Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Will Quince

Monday 3rd December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

Last month, I attended the Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse “Reclaim the Night” march in Colchester, along with hundreds of my constituents, in protest against sexual violence against women. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that the police have the resources they need both to prevent these crimes and to bring those who commit these horrific offences to justice?

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend raises a very important issue. It is about resources—that is why we saw an increase in police resources last year; and there will be a police settlement statement soon, which will look at resources going forward—but it is also about powers, and I remind him that we will shortly be bringing forward a draft domestic abuse Bill.

Immigration: DNA Tests

Debate between Sajid Javid and Will Quince

1st reading: House of Commons
Thursday 25th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. He has again emphasised that providing DNA should be optional, because it can help those individuals, and if they choose to provide it, we should take that seriously, but it should be just that—optional, not mandatory.

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

I thank the Home Secretary for his statement and welcome the steps that he is taking to put this situation right. Does he agree that it is essential in cases of this nature that the Government act not only quickly, but with openness and transparency?

[Sajid Javid]

I agree, and that is why I decided to publish and put in the Library for the whole House to see the internal review that has already been done and was commissioned within days. That is why I will be writing to the Home Affairs Committee today as well, and no doubt there will be future opportunities to keep the House updated, whether by me, the Minister for Immigration or another Minister.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Will Quince

Monday 12th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

2. What steps his Department is taking to reduce homelessness.

[The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid)]

Tackling homelessness and rough sleeping is a key priority for me and my Ministry. That is why we are spending more than £1 billion through to 2020. We are implementing the most ambitious legislative reform in decades—the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017—and we have established the rough sleeping and homelessness reduction taskforce.

[Will Quince]

The all-party group on ending homelessness recently took evidence on the success of rapid rehousing models in Denmark. What consideration has my right hon. Friend given to the merits of rolling out such programmes alongside the faster and wider roll-out of Housing First in England?

[Sajid Javid]

May I first pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the important role that he has played as the co-chair of the all-party group on ending homelessness? He is absolutely right to point to international experience when looking at the huge challenge that this country faces. As he knows, Housing First has come from the experience of others, particularly Finland. I thank him for his support.

Grenfell Tower and Building Safety

Debate between Sajid Javid and Will Quince

Monday 18th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

The commitment we gave that all families would be offered temporary accommodation within three weeks of the date of the tragedy was absolutely met. They were all offered such accommodation. I have continually updated the House over the last six months, and no doubt the hon. Lady has had updates from her constituents. We have tried at every stage to offer both permanent accommodation and different types of temporary accommodation. As I have acknowledged today, there are still too many families in emergency accommodation, and we continue to work with the local authority to do whatever we can to reduce that number.

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

Will the Secretary of State confirm that he still regularly meets the victim groups and is really listening to what they have to say? To pick up on a point he made, is he ensuring that, despite the understandable questioning from the Opposition, people will not be pressed in any way to take unsuitable accommodation for political expediency?

[Sajid Javid]

I can absolutely confirm that to my hon. Friend. I have regularly met victim groups and members of the community, and so has my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma), the Minister with responsibility for Grenfell victims. He meets members of the community on an almost weekly basis. I can also confirm that we will not press anyone to take any type of accommodation with which they are not comfortable.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Will Quince

Monday 24th April 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

It is important that we take a careful look at this policy, precisely because we all want to see a sustainable model that will result in providers providing enough of this type of home. That is exactly what this policy is designed to do, and when we come out with the final policy, that is what it will achieve.

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

4. What steps he is taking to encourage landlords to offer longer assured shorthold tenancies.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Will Quince

Monday 27th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

I share the concerns of my right hon. and learned Friend. He has written to me and talked to me and my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for local government about this, and I can assure him that we are both taking a special interest in this.

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

16. What recent steps his Department has taken to help rough sleepers and homeless people.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Will Quince

Tuesday 15th September 2015 Commons Chamber

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

At the weekend, my wife and I visited Bill’s, which is a new restaurant in Colchester and part of a large chain. At the end of the evening the bill had an automatic 10% gratuity, which the staff member said that they did not receive. Does my hon. Friend agree that the public expect staff members to get the tips in recognition for the service rendered?

[Sajid Javid]

Yes, absolutely. When a diner leaves a tip, they rightly expect that to go to the staff. Recent reports have suggested that some restaurants are not doing that, which is unacceptable. I have already launched a call for evidence. I will see whether the Government need to take any action. If they do, nothing is off the dining table.