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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 14 Jul 2022
Human Rights Act 1998

"My Lords, may I first acknowledge the contribution to human rights of my dear friend of many years, the noble Baroness, Lady Greengross, a founder member of our Equality and Human Rights Commission, whose work for the rights of older people, among others, was so very effective?

I am grateful …..."
Baroness Whitaker - View Speech

View all Baroness Whitaker (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Human Rights Act 1998
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 14 Jul 2022
Human Rights Act 1998

"My Lords, it may not be often that one is instructed by one’s own debate, but I have learned much. I am extremely grateful to all the speakers who have put their wisdom, expertise and conviction to the service of one of the most important discourses of our time, perhaps …..."
Baroness Whitaker - View Speech

View all Baroness Whitaker (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Human Rights Act 1998
Written Question
Marriage: Humanism
Wednesday 30th March 2022

Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend legal recognition to humanist weddings; and why they did not do so at the same time as extending legal recognition to outdoor weddings.

Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar - Shadow Attorney General

In 2014, the Government published a consultation paper and response assessing the potential merits of provision for non-religious belief marriages. This concluded that the matter was complex, and that by allowing Humanists to solemnise marriages in unrestricted locations, the Government would create a provision for Humanists that would not be available to all groups.

To ensure we are considering the implications of changing the law on marriage for all groups, we invited the Law Commission to undertake a review which is currently underway and is expected to report in July of this year. By looking at the law comprehensively, the Law Commission will seek to put forward proposals that would ensure that, insofar as possible, groups and couples are all subject to the same rules and the same level of regulation. That reform is not possible by only authorising Humanist weddings, even on a temporary basis pending the Law Commission report.

The Government will carefully consider the Law Commission’s recommendations when the final report is published in July, and it is right for us to wait for the outcome of the report before amending marriage law any further.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 21 Mar 2022
Prisons: Releasing Women into Safe and Secure Housing

"My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lady Warwick of Undercliffe, and at her request, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in her name on the Order Paper...."
Baroness Whitaker - View Speech

View all Baroness Whitaker (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Prisons: Releasing Women into Safe and Secure Housing
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 21 Mar 2022
Prisons: Releasing Women into Safe and Secure Housing

"My Lords, that is well and good—I am grateful to the Minister—but while it is good to know that some progress has been made, there are still problems. The accommodation service is in place in only five of the 11 probation regions of England and Wales, and there has been …..."
Baroness Whitaker - View Speech

View all Baroness Whitaker (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Prisons: Releasing Women into Safe and Secure Housing
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 Feb 2022
Judicial Review and Courts Bill

"My Lords, as a former magistrate, I warmly support the first point made by my noble and learned friend. The differences in offences, their nature and conduct vary enormously in general, from area to area and region to region. To understand not only the offence but its cause and, therefore, …..."
Baroness Whitaker - View Speech

View all Baroness Whitaker (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Judicial Review and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 Feb 2022
Judicial Review and Courts Bill

"My Lords, I support all the amendments in this group. My support comes from my experience as a magistrate, and I appreciate the endorsements of the role of the magistrate from all around the Committee. As those who frequent magistrates’ courts will know, they are places where invariably vulnerable and …..."
Baroness Whitaker - View Speech

View all Baroness Whitaker (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Judicial Review and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 07 Feb 2022
Judicial Review and Courts Bill

"My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble and learned Lord, Lord Garnier. Indeed, I rise with great trepidation among such distinguished and learned speakers. I will make a brief contribution from a different perspective: that of a former civil servant whose advice was liable to judicial review, …..."
Baroness Whitaker - View Speech

View all Baroness Whitaker (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Judicial Review and Courts Bill
Written Question
Prisoners: Ethnic Groups
Thursday 9th December 2021

Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar (HL3924) on 24 November, what plans they have, if any, to introduce an ethnic group for those in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in statistics related to people in prisons.

Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar - Shadow Attorney General

There are no current plans to alter the ethnic groups for the regular quarterly published data on the prison population which formed the basis of the answer to HL3924. The broad categories included in the information released are in line with current guidance from the Race Disparity Unit of the Cabinet Office.

Numbers self-designating as ‘Irish Traveller or Gypsy’ are published as part of a more detailed data set which are released annually as part of the series Offender Management Statistics Quarterly. The most recent release of this data formed part of the January to March 2021 issue, published in July 2021. Figures were included in Table A1.9ii of the Annual Prison Population: 2021 document. This showed that as of 30 June 2021 1,365 prisoners self-designated as Irish Traveller or Gypsy. This number was further broken to show that 1,337 were male and 28 were female.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 08 Nov 2021
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"My Lords, I wonder whether the interesting amendment from the noble and learned Lord, Lord Garnier, might not have some unintended consequences that I, personally, would find very welcome. What if the “unlawful activity” included acts contrary to the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act? What if the landlord …..."
Baroness Whitaker - View Speech

View all Baroness Whitaker (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill