Paul Kohler: All Documents

Written Question

Visas: Skilled Workers

Wednesday 10th December 2025

Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to address cases where DWP staff meet the annual Skilled Worker Visa salary threshold but are affected by the method used to calculate hourly pay.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

When assessing salaries for visa purposes, our approach is consistent with that taken in national minimum wage guidance, which states:

‘If you pay a salaried worker their normal salary while they are absent from work and this forms a part of their employment contract, the time of the absence counts towards the worker’s time worked for minimum wage purposes. For example, during rest breaks, lunch breaks, holidays, sickness absence or maternity / paternity / adoption leave.’

We do not plan to change our approach, as it could open up inconsistencies with wider employment regulation.

A decision on whether to amend employment contracts, so that salaries reflect the actual hours worked, would be for an employer to make.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Dec 2025
Northern Ireland Troubles: Operation Kenova

"I thank the right hon. Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) for his question, and I thank the Secretary of State for his answer. I have three questions. First, do the Government accept the Operation Kenova report’s findings of “serious organisational failure” on the part of MI5, and if so, …..."
Paul Kohler - View Speech

View all Paul Kohler (LD - Wimbledon) contributions to the debate on: Northern Ireland Troubles: Operation Kenova

Division Vote (Commons)
9 Dec 2025 - Railways Bill - View Vote Context
Paul Kohler (LD) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 63 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 170 Noes - 332

Division Vote (Commons)
9 Dec 2025 - UK-EU Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate) - View Vote Context
Paul Kohler (LD) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 65 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 100 Noes - 100

Division Vote (Commons)
9 Dec 2025 - Railways Bill - View Vote Context
Paul Kohler (LD) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 64 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 329 Noes - 173

Written Question

Police: Standards

Tuesday 9th December 2025

Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the ability of police forces to (a) investigate sexual offences, (b) fill gaps in data on violence against women and girls and (c) implement recommendations for improving public safety.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government with a manifesto mission to halve VAWG in a decade. We will deliver a cross-government transformative approach to halving VAWG, underpinned by a new VAWG strategy, which we aim to publish as soon as possible.

The Home Office has invested £13.1 million this year to establish the new National Policing Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP) to improve the police response to VAWG and child sexual abuse. The NCVPP is continuing to drive forward the transformational work of Operation Soteria ensuring officers build the strongest possible, victim-centred, suspect-focused, context-led cases.

The Home Office works closely with police forces on improving the quality of police recorded crime data, including for crimes under the VAWG heading, as well as drawing on data from the Crime Survey for England & Wales (CSEW).

The Home Office are also carefully considering the findings and recommendations from the Angiolini Inquiry's Part 2 First Report which has examined the prevention of sexually motivated crimes against women in public spaces.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 08 Dec 2025
Restriction of Jury Trials

"I have some sympathy for the Minister. We all know that the Tories fiddled, leaving our criminal justice system to burn. As the Law Society president noted earlier this year, we are still not using our courts efficiently, despite what the Minister says. What steps have been taken to increase …..."
Paul Kohler - View Speech

View all Paul Kohler (LD - Wimbledon) contributions to the debate on: Restriction of Jury Trials

Division Vote (Commons)
8 Dec 2025 - Employment Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Paul Kohler (LD) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 64 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 395 Noes - 98

Division Vote (Commons)
8 Dec 2025 - Employment Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Paul Kohler (LD) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 63 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 327 Noes - 162