Tag: Lord Lester of Herne Hill

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2015-12-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 1 December (HL3647), why they have not yet published the 2014 feasibility study on caste discrimination.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

We are currently considering the conclusions and recommendations of the caste feasibility study as part of our wider consideration of the implications of the Tirkey v Chandok tribunal judgments. As I said in my reply of 1 December, we will keep the House informed of further developments on this matter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-01-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 13 January (HL4703 and HL4704), whether they will place in the Library of the House a list of the grounds for retention linked to the relevant retention instruments.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

I refer the noble Lord to the response to HL4704.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-03-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in considering the future of the Human Rights Act 1998, what regard they will have to the findings of the Scottish Parliament’s European and External Relations Committee as outlined in the letter of 17 March from the Convener of that Committee to the Lord Chancellor on the views of Scottish stakeholders on the argument that the Human Rights Act 1998 undermines the sovereignty of the UK Parliament and democratic accountability.

Lord Faulks

This Government was elected with a mandate to reform and modernise the UK human rights framework. We will consider the devolution implications of our reforms and will continue to engage fully with stakeholders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and with the devolved administrations, as we develop our proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-09-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the draft BBC Charter and Agreement will be laid before Parliament.

Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

The BBC’s draft Charter and Framework Agreement published was published on Thursday 15th September.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2015-11-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role the Secretary of State has in ensuring that the law of defamation in Northern Ireland is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Lord Faulks

As set out in my Written Answer HL2680 on 30 October 2015, under the Human Rights Act 1998 (section 6), all public authorities are under a duty to act in compliance with the Convention rights set out in that Act. As the law on defamation in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter, it is for the Northern Ireland Executive, in considering its policy on the subject, to reach a view on whether the policy under consideration is compatible with the Convention rights.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2015-12-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take in response to the judgment of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in Hirst v The United Kingdom (No. 2) Application 74025/01, and the interim resolution of 9 December of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe expressing profound concern that the blanket ban on the right of convicted prisoners in custody to vote remains in place.””

Lord Faulks

We have consistently made clear that prisoner voting is a matter for parliament to determine.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 11 January (HL4752 and HL4753) and 18 January (HL4957), whether they regard as matters of concern in countering extremist ideologies the preaching and teaching of Wahhabism in mosques and Muslim education bodies in Britain, and funding from overseas for that teaching.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

We consider any vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values as extremist, whatever guise these are expressed under. This includes when religions are hijacked by those wishing to promote extremism. As my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in July last year “extremist ideology is not true Islam”.

Because of these concerns our Government has taken significant steps to counter extremism. We published our Counter Extremism Strategy in October 2015 which sets out a range of measures to deal with the broad challenge of extremism. We have placed a duty on specified authorities to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being radicalised. This includes schools, colleges and universities. It is also why the Prime Minister recently commissioned a review into the funding of extremism in the UK, including funding from overseas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-03-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in considering the future of the Human Rights Act 1998, what regard they will have to the findings of the Scottish Parliament’s European and External Relations Committee as outlined in the letter of 17 March from the Convener of that Committee to the Lord Chancellor on the concept of mission creep” as a characterisation of the European Court on Human Rights’ jurisprudence.”

Lord Faulks

This Government was elected with a mandate to reform and modernise the UK human rights framework. We will consider the devolution implications of our reforms and will continue to engage fully with stakeholders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and with the devolved administrations, as we develop our proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-09-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the role that Parliament should play in triggering the Article 50 process, in the subsequent negotiating process, and in approving or otherwise the final terms under which the UK leaves the EU.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The Department for Exiting the EU will work closely with Parliament on what the approach to negotiations should be. The Government’s position is clear: triggering Article 50 is a prerogative power and one that can be exercised by the Government. There are now legal proceedings underway and it would therefore not be appropriate for the Government to comment further on these at this time.

The precise timing, terms and means by which we leave the EU will be determined by the negotiations that follow the triggering of Article 50. We will observe in full all relevant legal and constitutional obligations that apply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2015-11-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Faulks on 2 November (HL2703), what duty they have, if any, to enable First Tier Tribunals to deal with asylum and immigration cases fairly and within a reasonable time.

Lord Faulks

The Lord Chancellor has responsibility for ensuring an effective and efficient system of tribunal administration. This duty encompasses the First-tier Tribunal. The Lord Chancellor must also uphold the continued independence of the judiciary and in doing so have regard to their need to have the support necessary to enable them to exercise their functions.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service has allocated additional court time in place between December 2015 and June 2016 to ensure current waiting times do not increase for the tribunal user.