Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede on 27 March (HL5807), what are the names of the companies where the UK taxpayer is the only shareholder which brought a private prosecution using common law powers preserved under section 6(1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 in 2024.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Ministry of Justice does not collate or record data on individual private prosecutors, although some prosecutors may publish their own data separately. Therefore, it is not possible to provide data on the number of companies where the UK taxpayer is the only shareholder that have brought a private prosecution in 2024.
This Government considers that it is important that more information about private prosecutors is available to improve confidence in the criminal justice system. This is why we have launched a public consultation on options to improve the oversight, regulation, and transparency of private prosecutors in the criminal justice system, which closes on 8 May. The consultation seeks respondents’ views on improvements to the available data on private prosecutors and the prosecutions they bring.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many police officers are currently assigned to the Operation Olympos investigation into the Post Office Horizon case; what ranks they hold; whether they are full time or part time; and where they are based.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not hold the requested information. The resourcing of individual police investigations are operational matters for the force responsible.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any entity owned or partially owned by the Government has acted as a prosecutor in its own interests in the past five years.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Certain Government agencies (such as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and TV Licencing) are permitted under legislation to bring criminal prosecutions within specified remits. In addition, where the UK taxpayer is a shareholder or the only shareholder, a company may bring a private prosecution using common law powers preserved under section 6(1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.
The Government does not collate or record data on individual prosecutors and private prosecutions, although some prosecutors may publish their own data separately. This Government considers that the public should be given more information about private prosecutors to improve confidence in the criminal justice system. This is why we have launched a public consultation on options to improve the oversight and regulation of private prosecutors in the criminal justice system, which closes on 8 May.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the World Food Programme's ability to scale up its humanitarian operation in Gaza.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We continue to support the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
On 20 March, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK has funded WFP to provide 2,000 tons of food aid, enough to feed 275,000 people in Gaza. This is our largest delivery of aid to Gaza during the current crisis.
We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, including through UN agencies and British charities.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by The Earl of Minto on 27 November 2023 (HL200), what assessment they have made of the accuracy of report of the Board of Inquiry into the Nimrod crash on 2 September 1995, taking into consideration the rules pertaining to such boards of inquiry at that time, and its finding that Flight Lieutenant Dominic Gilbert was to blame for the crash.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Shadow Minister (Defence)
It is not possible to re-consider aspects of Boards of Inquiry held in the past without full reinvestigation of the original incident. It would not be in the public interest to re-open any such inquiries, where it is deemed there are no lessons to be identified for the Service, such as when aircraft are no longer in service. The likely complexity of such work due to the passage of time and the need to re-allocate Departmental resources are also significant considerations.
In 1997 Defence Ministers directed that BOI should not be permitted to attribute blame or negligence in cases of unnatural death or serious injury. Subsequently, in 2008, Boards of Inquiry were replaced by Service Inquiries under the Armed Forces Act 2006, separating accident investigation from the operational chain of command.
Service Inquiries (SI) are not permitted to find negligence or apportion blame, in order to encourage an open reporting culture, and to ensure that full and frank evidence be provided to SI panels.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government on which department's accounts their commitment to fund compensation for sub-postmasters affected by issues arising from the Horizon software system appears.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
Just over £1bn has been committed by Government to ensure postmasters are compensated fairly. This funding covers the three Horizon compensation schemes: the Overturned Convictions scheme, the Group Litigation Order Scheme, and the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. Funding is agreed by HM Treasury at the relevant Estimate on the basis of the Department for Business and Trade’s forecasts for compensation.
A provision was made in the 2022/23 accounts of the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Provisions should not be seen as an indication of the total amount of money available for compensation or how much claimants will receive; they are an estimate based on the latest information available.
The total discounted liability as at 31 March 2023 for sub-postmasters affected by issues arising from the Horizon software system was estimated at £600 million. This provision has subsequently transferred over to the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and an updated value will be reflected in the department’s 2023-24 annual report and accounts to reflect policy announcements and changes since last years accounts.
Provision values will not include compensation paid to date. Annual accounts are produced on an accruals basis and compensation payments are recognised on this basis.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether in incurring potential liabilities on the group litigation against Alan Bates and others which concluded in 2019, the Post Office required authorisation from the Government; and if so, what authorisation was needed and from whom; and whether such authorisation was granted.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
Under its Articles of Association, the Post Office is required to gain prior written consent from the Shareholder before entering into a transaction which involves the incurrence of a commitment, liability or payment of a sum in excess of £50 million. Officials have checked our records and have seen no evidence of any such written consent.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the conclusions of the Boards of Inquiry into the fatal accidents of (1) the Chinook crash on 2 June 1994 and (2) the Nimrod crash on 2 September 1995, what assessment they have made of the similarities between the conclusions reached on human failings in each report.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Shadow Minister (Defence)
As the noble Lord will be aware, Lord Philip’s independent review of 2011 into the Mull of Kintyre accident of 1994 was instrumental in the replacement of Boards of Inquiry with Service Inquiries. A Service Inquiry is an inquiry held under statute and seeks to identify where there are lessons to help prevent recurrence. As such, Service Inquiries are not permitted to apportion blame or find negligence.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to the government of Israel regarding reports of Hamas smuggling weapons and explosive materials across the Gaza border.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK is resolute in its commitment to Israel's security. Our position on Hamas is clear: we condemn Hamas' attacks against civilians which are unacceptable and unjustifiable. We unequivocally condemn the use and possession of indiscriminate weapons by militant groups in Gaza. Hamas and other terrorist groups must cease their campaign of violence, for which there is no justification. Such activity compromises the region's security, its ability to prosper and escalates already high tensions, with consequences for the international community. Hamas must renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept previously signed agreements. In the 2030 Roadmap for UK-Israel bilateral relations, signed by the Foreign Secretary and his Israeli counterpart earlier this year, the governments of the UK and Israel have stated that we will continue to work together to keep our people safe from cyber, criminal and terrorist threats.
Asked by: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 6 June (HL7991), what assessment they have made of (1) the size and power of the coronal mass ejection (CME) of 12 March in comparison to that of the “Carrington Event” of 1859, and (2) the impact this CME would have had if it had travelled towards, rather than away from, the Earth.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Met Office is responsible for advising the Government of the likelihood and impact of Severe Space Weather, such as coronal mass ejections. An event like that of 12 March travelling towards Earth would have global impacts on key sectors including energy, telecommunications and transport. The Met Office Severe Space Weather Scales set out further information on the potential impacts.