Contributions
1,528 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)I didn’t think there was. Okay, thank you.12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (First sitting)Q On the vetting issue—I raised this with the chief constable who was in front of us earlier—you have eloquently said that the vetting of police officers should be taking place…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q So you think there might be a legislative solution by writing that into primary legislation or secondary legislation. Harvey Redgrave: Potentially.12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q There are two amendments on the issue of the criminalisation of women who have an abortion. Do you have any views on those? Dame Vera Baird: It is long overdue to be…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (First sitting)It is about 56. Nicole Jacobs: But I would not be against the principle of that, because I recognise that coercion and controlling behaviour is a known high-risk factor. Some of…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q Turning to some of the amendments proposed to the Bill, could I ask your opinion on the issues around removing parental responsibility for men convicted of sexual offences…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)There is currently not the capacity available to do that. Andy Marsh: No.12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Such as? Andy Marsh: The drugs testing would be a good example. I do not believe that there is currently a latent capacity waiting to do that.12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q Oh, specifically—apologies. Do you think that everything in the Bill could be implemented? Andy Marsh: I am supportive of the measures in the Bill. Some will undoubtedly come…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q So if this law passes, it will not be able to be enacted? Harvey Redgrave: I am assuming there is an impact assessment and a cost that has been attached to the Bill.12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q But it would be very easy for a professional person to initially triage such a case, for example, and do some very clear due diligence about somebody’s mental ill health, the…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (First sitting)Q What about women from Britain? Graeme Biggar: We have come across less of that in our investigations, but we will work with the NPCC.12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)I too will give you— Andy Marsh: Very rarely do we find right and wrong.12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Losing their parental responsibility, you mean? Dame Vera Baird: Yes. That would be a woman who had been persecuted. You are talking about sex offences?12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q Of course, of course. It is funny that often it is only on this issue that there are only grey areas. A police officer in my police force—in West Midlands police—was put on…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (First sitting)Q For women who are offenders, there is a pattern to the abuse they have suffered—all the research shows that in the high rates of, certainly, domestic and sexual violence in the…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q The vast majority do not get protected, would you say? Dame Vera Baird: I do not know about the numbers, but it is not a foolproof system. When it works, it works well, I think,…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Q On the basis of it being currently treated on its merits, which we cannot necessarily legislate for, how many do you think are being suspended, left in police forces on separate…12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)And it is currently not available. Andy Marsh: Difficult choices.12 Dec 2023HANSARDCriminal Justice Bill (Second sitting)Okay. Excepting the four in five that don’t come forward. Andy Marsh: I take your point.12 Dec 2023