Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that all victims of domestic violence are given equal protection irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.
Answered by Norman Baker
The legislative framework for protecting victims of domestic abuse already applies to everyone, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.
The Coalition Government is currently consulting on whether the existing law on domestic abuse needs to be strengthened to offer better protection to victims.
The consultation is focused on whether a specific offence should be created that captures patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour in intimate relationships, in line with the government’s non-statutory definition of domestic abuse. As part of this consultation, we welcome views on how all victims can be better protected.
Details of the consultation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-the-law-on-domestic-abuse
The consultation closes on 15 October 2014, after which we will consider carefully the responses received to inform our proposals.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department provides support to people with (a) disability and (b) other special needs in meeting the cost of acquiring a Security Industry Authority licence.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The fee for an individual Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence to conduct private investigations has not yet been confirmed. However, the SIA remains committed to minimising its costs and, in turn, the fees it charges, to ensure they are proportionate to the services provided. Indeed, the cost of an SIA three-year individual licence for designated private security industry sectors was reduced from £245 to £220 in January 2012 to reflect the reduced unit costs of processing applications.
Any changes made to the SIA’s licensing regime are subject to the principles of Managing Public Money and Her Majesty's Treasury and Home Office Ministers’ approval. As a public sector body the SIA has a duty to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including ensuring it does not discriminate against any applicants with protected characteristics, including those with disabilities.
Under the provisions of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, the SIA is responsible for licensing individuals who operate in designated sectors of the private security industry. If the SIA is made aware of companies deploying individuals without appropriate individual licences it would pursue the company under its enforcement strategy and prosecute any responsible individuals under the provisions of the Act.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of whether the cost of acquiring the Security Industry Authority licence acts as a barrier to people entering the private investigation trade.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The fee for an individual Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence to conduct private investigations has not yet been confirmed. However, the SIA remains committed to minimising its costs and, in turn, the fees it charges, to ensure they are proportionate to the services provided. Indeed, the cost of an SIA three-year individual licence for designated private security industry sectors was reduced from £245 to £220 in January 2012 to reflect the reduced unit costs of processing applications.
Any changes made to the SIA’s licensing regime are subject to the principles of Managing Public Money and Her Majesty's Treasury and Home Office Ministers’ approval. As a public sector body the SIA has a duty to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including ensuring it does not discriminate against any applicants with protected characteristics, including those with disabilities.
Under the provisions of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, the SIA is responsible for licensing individuals who operate in designated sectors of the private security industry. If the SIA is made aware of companies deploying individuals without appropriate individual licences it would pursue the company under its enforcement strategy and prosecute any responsible individuals under the provisions of the Act.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to tackle the problem of companies offering bogus or limited alternatives to the Security Industry Authority licence.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The fee for an individual Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence to conduct private investigations has not yet been confirmed. However, the SIA remains committed to minimising its costs and, in turn, the fees it charges, to ensure they are proportionate to the services provided. Indeed, the cost of an SIA three-year individual licence for designated private security industry sectors was reduced from £245 to £220 in January 2012 to reflect the reduced unit costs of processing applications.
Any changes made to the SIA’s licensing regime are subject to the principles of Managing Public Money and Her Majesty's Treasury and Home Office Ministers’ approval. As a public sector body the SIA has a duty to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including ensuring it does not discriminate against any applicants with protected characteristics, including those with disabilities.
Under the provisions of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, the SIA is responsible for licensing individuals who operate in designated sectors of the private security industry. If the SIA is made aware of companies deploying individuals without appropriate individual licences it would pursue the company under its enforcement strategy and prosecute any responsible individuals under the provisions of the Act.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to allow the mothers of brides and grooms to be named on marriage certificates.
Answered by Karen Bradley
We are currently considering how the information contained in the marriage
entry can be updated to reflect changes since the coming into force of the
Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986, as well as the most suitable
opportunity for doing so.