Topical Questions 2022-02-23
2022-02-23
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
Katharine Birbalsingh was appointed as chair of the Social Mobility Commission.
I am concerned about your departmental responsibilities, especially after the appointment of Katharine Birbalsingh as chair of the Social Mobility Commission. She has begun the recruitment process for new social mobility commissioners to support her in delivering change. When will you meet these new board members and how does their work fit into your levelling-up agenda?
I would like to inform the House that she has begun the recruitment process for new social mobility commissioners to support her in delivering change. I look forward to meeting the new board when the process is complete. Its work will be critical to helping the Government to deliver our levelling-up agenda.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Out-of-work universal credit claimants now have just four weeks to find work, compared to three months previously. Women are more likely than men to claim universal credit.
Under new rules introduced last month, out-of-work universal credit claimants have just four weeks to find work; the previous limit was three months. Given that women are more likely than men to claim universal credit, will you confirm what consideration was given to how women would be affected? Has a full equalities impact assessment been carried out?
I am reassured by one of my colleagues that that is not the case. Individual circumstances are taken into account. I am sure that if the hon. Lady writes to us, we shall be able to provide more details in order to correct the record.
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Assessment & feedback
No specific consideration for women or equalities impact assessment mentioned
Reassured By Colleague
Response accuracy
Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
Recent incidents have been incorrectly described as hate crimes, such as a statue being labeled as a hate crime and the sale of Midget Gems in a supermarket.
A hate crime occurs when a crime is committed and is aggravated by the victim's protected characteristic. Recent weeks have seen a statue described as a hate crime, along with the sale of Midget Gems in a supermarket. Does the Minister agree that trivialising such incidents and misrepresenting hate crime will make victims of disability hate crime less likely to report those crimes?
I fully agree with my hon. Friend and would encourage all of us to choose our words wisely. It is important to remember that hate crime is a devastating and often violent crime, requiring evidence to be presented in court and proved to a criminal standard. I would encourage victims always to report such crimes.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Black, Asian and ethnic minority women face overwhelming health inequalities in the UK as revealed by a recent report. The Government promised a comprehensive women's health strategy but have not delivered.
Black, Asian and ethnic minority women face overwhelming health inequalities in our country, as has been revealed by the recent NHS Race & Health Observatory report. The Government promised us a comprehensive women's health strategy by the end of 2021, yet we only received a vague vision document and now a taskforce to increase understanding of the problem without concrete steps to solve it. When will they take action?
I am afraid it is not the case that nothing has been done. I have been working very closely with Ministers across Departments, looking at the very issues the hon. Lady has raised. We did launch a women's health strategy in December, and more will be coming. She may not have noticed this, but on 23 December the Government published “Our Vision for the Women's Health Strategy for England”, and there is far more detail to come.
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Assessment & feedback
Details of actions and timeline not provided
Working Closely With Ministers
More Detail Coming
Response accuracy
Q5
Direct Answer
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Context
A 14-year-old girl in the constituency is a victim of rape, and her attacker is allowed to live nearby causing distress.
I have a tragic case in my constituency. A 14-year-old girl was a victim of rape, and now her attacker has been allowed to live 120 metres away from her, causing her and her family intolerable distress. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the case, and will she work with me to ensure that victims can live safe in the knowledge that their abusers will never be allowed to live near them again?
I am of course appalled to hear of that tragic case, and either I or a Minister from the Ministry of Justice will be happy to meet my right hon. Friend. It is vital that we protect the public, particularly from sex offenders, which is why offenders on licence are subject to a number of conditions, including where they live and work.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
Hate crimes often intersect with multiple identities, but current legislation does not allow for recording of multiple characteristics.
We know that hate crime is often intersectional, especially in diverse constituencies such as mine. Many victims have more than one identity: they may be black and also LGBT women. However, the current legislation does not allow multiple characteristics to be recorded, so often the data lacks accuracy and depth. Will Ministers work with us to address this?
The hon. Lady raises a very interesting and important point. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Women and Equalities and I will work on this, and see what more we can do to address that specific issue.
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Assessment & feedback
No concrete actions or timeline provided
Interesting And Important Point
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
Shared parental leave was introduced by a Conservative Government, but kinship carers of babies receive almost no support.
Shared parental leave was a brilliant idea, introduced by a Conservative Government, but there is one type of new parent who receives almost no support: the kinship carer of a baby. What can my hon. Friend do to ensure equality for all types of parenting?
The Government value the vital role that kinship carers play. Eligible kinship carers who adopt are entitled to adoption leave and pay, and employed kinship carers may also be eligible for other leave entitlements to balance work with caring, including emergency leave, the right to request flexible working, and unpaid parental leave.
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Assessment & feedback
No concrete commitment or action plan
Value Kinship Carers
Vital Role
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent is concerned about the unfairness of not receiving an extra £20 a week support during the pandemic because they are on legacy benefits. This was said to be discrimination against Disabled people.
I want to share the words of one of my constituents with the House: “This is discrimination of Disabled people which I am one of…” He could not leave his home for nearly eighteen months due to Covid, and this money would have helped with heating costs. Can the Minister let me know—
In relation to the challenge in the High Court to the Government's decision not to extend the universal credit uplift to those on legacy benefits during the pandemic, Mr Justice Swift said: “My conclusion is that the difference in treatment…resulting from the 2020 Regulations was justified”. I would ask the hon. Gentleman's constituent to please use the benefits calculator on gov.uk and to talk to his work coach in case there is any support locally that he is missing out on.
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Assessment & feedback
No commitment or action plan provided for constituents
High Court Justification
Benefits Calculator
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
A significant number of young women have received unsolicited naked images, a form of abuse that needs to be addressed legally.
Four in 10 young women in this country have received an unsolicited naked image of a man's genitals. This sort of abuse has absolutely no place in our society. Will my hon. Friend please ensure that this is made a sex offence in the online safety Bill?
I thank my right hon. Friend for her consistent campaigning against this disgusting form of abuse against women and girls. I can do no more than refer to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, who is sitting behind me and who has himself committed to introducing cyber-flashing as an offence as soon as possible.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific commitment to introduce cyber-flashing as a sex offence in the online safety Bill was not directly addressed.
Referral To Prime Minister
Response accuracy