Criminal Justice: Anonymity

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Bates

Tuesday 17th November 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bates]

That specific idea was raised by the Home Affairs Select Committee in one of its recommendations. As the noble Lord will know better than most, it gives rise to particular issues and difficulties when applied across the board in all cases. But it is certainly something we should look at, and there will be legislative opportunities, most notably in the Police and Criminal Justice Bill, to consider such issues further.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon (Lab)]

My Lords, if injustice can occur in these circumstances, how is it justified to release names when there is no charge?

[Lord Bates]

The police very much need to deal with such issues on a case-by-case basis. I am struggling to think of particular circumstances, but they might include a threat to life, the prevention or detection of a crime, or public interest and confidence. Those are the tests that the police have to pass before it is done, and when it is done, it should be done in a formal way, not by leaking—which, of course, was the subject of another inquiry by Lord Justice Leveson, into the culture and ethics of the press.

Calais: Border Management

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Bates

Wednesday 24th June 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bates]

I do not want to stray into what might be considered a partisan point, but when a country has created 2.2 million jobs while there is still a high level of unemployment in the EU, particularly in France, that will clearly be in the minds of people who are making economic decisions. Economic migrants should be returned—that is not what we are looking for. If people are genuinely fleeing for their lives and for asylum purposes, their applications need to be considered in the proper way.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon (Lab)]

My Lords, is there an answer to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Campbell-Savours?

[Lord Bates]

I tried to give one; I accept that it might not have been adequate. I was simply making the point that we would prefer the boat people to be recorded and registered in Italy, as is specified under the Dublin regulations.

Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Bates

Wednesday 4th February 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bates]

I think there is some very deep expertise among those in the charitable sector who have been working on this. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has had conversations with the Health Secretary about what mental support can be made available to victims and survivors of these crimes. We are learning about that process, but we will provide that additional support as well as the support that we have provided to the voluntary organisations which already do tremendous work in this area.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon (Lab)]

My Lords, will there be updates to Parliament from time to time on target dates for reporting in order to try to avoid another Chilcot?

[Lord Bates]

That will be very important, and of course your Lordships can routinely hold the Executive to account through the provision of reports. Given that this inquiry is independent of government, it will also be important that systems and processes are in place by which both Houses of Parliament can be regularly informed about progress.

Child Sex Abuse Inquiry

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Bates

Monday 15th December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bates]

I am grateful to my noble friend for that question. With regard to the Home Secretary’s Statement on this matter on 3 November, we have since had 130 applications, some of which have been from serving judges. Therefore, it would be entirely appropriate for the Lord Chief Justice to be consulted on their availability to perform such a task if they were asked. With regard to the statutory footing, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has said that if the chairman requested that the inquiry should be put on a statutory footing, she would take that into consideration. However, it does not have to be a judge for it to be statutory, because the statutory powers come from the Inquiries Act 2005.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon (Lab)]

My Lords, given the catalogue of mishaps in the appointing of a chairman, does the Home Secretary personally see a person she is minded to appoint as chairman?

[Lord Bates]

Part of the issue here is that because of a series of announcements and revelations which brought about huge concern, there was a desire to move very quickly to establish the inquiry. The important thing, we recognise now, is to put survivors’ groups, and the confidence of those groups, at the heart of this, which is the reason the Home Secretary has met survivors’ groups three times—on 3, 20 and 25 November—and indeed is meeting them today.

Asylum Seekers: Mental Health

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Bates

Monday 10th November 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bates]

The process is genuinely speeding up. We have given a commitment that everybody who applied before 2012 will have their case decided by the end of this calendar year. Seventy per cent of applications are decided within six months, and 35% of those people are given the right to stay, so there is speed in the system. We have recruited extra people to help. As for mental health needs, that is clearly a clinical decision. When someone is registered with a GP and in contact with the NHS, their condition can be assessed.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon (Lab)]

My Lords, will the Minister answer the noble Baroness who raised a question a few minutes ago?

[Lord Bates]

Judging by the general murmurings, I think that I may have misheard the noble Baroness. I thought the question was about whether asylum seekers would be able to work if they were doctors, but I gather that it must have been about something else—in which case I apologise, and I will be happy to write and clarify the matter.