Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government with which EU agencies they intend to remain involved after Brexit; and in each case, on what terms.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are seeking a deep and special partnership with the European Union.
No final decisions have yet been made on our future relationship with the EU's agencies and bodies after leaving the EU. Where there is a demonstrable national interest in pursuing a continued relationship with an agency or other EU body the Government will carefully examine whether we should pursue this. Our future relationship with the EU's agencies will ultimately be a matter for negotiations in the next phase.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to extend civil partnership to opposite sex couples.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The government is proud to have introduced marriage for same-sex couples.
We continue to keep the matter of civil partnerships under review. The government has consulted on the continued operation of civil partnerships and there has been little consensus. It is right that we evaluate the demand for civil partnerships before we make changes to the law. We are assessing the demand amongst both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. We believe it is still too early to judge how the law should be changed.
There was a Judicial Review of our decision not to extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples and the claimants have recently been granted an appeal to the Supreme Court.
As this is an ongoing legal case, we are unable to comment further at this stage.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 9 November (HL2598), what steps they are taking, if any, to improve the protection of British Muslim women in family law.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
The Government continues to study the evidence, to assess options for improving protections for Muslim women on the breakdown of a marriage that is not legally recognised.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 1 November (HL2213), what are the terms and conditions of appointments of members to the board of the Equality and Human Rights Commission; and what sanctions may be imposed if those conditions are breached.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The terms and conditions of appointments of members to the Board of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) are set out in summary in the EHRC Commissioner applicant information pack, as advertised on the Centre for Public Appointments website. A copy of the EHRC Commissioner applicant information pack is attached and can be found at:
Failure to comply with EHRC’s Code of Conduct, a requirement within the terms and conditions is addressed in part four of EHRC’s Governance Manual; Code of Conduct and conflicts of interest. A copy of the EHRC’s Governance Manual is attached and can be found at:
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/governance_manual.pdf.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to ask the Law Commission to examine how to improve the protection of British Muslim women in marriage law.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
Muslims are free to enter into a legally valid marriage in their place of worship under the same provisions that apply to most other religious groups. The Government recognises that there are complex reasons that some do not, including conscious choice. We are considering the issues, but we have not seen evidence that changing the law would necessarily address the concern.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 16 October (HL Deb, cols 393–5), what are the terms of the agreement between the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Lord Shinkwin regarding his participation in the Commission's work.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The Terms and Conditions of Lord Shinkwin’s appointment as an Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Commissioner are the same as those of other EHRC Board members.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Leader of the House what are the reasons for the delay in establishing the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Answered by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
The Joint Committee on Human Rights has now been appointed. The Lords membership was agreed by the House on Wednesday 19 July. The House of Commons agreed its members of the Joint Committee on Monday 30 October. The appointment of Commons Members is a matter for the House of Commons.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 16 October, whether the Equality and Human Rights Commission has the power to enforce the Equality Act 2010 in the civil courts where it considers the law has been breached.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The enforcement powers of the Equality and Human Rights Commission are set out in sections 20 to 32 of the Equality Act 2006, as amended by the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. The Commission can investigate an unlawful act (section 20); issue an unlawful act notice (section 21); apply to a court for an action plan from a person served with an unlawful act notice (section 22); seek an injunction where necessary (section 24); provide legal assistance to an individual who is or may become party to legal proceedings (section 28); initiate or intervene in judicial review proceedings (section 30); and issue a compliance notice where it thinks that a public authority has failed to comply with the public sector equality duty (section 32).
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the benefits and costs to the UK of membership of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority.
Answered by Lord Bates
As a set of single market authorities, the memberships of the European Securities and Markets Authority, European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority and the European Banking Authority (EBA) consist only of EU and EEA national competent authorities. As the UK is leaving the European Union, our relationship will change.
The EU has also stated its intention to relocate the EBA. The future relationship will be a matter for negotiations. We are seeking a comprehensive trade agreement, which includes financial services and is based on a deep and special partnership between the EU and UK that goes much wider than trade.
The financial costs of the three bodies are divided on a 60:40 ratio between national competent authorities across the EU, and a contribution from the European community. Details of the budgets and the activity conducted by the agencies are available on the respective websites.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the benefits and costs to the UK of membership of the European Securities and Markets Authority.
Answered by Lord Bates
As a set of single market authorities, the memberships of the European Securities and Markets Authority, European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority and the European Banking Authority (EBA) consist only of EU and EEA national competent authorities. As the UK is leaving the European Union, our relationship will change.
The EU has also stated its intention to relocate the EBA. The future relationship will be a matter for negotiations. We are seeking a comprehensive trade agreement, which includes financial services and is based on a deep and special partnership between the EU and UK that goes much wider than trade.
The financial costs of the three bodies are divided on a 60:40 ratio between national competent authorities across the EU, and a contribution from the European community. Details of the budgets and the activity conducted by the agencies are available on the respective websites.