The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made regarding Chief Constable David Shaw’s Use of Force Data Review.
Lord Bates
Further to the Noble Lord’s previous question HL2559, the Home Secretary has received the conclusions of Chief Constable David Shaw’s Use of Force Review and will report on its recommendations shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-02-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in providing alternatives to Operation Stack in Kent in the event of further serious disruption to the operation of the channel ferries or the Channel Tunnel.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government has listened to the communities and businesses of Kent and taken action to deal with the causes and effects of Operation Stack. In Autumn Statement 2015, the Chancellor announced up to £250m for an off-road lorry area.
Highways England completed a public consultation on proposals on 26 January 2016 and is now carefully assessing all the responses. Subject to the outcome of this assessment, the Government intends to make public its next steps shortly.
As an interim measure, the Government secured the use of a site at Manston in North Kent last summer. The Department for Transport and Highways England continue to work with Kent partners, including the county and district councils, emergency services, hauliers and ports to reduce the impact of Operation Stack on Kent should it need to be implemented.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-02-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to prevent children being detained in police cells overnight because no suitable local authority accommodation is available.
Lord Bates
The Government is committed to ensuring that young people are protected and treated appropriately while in police custody. This is why in January last year, the Home Secretary commissioned a multi-agency Working Group on Section 38(6) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, which concerns the transfer of children from police custody to local authority care when charged and denied bail. The purpose of the group is to better understand the problems with the operation of the law and to develop solutions to enable forces and local authorities to meet their respective statutory responsibilities. The group is currently finalising a package of measures and will present these to the Home Secretary once the work is complete.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-02-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by Sir Stephen Bubb The Challenge Ahead and his proposal for a Commissioner to protect and promote the rights of people with learning difficulties.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government welcomes Sir Stephen Bubb’s report Time for Change – the Challenge Ahead which focuses on improving the experience of care and outcomes for people with learning disabilities. Sir Stephen’s report acknowledges the real progress that has been made in the last year.
The Department will consider the recommendations in Time for Change – the Challenge Ahead in our development of a Learning Disability Action Plan. However, new statutory roles and legislation are not necessarily the answer to achieving the changes envisaged by the Steering Group. We believe that we can make more rapid and meaningful progress by ensuring that the rights that exist under current laws and statutes are properly understood, implemented and exercised by those with learning disabilities and/or autism.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-04-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the current Police and Crime Commissioners are standing for re-election in May.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Twenty seven of forty current police and crime commissioners (PCCs) for police force areas where ordinary PCC elections are taking place this May are standing for re-election.
This excludes Greater London, where the elected mayor exercises PCC functions in respect of the Metropolitan Police, and Greater Manchester, where the ordinary PCC election has been cancelled to pave the way for the transfer of PCC functions to an elected mayor in May 2017, with the term of the current PCC extended to that point.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-04-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking in response to the recent news that one in eight cases at Crown Court are not proceeded with by the Crown Prosecution Service, even though the defendants have been formally charged.
Lord Keen of Elie
All cases are kept under constant review as they progress through the criminal justice system. If new evidence comes to light, a witness decides to no longer support a prosecution or a co-defendant pleads guilty to the offence, the CPS will then review the case. If there is no longer sufficient evidence or if it is no longer in the public interest, the CPS will stop a prosecution.
The Transforming Summary Justice (TSJ) and Better Case Management (BCM) initiatives, introduced nationally, are recent programmes which will have a material and positive impact on both levels and timing of discontinuance. These include earlier, pre-first magistrates’ hearing case review by prosecutors; an emphasis on early defence engagement; listing periods that support the time required to prepare the case; and improved processes to gather and serve evidential material and disclosure prior to court hearings.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the 10 most recently appointed Chief Constables in the UK were not internal candidates from the appointing police force, and over what period of time those appointments have taken place.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Three of the ten most recently appointed chief constables in England and Wales were not internal candidates from the appointing police force, although eight of the chief constables have served as a chief officer outside of the force.
These appointments have taken place over the period from June 2015 to March 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-06-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the disruption to rail passengers in Kent on 6 June, what action they are taking to ensure a more reliable service for rail passengers travelling between Kent and London terminals.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
My Hon Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Claire Perry MP, as Rail Minister, chairs a monthly meeting with Network Rail, train operators in the South East, Transport Focus, and Department for Transport officials. This group monitors performance and passenger experience and it is absolutely committed to identifying improvements and ensuring rail passengers see the benefits of these improvements being delivered. Network Rail and Southeastern both need to show much greater improvement in their ability to fix faults quickly and communicate with their passengers more effectively. The Department will ensure that lessons are learned from the disruption in Kent that day.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-06-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which police forces in areas with North Sea coastlines or English Channel coastlines from Norfolk south and west to Devon and Cornwall have marine or boat units capable of patrolling estuaries or inshore sea waters; and what is the maximum range in which those police forces’ units are licensed to operate.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Home Office does not collect this information. Decisions on the local deployment of assets and resources, including marine units, are for individual chief constables working with their police and crime commissioner.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2016-10-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to assist in the resolution of the industrial dispute between Southern Rail and some of its staff and their unions.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
This, like any other industrial dispute between a Train Operating Company and a trades union, is a matter for the union and operator to resolve. The Government condemns any industrial action that disrupts the travelling public. RMT has advised its members to accept the new On-Board Supervisor roles on offer. The Government’s strong opinion is there are no grounds at all for any further industrial action and these strikes must stop now.