Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to review the evidence which has been withheld by the Government since 2015 on the grounds of national security in the investigation into the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984, to ascertain whether that evidence may now be released.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In any case referred to the CPS by the police, a decision to prosecute is made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, and a case must meet the evidential and public interest stages of the Full Code Test. Ultimately, the decision was taken that a prosecution could not proceed.
The Government is unable to confirm or deny the existence of any evidence being withheld on national security grounds.
Although a prosecution is not currently possible, should new information come to light the police and CPS would look again at whether a prosecution could be brought. We are determined to bring perpetrators to justice wherever possible.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the Track and Trace App in England and Wales recognises Scottish postcodes.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The NHS COVID-19 app has been designed for use by people in England and Wales and does not recognise postcodes from elsewhere in the United Kingdom. The Scottish Government has developed their own contact tracing app, Protect Scotland, and people resident in Scotland are encouraged to use this app. Contacts between users of these apps will be detected and users will be notified of potential exposures. Scottish app users can continue to use the Protect Scotland app whilst visiting England and Wales.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that European citizens who are resident in the UK who may not be aware of the requirement to apply for settled status because they are (a) elderly, including those living in local authority and private care homes and suffering from conditions such as dementia, and (b) young people who may be in local authority and foster care have access to information to enable them to apply for that status under the EU Settlement Scheme by the deadline of 30 June 2021.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Since the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) opened in March 2019, the Home Office has undertaken a broad range of communications and stakeholder engagement activity to encourage EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members to apply for and obtain status. This has included targeted stakeholder engagement with hard to reach and vulnerable groups, including collaborative work with local authorities, and a comprehensive, £7.9 million advertising campaign.
We are committed to making sure everybody eligible for the EUSS can apply, including those who are vulnerable or need extra support. We have awarded £22 million of funding to a network of now 72 charities and community organisations across the UK, to ensure important information and assistance gets through to those who are hardest to reach and no one is left behind. These organisations have helped more than 250,000 vulnerable people to apply to the EUSS already, including elderly people living in local authority and private care homes and those suffering from dementia.
In England, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services is continuing to engage with social care departments across the country. They are delivering engagement webinars to key stakeholders such as the Principal Social Workers and the Care Provider Alliance to provide information and are signposting the support available through the grant-funded network.
In Scotland, Citizen’s Advice Scotland are working with care providers in the Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling local authority areas.
In Northern Ireland, Advice NI and Step are funded to provide support to the care sector.
In Wales, support is provided by both Newport Mind and TGP Cymru.
In relation to children in care and care leavers, the Home Office continues to engage extensively with relevant stakeholders, such as the Department for Education, local authorities and local government associations in England, Wales and Scotland, Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, to ensure staff and applicants are supported and informed throughout the application process.
The Home Office also holds a programme of teleconferences for local authority staff working with children in care, which provide a forum to exchange information, ask questions and raise issues.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to extend compensation to (a) immediate family members and (b) others affected by the contaminated blood scandal.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 March 2021.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) English Football Club matches have been shown live on BBC One Scotland and (b) Scottish Football Club matches have been shown live on BBC England between 1 January 2020 and 1 February 2021.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government welcomed the English Premier League’s decision to show live games on the BBC for the first time in its history, whilst fans cannot attend matches.
However, scheduling decisions are for the BBC and the department does not hold data on the number of English and Scottish club matches shown live on any BBC channels.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of financial support available to medical research charities during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Matt Hancock
We have some of the finest, globally-recognised medical research charities right across the United Kingdom, which are an integral part of our world-leading life sciences sector. Last week I met medical research charities to discuss what more we can do to support them and our life sciences sector as a whole go from strength to strength across all parts of the UK.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Attorney General:
What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the importance of upholding the rule of law.
Answered by Suella Braverman
The rule of law is at the heart of the UK constitution. The duty of the Law Officers is to ensure that the Government acts lawfully at all times. I take that responsibility seriously including in my role as legal adviser to the Government and when attending Cabinet, and that will not change.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Government Legal Department lawyers for their heroic work in contributing to the Rule of Law during the pandemic, as the Government continues to be successful in Covid-related challenges.Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Prime minister's oral answer on 1 July 2020, Official Report, column 327 and his meeting with the hon. Member for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock on 29 July 2020 on the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984, what progress he has made on the release of Government information relevant to that investigation.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
This question repeats a letter the Honorable Member has recently sent to the Prime Minister. This response is in drafting and he will receive a reply by Friday 22nd January 2021.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans Network Rail has for Ayr railway station.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Network Rail is committed to keeping Ayr station operating safely. The derelict hotel building adjacent to the Station is owned by a private landlord. It is undergoing a feasibility study into the long-term future of this building, this is being led by South Ayrshire Council and is due early this year. Once Network Rail have assessed the results of the feasibility study they will continue the conversation around Ayr station to find a workable solution.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) is taking to put pressure on the Syrian regime to release detainees; and what steps the UK is taking as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to (ii) push for the release of those detainees and (ii) recognise justice and accountability for detainees as a central issue in a future peace process.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK uses several tools to put pressure on the Syrian regime to release detainees, which is a key tenet of UN Security Council Resolution 2254. We recognise that justice and accountability for detainees is a central issue for the UN-led political process and we fully support the UN Syria Envoy's efforts to work for the release of detainees, as a vital step towards a political settlement to end the conflict. The UK has contributed over £13 million since 2012 in support of Syrian and international efforts to gather evidence and assist victims of human rights abuses and violations. Additionally we continue to pursue sanctions as a policy tool to hold the Syrian regime to account and to bring about a peaceful solution to the conflict. We have raised the plight of detainees at the UN Security Council and through our leadership at the Human Rights Council where we have included language on enforced disappearance in recent Syria Resolutions. We support the UN's call to the Assad regime and Syrian armed groups to release a sufficient number of detainees to prevent COVID-19 spreading in detention facilities, as well as their urgent request to allow humanitarian actors and medical teams unhindered access to prisons.