Immigration: High Court Ruling

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Monday 20th December 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

The Government must clearly put themselves in the position of being in conformity with the law.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

What discussion have the Government had with the Government of Scotland in relation to this?

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

My Lords, I cannot answer that question immediately, but I believe that immigration is a federal matter.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

The Government of Scotland have expressed a view to the Government of the United Kingdom concerning this. It is a matter on which they have expressed a different view from that of the Government of the United Kingdom. Have the Government of the United Kingdom not had some discussions with them in relation to it?

Immigration: Detention of Children

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Wednesday 1st December 2010 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made regarding the ending of the detention of children of failed asylum seekers.

[The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Neville-Jones)]

My Lords, there has been progress in the pilot studies that the Government have been conducting. We remain determined to end the detention of children for immigration purposes and intend to make a Statement on the subject before the Christmas Recess. As the House will be aware, the number of children in detention for immigration purposes has fallen dramatically—and is now very low—and takes place only for very short periods. There are no children in detention at present.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

Is the Minister aware that the Government kept their promise to end the detention of children in Dungavel in Scotland by shipping them hundreds of miles away to detention in Yarl’s Wood? The Observer reported on Sunday that the replacement for Yarl’s Wood is no better than Yarl’s Wood. How will the Government end what Nick Clegg described as a moral outrage or will this be another pledge he wishes he had not made?

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

My Lords, the Observer is inaccurate. It is not the case that the accommodation that will be provided will be “no better than Yarl’s Wood”. The picture painted of the current Yarl’s Wood was inaccurate. The Labour Benches opposite will know something about the changes that they made. The accommodation will not be like Yarl’s Wood and will not contain any means of detention.

Drugs: Classification

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Tuesday 9th November 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

As the noble Earl may know, the Government are introducing policies that will prevent the sale of alcohol below cost, and will toughen the penalties for those who engage and persist in selling alcohol to underage consumers.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

What discussions is the Minister having with her counterparts in Scotland on all these matters to ensure some degree of compatibility, if not consistency?

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

I am afraid that I am not informed about discussions with the Government in Scotland, but I shall inform myself and I shall write to the noble Lord.

Freedoms and Civil Liberties

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Thursday 8th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

My Lords, we are straying far from the Question. However, that is being worked on at the moment in conjunction with the strategic defence and security review. We will certainly produce both papers in the autumn.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

Is the Minister aware that vulnerable and elderly people in towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom feel much safer where there is an effective system of closed circuit television? Will she give an assurance that the coalition Government will maintain all the existing systems and, indeed, expand them?

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

My Lords, it is clear that CCTV, if properly used, is valued by the general public as a way of increasing their sense of security and providing evidence—provided it is working—should an incident take place. Equally, it is strictly in the interests of proportionality, and to retain public confidence, that it is properly regulated. It is the regulation of CCTV on which we shall focus.