Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the budget was for the Employment Tribunal Service in each year from 2010-11 to 2020-21.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The gross budget for the Employment Tribunal Service in each year since the 2010-11 financial year is as follows:
2010/11 - £60.9m
2011/12 - £62.6m
2012/13 - £58.0m
2103/14 - £53.4m
2014/15 - £50.9m
2015/16 - £51.2m
2016/17 - £41.4m
2017/18 - £52.4m
2018/19 - £56.3m
2019/20 - £66.2m
*2020/21 - £70.8m
These figures are for costs only, and exclude fees received and overheads of the tribunal.
*The figure for the current 2020-21 financial year is provisional and may be subject to change.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is conducting an internal review of domestic abuse policy.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
We are determined to drive the fundamental change necessary to keep victims of domestic abuse and their children safe. The Domestic Abuse Bill is the culmination of significant policy work and consultation on how we improve our response to this crime, which we are committed to keeping under review. Most recently, on 25 June 2020, we published our comprehensive report into the family courts system: ‘Assessing risk of harm to children and parents in private law children cases’.
We are taking immediate action to implement the panel’s recommendations, and will be undertaking further work to address the long-standing, systemic issues identified in the report particularly where there are allegations of domestic abuse. This work will include a review into the presumption of ‘parental involvement’ and whether the right balance is being struck between the risk of harm to children and victims, and the right of the child to have a relationship with both parents.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Law Commission will publish its consultation paper on hate crime; and whether the review has been delayed from its original time frame of 18 months.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Law Commission continues to make good progress on the Hate Crime Consultation Paper, although some delay is inevitable given the impact of Covid-19.
The Law Commissioners are considering when to publish consultations on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they will be able to undertake sufficiently open and transparent consultation during the current circumstances. That is an essential aspect of the way they work. It is particularly important in relation to the Hate Crime project.
The Commissioners are keeping the situation under review and they will announce their decision on publication as soon as they can.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many declarations of incompatibility the Supreme Court has issued, and how many declarations of incompatibility the Government has acted on.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
All declarations of incompatibility made under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the actions taken to address them are set out in the Government’s annual report to the Joint Committee on Human Rights. The latest report was laid before Parliament on 30 October 2019 and we have not been notified of any further declarations of incompatibility since then.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what meetings have taken place between Ministers in his Department and the Law Commission on the review of hate crime legislation.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
There have been no meetings between current Ministers in the Ministry of Justice and the Law Commission on the review of hate crime legislation.
The Law Commission were invited to independently review the law relating to hate crime and to make recommendations to the Government for its reform. That review began in March 2019.
The Law Commission are considering the current range of offences and aggravating factors in sentencing, and will make recommendations to the Government on the most appropriate models to ensure that the criminal law provides consistent and effective protection from conduct motivated by hatred towards protected groups or characteristics. The review will also take account of the existing range of protected characteristics, identifying any gaps in the scope of protection currently offered under the law and making recommendations to promote a consistent approach.
The Law Commission plan to issue a consultation on this matter in early 2020. Further information on the review can be found on the Law Commission webpage at: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/hate-crime/
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many police cautions were issued for crimes committed on retail premises in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Ministry of Justice publishes information on out of court disposals, including cautions, in England and Wales, up to December 2018. This does not identify whether the offence was committed on retail premises.
However, statistics are available for cautions classified by police as “theft from shops” as the principle offence.
This information can be found using the Out of Court Disposals data tool: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/802305/out-of-court-disposal-tool-2018.xlsx
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) number and (b) outcome of appeals against decisions by local authorities on special educational needs, and their preceding education health and care plans, there were (i) in each local authority area and (ii) for each condition in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the public purse was of such appeals in that same period.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Due to the volume of data required to answer the question in respect of appeals against special education needs decisions made by local authorities, I will arrange for this information, broken down by local authority, to be placed in the Library of the House.
Information on the cost to the public purse for these appeals prior to the 2015/16 Financial Year is not available at this time, but I can confirm that the total cost of the operation of the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) (FtT SEND) was:
In 2015/16 - £2,983,418
In 2016/17 - £3,347,986
In 2017/18 - £4,008,647
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications there were for a declaration of parentage under section 55A of the Family Law Act 1986 to the (a) high, (b) magistrates and (c) county courts in each of the last five years.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.