Contest: UK Strategy for Countering Terrorism 2023
Debate between Lord Shipley and Lord Sharpe of Epsom(9 months, 1 week ago)
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Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
I fear I cannot confirm whether that is the case. I will find out the answer and write to the noble Lord.
Lord Shipley (LD)
My Lords, in the other place, my right honourable friend Alistair Carmichael MP asked the Home Secretary about children who are UK citizens who were trafficked by ISIS and who are still in northern Syria, while our allies have repatriated their citizens in similar circumstances. The Home Secretary’s response had no bearing on the question, so can the Minister say whether there is anything in the strategy to tackle these very difficult cases, and what action the Government intend to take about them if not?
Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, I am not familiar with the cases to which the noble Lord’s right honourable friend in the other place referred, how many there are or what is the substance of this particular inquiry. I suggest that it is a long way from the Contest strategy that we are here to talk about, but I will endeavour to find out a little more and come back to him, rather than giving him an inadequate answer.
Vagrancy Act 1824
Debate between Lord Shipley and Lord Sharpe of Epsom(11 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
I think I have already answered questions around this particular line of inquiry.
Lord Shipley (LD)
My Lords, I have listened carefully to the Minister’s replies to all the questions so far. I am still none the wiser as to why the Government are not delivering the repeal of the Vagrancy Act. It should have been repealed. I do not understand what is stopping the Government moving forward.
Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, as noble Lords know and as I have tried to explain, we are hard at work on coming up with a suitable replacement, which is not a like-for-like replacement of the Vagrancy Act in its current form. But it is right that the police, local authorities and so on have the tools that they need to respond effectively to begging and rough sleeping. That work is ongoing.