Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has held recent discussions with the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office on guidance for judges on handling cases involving rape and sexual assault.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) is the independent statutory body which supports the Lord Chancellor and Lady Chief Justice in their joint responsibility for judicial discipline. JCIO’s statutory remit is to deal with complaints of misconduct made against judicial office holders made by individuals. The JCIO is not responsible for judicial training.
To preserve the independence of the judiciary, the Lady Chief Justice, Senior President of Tribunals and Chief Coroner have statutory responsibility for judicial training, under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, and Coroners and Justice Act 2009 respectively. The Lady Chief Justice is responsible for issuing guidance to the judiciary in England and Wales, and for the provision of its training, which is delivered by the Judicial College. All judges who hear criminal cases involving allegations of rape and serious sexual offences are required to attend specialist training provided by the Judicial College. The Judicial College also provides guidance in relation to cases involving allegations of rape and sexual assault in the Crown Court Compendium and Equal Treatment Bench Book, which are available at the following links:
Crown Court Compendium - June 2023 - Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
Equal Treatment Bench Book - Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that only Structural Engineers who are Licenced Asbestos Contractors will be used to carry out inspections of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) products.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) does not contain asbestos.
Any intrusive works that are required to assess the presence of RAAC, are carried out by licensed asbestos contractors where asbestos containing materials are suspected, as Health and Safety Executive guidance dictates.
Further information on RAAC in education settings is available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/. Background on RAAC management information can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information/background-on-raac-management-information.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the prevalence of the use of asbestos in reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) products.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) does not contain asbestos.
Any intrusive works that are required to assess the presence of RAAC, are carried out by licensed asbestos contractors where asbestos containing materials are suspected, as Health and Safety Executive guidance dictates.
Further information on RAAC in education settings is available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/. Background on RAAC management information can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information/background-on-raac-management-information.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 6.11 in the report of the Royal Trustees on the Sovereign Grant Review 2023, if he will take steps to ensure that the increased surplus to the Exchequer from the Crown Estate in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 is used to train UK resident workers to meet the demand for supply chain jobs in Renewable Energy Zones.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government continues to work with industry, The Crown Estate and other partners to support the UK's offshore wind manufacturing sector. Funding is allocated in line with the government’s overall priorities, primarily through the spending review process, with the overall amount of spending informed by the wider fiscal position.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment of the factors behind Vattenfall’s decision to stop development of the Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Final investment decisions are based on commercially privileged information specific to each project developer. The Government has engaged extensively with renewables developers over the past year and is aware that they have faced unprecedented global economic challenges resulting in supply chain bottlenecks, increases in capital costs, and a rising cost of finance. The Department reviews the Contracts for Difference scheme (the main support mechanism for renewable projects) every year and updates its evidence base to include reliable new industry data.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the number of jobs supported by the existing supply chain contracts awarded as part of the Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government does not hold this data.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his oral evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 22 March 2023, HC 1213, what his estimated timescale is for the appointment of the independent partner who will review the operation of the voter ID scheme; and if he will publish the selection criteria for that appointment.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 180947 on 20 April 2023.
Regarding the review of the introduction of voter identification, I refer to the answer I gave to Question UIN 162192 on 14 March 2023.
It is for Returning Officers and Presiding Officers to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for checking the identity of disabled and immunocompromised people who are vulnerable to COVID-19. This may include checking identification outside the polling place where appropriate.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his oral evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 22 March 2023, HC 1213, when he expects the review of the operation of the voter ID scheme to begin.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 180947 on 20 April 2023.
Regarding the review of the introduction of voter identification, I refer to the answer I gave to Question UIN 162192 on 14 March 2023.
It is for Returning Officers and Presiding Officers to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for checking the identity of disabled and immunocompromised people who are vulnerable to COVID-19. This may include checking identification outside the polling place where appropriate.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department has taken to provide targeted support to black and minority ethnic voters on new voter ID requirements.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 180947 on 20 April 2023.
Regarding the review of the introduction of voter identification, I refer to the answer I gave to Question UIN 162192 on 14 March 2023.
It is for Returning Officers and Presiding Officers to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for checking the identity of disabled and immunocompromised people who are vulnerable to COVID-19. This may include checking identification outside the polling place where appropriate.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of voter ID policies on black and minority ethnic voters.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 180947 on 20 April 2023.
Regarding the review of the introduction of voter identification, I refer to the answer I gave to Question UIN 162192 on 14 March 2023.
It is for Returning Officers and Presiding Officers to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for checking the identity of disabled and immunocompromised people who are vulnerable to COVID-19. This may include checking identification outside the polling place where appropriate.