire estate, it will be returned to the person who referred it. The Division does not keep a record of these estates.</p><p> </p><p>If the deceased does not appear to have left a valid will or entitled relatives, the estate will be advertised on the Division’s website.</p><p> </p><p>Occasionally the Division determines that the deceased has left a valid will which disposes of the entire estate after it has been advertised. There were two such estates referred in March 2019; two in April 2019; none in May 2019; one in March 2020; one in April 2020 and one in May 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Estates where the deceased has left a valid will but it does not dispose of the entire estate are sometimes referred to the Division because the undisposed residue passes by intestacy to the Crown. One such estate was referred to the Division in March 2019 and one in April 2019. There have been no other referrals in the months concerned.</p><p> </p><p>During the corresponding period, the number of estates referred to the Division where there was no will or no will has subsequently come to light were: March 2019 = 296; April 2019 = 187; May 2019 = 160; March 2020 = 192; April 2020 = 204; May 2020 = 81.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 10/07/2020 12:47:20 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1296942

	registered interest
	date	02/03/2021
	answering body	COP26
	answering dept id	210
	answering dept short name	COP26
	answering dept sort name	COP26
	hansard heading	Climate Change: International Cooperation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the President of COP26, whether the UK will negotiate as part of the EU grouping in COP26.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	161831
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>Our European partners remain important allies in driving efforts towards a net zero, climate resilient future. I recently visited Brussels and Paris, and have had positive conversations with the European Commission and several Member State governments, including Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Italy and Spain, to discuss our cooperation ahead of COP26. We look forward to working closely with the EU and all negotiating groups and parties to ensure COP26 is a success.</p><p>The UK left the EU climate change negotiating group upon exiting the European Union. At COP26, the UK’s priority will be impartially presiding over the negotiations.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 17/03/2021 15:26:48 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1304264

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2021
	answering body	COP26
	answering dept id	210
	answering dept short name	COP26
	answering dept sort name	COP26
	hansard heading	Climate Change
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the President of COP26, what steps he is taking to ensure that the formulation of his policy is evidence based.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	172105
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/04/2021 answer text <p>All climate-related work for COP26 is informed by the best available science, encapsulated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. The IPCC reports are the primary tool for providing the best available science to the UNFCCC. The first part of the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report is due to be released this year, and its findings will inform the negotiations and the wider COP26 conference.</p><p>We are also working with leading experts including a global group of Friends of COP, who are sharing their expertise in support of a successful summit.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 06/04/2021 10:25:56 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1309052

	registered interest
	date	14/04/2021
	answering body	COP26
	answering dept id	210
	answering dept short name	COP26
	answering dept sort name	COP26
	hansard heading	Climate Change: Industry
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the President of COP26, what steps he is taking to ensure that large polluting industries do not have an outsized influence on the climate ambition of the UK and other nations preceding and during COP26.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	181085
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2021 answer text <p>I have set climate criteria for businesses who will be involved in COP26, including for our corporate sponsorship and for those organisations which have applied for space at COP26 itself.</p><p>The climate criteria include requiring businesses to commit to the most ambitious and robust action possible, joining the Race to Zero by committing to net zero by 2050 at the latest and setting science based targets to meet this goal.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 22/04/2021 13:09:54 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1330794

	registered interest
	date	08/06/2021
	answering body	COP26
	answering dept id	210
	answering dept short name	COP26
	answering dept sort name	COP26
	hansard heading	UN Climate Conference 2021: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the President of COP26, whether delegates to the COP26 conference arriving from a red or amber list country will be (a) required to self-isolate on arrival or (b) exempt from covid-19 quarantine measures.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	12233
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2021 answer text <p>We want COP26 to be a physical event in Glasgow this November. That is the basis on which we are planning, and we are ensuring that we are exploring all measures to ensure the event is safe for participants and safe for the people of Glasgow.</p><p>We are working through the process to determine what mitigation measures are needed to safely host COP26, including for people from countries on our amber and red lists at the time of the conference. We will continue to work with colleagues in the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, Public Health bodies and the UN to explore the most appropriate measures; including testing, quarantine, vaccines and other COVID security measures. As announced at the G7 Summit, in order to enable more representatives to attend safely the UK will work to provide vaccines to those accredited delegations who would be unable to get them otherwise.</p><p>We will provide delegates and the House with an update in due course.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma grouped question UIN 12234 12235 12236 question first answered 14/06/2021 16:25:00 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1205612

	registered interest
	date	19/06/2020
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Land: Public Sector
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much publicly owned land has been sold by the Government in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	61754
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2020 answer text <p>Details of publicly owned land sold by the Government are available on GOV.UK:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sales-of-government-assets" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sales-of-government-assets</a></p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 25/06/2020 13:54:01 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1304683

	registered interest
	date	22/03/2021
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Memorial 2007
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his oral contribution of 12 November 2020, Official report, column 1047, what steps he has taken to meet representatives of the slavery memorial campaign.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	173123
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/03/2021 answer text <p>I am grateful to the hon. Member for raising these issues in the House. The UK deplores the human suffering caused by slavery and the slave trade. They are among the most dishonourable and abhorrent chapters in the history of humanity. I remain eager to meet to discuss this important work when time allows.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Surrey Heath answering member printed Michael Gove question first answered 30/03/2021 16:14:50 answering member 1571 label Biography information for Michael Gove
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

917585

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2018
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Census: Languages
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has plans to include in the 2021 census a question that records where multiple languages are being spoken in a household.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	150214
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2018 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 11/06/2018 15:19:21 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith attachment 1 file name PQ150214.pdf title UKSA Response
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse