Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the public purse was of consolatory payments issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in the last 12 months.

Answered by Guy Opperman

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency publishes the cost of consolatory payments it makes as part of its Annual Report and Accounts. In the last published report for 2022-23 the information can be found under ex-gratia payments on page 66 using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dvla-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the average processing time of applications submitted to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Answered by Guy Opperman

Applications sent to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are being processed within published turnaround times.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if the Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific will declare the 2024 Safeguarding National Security Bill in Hong Kong to be a breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration following its first application in the case of Ma Chun-man in March 2024.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan

Following a series of breaches of the Sino-British Joint Declaration by China, including the imposition of the 2020 National Security Law (NSL) under which Ma Chun Man was originally prosecuted, the then Foreign Secretary declared China to be in continuous breach of the Joint Declaration. That view has not changed. The Foreign Secretary called for the NSL to be repealed and an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it on 17 December. The new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance was enacted by the Hong Kong government under Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law. As The Foreign Secretary said on 19 March, its overall impact will be to further damage the rights and freedoms enjoyed in the city. It undermines Hong Kong's implementation of binding international obligations including the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We are monitoring its implementation closely, including its swift application in this case.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether the Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific raised human rights concerns relating to the 2024 Safeguarding National Security Bill and the 2020 National Security Law while meeting the (a) Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and (b) Treasury Christopher Hui in Hong Kong.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan

On 24 April I met with Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui during my six-day visit to China and Hong Kong. I raised concerns over the deterioration of rights and freedoms in the city precipitated by the 2020 National Security Law and the recent passage of legislation under Article 23. We will continue to raise areas of disagreement or concern, including human rights in Hong Kong with the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that county court judgments (CCJs) against rogue traders are enforced; and what enforcement steps can be taken if such a CCJ cannot be delivered.

Answered by Mike Freer

This government recognises the importance of having effective routes available to enforce judgment debts. The civil courts offer different enforcement methods that a judgment creditor may apply for to recover money that a court has ordered is owed. These include warrants or writs of control, attachment of earnings, third party debt orders, and charging orders. These processes are individually designed to address different financial circumstances, and collectively aim to make it as difficult as possible for judgment debtors to avoid their responsibility.

Despite the many methods of enforcement available, the courts cannot guarantee to obtain the payment of civil debt, particularly where a debtor goes to great lengths to evade payment or simply does not have the means to pay.

Found: Lynch Joy Morrissey 1.

Found: 15 Jan 2020) (31.8%) Mr Marcus Jones (Conservative, Nuneaton) 4 of 22 (added 7 Nov 2022) (18.2%) Holly