Blog

  • Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Afshar on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Islamophobia on Muslim communities in the UK.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Everyone in Britain has the right to feel safe and at ease in the place where they live. There is no place for hatred against people because of their race, gender, ethnic origin, faith, sexual orientation, age or disability.

    Anti-Muslim attacks rose 30-40% in the first two weeks after the Paris attacks. These attacks are unacceptable in Britain. The Government funds Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) to encourage reporting of these crimes and to support victims. We have also set up the first cross Government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group to raise awareness of Islamaphobic attacks. In addition, the Prime Minister announced that the police will disaggregate hate crime by religion beginning in April 2016. This will help the police to build community trust, target their resources and enable the public to hold them to account.

  • Helen Hayes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Helen Hayes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what rights protected in the Human Rights Act 1998 the Government plans not to include in the proposed British Bill of Rights.

    Dominic Raab

    We have been clear that the Bill of Rights will remain faithful to the basic principles which we signed up to in the European Convention on Human Rights. Our focus will be on mitigating the expansion of rights by the Strasbourg Court and the Human Rights Act. This government is as committed as any to upholding such rights, which underpin any civilised society, but we also want to prevent abuse of the system.

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to reform judicial review.

    Dominic Raab

    The government has always been clear that judicial review, when used properly, is a crucial component of the rule of law.

    But too often the system is open to abuse. That is why we have taken forward reform, such as the creation of the Planning Court, which we have implemented with the assistance of the judiciary, and the changes in the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, which we are implementing. The reforms will speed up the process for people who have arguable grounds and a genuine case to put.

  • Stephen Metcalfe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Stephen Metcalfe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Metcalfe on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to increase the use of digital technology in the courts and tribunals system.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    We have secured over £700m of funding to invest in our courts and tribunals system so they deliver swifter, fairer justice. Together with the Crown Prosecution Service, we are already developing shared digital technology for criminal justice so that all can work from the same digital case files. We have introduced online pleas and fines for traffic offences. Courts are now trialling extended opening hours, new ways of scheduling cases to avoid frustration and delays, and extending the use of video links.

  • Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to modernise the courts and tribunals system.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    We have secured over £700m of funding to invest in our courts and tribunals. We have worked closely with the senior judiciary to develop a plan to reform our courts system so it delivers swifter, fairer justice for everyone in England and Wales at a lower cost. This is a once in a generation opportunity to create a modern, user focused and efficient courts and tribunals service.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of tax credit claimants who will be migrated to universal credit in each year to 2020-21.

    Priti Patel

    The government is committed to moving the UK from a high tax, high welfare, low wage society to a lower tax, lower welfare, higher wage society. This remains the case, and Universal Credit (UC) is delivering this.

    UC is fundamentally different from the current legacy benefit system and supports people into work and encourages them to earn more.

    Therefore there is no meaningful way of comparing an unreformed Tax Credit system with UC. The Government has committed to transitional arrangements as we reform the benefits and Tax Credit system. Those transferred by DWP from tax credits to UC will receive Transitional Protection. In addition, estimates of entitlements under UC of the sort requested will vary depending on assumptions on the level of earnings.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in each local authority in the Greater Manchester area have been transferred from tax credits to universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    The process of transferring people from Tax Credits to Universal Credit (UC) has not yet begun.

    We are rolling out Universal Credit (UC) in a careful and controlled manner – an approach that was endorsed by the Major Projects Authority. Our plan is that existing benefit and tax credit claimants will be migrated to UC by 2020/21. Further details will be made available in due course.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.125 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether the cap on housing benefit for single claimants under 35 will apply to those in receipt of disability benefits.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The existing exemptions that already apply to private rented sector tenants aged less than 35 will be carefully considered prior to implementing the cap for similar tenants living in the social rented sector.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Sarah Wollaston – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make one of the qualifying criteria for children under three years of age to access the mobility component of the disability living allowance possession of a blue badge by either of a child’s parents.

    Justin Tomlinson

    I refer the honourable lady to the answer provided to her on 2 November (13660).

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.125 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what estimate he has made of the number of single claimants under 35 without dependent children living in social housing who are receiving more than the local housing allowance in housing benefit in (a) total and (b) each local authority.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We estimate that there are approximately 80,000 single claimants under 35 without dependent children living in the social sector who currently receive more than the relevant local housing allowance rate. However, not all claimants in this category will be affected by the announced policy as it will only apply from April 2018, where a new tenancy is taken out or a tenancy is renewed after April 2016.

    Tenants who take on a new tenancy or renew a tenancy will have the opportunity to consider whether they can afford to take on the property before committing to it. As such it is not possible to accurately estimate the proportion of single people without children that will be affected by this policy in 2018.

    As the overall estimate is based on survey data, it is not possible to provide an estimate by Local Authority due to sample size issues.