Asked by: Baroness Clark of Calton (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the resignation of the Advocate General for Scotland on 16 September, what progress they have made in appointing a successor; and in the absence of any such successor, who is responsible for (1) the Advocate General for Scotland's statutory duties, and (2) litigation in the courts in Scotland where the Advocate General would be named.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Keith Stewart QC was appointed as the new Advocate General for Scotland on 15 October 2020.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Calton (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that people, including pedestrians, are protected from the risk of negligent injury and death caused by users of hired e-scooters in the e-scooter rental trials; and whether any such plans include (1) requiring compulsory insurance by users of hired e-scooters; (2) establishing a Government-funded compensation scheme for those without access to insurance; and (3) ensuring that victims have such protection for the full duration of the trial period.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
E-scooters used in trials will be subject to the same requirements as other motor vehicles and require a minimum of third party motor insurance. The trials are only for rental e-scooters and insurance will be provided by the rental operator, not the individual user. Trials will only be authorised where these insurance requirements are met.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Calton (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not included the identity of the designated authority in the Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Bill; who the proposed designated authority is for the purposes of that Bill; and what plans they have to include the identity of that authority in that Bill.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government considers that the designation of the authority responsible for issuing a certificate is an appropriate matter to be left to secondary legislation.
A regulation-making power would afford the appropriate degree of flexibility to amend the designated authority in light of changing circumstances, including alterations to the functions of law enforcement bodies in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Calton (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the designated authority in their proposed changes to extradition in the Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Bill; and whether any such changes will be independent of (1) ministerial, and (2) police, influence.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government’s intention is to designate the National Crime Agency, which is the UK’s National Central Bureau for Interpol, as the designated authority for the purposes of the Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Bill.
The NCA is the law enforcement agency responsible for leading the UK’s fight to cut serious and organised crime and is operationally independent of the Home Office.
As the designated authority it will be for the NCA to decide whether to certify or not a particular arrest request. The arrested person will have to be brought before a judge within 24 hours to consider their detention.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Calton (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review their decision to designate the National Crime Agency as a designated authority for extradition purposes in the explanatory memorandum for the Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Bill; and what assessment they have made of the case for any such designated authority being one which is independent of the (1) police, and (2) Government ministers.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government’s intention is to designate the National Crime Agency, which is the UK’s National Central Bureau for Interpol, as the designated authority for the purposes of the Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Bill.
The NCA is the law enforcement agency responsible for leading the UK’s fight to cut serious and organised crime and is operationally independent of the Home Office.
Parliament will have the opportunity to debate the designated authority as the Bill progresses through the House as well as all the other provisions it contains.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Calton (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Scottish Government about the Government's proposed changes to extradition law, and in particular any changes to the role of the judiciary in Scotland; and what were the outcomes of any such discussions.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Extensive consultation has taken place on this Bill with the Scottish Government, Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate General on all the matters in scope.
The Minister of State for Security has written to the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, outlining the purpose and effect of this legislation.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Calton (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many requests for arrests were made from police in England and Wales to judges in (1) Scotland, and (2) the rest of the United Kingdom, in (a) 2016–17; (b) 2017–18; and (c) 2018–19; and in how many such cases a delay resulted in a failure to arrest.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office does not hold records on applications for arrest warrants by police forces in any of the UK’s jurisdictions. These records may be held by individual police forces.