Tag: Vernon Coaker

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has for consultation on proposed reforms to the UK’s human rights framework in the devolved regions; and what the form, timing and content of such consultation will be.

Dominic Raab

This Government was elected with a mandate to reform and modernise the UK human rights framework. We will fully consult on our proposals before introducing legislation for a Bill of Rights and we will set out our proposals in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent progress has been made on the remaining legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

During the talks last autumn, significant progress was made on how to implement the legacy bodies set out in the Stormont House Agreement. It was regrettable that agreement on all the legacy issues could not be reached during the talks process. I have, however, commenced a round of engagement with victims and others as we seek to achieve the consensus needed to bring forward legislation to address the outstanding legacy issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Government’s proposals to reform the UK’s human rights framework.

Dominic Raab

We continue to engage with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for the whole of the United Kingdom. We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when she plans to commence talks on the remaining legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

I recently met the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors and the Victims and Survivors Forum and I have commenced a round of engagement with the political parties. I will continue to meet with victims and others as we seek to achieve the consensus needed to bring forward legislation to address the outstanding legacy issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of reforms to the UK’s human rights framework on policing in Northern Ireland.

Dominic Raab

We will consider the implications of a Bill of Rights on devolved matters as we develop our proposals. We will, of course, fully engage with the devolved administrations. We will set out our proposals in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of allegations arising from documents stolen from RUC offices in Castlereagh in 2002 relating to the Shankill Road bombing in 1993; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

The previous Government initiated an inquiry into the implications falling from the loss of information from Castlereagh police station. This was conducted by Sir John Chilcot. The report made recommendations about how to avoid any similar incidents happening in the future.

In relation to allegations made about the Shankill bombing, responsibility for the murder of nine people in this attack, and injury to many others, rests with the terrorists who carried it out. It is also the case that the Chief Constable has stated that he believes that the RUC had no knowledge of the attack which could have enabled them to prevent it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland on the Government’s proposals to reform the UK human rights framework and its potential effects on policing in Northern Ireland.

Dominic Raab

We continue to engage with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for the whole of the United Kingdom. We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the enforcement of orders issued by the Family Court; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage

If an order made in the family court is breached, a party named in that order may apply to the court to consider appropriate enforcement action.

The family courts have the power to treat breach of an order as a contempt of court, punishable by imprisonment or a fine or both. Where a child arrangements order is breached the court can only make an enforcement order if it is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that a party has breached the relevant order and has no good reason for doing so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what measures are available to an individual to ensure the enforcement of orders by the Family Court.

Caroline Dinenage

If an order made in the family court is breached, a party named in that order may apply to the court to consider appropriate enforcement action.

The family courts have the power to treat breach of an order as a contempt of court, punishable by imprisonment or a fine or both. Where a child arrangements order is breached the court can only make an enforcement order if it is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that a party has breached the relevant order and has no good reason for doing so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-10-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on resolving the dispute between the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and its employees on that body’s pension scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is a Royal Charter body and while we were consulted and in agreement with the Commission’s approach, its pension arrangements are ultimately a matter for the Commission’s senior management and the Trustees of the scheme.

I understand the Commission has proposed the closure of its defined benefit pension scheme to future accrual in the face of rising costs. Following a period of consultation, the Commission is now considering the range of responses received but no decision has yet been taken.