Extract from Women
and Equalities questions
(Bexleyheath and Crayford)
(Con): I thank my right hon. Friend for all the work she is doing
to improve opportunities for women in this country and across the
world. However, what steps are the Government taking to support and
encourage disabled candidates seeking office in the forthcoming
local and police and crime commissionerelections?
The Secretary of State for International Trade (): We want to encourage more
people with disabilities to come forward. They often face extra
challenges and costs. That is why we have extended the EnAble
fund, to support disabled candidates in local elections and
police and crime commissioner elections.
Extract from debate on
the Budget
(Maidenhead) (Con):...In the
details, I note that there is welcome funding for the prevention
of domestic abuse, particularly to enable Police and
Crime Commissioners and others to support perpetrator
programmes such as Drive, which from all accounts is having some
success. There is also the money for domestic abuse courts, which
will be an important development in helping to address something
that people across the House want to be eradicated. I welcome,
too, the specific sums for counter-terrorism and intelligence
services.
Extract from statement
on Coronavirus
(Sheffield South East) (Lab): Local government will have an
important role to play, beyond social care, in working with the
Secretary of State’s Department to deal with this issue. When
will local councils get an indication of the extra funds they may
receive?
The Secretary of State said that the peak in cases may come in
two months’ time. That is exactly the time of the local
government elections. Will the Government now give some
consideration to the desirability of postponing those elections,
as happened in 2001 with foot and mouth epidemic?
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (): We are not proposing to
delay the local government elections and the other elections—for
instance, for police and crime
commissioners—that are happening in early May. That is
not part of the proposal, and local authorities should plan as
normal for those elections. If people think they may need a
postal vote—they may want to have a postal vote just in case—I
would always advise them to get a postal vote. I am very happy
for that message to go out loud and clear.
