Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making her advice to Cabinet colleagues on the legal implications of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill available in the public interest.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised, and the content of their advice, must not be disclosed outside government without their authority. This principle is known as the Law Officers’ Convention and can be found at paragraphs 21.27 of Erskine May and 5.14 of the Ministerial Code. Such authority is rarely given since it would generally not be in the public interest to do so as it undermines the Convention
Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, whether he has produced legal advice on the compatibility of (a) Article 2 of the European Commission on Human Rights, (b) probate law and (c) civil procedure rules with the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Law Officers’ Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by, or requested of, the Law Officers, and it applies to your question.
The Convention can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May:
“By long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the law officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. This convention is referred to in paragraph [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 6 November 2024]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”
Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making her advice to Cabinet colleagues on the legal implications of bills available to the police.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The fact that the Law Officers advise on Bills through the government collective agreement process before they are introduced to Parliament is public knowledge. However, on specific matters, the fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised, and the content of their advice, must not be disclosed outside government without their authority. Such authority is rarely given. This principle is known as the Law Officers’ Convention and can be found at paragraphs 21.27 of Erskine May and 5.14 of the Ministerial Code.
Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what assessment she has made of the ability of Ukraine and its international partners to (a) gather and (b) analyse evidence of Russian war crimes for the Special Tribunal in Ukraine.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
On 20 January 2023, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK will play a leading role in a core group of likeminded partners to pursue criminal accountability for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Alongside other international partners invited by Ukraine, the UK will shape thinking on how to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. An investigation into the Crime of Aggression by any new tribunal could complement established mechanisms investigating war crimes, including the International Criminal Court and Ukraine’s domestic investigations and prosecutions. In joining this additional core group focused on Crimes of Aggression, the UK will complement its support on those other mechanisms in pursuit of accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. Investigations for those international crimes are well underway, supported by UK initiatives such as the UK-US-EU Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group, and judicial training by Sir Howard Morrison KC and Uk-based Advocates for International Development. On 4 March 2023, it was announced that an International Centre for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine will be established in The Hague, within the structure of Eurojust’s Joint Investigation Team for Ukraine. |
Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what progress has been made on setting up a Special Tribunal on Ukraine.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
On 20 January 2023, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK will play a leading role in a core group of likeminded partners to pursue criminal accountability for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Alongside other international partners invited by Ukraine, the UK will shape thinking on how to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The first meeting of the core group took place in Prague on 26 January 2023. On 4 March 2023 at the United for Justice conference in Lviv, it was announced that an International Centre for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine will be established in The Hague, within the structure of Eurojust’s Joint Investigation Team for Ukraine. I was delighted to represent the UK at that conference: this government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in its search for justice. |
Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what discussions he has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions on the review into the death of Eleanor de Freitas.
Answered by Robert Buckland
The Attorney General and I have regular discussions with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on a wide range of criminal matters and this has recently included the case involving Eleanor de Freitas. The DPP has made clear that she is looking at the detail surrounding the case and will be addressing the family’s concerns fully and directly.Asked by: Valerie Vaz (Labour - Walsall and Bloxwich)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many buildings owned by the Law Officers' Departments have been sold in each year since 2010.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The Law Officers’ Departments have not sold any buildings since 2010.