Brexit: European Union Police Databases and Extradition Arrangements

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Taylor of Holbeach

Wednesday 20th June 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Morris of Aberavon (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach (Con)]

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, was first to rise in his place.

Sexual Offences: Investigation and Prosecution

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Taylor of Holbeach

Tuesday 21st May 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Morris of Aberavon]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will invite the inspectorates of the constabulary and the Crown Prosecution Service, together with the social services agencies, to conduct an inquiry into all aspects of the investigation and prosecution of large scale sexual offences.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach)]

My Lords, sexual abuse in whatever shape or form is abhorrent and we rightly expect all agencies to learn the lessons from the horrendous cases that we have seen recently. Nationally, a joint inspection programme is being planned by Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and the constabulary that will look at child sexual abuse and exploitation and this will address how agencies interact to protect children and ensure that offenders are brought to justice.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon]

My Lords, I welcome very much the Minister's reply. Is it collective amnesia that has blinded us to the underlying circumstances whereby at least 27 police forces are investigating 54 alleged child grooming gangs? Why has investigating and prosecuting in so many different parts of the country taken so much time? Is it a fear of racialism or is it that many of these vulnerable girls come from care homes? I hope that what the Minister has told us will result in speedier co-operation between all the agencies.

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

The noble and learned Lord makes a very powerful case for working together across government. I think that noble Lords will know that bodies are already in place and that we already have a very considerable focus on child protection in this country. However, there has been a failure, and a failure to recognise the reality that many of these young people have experienced. That has been exposed in recent court cases. The Government are determined that the system should work. The system needs to work to protect these very vulnerable children.

Crime and Courts Bill [HL]

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Taylor of Holbeach

Wednesday 12th December 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

I will urge noble Lords to reject the amendment.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon]

Would the noble Lord like to comment on the fact that the Director of Public Prosecutions has changed his mind? How do the Government respond to and answer that change of decision?

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

The letter is available, no doubt, from the noble Lord, Lord Dear, in full. I suggest that noble Lords read the full text of the letter, not just selective quotations.

Extradition

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Taylor of Holbeach

Tuesday 16th October 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

I thank my noble friend for raising Asperger’s and autism in general, conditions which are extremely complex and difficult. She has been prominent in bringing that to the attention of Parliament. I am only too grateful to take her advice and recommendation, and to pass that on to colleagues in the Ministry of Justice.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon]

I welcome the reduced involvement of the Home Secretary in human rights cases and in the kind of case with which we are dealing. It is usually a sound step, and the perception as well as the reality of political involvement is reduced. Hence, I welcome it. However, will the Minister indicate what is meant by a significant reduction in “delays in certain cases” by transferring these matters from the Minister to the courts?

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

I thank the noble and learned Lord for that question. It is quite overt that in a number of instances, there have been considerable delays. The main thrust of our changes will be to try to expedite the legal process. The process will be speeded up by retaining cases within the legal system and not bringing them back into the political system. I hope that I have been able to answer him.

Farming Regulation Task Force

Debate between Lord Morris of Aberavon and Lord Taylor of Holbeach

Wednesday 11th July 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

The noble Baroness is quite right to remind us of our responsibility in undertaking this project. I said in my opening response that we need to work with thoroughness to ensure that situations such as she describes do not happen again.

[Lord Morris of Aberavon]

My Lords, what advice will the Minister give to the thousands of dairy producers who are leaving the industry? When I was a young man working for the farmers there were 6,000 milk producers in Carmarthenshire alone. Now there are probably fewer than 3,000 in the whole of Wales. He talks about strengthening the industry. How will the industry be strengthened, as opposed to the buyers?

[Lord Taylor of Holbeach]

The fundamental problem is currently that the productive capacity of the dairy herd has greatly increased. Until the industry is capable of expanding its market beyond the liquid milk market, which in itself is fairly inelastic, to use an economic term, we will not actually solve this problem. I hope that the answers that I have given today have given the House an indication of my view that the solution lies in creating new markets for processed milk and the infrastructure to provide that.