Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ann Coffey and John Bercow

Tuesday 15th October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Ann Coffey (Stockport) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Lady is almost overcome with excitement. I call Ann Coffey.

[Ann Coffey]

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Children have particular difficulty in communicating, and registered intermediaries are crucial in enabling them to give the best possible evidence in court, but they are being appointed in a tiny minority of cases. What more can the Solicitor-General do to make sure that the Crown Prosecution Service appoints better registered intermediaries for children at an early stage?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ann Coffey and John Bercow

Tuesday 21st May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We are immensely grateful to the Minister. I feel sure that the Government could with great advantage schedule at some point a full day’s debate on the subject.

[Ann Coffey (Stockport) (Lab)]

6. What recent progress he has made on the implementation of section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Justice Act 1999.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ann Coffey and John Bercow

Thursday 25th April 2013 Commons Chamber

[Ann Coffey (Stockport) (Lab)]

The Cabinet Office used to give us the direct numbers of private ministerial offices. This year, we were given only the number of the main departmental switchboards. This week I had a very unhelpful experience when I tried to get some information about the progress of a regulation from a particular Department. Can—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am loth to interrupt the hon. Lady, but I must confess that I am struggling to see the precise relevance of her supplementary question to the issue of scrutiny of statutory instruments. Maybe she was coming on to it.

[Ann Coffey]

Yes, the regulation was one that I was attempting to scrutinise the progress of, but I could not do so because of that unhelpful experience. Will the Deputy Leader of the House look into why we are no longer given the numbers of private ministerial offices, so that Members of Parliament such as me can do our jobs in scrutinising not only the regulations that are laid, but those that are about to be laid?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ann Coffey and John Bercow

Monday 6th February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are grateful to the Minister.

[Ann Coffey (Stockport) (Lab)]

Does the Minister agree that if we are to prevent children from being trafficked within the UK, local agencies and parents need to be more aware of the early symptoms of sexual grooming, including repeated missing episodes? What more can he do to raise such awareness?