Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to pursue organised criminal gangs who exploit (1) property guardians, and (2) all those living in a property under a licensing arrangement.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We are determined to crack down on the county lines gangs who are exploiting our children and have a devastating impact on our communities.
That is why we are delivering a £25m programme of investment to surge our activity against these ruthless gangs. Our overall package, launched in October last year includes:
expanding the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre;
increased disruption on the rail networks by the British Transport Police’s County Lines Taskforce;
targeted operational activity against high harm lines in the three major exporting force areas (Met Police, Merseyside, West Midlands);
investment in new technology including Automatic Number Plate Recognition;
increased support for victims.
In respect of property guardians, local authorities have strong enforcement powers and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published consolidated enforcement guidance for local authorities in April 2019 which sets out their duties when dealing with property guardian properties, including those on a licence agreement. This was accompanied by guidance for renters. MHCLG has also published a property guardian factsheet to help potential or current property guardians to understand their rights.
Additionally we are aware that Housing Associations are using their local knowledge to spot early signs of abuse and exploitation that could be linked to county lines.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the effective prosecution of those who commit crimes related to modern slavery.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is committed to tackling modern slavery and bringing perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 gives law enforcement the tools and powers to tackle modern slavery, including a maximum life sentences for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims. There has been a significant increase in operational law enforcement activity to tackle modern slavery over the last few years. The number of live police operations has increased, from 188 in December 2016 to 1,640 in May 2020. We are also seeing an increase in the number of prosecutions brought and convictions secured. We continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to improve the effectiveness of modern slavery investigations to help increase the overall number of prosecutions.
The Home Office has provided a further £1.4 million this year to continue dedicated funding for the police to tackle modern slavery, under the new Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Programme. This funding will enable us to support the police to pursue and disrupt offenders and drive forward work to increase modern slavery prosecutions.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people who claimed compensation under the Windrush Compensation Scheme have died before their claims had been settled.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
In unfortunate cases when the claimant passes away after submitting a compensation claim but before the claim is fully resolved, we work with the families to ensure the compensation payment is made to the appropriate person on the claimant’s behalf. We have had three such cases so far and are working closely with the fami-lies and legal representatives in all of these cases to determine the right person to whom the compensation can be paid.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they have publicised the Windrush Compensation Scheme (1) in the UK, and (2) overseas.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
There has been significant outreach and communication activity to publicise the Windrush Compensation Scheme. Evidence has shown the importance of face-to-face communications and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, over 30 outreach events were delivered across the UK with community partners. These events have been promoted by stakeholders and on local and social media. We are now continuing events online: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/windrush-online-engagement-events. We also work with MPs, local councils and stakeholders to raise awareness, and materials on the scheme are available on Gov.uk and have been provided to community groups. In March, the Home Secretary announced a national advertising campaign to raise awareness, and a community fund to help organisations encourage applications among their communities. These will be complemented by new activity with specialist diverse media outlets and partnerships with community leaders.
To publicise the scheme overseas, we hosted an event for High Commissioners, and working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we provided materials and a briefing to British Embassies and High Commissions overseas to enable them to promote the scheme locally. Plans are in development for additional activity overseas in priority countries.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they have liaised with British High Commissions to deal with the claims of people who are currently overseas to compensation under the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
There has been significant outreach and communication activity to publicise the Windrush Compensation Scheme. Evidence has shown the importance of face-to-face communications and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, over 30 outreach events were delivered across the UK with community partners. These events have been promoted by stakeholders and on local and social media. We are now continuing events online: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/windrush-online-engagement-events. We also work with MPs, local councils and stakeholders to raise awareness, and materials on the scheme are available on Gov.uk and have been provided to community groups. In March, the Home Secretary announced a national advertising campaign to raise awareness, and a community fund to help organisations encourage applications among their communities. These will be complemented by new activity with specialist diverse media outlets and partnerships with community leaders.
To publicise the scheme overseas, we hosted an event for High Commissioners, and working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we provided materials and a briefing to British Embassies and High Commissions overseas to enable them to promote the scheme locally. Plans are in development for additional activity overseas in priority countries.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure effective prosecution of those guilty of modern slavery offences.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery and bringing those individuals responsible both in the UK and overseas to justice. There has been a significant increase in operational law enforcement activity to tackle modern slavery over the last few years and we are seeing an increase in the number of prosecutions brought and convictions secured.
However as modern slavery is a complex and multi-faceted crime, some modern slavery offenders may be prosecuted for offences that are not specifically modern slavery offences. We continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to improve the effectiveness of modern slavery investigations to help increase the overall number of prosecutions.
The UK also participates in Joint Investigation Teams which bring together judicial and law enforcement partners in relevant countries, where possible, to investigate and prosecute modern slavery cases.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they cooperate with other states to ensure the effective prosecution of those guilty of modern slavery offences.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery and bringing those individuals responsible both in the UK and overseas to justice. There has been a significant increase in operational law enforcement activity to tackle modern slavery over the last few years and we are seeing an increase in the number of prosecutions brought and convictions secured.
However as modern slavery is a complex and multi-faceted crime, some modern slavery offenders may be prosecuted for offences that are not specifically modern slavery offences. We continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to improve the effectiveness of modern slavery investigations to help increase the overall number of prosecutions.
The UK also participates in Joint Investigation Teams which bring together judicial and law enforcement partners in relevant countries, where possible, to investigate and prosecute modern slavery cases.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to tackle hate crime on public transport.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is clear that all forms of hate crime are unacceptable. The Government’s Hate Crime Action Plan 2016, and the refresh in 2018, contains a number of commitments to tackle hate crime on public transport. These include:
The 2018 Hate Crime Action Plan refresh also includes a number of broader actions addressing all forms of hate crime, including hate crime on public transport. These include:
More widely, the British Transport Police (BTP) provides a policing service that meets the needs of all passengers and people who use or work on the railways. BTP has a firm commitment to responding to all reports of hate crime and it actively works with train operating companies and Network Rail to improve awareness, vigilance and reporting of information on hate crime incidents.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to encourage the reporting of hate crime, and (2) to achieve successful prosecutions for hate crime.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Police recorded hate crime has more than doubled over the period 2012/13 to 2018/19, with 103,379 hate crimes being recorded in 2018/19- an increase of 10 per cent compared with 2017/2018 (94,121 offences). This increase is thought to be driven largely by improvements in police recording practices, as well as better identification of hate crimes, willingness of victims to come forward, and a genuine increase in these offences around certain events. Better recording is an important part of how to tackle hate crime and support victims.
However, this Government recognises that there is no room for complacency given the impact of hate crimes on victims, their families and wider communities. The Hate Crime Action Plan refresh published in October 2018 sets out a comprehensive plan for tackling the issue. This includes work under 5 key themes: preventing hate crime by challenging beliefs and attitudes; responding to hate crime within our communities; increasing the reporting of hate crime; improving support for victims of hate crime; and building our understanding of hate crime.
A number of steps have been taken to improve the effectiveness of prosecutions. The CPS has delivered mandatory face to face training for prosecutors and conducts assurance checks on hate crime cases to ensure they are dealt with effectively. The CPS Hate Crime Annual Report shows that the conviction rate for hate crime prosecutions remains steady at 84.3% and the proportion of cases where the CPS was successful in achieving uplifted sentences increased from 67.1% in 2017-18, to 73.6% in 2018-19.
Work includes supporting reporting mechanisms such as the police reporting portal TrueVision, the online hate crime hub and third party reporting centres like Tell MAMA as well as improving general understanding of hate crime through activities like the public awareness campaign.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what they are doing to ensure that there is no excessive delay in issuing passports.
Answered by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
As My Rt. Hon. Friend the Home Secretary explained in the House on 12 June, we have agreed a range of measures to deal with the current high levels of demand for passports. I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 12 June 2014, Official Report, columns 693 and 694.