Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has his department made of the potential benefits of introducing mandatory regular building surveys and maintenance plans in support of vulnerable adults under the court of protection.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
No such assessment has been made. The court can appoint a range of persons to fulfil the role of deputy in managing the financial affairs, and if appropriate the property affairs, of a vulnerable adult who lacks the capacity to make decisions about their assets.
Where a deputy is authorised to manage such property, they must act in accordance with the terms of the deputyship order and must act in the best interests of the vulnerable adult. The deputy must protect the property by ensuring it is secure and that appropriate insurance is in place. Keeping the property secure includes ensuring that any necessary maintenance is carried out by an appropriately qualified contractor.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of financial abuse by negligent Financial Deputies on vulnerable adults under the court of protection.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
When the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) receives notice that the court has appointed a deputy to manage the finances or a person who lacks mental capacity, it provides the deputy with access to the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice and supporting guidance known as Deputy Standards. Those standards are published on gov.uk and provide information on legal duties and responsibilities.
OPG expects Public Authority and professional deputies to have a higher level of technical knowledge and expertise than lay deputies, such as family members. For lay deputies, OPG provides initial support to help them meet their responsibilities competently. All deputies are subject to supervision by OPG and that process requires the deputy to submit annual accounts. Where a deputy fails to meet the Deputy Standards, they may be asked to complete a number of corrective actions. A significant breach of the standards may result in an application to the Court of Protection to remove the deputy.
If someone believes a deputy has breached their duties, they can report the matter to OPG. Under Section 58 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 OPG has the power to deal with complaints or representations about the way in which a deputy is exercising their powers, including any alleged financial mismanagement or abuse. Where necessary, OPG refers cases to the Court of Protection and other agencies such as local authorities or the police.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the number of overseas domestic workers who have been able to enforce their rights to fair pay and working conditions through an employment tribunal over the last decade.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department publishes regular statistics on Employment Tribunals claims, which includes claims relating to pay and working conditions (such as unauthorised deductions, minimum wage, working time, and equal pay) which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2025/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2025.
The published data does not break down claims by claimant characteristics (such as nationality or visa status), or the type of work conducted by claimant.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his department has made of the potential merits of recognising humanist marriages using existing powers.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government announced on 2 October that it intends to reform weddings law when parliamentary time allows. The reforms reflect a commitment to making weddings law fairer, simpler and more modern, whilst also protecting the solemnity and dignity of marriage. We want to create a level playing field for all groups, including allowing Humanist weddings to be legally recognised for the first time. We will be consulting on the details early next year.
The Government is of the view that using the existing order-making power under section 14 of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 legally to recognise Humanist weddings would mean introducing new inequalities into existing law. This is because Humanists would gain more freedoms in relation to how they marry than those available to most religious groups. The Government has decided to enable Humanist weddings as part of comprehensive reform that ensures all groups are treated fairly.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times a court has cited (a) Article 3 and (b) Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights as a reason for the non-deportation of an asylum seeker in the last 12 months.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested is not held centrally. It may be held in court records, but to determine that and obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of legally recognising humanist wedding ceremonies.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is aware that humanists have long been campaigning to conduct legally binding weddings. We are grateful for the contributions that humanists make to our society.
The Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings raises a number of issues around weddings law. Given marriage will always be one of our most important institutions, it is right that as a new Government we take the time to carefully consider this report before we set out our position in the coming months.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of employment tribunal processes on litigants without legal representation.
Answered by Heidi Alexander - Secretary of State for Transport
Tribunals, including the Employment Tribunals, are designed to be expert, accessible, low cost and without a need for legal representation. Legal aid is available for legal advice and assistance in relation to discrimination cases which fall under the Equality Act 2010 and some earlier discrimination enactments, subject to passing the means and merits tests. Legal aid for other employment matters may be available through the Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) Scheme, if a failure to provide legal aid would breach, or likely risk a breach of, an individual’s human rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.
We are providing over £10 million of grant funding to improve access to legal support and advice, including for litigants in person. This includes support to help people navigate the process effectively where court or tribunal proceedings are needed, as well as the provision of online support across a range of civil, family and tribunal jurisdictions. This includes online advice for the employment tribunal.
For free independent legal advice, litigants may approach the following organisations: Law Centres Network; The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service; Advocate; Law Works.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of reduced media coverage of magistrates' courts on (a) democracy and (b) transparency of the justice system.
Answered by Heidi Alexander - Secretary of State for Transport
We are aware of the reduced number of journalists to cover magistrates' proceedings. The Ministry of Justice is committed to open justice and ensuring that the media can report on proceedings effectively. Allowing the public to scrutinise and understand court processes helps to build trust and confidence in the justice system and our democracy. Courts and tribunals are improving how they provide information to the media and the public, ensuring our justice system remains transparent.