Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the length of time it takes to process a probate application; and how this figure compares to 2019.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Despite record level of receipts in 2022 the average length of time taken for a grant of probate following receipt of the documents required has been maintained at between 5 and 8 weeks, which was similar to the average length of time in 2019, which was between 6 and 8 weeks.
HMCTS has increased resources to meet the higher demand following an increased number of estates requiring probate and is further increasing resourcing to further bring down overall timeliness on digital and paper applications.
Average waiting times for probate grants, are routinely published on gov.uk via Family Court Statistics Quarterly and currently cover the period up to December 2022.
The Probate offices closing in the past four years were:
2020: Birmingham District Probate Registry (DPR), Bristol DPR, Ipswich DPR and London DPR
2021: Manchester DPR
All Probate Sub Registries closed between December 2019 and January 2020.
These closures were completed in conjunction with the opening of new Courts and Tribunal Service Centre in Birmingham where the majority of the increased probate workforce is now based. The launch of the online system for probate applications has made the service more accessible for applicants and removed the need to travel to city centre locations to have their oath sworn as part of the process.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many offices undertaking probate work have closed in each of the past four years.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Despite record level of receipts in 2022 the average length of time taken for a grant of probate following receipt of the documents required has been maintained at between 5 and 8 weeks, which was similar to the average length of time in 2019, which was between 6 and 8 weeks.
HMCTS has increased resources to meet the higher demand following an increased number of estates requiring probate and is further increasing resourcing to further bring down overall timeliness on digital and paper applications.
Average waiting times for probate grants, are routinely published on gov.uk via Family Court Statistics Quarterly and currently cover the period up to December 2022.
The Probate offices closing in the past four years were:
2020: Birmingham District Probate Registry (DPR), Bristol DPR, Ipswich DPR and London DPR
2021: Manchester DPR
All Probate Sub Registries closed between December 2019 and January 2020.
These closures were completed in conjunction with the opening of new Courts and Tribunal Service Centre in Birmingham where the majority of the increased probate workforce is now based. The launch of the online system for probate applications has made the service more accessible for applicants and removed the need to travel to city centre locations to have their oath sworn as part of the process.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what they expect the cost to be of (1) converting RAF Linton so that it will be suitable as a large-scale reception centre for 1,500 asylum seekers, (2) running such a large-scale reception centre, and (3) accommodating 1,500 asylum seeks in hotels; and whether they plan to publish estimates of the capital and running costs of RAF Linton as a large-scale reception centre alongside a cost-benefit analysis.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The sharp increase in small boat crossings and the pandemic has meant increased use of contingency accommodation to meet our legal duty to provide accommodation to destitute asylum seekers, which is costing the UK taxpayers almost £5million a day, every day.
The Home Office is looking at proposals to establish a new asylum accommodation centre at RAF Linton-On-Ouse, North Yorkshire. This would support our response to the increasing pressures on the UK asylum system.
Ministers have not taken any final decision to accommodate asylum seekers at RAF Linton. Should it be progressed, the site would provide safe and cost-effective accommodation to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute
We will be able to assess value for money once we have received firm bids for the provision of the service, but we anticipate being able to generate cost savings.
It would not be appropriate to comment further while planning is ongoing.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how asylum seekers will be screened to assess for any vulnerabilities which may make it inappropriate for them to be accommodated in large-scale reception centres.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of those being considered for accommodation at the proposed site in Linton-on-Ouse or other reception centre, an assessment would take place by the Home Office prior to allocation using suitability criteria. The factors that are currently considered when assessing the suitability of individual asylum seekers for particular accommodation is set out in the policy guidance ‘Allocation of Accommodation’. This policy guidance will be reviewed as part of any preparations to open the proposed asylum accommodation site in Linton-on-Ouse.
The welfare of all asylum seekers in our care is of the utmost importance. Were Linton-On-Ouse to be used to accommodate asylum seekers, we would employ a robust screening process which would involve an evidence-based assessment of suitability for entry to Linton-on-Ouse. Individual suitability would continue to be assessed at regular intervals.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they will use to assess whether an asylum seeker will be appropriate to accommodate in (1) the proposed reception centre at RAF Linton, and (2) any other large-scale reception centre.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of those being considered for accommodation at the proposed site in Linton-on-Ouse or other reception centre, an assessment would take place by the Home Office prior to allocation using suitability criteria. The factors that are currently considered when assessing the suitability of individual asylum seekers for particular accommodation is set out in the policy guidance ‘Allocation of Accommodation’. This policy guidance will be reviewed as part of any preparations to open the proposed asylum accommodation site in Linton-on-Ouse.
The welfare of all asylum seekers in our care is of the utmost importance. Were Linton-On-Ouse to be used to accommodate asylum seekers, we would employ a robust screening process which would involve an evidence-based assessment of suitability for entry to Linton-on-Ouse. Individual suitability would continue to be assessed at regular intervals.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what provision they will make for asylum seekers at (1) RAF Linton, and (2) other large-scale reception centres, to access legal advice; and what consideration has been given to shortages of legal aid and advice.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Healthcare
We continue to work closely with NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in respect of the provision of health services at Linton-on-Ouse and the definition of health service provision and capacity is being led by the CCG. Experience and lessons learnt from Napier Barracks are being used by the CCG to identify health service provision requirements at the proposed development.
Healthcare at future reception centres will be developed using a similar approach.
Legal Advice
The site at Linton-on-Ouse is being designed to facilitate and support interaction between service users and their chosen legal advisors, whereby asylum seekers accommodated at Linton-on-Ouse will have the ability to access the support of legal representation, either face-to-face or remotely. Those with no legal representation will be sign- posted in seeking appropriate representation. The Home Office continues to liaise with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to finalise the details of this provision at Linton-on-Ouse.
Access to legal advisors at future reception centres will be developed using a similar approach.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what healthcare facilities will be provided at (1) RAF Linton, and (2) other large-scale reception centres for asylum seekers; and whether the centres will be reliant on local healthcare services.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Healthcare
We continue to work closely with NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in respect of the provision of health services at Linton-on-Ouse and the definition of health service provision and capacity is being led by the CCG. Experience and lessons learnt from Napier Barracks are being used by the CCG to identify health service provision requirements at the proposed development.
Healthcare at future reception centres will be developed using a similar approach.
Legal Advice
The site at Linton-on-Ouse is being designed to facilitate and support interaction between service users and their chosen legal advisors, whereby asylum seekers accommodated at Linton-on-Ouse will have the ability to access the support of legal representation, either face-to-face or remotely. Those with no legal representation will be sign- posted in seeking appropriate representation. The Home Office continues to liaise with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to finalise the details of this provision at Linton-on-Ouse.
Access to legal advisors at future reception centres will be developed using a similar approach.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what forms of contract they propose for the providers of services at (1) the RAF Linton reception centre for asylum seekers, and (2) other large scale reception centres.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The proposed accommodation site in Linton-on-Ouse would be a contract change notice under the pre-established Asylum Accommodation Support Contract (AASC) for the North West region with Serco, to run for a period of two years, after which we intend to run a competitive commercial procurement process for a service supplier on that site.
For further accommodation centres, the Home Office would use a competitive and fair commercial procurement process for the provision of design, build or renovation and operation of national accommodation centres, including the subsequent service provision including management, maintenance and related works and services.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the proposed Planning Bill contains provisions to require the impact of any new infrastructure proposal to be assessed against the ability to achieve the UK's net-zero carbon emissions target.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
National planning policies already recognise the importance of sustainable development, and make clear that reducing carbon emissions should be considered in plan and decision making. The Government is considering how the planning system can further support our commitment to reaching net zero, including through the planning reform programme and the forthcoming Planning Bill. Our response to the Planning for the Future White Paper, setting out next steps on these reforms, will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend their road transport infrastructure policy to require that they take account of (1) the UK's commitments under the Paris Agreement, and (2) the commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is satisfied that plans for road infrastructure are consistent with Net Zero and the UK's commitments under the Paris Agreement, matters which we keep under consideration. The upcoming Transport Decarbonisation Plan will set out a credible and ambitious pathway to deliver transport’s contribution to carbon budgets and meeting net zero by 2050.