Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2022 to Question 111770, on Succession, whether he plans to put in place protections to prevent a convicted domestic abuser inheriting from the death of their spousal victim in the absence of an individual will.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The law normally prevents those guilty of an unlawful killing from being a beneficiary of a will (the ‘forfeiture rule’) but does not automatically change inheritance rights for any other conviction.
I am, however, aware of concern that the law may not go far enough. The Government is currently giving consideration to this issue, and to the case and options for reform.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that the rights of more vulnerable citizens are protected when replacing the Human Rights Act 1998 with the proposed Bill of Rights.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
We have discussed our proposals with groups representing vulnerable members of society throughout the consultation process and further such engagement is planned. Under a Bill of Rights, the rights currently set out in the Human Rights Act will be protected for all UK citizens, with redress available in UK courts. When our proposals are fully developed, and once all responses to the consultation have been considered, we will conduct and publish an equality impact assessment.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of legislating to make to Body-Worn Cameras accessible to all officers on the frontline, including Prisoner Escorting and Custody officers.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
A procurement process for the next generation of Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVC) within the public prison estate is underway, for rollout commencing in 2022. The process will represent a substantial uplift of cameras available to the entire public prison estate, with each establishment having sufficient stock of cameras for every operational band 3 – 5 Prison Officer on shift at any time and a surplus for other roles.
In conjunction with the procurement of new cameras, a review of the current Prison Service Instruction is being undertaken to ensure the new Policy Framework reflects new and effective practices. This includes mandatory wearing of cameras by operational band 3 – 5 Prison Officers and their use outside of prison establishments, including on external escorts of prisoners.
It is at the discretion of Privately Managed Provisions (PMP), such as Prisoner Escort and Custody Services, to determine the provision of BWVCs to their staff. PMP providers have a range of existing contracts for the provision BWVCs, which adds to the complexities of standardising BWVC use within PMP. As such, mandating BWVCs within PMP has not been pursued within the current review of the Prison Service Instruction.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to introduce tougher penalties for causing death by dangerous driving.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, currently before Parliament, includes provisions that will increase the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving from 14 years’ imprisonment to life. The PCSC Bill has passed third reading in the House of Commons and has been introduced to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to legally recognise humanist marriages in England.
Answered by Alex Chalk
A Law Commission report due later this year is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations, and powers to hold weddings remotely in a national emergency. The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.