Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time for carrying out post-mortems for (a) children and (b) adults was in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Phillip Lee
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will increase the fee paid to pathologists who conduct post-mortem examinations for coroners.
Answered by Phillip Lee
The Government keeps statutory fees under review but has no plans at the present time to amend the fees paid for coronial post-mortem examinations.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of bodies were released by coroners within the Chief Coroner's target of three days in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Phillip Lee
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what provisions are in place to support the non-abusing parent of a child who has a parent convicted of child sexual abuse; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of those provisions.
Answered by Simon Hughes
The Government takes very seriously the need to protect children at risk of harm from their parents. The Government is also aware of the concerns regarding the exercise of parental responsibility by a parent who has been convicted of sexual abuse of a child.
Under the Children Act 1989, parents and guardians, as well as others who are entitled, can apply to a family court for a section 8 order in cases where a question arises in relation to the welfare of a child. These orders include prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders to restrict the exercise of parental responsibility. The court can also make child arrangements orders with provisions to protect a child, perhaps by providing for ‘no contact’ with a parent where this is considered to be in the best interests of the child.
The Government believes that these provisions provide good protection for children where a parent has been convicted of child abuse, including abuse of the child concerned, but we always keep the law and the practice in this area under review and are very conscious of the need to have the maximum possible protection of children and young people at all times.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government has taken to protect children from a parent who has been convicted of child sexual abuse.
Answered by Simon Hughes
The Government takes very seriously the need to protect children at risk of harm from their parents. The Government is also aware of the concerns regarding the exercise of parental responsibility by a parent who has been convicted of sexual abuse of a child.
Under the Children Act 1989, parents and guardians, as well as others who are entitled, can apply to a family court for a section 8 order in cases where a question arises in relation to the welfare of a child. These orders include prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders to restrict the exercise of parental responsibility. The court can also make child arrangements orders with provisions to protect a child, perhaps by providing for ‘no contact’ with a parent where this is considered to be in the best interests of the child.
The Government believes that these provisions provide good protection for children where a parent has been convicted of child abuse, including abuse of the child concerned, but we always keep the law and the practice in this area under review and are very conscious of the need to have the maximum possible protection of children and young people at all times.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the merits of restricting the access of parents who have been convicted of sexually abusing a child to their own children.
Answered by Simon Hughes
The Government takes very seriously the need to protect children at risk of harm from their parents. The Government is also aware of the concerns regarding the exercise of parental responsibility by a parent who has been convicted of sexual abuse of a child.
Under the Children Act 1989, parents and guardians, as well as others who are entitled, can apply to a family court for a section 8 order in cases where a question arises in relation to the welfare of a child. These orders include prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders to restrict the exercise of parental responsibility. The court can also make child arrangements orders with provisions to protect a child, perhaps by providing for ‘no contact’ with a parent where this is considered to be in the best interests of the child.
The Government believes that these provisions provide good protection for children where a parent has been convicted of child abuse, including abuse of the child concerned, but we always keep the law and the practice in this area under review and are very conscious of the need to have the maximum possible protection of children and young people at all times.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures to protect children from a parent who has been convicted of child sexual abuse.
Answered by Simon Hughes
The Government takes very seriously the need to protect children at risk of harm from their parents. The Government is also aware of the concerns regarding the exercise of parental responsibility by a parent who has been convicted of sexual abuse of a child.
Under the Children Act 1989, parents and guardians, as well as others who are entitled, can apply to a family court for a section 8 order in cases where a question arises in relation to the welfare of a child. These orders include prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders to restrict the exercise of parental responsibility. The court can also make child arrangements orders with provisions to protect a child, perhaps by providing for ‘no contact’ with a parent where this is considered to be in the best interests of the child.
The Government believes that these provisions provide good protection for children where a parent has been convicted of child abuse, including abuse of the child concerned, but we always keep the law and the practice in this area under review and are very conscious of the need to have the maximum possible protection of children and young people at all times.
Asked by: Sarah Wollaston (Liberal Democrat - Totnes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions have taken place under the Cancer Act 1939 in each of the last 30 years.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts for offences under the Cancer Act 1939, in England and Wales, from 1984 to 2013, can be viewed in the table attached.