The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many housing associations have demolished residential buildings that are less than 10 years old in each of the last five years; and what the reasons were for those demolitions.
Brandon Lewis
The information requested is not held centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Homes and Communities Agency and (b) Wandle Housing Association Limited on the demolition of residential buildings in Solomon’s Passage, Peckham.
Brandon Lewis
None. The Regulator is aware of the issues relating to Solomon’s Passage in Peckham. They are currently considering the information provided by Wandle Housing Association in line with our processes for dealing with referrals related to the consumer standards.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the effect on the preparedness of complainants to report rape of the use of complainants’ previous sexual history in evidence in rape trials; and if she will make a statement.
Sarah Newton
This Government has made protecting women and girls from violence and supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence a key priority.
The most recent Crime Statistics published on 20 October by the Office for National Statistics show that police recorded rape increased by 16% (to 36,438) in the year ending July 2016 compared with the previous year. The ONS state that the increases are believed to result from an improvement in the recording of sexual offences by the police and an increased willingness of victims to come forward and report these crimes to the police. In addition, the Crown Prosecution Service annual Violence Against Women and Girls Report, published in September 2016, shows the highest volumes ever recorded of charged defendants, prosecutions and convictions for rape.
We welcome the fact that more victims of rape are coming forward and reporting these crimes to the police. Victims must have the confidence to report these crimes, knowing that they will get the support they need to go through the criminal justice process and that everything will be done to bring offenders to justice.
Section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 places a statutory restriction on introduction of evidence and questioning of complainants about their sexual history. Section 41 was introduced to protect complainants in proceedings for sexual offences, introducing a presumption that such evidence and questioning will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.
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 contacts (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with Shaker Aamer since his release from Guantánamo Bay; and what information he holds on whether Ministers or officials in other departments have had such contacts.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
There has been no FCO Ministerial contact with Mr Aamer. Representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Metropolitan police accompanied Mr Aamer on his way back to the UK. The Government has been in contact with Mr Aamer’s legal representatives throughout the process of securing his release and thereafter.
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.