Contributions
1,991 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateMy hon. Friend makes an important point. In general, inquests should be inquisitorial, fact-checking processes, and the 2019 review into legal aid for inquests, which he may…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI certainly agree with the thrust of that. The IPA will be fully independent once it is established, with all the powers of advocacy and with the expertise to give voice and…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateMy hon. Friend makes a good point. The policy work is quite far developed, but of course we have not foreclosed options so that we can have maximum transparency and proper…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI hope that they would, particularly as we engage with them on the detail. As I said, it will be fully independent. I take the points that have been made about the right of…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI thank the hon. Gentleman. I have already made clear the level of engagement we have had before, and of course I am willing to meet with representatives or directly with the…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateTo be clear, on the right of initiative, which I know the right hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle) has raised and included in her Bill, there could be different…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI thank the right hon. Lady for her question. She has worked tirelessly on this issue, and we have very good engagement on it; I am happy for that to continue. I take her point…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI thank my hon. Friend, the Chair of the Select Committee. I think that this policy will create stronger advocacy on behalf of the bereaved, the victims and the families, and…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI thank my right hon. Friend and pay tribute again to her for her campaigning and advocacy on this issue. On the right of initiative, the Government will ultimately have to decide…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI pay tribute to the hon. Gentleman for all his efforts. I am afraid I do not accept the characterisation; calling it a signposting service is quite wrong. By the way, the…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI thank the hon. Gentleman for his partial welcome of the announcement. I listened carefully to what he said. We share, and I personally share with him, the commitment and desire…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateI know the hon. Lady cares deeply about this subject. I am familiar with these challenges from my time as Housing Minister, aside from the issue of Hillsborough, which I followed…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateToday I can announce that we intend to legislate as soon as possible to introduce an independent public advocate; to put victims and the bereaved at the heart of our response to…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateWe will work very closely with my hon. and learned Friend and colleagues on the definition. It is important to get that right. It will be an independent advocate once it is…01 Mar 2023HANSARD Independent Public AdvocateIf the hon. Lady looks at what we are doing in the round, I think she will see the steps we are taking. I am very mindful of and sensitive to the issues that she describes and,…01 Mar 2023HANSARDStrengthening Human RightsWe introduced the Bill of Rights to this House, which will limit the abuse of human rights and restore some common sense. I have regular discussions with my colleagues,…21 Feb 2023HANSARDStrengthening Human RightsI remind the hon. Lady that this Government introduced single-sex marriage—I did so proudly, along with my colleagues—and there is nothing in our reforms that would undo the…21 Feb 2023HANSARDEuropean Convention on Human RightsI am surprised to hear the SNP talk about extreme members of other parties. At the moment, the UK’s single biggest human rights concern is the trade in misery we see with the…21 Feb 2023HANSARDEuropean Convention on Human RightsThe hon. Gentleman needs to read the Bill of Rights. It envisages that we will stay a state party to the ECHR, which is retained in a schedule, so all his other concerns melt away.21 Feb 2023HANSARDStrengthening Human RightsThe hon. Lady will be shocked to know that I did not agree with all the contents of the JCHR report, but I refer to the statements we have made on how we have approached the…21 Feb 2023