Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Simon Hughes and Duncan Hames

Tuesday 9th September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD)]

In his recent written statement on the Office of the Public Guardian, the Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark (Simon Hughes), alludes to a future segmented supervision model for deputies. Will he act to reduce the number of people forced to pay through their estate for expensive solicitors to act as deputies, and find them better value alternatives instead?

[Simon Hughes]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his continuing interest in this matter, and I hope that he has found the response to the consultation helpful. It makes it absolutely clear that we want to be much more hands-on in terms of managing the role of deputies who are responsible for other people’s estates, to reduce the number of allegations of abuse and misuse of funds and to ensure that vulnerable people are better protected by the courts. I also hope he will have noticed that I have ensured that if anyone wants to make a decision about who should manage any future decisions relating to life or death, that decision will have to be made in person with someone there to witness it, so that there can be no risk of anyone failing to understand the decision they are making.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Simon Hughes and Duncan Hames

Tuesday 6th May 2014 Commons Chamber

[Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD)]

The Government were due to publish before March their response to the public consultation on their proposed changes to the Office of the Public Guardian and supervision of deputies. When will this happen so that we can better protect the vulnerable people whose best interests are meant to be served by them?

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Simon Hughes)]

I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s continuing interest in this issue. I hope that we will be able to publish something before we break for the summer and elicit responses after that.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Simon Hughes and Duncan Hames

Thursday 20th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Simon Hughes (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) (LD)]

6. What steps his Department is taking to ensure that further education colleges provide a modern learning environment.

[Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD)]

10. What steps his Department is taking to ensure that further education colleges provide a modern learning environment.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills (Matthew Hancock)]

The autumn statement released £270 million more in funding to upgrade further education colleges, and I can today announce that details of the college capital fund are being published by the Skills Funding Agency. These new funds take to over £1 billion investment in college capital in this Parliament, because the Government believe in helping everybody to reach their potential.

Public Confidence in the Media and Police

Debate between Simon Hughes and Duncan Hames

Wednesday 20th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD)]

My right hon. Friend says that the fit and proper person test needs to be applied more robustly. Is he aware of any statements from Ofcom that suggest that it has sought to apply the test at any time and that it has issued a judgment in such a case?

[Simon Hughes]

I wanted to make some comments about where we should go, so let me start with the media and Ofcom. The existing legislation needs to be improved because the way in which a fit and proper person test—either corporate or individual—is formed is not clear, so it is difficult to apply. My hon. Friend asks me whether the test is assiduously applied over the period for which a licence is held. In theory it is, because Ofcom will say that it does that, but it is not obvious that there is a process of regular review. In addition, things can change, such as if people commit criminal offences, so we need a more transparent process.