Contributions
1,118 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCriminal Legal AidI thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I like him, but I am afraid he is completely wrong. This is the Government who have put money into the profession. Let me ask him one…22 Sept 2020HANSARDDRAFT SERVICES OF LAWYERS AND LAWYER'S PRACTICE (REVOCATION ETC.) (EU EXIT) REGULATIONS 2020I thank the hon. Gentleman for his remarks and for his support for these necessary regulations. Yes, the United Kingdom recognises that we are an open society, particularly when…22 Sept 2020HANSARDDRAFT SERVICES OF LAWYERS AND LAWYER'S PRACTICE (REVOCATION ETC.) (EU EXIT) REGULATIONS 2020I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Services of Lawyers and Lawyer’s Practice (Revocation etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020. May I begin by saying what a…22 Sept 2020HANSARDCriminal Justice System: Covid-19I was expecting a question about victims, but the hon. Gentleman rightly raises an important issue about prisons. The answer to his question is: yes, we are doing it.22 Sept 2020HANSARD Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill [Lords]I accept my hon. Friend’s point, but the way it has been framed thus far is, “Look, this is constitutionally unprecedented.” It is not constitutionally unprecedented, and that…02 Sept 2020HANSARD Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill [Lords]I take that point completely. I will answer it by touching first on what the situation was before we entered the EU and then on how it ought to evolve in a way that I hope meets…02 Sept 2020HANSARD Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill [Lords]I want to begin by expressing my gratitude to all Members who have contributed to the debate, with speeches of conspicuous clarity of thought. It is clear that across the House…02 Sept 2020HANSARD Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill [Lords]When we talk about taking back control, it is important to note that in future it will not be the EU but the British Government negotiating private international law agreements. I…02 Sept 2020HANSARD Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill [Lords]I will come to the hon. and learned Member’s second point in a moment, but first I will let my hon. Friend come in on this point.02 Sept 2020HANSARDAccess to JusticeThe answer is yes—thank you for pre-empting it, Mr Speaker—but first, may I welcome my hon. Friend’s support for the Gloucester Law Centre, which does fantastic work? The £3…14 Jul 2020HANSARDAccess to JusticeAbsolutely nothing could be further from the truth. The Government are committed to this. I was a practitioner in 2010 and I well remember when Labour was in government and Labour…14 Jul 2020HANSARDInquests: Coroners’ DecisionsWe recognise the importance of bereaved families being able to seek an independent review of a coroner’s decision. Section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988, as amended, provides for…14 Jul 2020HANSARDInquests: Coroners’ DecisionsI thank the hon. Gentleman for his campaigning work in this regard. He is absolutely right that Mrs Higginson’s sad death in 2017 is now subject to an inquest, for the reasons…14 Jul 2020HANSARDSupport for Victims of CrimeI thank my hon. Friend for that excellent question. Child sexual abuse and exploitation are truly abhorrent, and the Government are dedicated to taking precisely the joined-up…14 Jul 2020HANSARDSupport for Victims of CrimeI thank my hon. Friend for that excellent question. I also thank the domestic abuse charities, including EVA Women’s Aid, for the fantastic work they do in supporting victims of…14 Jul 2020HANSARDHuman Rights Act 1998: Discussions with Scottish GovernmentI thank the hon. Lady for her question. There is a manifesto commitment to look at updating the Human Rights Act, which is now—what?—20 years old or so, but we have yet to set the…14 Jul 2020HANSARDHuman Rights Act 1998: Discussions with Scottish GovernmentYes, of course. Scotland has a distinguished and distinct legal system and of course it would need to be consulted in that way. I do wish, though, to make one point crystal clear:…14 Jul 2020HANSARDHuman Rights Act 1998: Discussions with Scottish GovernmentWe regularly engage with the Scottish Government, as well as the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, on a range of justice-related matters, including human…14 Jul 2020HANSARDAccess to JusticeAccess to justice is a fundamental right and this Government are committed to ensuring that everyone can get the timely support they need to access the justice system. We have…14 Jul 2020HANSARDSupport for Victims of CrimeWe are committed to ensuring that victims of crime receive the support that they need now, during covid, but also in the future. We are recruiting an additional 20,000 police…14 Jul 2020