Oral Answers to Questions

Martin Docherty-Hughes Excerpts

Tuesday 16th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mike Freer]

Spring 2024. If the hon. Lady would like to write with the details of the case, I can find out if there are specific reasons why it has been delayed. As I say, there can be a variety of reasons for that, and I am quite happy to get the details for her.

[Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) (SNP)]

10. Whether he has had recent discussions with the Scottish Government on the potential effect of provisions in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on EU law incorporated in Acts of the Scottish Parliament.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mike Freer)]

The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with the Scottish Government and other devolved Administrations to consider the implications of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill for retained EU law in justice policy areas across the UK. My officials have regular discussions with their devolved Administration counterparts to ensure that proposals to revoke or reform retained EU law are carefully considered to avoid any unintended divergence across the UK.

[Martin Docherty-Hughes]

I wonder whether the Minister agrees with Unison the trade union, which has warned that

“encroaching upon devolved areas, to actively make lives worse for working people will damage the democratic legitimacy of the Westminster Parliament in the eyes of people in devolved nations.”

[Mike Freer]

With regard to this specific Bill, given the announcement last week, I do not believe that there is any infringement on the Scottish competency.

--- Later in debate ---

[Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) (SNP)]

I recently wrote to the Secretary of State’s predecessor about what his Department calls the “temporary release failure” from Her Majesty’s Prison Sudbury, as it was at the time, of the known criminal Dean Woods, which is on the public record and is of grave concern not only to the Prison Service in England but to some of my constituents, given what he was convicted of and what he is accused of by police forces across Europe. Since last year, has the Department done anything to make sure that Mr Woods is returned not to a category D prison but to a category B prison, and to ensure that it works with colleagues across the rest of Europe to make sure that, if he is to be sent to prison for other possible actions, it happens as quickly as possible?

[Damian Hinds]

If I may, I offer to meet the hon. Gentleman to talk through that detailed case.