Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Emma Lewell-Buck and David Gauke

Tuesday 18th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gauke]

We intend to bring forward legislation on this very shortly.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

Ofsted’s recent annual report yet again raised its concerns about high levels of violence in children’s secure training centres. The use of pain-inducing restraint techniques in youth prisons and right across the secure estate has been found to carry up to a 60% chance of causing serious injury to children. This is Government-sanctioned abuse of children. When is it going to end?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Emma Lewell-Buck and David Gauke

Tuesday 5th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gauke]

Yes.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

Will the Secretary of State clarify whether, under the Department’s vision for secure schools, Ministers will close existing penal facilities, or is this yet another way of incarcerating our children?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Emma Lewell-Buck and David Gauke

Tuesday 23rd January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gauke]

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for raising what certainly appears to be an extremely distressing case. We are looking at options to strengthen our response to domestic abuse and hope to bring forward proposals soon. I cannot comment on individual sentencing decisions, and prosecution decisions are made by the CPS. I will, however, look at the role that my Department had in this case and write to her in response to her specific questions.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

T2. My constituent Kim Mitchell was the victim of child sexual abuse in 1990 when she was only eight years old. Kim had to suffer the trauma of growing up with the authorities not believing her, yet after a long battle her abuser was eventually charged just last year. Sadly, Kim has been denied criminal injuries compensation due to a minor unspent criminal conviction. Does the Secretary of State think this is fair?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Emma Lewell-Buck and David Gauke

Tuesday 2nd September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

T8. Since the Government updated the law in April, thousands of construction workers such as my constituent, Ron Boyle, are facing a new form of exploitation. Forced to register with sham umbrella payroll companies, they lose hundreds of pounds a month in bogus fees, and pay national insurance contributions that ought to be the responsibility of their employers. Will the Minister assure me that that loophole will be closed quickly, so that workers such as Mr Boyle are not continually conned out of a fair wage?

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr David Gauke)]

I am grateful for that question, and we all sympathise with some of the difficulties that people have faced. It is fair to say that this Government are closing the loopholes in that area, dealing with intermediaries, and reforming the construction industry scheme to ensure that people who are employed have the full employment rights that they deserve.