Tag: Harriet Harman

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to review the law on use of complainants’ previous sexual history as evidence in rape cases; and if she will make a statement.

Sir Oliver Heald

This Government is committed to making sure that victims of sexual abuse and rape get the support they need and have the confidence to come forward. The Justice Secretary will be meeting rape support groups later this month to discuss what more we can do to support victims.

Section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 is intended to protect complainants of rape and other serious sexual offences by making clear that evidence of previous sexual history is inadmissible in court unless a strict set of criteria is met. It is right that applications to admit such evidence are determined by the independent judiciary on a case-by-case basis to protect complainants whilst maintaining a defendant’s right to a fair trial.

The Justice Secretary and Attorney General will be looking at how the law is working in practice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions representatives of the Government have had with Shaker Aamer (a) prior to and (b) following his release from Guantánamo Bay on the terms and conditions of his release.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Government has been in contact with Mr Aamer’s legal representatives throughout the process of securing his release and thereafter. It has been a long-standing policy of successive British Governments that we would seek the release and return of those UK nationals and former legal residents who have been held at Guantanamo Bay.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she expects to reply to the letter of 14 September 2016 from the Rt hon. Member for Camberwell and Peckham on the contract for future delivery of the Equality Advisory Support Service.

Caroline Dinenage

We are aware of the Rt Hon. Member’s letter of 14 September 2016 regarding the contract for future delivery of the Equality Advisory Support Service. I regret that we were not able to respond by her deadline of 10 October 2016 but assure the Rt Hon Member that the response has now been sent to her, as of Friday 21 October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has (a) made and (b) plans to make any payment to Shaker Aamer (i) in return for an undertaking that he will not pursue legal action against the Government and (ii) for any other reason.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The settlement of the Guantanamo civil claims announced by Her Majesty’s Government in November 2010 was subject to a legally binding confidentiality agreement. We will not comment further about the terms of the settlement or about who is party to it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to ensure that (a) the consultation period on the proposed repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 will not fall within the purdah period of the Scottish Parliamentary elections and (b) all devolved administrations will be fully consulted on that proposal.

Dominic Raab

We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation. We adhere to any guidance published by the Cabinet Office in respect of the pre-election periods.

The government was elected with a mandate to reform and modernise the UK Human Rights Framework. We will engage fully with the devolved administrations, as well as with the public, legal, academic and civil society stakeholders across all of the UK, in the development of this work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the (a) timing of the consultation on the proposed Bill of Rights and associated measures and (b) effect of the purdah of the Scottish Government and dissolution of the Scottish Parliament on that timing.

Dominic Raab

We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.

We will adhere to any guidance published by the Cabinet Office in respect of the pre-election periods. We have and will continue to seek to work with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for all of the United Kingdom.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on (a) the nature of the Government’s consultation on the proposed Bill of Rights and associated measures and (b) ensuring that that timing does not overlap with the period of the purdah of the Scottish Government or the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament.

David Mundell

I meet with Cabinet colleagues and other ministers regularly to discuss a wide range of matters. We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and we will announce further details in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the application of Government guidance on public consultations to the consultation on the Government’s proposed Bill of Rights.

Mr Oliver Letwin

I recently published the Government’s Consultation Principles and have encouraged all ministers and departments to observe the guidance when considering consultation. The principles are publicly available on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492132/20160111_Consultation_principles_final.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether elections for devolved national assemblies are included within the reference to local and national elections in paragraph K of his Department’s Consultation Principles 2016, published on 14 January 2016.

Mr Oliver Letwin

Guidance to UK civil servants on conducting consultations during the period prior to elections for devolved national assemblies will be issued in due course as part of broader guidance issued on conduct during this time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the letter from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the right hon. Member for Camberwell and Peckham of 16 November 2015, whether British consular officials in Nigeria have made a further visit to Nnamdi Kanu.

James Duddridge

Consular officials in Nigeria have visited Mr Kanu a number of times since his arrest, most recently on 3 February.