Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority claims from Scottish applicants remain unresolved more than (a) 12, (b) 24 and (c) 36 months after a judicial‑review judgment quashing the original decision.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The table below shows the number of applications for criminal injuries compensation which are unresolved more than (a) 12 months, (b) 24 months, and (c) 36 months after the Court of Session quashed the decision of the First-tier Tribunal in judicial review proceedings.
Time | Number unresolved |
12 months to 24 months | 5 or fewer |
Over 24 months to 36 months | 5 or fewer |
Over 36 months | 5 or fewer |
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 contains safeguards where an applicant is dissatisfied with the outcome of their application. All applicants have the right to request that their initial decision is reviewed by a different claims officer. If the applicant remains dissatisfied following review, they have the right to appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal. Thereafter, an applicant can apply for ‘judicial review’ of the First-tier Tribunal’s decision. In Scotland, judicial review claims are heard by the Court of Session. In England & Wales, judicial review claims are heard by the Upper Tribunal.
We have answered ‘5 or fewer’ to mitigate the risk of individuals being identifiable from our response.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to secure an agreement on a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU; when the Balanced Youth Experience Scheme for 18-30 year olds between the EU and UK will become operational; who will be eligible to participate; and what support her Department will provide to UK nationals who wish to participate in it.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 12 June to Question 57692.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the Global Rights Compliance report entitled Risk at the Source: Critical Mineral Supply Chains and State-Imposed Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region, published on 11 June 2025.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
This government will continue to speak up on human rights in China, including the repression of people in Xinjiang, and will continue to hold China to account.
The new Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure the supply of critical minerals vital for the UK's economic growth and clean energy transition. The strategy will promote responsible and transparent supply chains, including through greater adoption of responsible business practices to protect local communities and the environment.
We will continue to assess and monitor the effectiveness of the UK's existing measures, alongside the impacts of new policy tools, to ensure we can best promote responsible business practices and take action where appropriate.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is her Department's policy that existing PIP claimants of pension age who request a change of circumstances review from November 2026 are required to score at least four points in one daily living activity in order to (a) maintain and (b) increase their award.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In keeping with existing policy, people on state pension age are not routinely fully reviewed and will not be affected by these changes. We are considering further how the 4-point minimum requirement will affect claimants over state pension age who report a change of circumstances, and we will provide further information in due course.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is her Department's policy that existing PIP claimants of pension age who are subject to a planned award review from November 2026 will be required to score at least four points in one daily living activity in order to maintain their award.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our intention is for the new eligibility requirement for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)—requiring individuals to score at least four points in a single daily living activity—to apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. In line with current policy, individuals over State Pension Age are not routinely subject to full award reviews and are therefore not expected to be affected by the proposed changes.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 42554 on Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority: Complaints, whether North West includes Scotland, Northern Ireland, North Wales and geographical areas of North West England.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
“North West” in this instance includes Scotland, Northern Ireland, North Wales and North West England.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 42556 on Visas: Seasonal Workers, whether Scheme Operators provide written reports to her Department in relation to their work in enforcing welfare on farms.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
There is no such requirement at present.
UKVI Seasonal Agricultural Worker Officers visit farms, interviewing both workers and farm managers to ensure that worker welfare, accommodation standards, as well as pay and conditions meet the requirements of the route.
Regular bi-monthly meetings are held with the licensed sponsors to ensure any complaints raised or issues identified are addressed as soon as possible.
Should systemic issues relating to worker welfare be identified that are not acted upon, UKVI will consider taking punitive action against the associated provider, up to and including the revocation of their licence.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) humanitarian assistance, (b) support to (i) local and (ii) regional responders and (c) food aid to people in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At the recent London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced £120 million which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people. The majority of this funding will be delivered through key UN agencies, including the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Food Programme who will provide life-saving food and nutrition supplies as well as vital water, sanitation, maternal, and hygiene programmes. This uplift also provides support to local responders both through the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which supports the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), and the Mercy Corps-led Cash Consortium for Sudan which provides direct cash assistance to Mutual Aid Groups and ERRs on the ground. Our funding will also support displaced people across Sudan and regional countries affected by conflict.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with (a) the UN, (b) the African Union, (c) Arab states and (d) other multilateral groups to help tackle hunger in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to work closely with multiple multilateral organisations to tackle Sudan's grave humanitarian crisis. At last month's London Sudan Conference, which the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), the League of Arab States (LAS), and others attended, discussions focused on efforts to address spiralling humanitarian aid needs as well as how to bring about a political resolution to the conflict. At the Conference the UK pledged £120 million in new humanitarian funding, which will provide lifesaving aid for over 650,000 people. The UK is also working with both the AU and LAS to align international efforts to ensure unhindered humanitarian access.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure humanitarian access in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is playing a leading role in response to the crisis in Sudan, including efforts to facilitate more consistent humanitarian access into and within the country. On 13 February, the previous Development Minister convened a Development Ministers' meeting, alongside the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, to focus on how we can accelerate and improve the UN-led international humanitarian response and better coordinate donor advocacy and engagement. At the April London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the importance of humanitarian access and the co-chairs' statement from the Conference called on the warring parties to facilitate rapid, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access in accordance with the commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration, and in adherence with their obligations under international humanitarian law. He also announced £120 million which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people.