Solihull Murders

Lord Watts Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd November 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

I completely agree with my noble friend. It may help if I go through the list of recommendations made by the IOPC to West Midlands Police in this case. The learning recommendations concerned domestic abuse risk assessments being completed without intelligence checks and misunderstanding by officers around when such risk assessments would be reviewed by their public protection unit. Other recommendations were that the force should consider PPU oversight of all domestic abuse cases with repeat victims, and further training around the use of domestic violence protection orders—DVPOs—and domestic violence protection notices.

My noble friend is quite right that no woman should be asked to undertake her own investigation; that is absolutely absurd. It is for the police to do it. The police have recognised it, the IOPC has published recommendations and West Midlands Police in particular is acting on it. I hope all other forces do too.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister says that every force should carry out this training, yet we know that a lot are not. Between the Home Office, the inspectorate and the police forces, where is the accountability in the system to make sure that this crucial training takes place?

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

As the noble Lord is well aware—I have said it many times from the Dispatch Box—police forces in this country remain operationally independent. That is right, but of course the PCC is also the interface here between the public and the police. The statement on this case by the West Midlands PCC, Simon Foster, was very robust and made some solid points. With the noble Lord’s permission, I will quote a bit of it:

“My Police and Crime Plan makes it clear that West Midlands Police must impose bail conditions on perpetrators rather than releasing under investigation, make full use of civil protection orders and restraining orders and make arrests for breach of non-molestation orders.”


He goes on at some length and I will not repeat it all, but I think that is the appropriate response. I commend him on his actions and urge other PCCs to follow suit.

Counterterrorism: Martyn’s Law

Lord Watts Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd November 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

As outlined in the Queen’s Speech, yes.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister explain why the legislation programme seems much slower with this Government than it was with the previous ones?

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

No, I do not think I can.

Extradition Act 2003

Lord Watts Excerpts

Wednesday 29th June 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

I say to the noble Baroness that we have in fact refused far more extradition cases to the US than they have to us by quite a large margin.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

When we left the European Union, our relations with Germany stopped. Have we negotiated anything as a replacement?

Ukrainian Nationals: Visitor Visas

Lord Watts Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd March 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, if families are taken in by British people and they are paid £350 per month, can the Government assure me that that £350 is not taxable?

[Lord Harrington of Watford (Con)]

I can assure the noble Lord absolutely that that is the case.

Enforcement of Lockdown Regulations

Lord Watts Excerpts

Tuesday 18th January 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

As I said to the noble Baroness in my first Answer, there is going to be more analysis of FPNs issued to different demographic groups. The outcome will be very interesting in all sorts of contexts—social and otherwise. Like her, I look forward to the findings from the analysis. In parallel to that, the HAC has published its report, The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two Years On, which raised the same concerns over disproportionality of FPNs.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, when the Prime Minister was holding a series of parties in No. 10, what were the police doing to enforce regulations?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, I was not there, I am afraid.

European Arrest Warrant, Europol and Eurojust

Lord Watts Excerpts

Monday 2nd March 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

We obviously want an agreement across all areas of law enforcement co-operation—I cannot hypothecate what the noble Baroness says—because we want to keep our citizens safe.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, how will the Government extradite criminals from Germany given that, constitutionally, they are not allowed to do so unless it is within the European Union?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, arrangements will have to be in place that allow the system or the arrangements to take part in that country.