Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will consider introducing stronger (a) censure and (b) sanction options for serious breaches of member codes of conduct in local authorities.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In December 2024 the Government launched a consultation seeking views on proposed measures to strengthen the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England, including the introduction of the sanction of suspension, to empower local authorities to deal appropriately member misconduct where it arises. The Government Response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively with local government on developing the detailed policies for implementation.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) transgender and (b) intersex (i) people and (ii) groups are consulted on Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance on the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.

Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

The EHRC has opened its consultation on the draft updated statutory Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, seeking views from affected stakeholders. We encourage people to ensure their views are heard by submitting a response to the consultation by Monday 30th June. We will consider the final draft Code once it has been submitted and engage with the EHRC to ensure it provides the further certainty and clarity service providers need, in line with the ruling.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she made made of the potential impact of the Crime and Policing Bill on levels of protections for (a) bank, (b) building society and (c) banking hubs workers.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

Our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, and the assault took place in the course of their work. The Government does not plan to include bank, building society or banking hub workers within the new offence.

Assaults against workers in these sectors are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.

Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public, including public-facing roles in banks and building societies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many payments have been issued under the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As of 9 June 2025, 44 Veterans had received payments through the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS). Payments made by the FRS are not compensation payments and do not seek to compensate for any pecuniary losses or attempt to place personnel in a financial position they could have been in, had the ban not existed.

We have been prioritising payments to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will consider introducing enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks as a condition of being a councillor.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Disclosure and Barring Service checks (‘DBS checks’) for local government members are currently optional; it is for individual local authorities to adopt eligible DBS checks as they feel necessary.

I am considering the benefits and disbenefits to potential changes in local government member DBS check policy.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on issuing payments to terminally ill veterans under the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence has made significant progress in issuing payments to terminally ill Veterans under the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme. All eligible terminally ill Veterans who have applied for the Dismissed or Discharged payment have been paid.

We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has reviewed the effectiveness of legislation relating to joint enterprise.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Joint enterprise is a complex area of law which is not set out in statute but evolves through case law. It is an important principle ensuring that those who act with others to commit crimes are held to account.

The Government is aware of concerns about the use of joint enterprise, and understands its importance, particularly in terms of the consequences that can result from convictions. The Crown Prosecution Service is collecting data on joint enterprise homicide/attempted homicide cases and will publish a report later this year. In addition, the Law Commission review of criminal appeals is considering the “out of time” appeals process which is an issue of relevance to historic joint enterprise cases decided before the 2016 case of Jogee.

Found: Helena Dollimore (Labour; Hastings and Rye) Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat; Glastonbury and Somerton) Jayne Kirkham

Found: Board meetings (Q761 & 803) In response to questions from Jayne Kirkham and Helena Dollimore on board

Park Homes APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Fox MP Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP Rachel Hopkins MP Alicia Kearns MP Jayne Kirkham

Down Syndrome APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Jack Abbott MP, Lord David Alton, Dame Karen Bradley MP, Dame Meg Hillier MP, Rebecca Kirby MP, Jayne Kirkham

Social Science and Policy APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Kevin McKenna MP, Catherine Fookes MP, Jonathan Hinder MP, Patrick Hurley MP, Amanda Martin MP, Jayne Kirkham

Social Science and Policy APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Kevin McKenna MP, Catherine Fookes MP, Jonathan Hinder MP, Patrick Hurley MP, Amanda Martin MP, Jayne Kirkham

Future of Financial Services APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Harriett Baldwin MP (Con, West Worcestershire) – Co-Chair Lord Sharkey (Lib Dem) – Co-Chair Jayne Kirkham

Future of Financial Services APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Jayne Kirkham MP (Lab/Co-op Truro And Falmouth) 6. Baroness Kramer (Lib Dem) 7.

Global Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: steps her Department is taking to support victims of rape and sexual violence – Alison Hume MP, Jayne Kirkham

Deep Geothermal APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: present elected the following Officers: KM to be elected as Chair Lord Cameron, Tom Hayes, and Jayne Kirkham

Hospitality and Tourism APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Labour Falkirk Gill German Labour Clwyd North Irene Campbell Labour North Ayshire and Arran Jayne Kirkham