Tag: Vernon Coaker

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the application of section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 on the payment of compensation relating to cases in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or, in relation to most criminal offences in Northern Ireland, the Department of Justice, to pay compensation where a person’s conviction for a criminal offence has been reversed or he has been pardoned on the grounds that a new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice. The amount of compensation awarded in these cases is assessed by an independent assessor.

Section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 inserted subsection (1ZA) into section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, providing a statutory definition of “miscarriage of justice”. In accordance with this new provision, the Secretary of State will only pay compensation for a “miscarriage of justice” where the new or newly discovered fact (on the basis of which the conviction was reversed) shows beyond reasonable doubt that the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted. In Northern Ireland this new definition applies in relation to applications for compensation in cases involving sensitive national security information, which applications are determined by the Secretary of State rather than the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.

I believe that this clear definition enshrined in statute makes decisions on eligibility more transparent and less likely to be the subject of legal challenge and ensures (in those cases in Northern Ireland to which it applies) that compensation will only be paid where it is clear the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-07-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance the Government has issued to local police forces in response to the recent increase in reported racist incidents.

Karen Bradley

We have been working with the police at national level to monitor the increase in reported hate crime over the past few weeks and to ensure that local forces have the necessary guidance and assistance to respond. Operational guidance on hate crime was issued by the College of Policing to all forces in 2014.

Police forces are responding robustly to recent incidents, and victims can be reassured that their concerns about hate crime will be taken seriously by the police and courts. Any decisions regarding resourcing of front-line policing are a matter for chief constables in conjunction with their police and crime commissioner.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many sectarian attacks have been carried out by dissident republicans in each of the last five years.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

PSNI produce regular statistics on the security situation which are publicly available online. These do not specifically record ‘sectarian attacks’ by dissident republicans.

Dissident republicans continue to represent a severe threat to national security. This year to date they have carried out 16 national security attacks in Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the application of section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 on the payment of compensation relating to terrorism cases in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or, in relation to most criminal offences in Northern Ireland, the Department of Justice, to pay compensation where a person’s conviction for a criminal offence has been reversed or he has been pardoned on the grounds that a new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice. The amount of compensation awarded in these cases is assessed by an independent assessor.

Section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 inserted subsection (1ZA) into section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, providing a statutory definition of “miscarriage of justice”. In accordance with this new provision, the Secretary of State will only pay compensation for a “miscarriage of justice” where the new or newly discovered fact (on the basis of which the conviction was reversed) shows beyond reasonable doubt that the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted. In Northern Ireland this new definition applies in relation to applications for compensation in cases involving sensitive national security information, which applications are determined by the Secretary of State rather than the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.

I believe that this clear definition enshrined in statute makes decisions on eligibility more transparent and less likely to be the subject of legal challenge and ensures (in those cases in Northern Ireland to which it applies) that compensation will only be paid where it is clear the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-07-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, under what legislation prosecutions are brought against perpetrators of hate crime and racist abuse.

Mike Penning

Hate crimes are criminal behaviour and may be prosecuted in England and Wales using the full range of criminal offences. Sections 29 to 32 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 set out racially and religiously aggravated offences covering wounding, assault, damage, harassment (including stalking) and threatening/abusive behaviour which carry higher sentences than equivalent non-aggravated offences. Sections 18 to 23 of the Public Order Act 1986 contain offences of stirring up racial hatred and sections 29B to 29G contain offences of stirring up hatred on grounds of religion or sexual orientation. There is also an offence of racialist chanting at football matches in section 3 of the Football Offences Act 1991.

Sections 145 and 146 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 make it an aggravating factor for the purposes of sentencing if at the time of committing the offence, or immediately before, the offender demonstrated hostility towards the victim on the basis of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity or that the offence was motivated by hostility towards persons who had that characteristic. Under paragraph 5(2)(g) of Schedule 21 to the 2003 Act., murder motivated by hostility on the grounds of any of these characteristics attracts a life sentence with a 30 year starting point for the minimum term.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has for pre-legislative scrutiny of proposals to implement new bodies to deal with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

The UK Government remains committed to establishing the new bodies contained in the Stormont House Agreement and I will continue to work with the political parties, Northern Ireland Executive and victims groups to achieve the consensus needed for legislation. I will give consideration as to whether further drafting or documentation should be published as part of engagement on how to move forward on this issue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent representations she has had on a public inquiry into events in Ballymurphy in August 1971; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

In October 2012, I informed the families that I agreed with my predecessor’s decision not to hold a public inquiry into the events in Ballymurphy. I explained this position when I met the families in January 2013. I considered the families’ more recent request for an independent review panel carefully. On 29 April 2014, I advised the families of my decision against instigating an independent review panel. I do not believe the balance of public interest lies in establishing an inquiry or independent review into the deaths in Ballymurphy in August 1971. I do not believe that such a review would provide answers which are not already in the public domain or covered by existing legal processes such as the inquests.

I continue to receive representations from members of the public, politicians and others seeking further investigation into the events in Ballymurphy and into various other events that occurred during the troubles.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the forecast size of the financial deficit of (a) Nottingham City, (b) Nottingham West, (c) Nottingham North and East and (d) Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group in 2021.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Department has made no estimate of the size of the financial deficit of Nottingham City, Nottingham West, Nottingham North and East and Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in 2021. NHS England advises that the four CCGs are forecasting an overall surplus for the 2016-17 financial year.

Every health and care system in England is producing a multi-year Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), showing how local services will evolve and become sustainable over the next five years – ultimately delivering the Five Year Forward View vision of better health, better patient care and improved National Health Service efficiency.

The national health and care bodies expect the Nottinghamshire STP to articulate clearly the scale of the future financial challenge at STP level and how local commissioners and providers plan to respond. The overall financial challenge articulated in the STP will include consideration of the resources required by the NHS in Nottinghamshire, and the resources likely to be allocated in future years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many sectarian attacks have been carried out by dissident republicans in 2015-16 to date.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

PSNI produce regular statistics on the security situation which are publicly available online. These do not specifically record ‘sectarian attacks’ by dissident republicans.

Dissident republicans continue to represent a severe threat to national security. This year to date they have carried out 16 national security attacks in Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has to encourage foreign direct investment in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

The Government continues to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to encourage foreign direct investment with UKTI working in collaboration with Invest NI. Northern Ireland remains one of the most attractive UK regions for inward investment outside of London and the potential devolution of Corporation Tax powers could boost this further.