The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2015-12-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of respondents to the 2021 Census topic consultation requested that the place of birth be included in the 2021 Census.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2016-10-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to make available the teaching of the Welsh language in schools in England.
Lord Nash
Primary and secondary schools can choose to teach the Welsh language to pupils if there is sufficient demand. It is possible for a pupil in England to take privately a Welsh language GCSE offered in Wales if an examination centre is willing to accept them. This will include a revised Welsh Second Language GCSE available for first teaching from September 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2015-12-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to instruct the Office for National Statistics to require individuals to enter their full names in 2021 Census returns.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2015-12-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to discuss with the Office for National Statistics the possibility of including in the 2021 Census a provision for respondents to give details about family relationships, marriages and children, similar to information collected in the 1911 Census.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2015-12-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to require the Office for National Statistics to identify in the 2021 Census the number of people living in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland who (1) understand, and (2) are proficient in, the use of the Welsh language.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the recommendation by Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate in its Thematic Review of the CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Units that all lawyers working at Rape and Serious Sexual Offences units undergo refresher training is implemented.
Lord Keen of Elie
Ensuring that staff have the tools and skills necessary to prosecute effectively is a CPS priority. A detailed CPS/Police Joint National Rape Action Plan was published in June 2014 which identified a programme of training activity to deliver improvements in investigation and prosecution outcomes. This extensive programme, consisting of a range of face to face specialist training, is currently underway. The programme includes refresher training for all specialist prosecutors undertaking rape and serious sexual offence casework which will be delivered during 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take in the light of the finding by Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate in its Thematic Review of the CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Units that there are inconsistencies in the level of care provided to rape and sexual assault victims by Rape and Serious Sexual Offences units.
Lord Keen of Elie
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is continually committed to improving the prosecution of rape and serious sexual offences and the quality of the service the CPS provides to victims of these serious crimes. The Thematic Review acknowledges that the CPS has undertaken a considerable amount of work to prioritise the improvement of rape prosecutions and endorses the use of teams of specialist prosecutors to handle all rape and serious sexual offences cases. Ensuring the best possible service is provided to victims will continue to be at the heart of CPS improvement activity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact on, or reciprocal measures that may be taken against, British nationals living in other EU member states arising from any steps taken to reduce the amount of child benefit paid by the UK to EU migrants in the UK that may be repatriated to the migrants’ home countries.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
Details of the proposals for child benefit is subject to the ongoing negotiation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of holding a referendum in June on the UK’s membership of the EU on the elections to the National Assembly for Wales.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
As the Prime Minister has consistently said, what will determine the timing of the referendum is the outcome of the negotiation. The only deadline we have set is to hold the referendum by the end of 2017. The Government has made no decisions on the date, except to specifically rule out holding it on 5 May 2016 or 4 May 2017.
As the Foreign Secretary has said – ultimately, the decision will be made by the House, as the date will be decided by a statutory instrument brought before it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have undertaken into the number of legal practitioners who will still be able to provide criminal legal aid services in England and Wales in the light of the decision to abandon proposals to reduce significantly the number of duty solicitors in those countries.
Lord Keen of Elie
All organisations who bid for own client contracts in 2015 will have the opportunity to bid for criminal legal aid work when we invite applications for replacement contracts later in the year. As my colleague, Lord Faulks, told the House on 28 January, a process of natural consolidation is already taking place in the criminal legal aid market, following the reduction in crime and natural competition.