Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to support the victims of crime.
Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)
The Government is committed to supporting victims of crime.
The Victims and Prisoners Bill, which is currently in Report stage of the second House, introduces measures to better serve victims and the public, through improving victims’ experiences of the Criminal Justice System. The Bill places the overarching principles of the Victims’ Code into primary legislation and places a statutory duty on relevant agencies to provide services in accordance with the Victims’ Code, unless there is a good reason not to. The Bill sets up new oversight mechanisms to monitor and improve Code compliance through new mandatory data collection. There will be a series of consequences in place for bodies that do not comply with the Code, delivered by new local and national oversight mechanisms, with robust independent scrutiny by the Victims’ Commissioner.
The Government recognises the importance of services which support victims, and so the Bill also introduces a duty on Police and Crime Commissioners Local Authorities and Integrated Care Boards to collaborate when commissioning support services for victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and serious violence in England. Alongside this, the government has quadrupled funding for victims’ support services in cash terms since 2009/10. This includes funding to increase the number of Independent Sexual Violence Advisers and Independent Domestic Violence Advisers to around 1,000 by 2024/25, a 24/7 Rape Support Helpline, and an improved Homicide Support Service.
In addition to supporting victims directly, the Government is committed to making sure the punishment fits the crime. The average custodial sentence has increased by around 50% since 2010 and serious offenders now spend a higher proportion of their sentence in custody.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of proposals to house asylum seekers at the former RAF base at Scampton.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Cost information is prospective and commercially sensitive, and as such is not available to be released. The pressure on the asylum system from small boat arrivals has continued to grow and requires us to look at a range of accommodation options which are more appropriate and offer better value for the taxpayer than expensive hotels.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question
To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church has had discussions with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on the attack on the St Francis Xavier Church in Owo, Nigeria in 2022; and whether the Church is providing aid for the victims of that attack.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
The Archbishop of Canterbury issued a statement at the time of the attack on the Roman Catholic Church of St Francis Xavier in 2022, saying: “The massacre of worshippers – men, women and children – during a Mass in South-west Nigeria was an act of pure evil and a profound offence to God. My prayers are with all affected by this barbaric attack. I continue to pray for the nation of Nigeria.” The Archbishop meets often with politicians and clergy from Nigeria and has raised the issues of inter community and inter-religious violence.
Bishops of the Church of England are in regular discussion with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on matters affecting freedom of religion or belief, including in Nigeria. On 6th June 2022 the Lord Bishop of Leeds asked a question of the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the House of Lords, during exchanges on an answer to an urgent question on the attacks. He stressed that while condemnation by religious leaders was necessary and important, it often had limited impact on the self-proclaimed and ideologically-driven religious groupings and organisations behind such attacks.
The Church has not provided any direct financial aid to the victims of this attack, but through its diocesan companion links with Nigeria and the work of its voluntary mission agencies it is continuing to support the Church in Nigeria more broadly as it responds to violations of freedom of religion or belief.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
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 closing places of worship during the covid-19 pandemic on people’s (a) physical and (b) mental health; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Freedom of religion or belief and the freedom to worship are fundamental human rights.
That is why the decision to close our Places of Worship, alongside all other places where people gathered, was made with great reluctance in the very earliest stages of the pandemic.
Recognising the importance of our Places of Worship to the spiritual, mental and physical health of our communities, we worked hard to ensure that they were able to reopen as soon as possible.
Gradual reopening began in June 2020 when it was clear how risks to worshippers could be minimised and our Places of Worship were able to remain open for worshippers throughout the remainder of the pandemic.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans his Department has for further devolution in England.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
As the Chancellor set out at Autumn Statement, we remain committed to ensuring that every part of England that wants a devolution deal by 2030 will have one.
In addition to the four new devolution deals and deeper devolution offer announced last week, we have committed to consider whether level 2 powers and funding can be devolved to county councils that meet key criteria set out in the Levelling Up White Paper. We are also in advanced discussions with Devon and Torbay about a devolution deal there.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of the blast furnaces in Scunthorpe on virgin steel production.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Almost all the G20 countries have operational blast furnaces, and a number of those are transitioning to electric arc furnaces as well.
We know the importance of Scunthorpe, which is a key driver of economic growth. British Steel provides a third of all domestic production supplied to the construction and rail industries.
We continue to be in negotiations to make sure that we secure the best deal, and one that is good value for taxpayers, when it comes to Scunthorpe.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made recent progress on temporarily housing asylum seekers at Catterick Garrison; and what recent estimate she has made of when that site will begin receiving asylum seekers.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office is considering a range of options to deliver accommodation requirements as part of the implementation of the Illegal Migration Act. Work is ongoing to bring forward accommodation at Catterick garrison as part of wider efforts to relieve pressure on the asylum system.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on steps to prevent protestors from disrupting sporting events.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Recent disruption of sporting and cultural events is totally unacceptable, and the Government has taken steps to empower the police to ensure the smooth running of major events.
I recently attended a roundtable with cabinet colleagues, police and sports representatives to ensure major sporting events this summer are protected from disruption, and we will continue to work with event organisers and police to protect the uninterrupted enjoyment of major sporting and cultural events.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department have made an assessment of potential radioactivity levels at the former RAF base at Scampton.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office will ensure that all accommodation is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and meets all regulatory requirements.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the potential cost per person per day of housing asylum seekers on former military bases.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Cost information is prospective and commercially sensitive, and as such is not available to be released.