Crown Court Backlog Sojan Joseph (Ashford) (Lab) 1. What steps her
Department is taking to reduce the backlog of Crown court
cases.(901052) Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con) 10. What steps she
is taking to reduce the backlog of Crown court cases.(901062)
Warinder Juss (Wolverhampton West) (Lab) 11. What steps her
Department is taking to reduce the Crown court backlog.(901063) The
Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Heidi Alexander) We
are...Request free trial
Crown Court Backlog
(Ashford) (Lab)
1. What steps her Department is taking to reduce the backlog of
Crown court cases.(901052)
Sir Ashley (Bridgwater) (Con)
10. What steps she is taking to reduce the backlog of Crown court
cases.(901062)
(Wolverhampton West)
(Lab)
11. What steps her Department is taking to reduce the Crown court
backlog.(901063)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
We are funding 106,500 Crown court sitting days this financial
year—500 days more than the previous Government originally
agreed. To reduce the number of cases that end up at the Crown
court, we are also extending magistrates' sentencing powers to up
to 12 months for an individual offence.
It is important that victims of crime have the swift access to
justice that they deserve, so I welcome the extra funding from
this Government that will lead to more than 106,000 sitting days
in Crown courts this financial year. That includes nearly 3,000
in the Crown courts in Kent. Does the Minister agree that dealing
with the court backlog left by the Conservatives is essential to
make sure that offenders are quickly brought to justice and faith
is restored in the criminal justice system?
I agree. This Government inherited a record and rising Crown
court backlog. We walked into a criminal justice system on the
brink of collapse, with our prisons overflowing and our courts
buckling under the weight of demand. While we cannot fix this
mess overnight, we will do everything we can to ensure swift
justice for victims and to restore faith in the entire
system.
Sir
I am sure the Minister will acknowledge that the Crown court
backlog is caused by a combination of covid and strike action by
barristers. Will she outline the steps she will be taking to
continue Nightingale court sittings and to improve the quality
and number of Crown court judges sitting and able to hear
cases?
We are currently operating 18 Nightingale courts in eight
different locations, and we continue to recruit to the judiciary.
The Conservatives cannot wash their hands of responsibility for
the Crown court backlog. It was rising before covid. They closed
more than 260 court buildings. They express concern now, but
there was scant evidence of that in the 14 years they were in
power.
Last week it was reported that the Crown court backlog is 71,000
cases, which could hit 100,000 unless radical action is taken.
Some cases have not proceeded at all because of delays, includes
those involving victims of serious offences such as rape,
reinforcing that justice delayed is justice denied. I welcome the
Chancellor's Budget, confirming the significant financial
investment in prison expansion and the Ministry of Justice
funding settlement, which will increase Crown court sitting days.
Does the Minister believe that the measures will be sufficient to
reduce the Crown court backlog to an acceptable level, or does
she envisage that further action will be necessary, such as
increases to criminal legal aid?
Legal aid is a vital part of the justice system, and it underpins
our plans to build a justice system that works fairly for all
parties. The previous Government left the civil and criminal
legal aid markets in dire straits and facing significant
challenges. We intend to publish our response shortly to the
“Crime Lower” consultation, which relates to the fees paid to
duty solicitors in police stations among other things, and we
will follow up on that with our response to the Law Society's
successful judicial review of the previous Government's decision
on criminal legal aid fees.
(Cheltenham) (LD)
The Minister has referenced magistrates courts. Cheltenham
magistrates court, I regret to inform the House, has backlogs,
but also an inappropriate courthouse. It is failing victims, the
accused and justices of the peace, and it is not accessible for
disabled people. The roof is leaky, and it is generally
considered to be in a shocking state of affairs. Will the
Minister make a statement on whether there will be investment in
magistrates courthouses to ensure that justice can be carried out
at the local level?
If the hon. Gentleman writes to me with specific details of the
issues in his local magistrates court, I will raise those with
His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service. We were successful in
securing a £177 million increase in capital spending for the
Ministry of Justice in last week's Budget. That will cover
expenditure on prisons and courts.
Supporting Victims of Rape and Sexual Violence
(Weston-super-Mare) (Lab)
2. What steps her Department is taking to support victims of rape
and sexual violence through the criminal justice
system.(901054)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
We are committed to supporting victims of those abhorrent crimes
and have dedicated £26 million to support services through the
rape and sexual abuse support fund. We have also announced our
plan to introduce free independent legal advocates for the
victims and survivors of adult rape and are committed to working
with the judiciary to fast-track rape cases through the
courts.
Avon and Somerset police, who are responsible for upholding the
rule of law in my constituency, pioneered a new, innovative way
of investigating rape and sexual violence called Project
Bluestone. When rolled out nationwide as Operation Soteria it led
to a 110% increase in rape prosecutions, according to Home Office
data. While an increase in prosecutions is very welcome, it also
means that more victims, including those in Weston-super-Mare,
are reliving their harrowing ordeal when going through a trial.
Will the Minister outline how her Department is working to
provide support to the increasing number of victims experiencing
the incredibly difficult trial process?
I thank my hon. Friend for that really important question; he
raises some serious points. The Ministry of Justice funds over 60
specialist support services for victims of rape and sexual
offending as well as dedicated victim support through the witness
service. Court personnel provide support during and after
hearings, and we have invested in trauma-informed training to
improve the victim experience throughout court.
Rape and serious sexual offence victims can also request
transcripts of sentencing remarks for free during a one-year
pilot. I encourage all those who are eligible please to apply to
the pilot.
Dame (Gosport) (Con)
Will the hon. Lady please confirm the number of criminals
convicted of rape, sexual abuse, domestic abuse and domestic
violence who are now back on our streets as a result of her
Department's early release scheme?
As the hon. Lady will know, the Government took steps to exclude
the most serious domestic abuse offenders from SDS40, an
exemption that was not made under the previous Government's
end-of-custody supervised licence scheme. That was because we
know that we need to protect women and girls, and we have a
landmark mission to protect women and girls from violence. All
the data on releases will be published as usual—the Lord
Chancellor has made that clear—but we know that we need to do
more.
Mr Speaker
We welcome the new shadow Secretary of State.
(Newark) (Con)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I belatedly congratulate the Government
Front-Bench team on their appointments—I have been a little busy
over the summer. The only group the Labour Government's
popularity has increased during that time with is criminals. How
many domestic abusers and sex offenders released under their
early release scheme have gone on to reoffend? Would the Minister
like to apologise to the victims?
Well, I was going to congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on his
new role, but he seems to have a very short memory. It is he who
should be apologising to the country as a whole on behalf of his
Government for their woeful abuse of our justice system and our
prisons. Under the previous Government's ECSL scheme, there were
zero exemptions to protect the public. This Government put in
serious exemptions to prevent sex offenders and serious violent
criminals from being released on to our streets. Maybe he should
have a bit of humility.
There were exemptions in the previous Government's scheme, but
the key thing is that we need to get on and build more prisons.
Prison works, and we need to see more prisons being built. The
last Conservative Government built more prison places than any
prior Labour Government in living memory, but we clearly need to
go further. What funding has the Lord Chancellor secured to build
prisons over and above those secured by the previous Government?
Does the Minister agree with the other junior Minister that fewer
people should be sent to prison?
Again, the right hon. Gentleman forgets who was in power for the
last 14 years and who failed to build any prison places. Just 500
extra prison places were built under his Government's watch. The
Government have allocated a record £1.2 billion for prison
building in the Budget, and we will be going further. We are the
party of law and order. He needs to look at his record.
Legal Aid
(Sheffield Central)
(Lab)
3. Whether she plans to widen the scope of cases covered by legal
aid.(901055)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
Legal aid is a vital part of the justice system. It underpins our
plans to build a justice system that works for victims, supports
access to justice and upholds the rule of law. We are looking
carefully at the evidence gathered as part of the review of civil
legal aid, which covered issues such as demand, fee levels and
the geographic provision of services.
Cuts to legal aid and the narrowing of its scope by the
Conservatives have meant that many people are no longer able to
resolve their problems through access to early legal advice. That
has resulted in legal representation being available only to
those who can afford it. Will the Minister consider looking into
restoring legal aid to the level it was before the Legal Aid,
Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 for all areas of
civil law, to ensure that justice is made available to all people
who can afford it? Will she commit to reviewing the bureaucracy
of the Legal Aid Agency, which does not support the needs and
capacity of small firms?
My hon. Friend has significant experience of working in the legal
aid sector, and she is right to highlight the importance of good
quality legal advice to resolving a whole range of social welfare
problems. We are looking at how to improve access to early legal
advice and support, but she will appreciate the challenging
financial outlook that we are grappling with. I will raise the
administrative issues in relation to the Legal Aid Agency with
its chief executive.
(Strangford) (DUP)
Every week I have people coming to my office who are victims and
have no access to money. They deserve justice, and the only way
they can get it is with legal aid. What discussions has the
Minister had with the Policing and Justice Minister in Northern
Ireland to ensure that legal aid available here can also be
available in Northern Ireland?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. I have yet
to have those conversations with my counterparts in Northern
Ireland, but I hope to do so in the coming months.
Supporting Prison Officers
(Rugby) (Lab)
4. What steps her Department is taking to support prison
officers. (901056)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir
)
By immediately reducing prison overcrowding, we have made prisons
safer to work in. We have also accepted the 5% pay award
recommended for prison officers in full.
I have been made aware of the consequences of 14 years of neglect
of our Prison and Probation Service by the Conservative party:
the critical overcrowding due to the lack of investment; staff at
all levels feeling exhausted, scared, demotivated,
disenfranchised and undervalued; officers facing unacceptably
high levels of violence and drug abuse; and bullying between
prisoners. What is the Department doing to rectify the
consequences of this litany of neglect by the so-called party of
law and order, to give our prison officers the support they
deserve?
Sir
My hon. Friend tells it how it is. The Conservative party left
our Prison and Probation Service in a mess. Our job, on behalf of
the British people, is to clean up that mess. That is what we are
doing.
Sir (Stone, Great Wyrley and
Penkridge) (Con)
HMP Featherstone, HMP Oakwood and HMP Brinsford, also a young
offender institution, in my constituency are brilliantly
supported by amazing staff, but one of the pressures on them is
the number of foreign national offenders in those prisons. What
steps is the Minister taking to ensure that those foreign
national offenders are returned to where they came from?
Sir
We are already on track to remove more foreign national offenders
than the Conservative party ever did.
Single Justice Procedure
(Doncaster East and the Isle
of Axholme) (Lab)
5. What steps her Department is taking to improve the single
justice procedure.(901057)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
I have listened carefully to concerns raised about the single
justice procedure. As a first step, I have asked the Courts and
Tribunals Service to redesign the SJP and make it clearer. I will
also call in SJP prosecutors to discuss ways in which we can
ensure that they consider the public interest in advance of
making prosecutions.
Earlier this year, a decision by the chief magistrate overturned
the use of SJP for rail fines, potentially nullifying and
requiring the refunding of as many as 74,000 fines. In the past
few days it has been reported that LNER has brought similar
prosecutions under SJP without supplying any evidence at all. I
make no assumption about the guilt or innocence of anyone
involved in those prosecutions, but justice must be open, clear
and fair. It is unfair to expect people to engage with a process
without it being clear what evidence has been laid against them.
Will the Minister confirm that her Department will keep those
principles at the heart of all our justice practices, including
SJPs?
I will raise the evidential questions that my hon. Friend raised
with representatives of the train operating companies when they
and other SJP prosecutors join me in discussions in the next few
weeks. I am clear that the single justice procedure is vital for
the efficient running of the magistrates court. However, it must
operate fairly and effectively. I will not tolerate poor
practice, and I will not hesitate to fundamentally reform the
system if that is required.
Supporting Young Offenders
(Colne Valley) (Lab)
6. What steps her Department is taking to support young
offenders.(901058)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir
)
The young futures programme will be a prevention-first approach
to crime reduction, building on the Department's successful
turnaround programme. I was very pleased to visit the first
secure school which will put education at its heart, ensuring
children in custody turn their lives around.
Over the past decade, the quality and quantity of education in
young offenders institutions has declined, as reported by Sir
Martin Oliver, His Majesty's chief inspector of education,
children's services and skills, and Charlie Taylor, His Majesty's
chief inspector of prisons. These institutions are facing
difficulties in managing challenging behaviours, leading to an
increase in children being put into isolation. Children in these
institutions deserve a high-quality education that helps them to
turn their lives around. The current system is failing them
badly. Will the Minister outline what actions the Government can
take to ensure that young offenders receive a high-quality
education—
Mr Speaker
Order. We are in danger of not getting anybody else in. These are
becoming statements rather than questions. I am sure the Minister
has grasped it.
Sir
Thank you, Mr Speaker. We know there is more to be done, as my
hon. Friend outlines. Keep-apart lists make it difficult for
children to access education in young offenders institutions, so
we need to find different and better ways of reducing violence
and delivering education in these settings.
(Caithness, Sutherland and
Easter Ross) (LD)
During the 12 years that I was a Member of the Scottish
Parliament, one of the most instructive and rewarding parts of my
role were my occasional visits, with other MSPs, to HMP
Porterfield in Inverness. Does the Minister agree that
encouraging MPs to do the same would do a very great deal not
just for young offenders, but offenders of all ages?
Sir
I commend the hon. Member for his actions. He is right that
visits to local prisons, or prisons elsewhere, are a good thing
to do. I have recently visited Humber, Wakefield, and New Hall
prisons, and will be visiting Wetherby young offenders
institution tomorrow.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Justice Committee.
(Hammersmith and Chiswick)
(Lab)
Is the Minister worried about the increasing criminalisation of
young people? I notice that the Ministry of Justice published
statistics last week that say one in four people of working age
in the UK had criminal convictions. Should we not look at the
current disclosure framework, so that people with criminal
records for minor offences from years ago are not prevented from
finding work, moving on and contributing to society?
Sir
My hon. Friend, the Chair of the Justice Committee, identifies a
subject that might well be useful for his Committee to
examine.
(Wells and Mendip Hills)
(LD)
A young person I know was involved in an incident at 16. Can the
Minister assure me that, because delays to going through the
youth justice system have meant that that young person has not
had the case adjudicated, that young person will not be adjudged
an adult if they pass their 18th birthday when a conclusion is
reached?
Sir
The hon. Member draws attention to an issue. If she would like to
write to me about that particular incident, I will write back to
her.
Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines
(Swindon North) (Lab)
7. What steps she is taking to ensure that the register of
judgments, orders and fines in England and Wales is an effective
tool for financially vulnerable claimants and debtors.
(901059)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
The register plays an important role in helping lenders assess
credit worthiness and enhancing financial transparency. These
objectives seek to support vulnerable debtors by encouraging and
enabling responsible borrowing. A consultation on including
claimant data on the register closed recently. Responses to it
were very positive and I hope to announce a way forward
imminently.
I am pleased to hear the Minister is moving forward with the next
steps following the consultation. I would further like to
congratulate the Minister on moving swiftly on this matter,
especially as the consultation had been stalled since January. I
hope that with care and attention, data protection for claimants
will soon be able to be included in the register. Will the
Minister also consider other updates to the register, such as
recording partial settlements and shifting the burden of proof on
debt satisfaction? That would really help my constituents in
Swindon.
My hon. Friend raises some interesting points and, as he is, I am
always very keen to help people in Swindon. Our focus is on
responding to the consultation on including claimant data on the
register, which would improve financial inclusion by helping
people to resolve judgment debts. Once our response has been
published and any reforms regarding claimant data are
implemented, we will consider any wider reforms.
Domestic Abuse and Violence against Women
(Harpenden and
Berkhamsted) (LD)
8. What steps she is taking to support survivors of domestic
abuse and violence against women through the criminal justice
system.(901060)
(Edinburgh West) (LD)
15. What steps she is taking to support survivors of domestic
abuse and violence against women through the criminal justice
system.(901067)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
We are committed to supporting victims and survivors of these
abhorrent crimes, including through the £26 million rape and
sexual abuse support fund and the funding of independent domestic
and sexual violence advocates. Furthermore, we will increase the
powers of the Victims' Commissioner to improve accountability
when victims' needs are not met.
Many of my constituents, including members of our local
Soroptomist International group, will be taking part in the
United Nations' 16 days of activism against gender-based
violence, which includes digital violence. What steps are being
taken in the prison system to rehabilitate individuals whose
criminal behaviour was the result of being radicalised online,
and will digital citizenship education play a part in their
rehabilitation?
I thank the hon. Lady for that really important question, and I
urge everyone in the House to get involved in the 16 days of
activism—this year's theme is “It starts with me”, which I think
is a lesson that we should all take on board. The Prison Service
assesses the impact of online influences and the need for
rehabilitation for convicted terrorists in the first year after
their sentencing, but digital citizenship education forms just
one part of that rehabilitation. Once we get our prison
population under suitable control—following what happened under
the previous Government—we will be able to do more of this
important work. Offenders convicted of violence against women and
girls are also eligible for accredited programmes, although that
will depend on their assessed risk and need.
The Scottish Government recently decided against including
misogyny in their Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act
2021, but we know how pernicious and widespread misogyny is,
especially in the context of domestic abuse. Just 6% of all
offences are reported, and there are even lower rates for rape
and sexual assault convictions. Is the Lord Chancellor planning
to review aggravated offences, and misogyny in particular, to
ensure that women and girls get the protection that we
deserve?
As the hon. Lady will know, this Government were elected with a
landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls over
the course of a decade. Every single Department, including the
Department for Education, will look at how we tackle misogyny in
our schools, streets, homes and workplaces, online, and indeed
everywhere. The Opposition have just elected a leader who has
made rape jokes previously, but this is about leadership and
taking things seriously, and that is exactly what this Government
and I are doing. I urge the hon. Lady to write to the Home Office
about the specific point that she has made.
(Poplar and Limehouse)
(Ind)
As a survivor of domestic abuse—indeed, having endured the
experience of my ex-husband standing against me in the recent
general election—I have personal and direct experience of the
systemic bias against us. Does the Minister agree that we need a
comprehensive approach that provides support and consideration at
every stage of the criminal justice system; does she agree that
that requires funding, not least for specialist support services;
and does she agree that we need to address the legal aid crisis
as well?
I thank my hon. Friend for her bravery and for speaking out about
her experiences as a victim-survivor, which has undoubtedly
helped countless others. She is right that this will take every
single Department across Government looking into how we stamp out
violence against women and girls in our communities and society.
She is also right about funding. We are currently looking through
the funding we received at the Budget, and in due course I will
be able to outline how we will support services. If she would
like me to meet her to discuss this further, I shall be happy to
do so.
(Milton Keynes Central)
(Lab)
Under the last Government, only 2% of reported rape cases made it
to trial, because women did not feel safe about reporting rapes
or did not think they would be taken seriously. How are the
Government ensuring that more brave women who report their rapes
are seen quickly and effectively in the court service and get the
justice that they deserve?
My hon. Friend has outlined the stark reality of what rape
victims and survivors face in our criminal justice system. Not
only are far too few cases getting to court, but 60% of rape
victims are pulling out of the system, which is why we are
committed to introducing independent legal advocates for adult
rape victims. We will be working with the judiciary to fast-track
RASSO cases through our courts, and support victim-survivors
through every step of the criminal justice journey.
Mr Speaker
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
(Eastbourne) (LD)
I welcome the new shadow Justice Secretary to his place. As he
has campaigned to withdraw from the European convention on human
rights, I am sure we can rely on him to champion international
law for all of us across the world.
I want to ask about domestic abuse. For too long, domestic
abusers have been able to exploit a loophole in our legal system,
whereby the domestic abuse that they perpetrate is masked by the
ambiguous conviction of common assault. This has meant that,
under this Government and the previous one, domestic abusers have
qualified for early release schemes. When I pushed the Secretary
of State on this issue the other day, she admitted that her
measures to exclude domestic abusers from early release were
“not of course fully comprehensive.”[—[Official Report, 22
October 2024; Vol. 755, c.
206.]](/search/column?VolumeNumber=755&ColumnNumber=206&House=1&ExternalId=9089EE5F-557A-4BA8-8AFA-05F2728549C5)
The Liberal Democrats believe that things need to go further.
Will the Minister meet me and domestic abuse charities to discuss
some of our proposals for closing the loopholes so that victims
and survivors get the justice they deserve?
I thank the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for his question. He
will know that certain offences are excluded from the SDS40 early
release scheme, not the offender. This Government put in strict
protections to protect the public, unlike the previous
Government, who introduced an end-of-custody supervised licence
scheme. Those who are released from sentences for common assault
are flagged for domestic abuse markers, and they are given
priority for electronic monitoring and risk assessments. I meet
the sector regularly to look at what else we can do. We are
learning lessons from SDS40, but this Government are committed to
halving violence against women and girls.
Code of Practice for Victims of Crime
(West Lancashire) (Lab)
9. What steps her Department is taking to improve the enforcement
of the code of practice for victims of crime in England and
Wales.(901061)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
We will implement the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, which lays
a good foundation for ensuring that victims know the rights they
should receive under the code and that agencies are held
accountable for delivering them. We will consult on the revised
victims code early next year, and we will go further by
increasing the Victims' Commissioner's powers so that there is
more accountability for delivering the code.
My constituent Dr Marie Gerval was a victim of stalking by a man
with whom she had had a brief relationship. He even put a tracker
on her car without her knowledge. There were needless delays in
her case, and she felt that she was not taken seriously. So bad
was the stress that her hair fell out. Later, it transpired that
the investigating officer on her case was himself convicted of
stalking a woman. Will the Minister meet me and Dr Gerval to
discuss how the code of practice for victims can make sure that
this does not happen to other women like her?
What Dr Marie Gerval experienced is totally abhorrent, but sadly
she is not alone in experiencing these crimes. The Government are
committed to treating stalking with the seriousness it deserves
by enhancing stalking protection orders, implementing automatic
suspensions for officers under investigation for domestic abuse
and sexual offences, and introducing mandatory professional
standards for individual officers. The Home Office is also
looking at the police response to stalking as a part of our work
to better protect victims of violence against women and girls. I
encourage my hon. Friend to reach out to the Home Office Minister
responsible for safeguarding, my hon. Friend the Member for
Birmingham Yardley (), but I will happily meet
her.
Support for Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation
(East Kilbride and Strathaven)
(Lab)
12. What steps her Department is taking to support victims of
commercial sexual exploitation through the criminal justice
system.(901064)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
The Ministry of Justice provides funding for vital victim support
services to help victims recover from the impact of crime. His
Majesty's Prison and Probation Service has developed guidance to
support and identify victims of modern slavery and human
trafficking, including those who have been sexually
exploited.
Scottish organisations such as TARA and Routes Out provide
exemplary support to women who are exploited through prostitution
and sex trafficking. However, these organisations are faced with
an endless stream of women, in part because the law in Scotland,
England and Wales provides impunity to pimping websites. Does the
Minister agree that the UK Government should lead the way by
outlawing pimping websites and offering support, not sanctions,
to victims of commercial sexual exploitation?
This Government are leading the way with our mission to halve
violence against women and girls—all women and girls. The Victims
and Prisoners Act 2024 will require local commissioners to
develop joint needs assessments for victims of sexual abuse in
order to identify and address the current gaps, and to support
these women.
On outlawing pimping websites specifically, I would encourage my
hon. Friend to speak to the Minister for Safeguarding, but as I
have previously mentioned, this Government are working
holistically across all Government Departments, including the
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Home
Office, to tackle violence against women and girls.
Reducing Reoffending
(Ipswich) (Lab/Co-op)
13. What steps her Department is taking to help reduce
reoffending.(901065)
(Clwyd North) (Lab)
23. What steps her Department is taking to help reduce
reoffending.(901076)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir
)
Good reducing reoffending activity cannot happen in overcrowded
prisons, which is why we took immediate action to relieve the
pressure. This will allow for better access to purposeful
activity, which we all know reduces reoffending.
It was a former Prisons Minister who identified that short
custodial sentences have a higher reoffending rate than sentences
served outside prison. Does the Minister agree that we need to
look at using technology to curtail offenders' freedoms outside
prison and ensure that we cut the cycle of crime?
Sir
Yes. Electronic monitoring is already an important part of safely
managing offenders in the community, and one of the principles of
the sentencing review is to look at the punishment that offenders
receive outside prison, considering how we can best use
electronic monitoring and other technologies to safely manage
offenders outside the prison walls.
As a former member of a youth justice board, I know that young
people who are drawn into offending often lead narrow lives with
little opportunity for personal development. Has the Minister
made an assessment of the provision of youth services, such as
the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme, to engage with these young
people and prevent reoffending?
Sir
We value youth services, such as the Duke of Edinburgh's award
scheme, that enable young people to develop new skills to turn
their lives around. In fact, the D of E scheme is available in
all five of our young offender institutions, and 36 people in
YOIs were enrolled in the scheme in August.
(North West Norfolk) (Con)
Last week I met former prisoners who had taken part in Greene
King's Releasing Potential scheme, which is now being expanded
with two further training kitchens going into prisons to help
people turn their lives around. What are the Government doing to
boost such programmes, and the employment advisory boards that we
set up, to ensure that while prisoners are rightly punished they
are also rehabilitated?
Sir
Such schemes and initiatives are exactly the sort of thing that
this Government want to celebrate as best practice and replicate
in other settings.
Mr (Basildon and Billericay)
(Con)
Answers to my recent written parliamentary questions have talked
of the positive impact that relations with families can have on
prisoner resettlement. However, in a number of cases,
particularly those involving sexual violence, the prisoner has no
contact with the family and their release is usually a traumatic
moment for those families and children. That is why I welcomed
Labour's manifesto pledge to introduce a national identification
system for the children of prisoners as a vitally important
measure. What are the Government doing to meet that pledge and
break the offending cycle across generations?
Sir
Identifying children with a parent in prison is important for
ensuring that they receive the support they need. Strengthening
family ties remains an integral aspect of our work, which is why
our family support workers help to re-establish appropriate
family ties and facilitate visits from prisoners' children. My
officials are working closely with the Department for Education
to determine how much more we can do in this space.
Incarcerated Pregnant Women and Mothers
(Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
(PC)
14. What steps her Department is taking to support incarcerated
pregnant women and mothers.(901066)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
We are sending too many women to prison, two thirds of whom are
non-violent and over half of whom have dependent children, and
75% of the time the child leaves home after the mother is
incarcerated. That is why we have launched the women's justice
board, which will set out its strategy in the spring. Its goal is
to reduce the number of women in prison and, ultimately, the
number of women's prisons.
All Welsh women in prison are held in England, and being far from
home adds to the emotional torture of separation from children,
but we cannot assess the extent of the separation without public
access to Wales-specific disaggregated data. Will the Secretary
of State commit to making this information public so that we can
ensure that pregnant women and mothers and children have the
proper support they need?
The data on how we track the experiences of women across England
and Wales will be work that the women's justice board—once it is
up and running—will be able to look into and make recommendations
on, which we will pick up in the spring.
Early Release Scheme
(Mid Dunbartonshire) (LD)
16. What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of
the early release scheme.(901068)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
The immediate purpose of the emergency release scheme was to stop
us running out of prison places and to avert a total breakdown of
law and order. If we look at the prison population today, it is
clear that we have managed to avert the immediate crisis, but
this was only a short-term measure; we have also set out a
long-term plan to build the prison places that the last
Conservative Government failed to build. I have also launched a
landmark sentencing review so that we are never forced to look
into emergency releases again.
In my Mid Dunbartonshire constituency, the community justice team
are having success in preventing reoffending by working with
offenders in a trauma-informed way. It is recognised that short
sentences, as has already been mentioned, do not prevent
reoffending. Does the Minister agree that the prevention of
reoffending is central to reducing costs, job losses, family
breakdowns and homelessness?
It is clear that we have to do better on reducing reoffending,
given that 80% of offenders are reoffenders. Cutting reoffending
is a strategy for cutting crime, keeping the public safe and
helping ex-prisoners to turn their lives around. I am sure that
the sentencing review will look carefully at short sentences.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
Dr (Bexhill and Battle)
(Con)
Wanting to see justice delivered more consistently for victims is
the key reason I sought election to this place, so it is an
enormous privilege to take up this role today.
In response to concerns raised last month about offenders who
have been released early not being promptly tagged, the Secretary
of State assured the House that she will monitor performance
daily. Can the Government now provide concrete assurance to the
House and the public that all offenders are being tagged as they
should on release?
I welcome the shadow Minister to his place. I have always enjoyed
his contributions to justice debates, so I look forward to
working with him where appropriate.
After the Department's daily monitoring—indeed, monitoring many
times a day—I can confirm that the performance of Serco on
tagging has improved significantly. As of 28 October, 98% of all
tranche 2 SDS40 release visits to install tags had been
completed, with a small number of prearranged alternative
fittings also scheduled. They are now all covered.
Dr Mullan
Of course, tagging will protect the public only if curfew
breaches are addressed swiftly. Can the Secretary of State tell
us whether there have been any breaches of tag-monitored curfews?
On average, how quickly are those who commit a breach brought
back into custody?
The hon. Gentleman's question is really about rates of recall,
which is what happens when licence conditions are breached,
including breaches of curfew. Recall rates for SDS40 releases are
tracking similarly to recall rates for other offenders. We will
publish those statistics once they have been assured in the usual
way, which I believe will be immediately after Christmas.
Early Release Scheme: Housing Demand
Rebecca (South West Devon) (Con)
17. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of
recent changes to the early release scheme on the demand for
housing provided by local authorities.(901069)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir
)
With this Government's scheme, unlike the previous Government's
rushed scheme, we are giving our excellent staff time to work
with national and local housing partners to minimise any impact
on local authorities.
Rebecca
Given that secure housing on release has a proven positive impact
on the recidivism rate of ex-offenders, which is something we all
welcome, how many prisoners released early by this Government are
being housed in hotels?
Sir
Fewer than 20.
Education and Training for Prisoners
(Spelthorne) (Con)
18. What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of
education and training provided to prisoners.(901070)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir
)
We have reduced overcrowding to ensure that prisons have the
capacity to focus on education and training. For example, HMP
Highpoint's state-of-the-art rail centre of excellence gives
prisoners industry-standard training and guaranteed employment on
release.
A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Bronzefield category A
women's prison in my Spelthorne constituency. I saw that
prisoners doing work were rewarded with small amounts of money,
but the weighting of their pay preferred people who take part in
numeracy and literacy over skills, such as working in the bicycle
repair shop or the hair salon. Is that a national approach, or is
it something the governor has done pragmatically to fit his
personal circumstances?
Sir
It sounds like an interesting approach. I would be grateful if
the hon. Gentleman wrote to me so that I can look into it and
write back to him. It is certainly the sort of thing we need to
be looking at.
(Rother Valley) (Lab)
I join the right hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr
Holden) in calling for the Government to consider the children of
prisoners. I met the children's Minister, my hon. Friend the
Member for Lewisham East (), just last week, and I know it
is very much on her radar. However, this is an urgent issue. This
week, I have been told about a child who had been living alone
for months because the authorities simply did not know that their
parent was in prison—
Mr Speaker
Order. That is not relevant to the question. Minister, would you
like to respond? No. In which case, we will leave it there.
Foreign National Offenders
(Aldridge-Brownhills)
(Con)
19. What steps she is taking through the criminal justice system
to facilitate the removal of foreign national offenders from the
UK.(901071)
Sir (Gainsborough) (Con)
21. How many foreign national offenders were removed from the UK
through a prison transfer agreement in each year since
2010.(901073)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
I share the public's view that there are far too many foreign
national offenders in our prisons. Since coming into office, we
have returned more than 1,500 foreign offenders and, I am pleased
to say, we are on track to remove more foreign offenders this
year than at any time in recent years.
Some 12% of the prison population in England and Wales are
foreign national offenders, so what specific action is the
Justice Secretary taking to remove FNOs from our prisons and
return them to their countries, including through the use of the
prisoner transfer agreements that were put in place by the
previous Government?
As I say, we are on track to remove more foreign offenders this
year than in previous years. In fact, over the period when the
shadow Justice Secretary was the Immigration Minister in the
previous Government, the number returned was around 1,300. We
have already returned more than 1,500 foreign offenders,
utilising all the prisoner transfer agreements at our disposal.
We are actively trying to negotiate more such agreements, so that
we can continue to speed up removals from this country.
Sir
The previous Government negotiated a scheme by which we can
deport Albanian prisoners back to Albania. It is an excellent
scheme; Albania is a completely safe country, of course. Given
that those crossing the channel are committing an illegal
offence, is there anything legally to stop us arresting them and
putting them on a flight straight to Albania? We do not even need
to lock them up in Albania; they can just start their journey all
over again—what a good deterrent.
As the right hon. Gentleman well knows, we have legal obligations
to those who arrive in this country that have to play out.
However, PTAs relate to those who have committed an offence, have
been convicted and are being held in the prison estate. They can
therefore be removed from this country under a prisoner transfer
agreement. We are working with the Albanians to ensure that the
PTA with Albania is as effective as possible.
(Telford) (Lab)
Will my right hon. Friend consider a stand-alone deportation
order as part of the sentencing review, so that rather than
taxpayers having to pay to imprison foreign offenders for years
on end, those offenders are deported back to their country of
origin?
Personally, I am of the view that deportation for somebody who
has been convicted and is due to be imprisoned in our country is
as good a punishment as serving time in a prison in this country.
We are looking actively at what more we can do to make the early
removal scheme as effective as possible, including potential
options to bring forward the point of early removal from this
country. I will be working with colleagues in the Home Office as
we develop our plans in this area.
Topical Questions
Mr (Basildon and Billericay)
(Con)
One of my constituents—
Mr Speaker
Order. This is the first topical question.
Mr Holden
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental
responsibilities.(901078)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
I think Members from all parties need a reminder about the form
in this House for oral questions, Mr Speaker.
Since the last Justice questions, I have launched an independent
review of sentencing. It will ensure that there is always space
for dangerous offenders in our prisons and that we expand the use
of punishment outside prisons, so that no Government are ever
forced to release prisoners early again. The Government have also
introduced their first Budget and we have seen an additional £850
million of funding for the Ministry of Justice.
I note the arrival of the new shadow Justice Secretary, the right
hon. Member for Newark (). While rumour has it that
this job was not his first choice and he may have been asked to
do it on more than one occasion by his new boss, I warmly welcome
him to his new position.
Mr Holden
One of my constituents has been attending court to resolve a
matter around divorce and periodical payments since 2015.
Although she has achieved positive results at all the court
hearings, with many court orders, sadly there have always been
errors and incompetence in the system. Will the Minister meet me
to discuss these matters so that I can get a final resolution,
after almost a decade, for my constituent?
I am shocked to hear about the extent of the delay in the case of
the right hon. Gentleman's constituent. He is welcome to write to
me with the specific details and I will ensure he gets a meeting
with the relevant Minister.
(Ipswich) (Lab/Co-op)
T3. Earlier this year, it was reported that over 1,000 cases at
Ipswich Crown court are outstanding. At the last count, each case
was taking an average of 249 days to be dealt with, with 144
cases unresolved for two years or more. What can the Minister do
to reassure my constituents, as we look to clear the terrible
backlog left by the previous Government?(901081)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
The Government have made it clear that we are fully committed to
bearing down on the Crown court caseload. To relieve pressure on
Ipswich Crown court in particular, the south-east region has
begun sending appropriate cases to Cambridge Crown court for
hearing. Nationally, we have increased the number of Crown court
sitting days to 106,500, which is 500 more than agreed by the
previous Lord Chancellor.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Newark) (Con)
Police firearms officer Sergeant Blake was a hero and we all want
to see individuals like him, who put themselves in the line of
fire, respected. What work is the Lord Chancellor doing,
alongside the Home Secretary, to review the threshold for
prosecution for individuals such as Sergeant Blake, so that they
never find themselves in the invidious position that he did?
I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his question. He will
be aware that charging decisions are a matter for the independent
Crown Prosecution Service. What the Home Secretary has announced,
and what I have been working with her on, is the introduction of
a presumption of anonymity for all firearms officers if they find
themselves being charged by the CPS. We believe that such a
measure could have made a difference in this case. The Home
Secretary has also announced measures that resulted from the
police accountability review work undertaken by the previous
Government, and we are taking those forward.
I thank the Lord Chancellor for her answer. Jonathan Hall KC, the
reviewer of terrorist laws, has said that the authorities should
put as much information as they can in the public domain to
maintain public trust in terrorist cases, which have the highest
public interest. In the void, misinformation takes hold and that
diminishes public trust. While of course respecting the judicial
process and not commenting on the individual facts of the case,
can the Secretary of State explain the reported two-week delay
between the CPS making a charging decision with respect to the
alleged Southport attacker and it being announced to the general
public?
As the right hon. Member is now the shadow Lord Chancellor, may I
remind him that we do not comment on cases that are sub judice?
That includes commentary that everyone is aware relates to cases
currently going through our legal processes. What I will say is
that those are independent decisions for the Crown Prosecution
Service, which ultimately decides what charges to bring. In live
police investigations into complex cases, it is appropriate that
those investigations, the charging decisions and, ultimately, the
cases are done by the independent parts of the process and that
there is no interference from Government.
Mr Speaker
May I also say that we will be returning to this matter straight
after the case, as Members right around the House, including me,
have great concerns? I assure the House that we will come back to
this subject, but, in the meantime, the trial must go ahead.
(Stoke-on-Trent Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
T4. In Stoke-on-Trent, survivors of rape and sexual assault are
supported by the local charity, Savana, which is dependent on
rape and sexual abuse funding and funding that it receives from
the police and crime commissioner to provide its counselling and
independent sexual violence advocate service. Will the Minister
help it with its budget setting by confirming today when it will
receive its settlement figures, and give an indication as to
whether those figures will be similar to last year's allocations?
May I also invite her to come to Stoke-on-Trent to see the
amazing work that it does?(901082)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the brilliant work of
Savana. The charity does tremendous work in supporting victims
and survivors of these abhorrent crimes. This financial year, the
Government are providing £41 million of ringfenced funding for
ISVAs and independent domestic violence advisers. Now that the
departmental budgets for 2025-26 have been announced, the
internal departmental allocations process is taking place. I have
written to police and crime commissioners to assure them that
they will be told of the settlement by the beginning of December,
and I would love to visit Savana in Stoke-on-Trent.
Mr Speaker
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
(Eastbourne) (LD)
An estimated 80,000 disabled young people are unable to benefit
from their child trust fund savings, because their families are
being thwarted by a complex legal process before they can access
them. The previous Government let these families down by
tolerating that, so this Government need to act. Will the
Minister commit to simplifying this agonising process to ensure
that these disabled young people get the cash that they
deserve?
This Government recognise the difficulties that parents and
guardians of young people who lack mental capacity can face in
accessing their child trust fund. I recently met the hon.
Member's colleague, the hon. Member for Horsham (), and his constituent about
this issue. The Government will consider what can be done in a
way that safeguards those who lack capacity.
(Rushcliffe) (Lab)
T6. Several constituents have contacted me about the sentences
being handed down to climate protesters, with some seeing these
sentences as too long given the pressure on our prison system.
Will my hon. Friend confirm whether there are any plans to look
afresh at sentencing for these types of offences in the context
of crowded prisons?(901085)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir
)
The right to protest is an important part of our democracy, but
it has to be exercised within the law. Sentencing in individual
cases is, of course, a matter for independent courts.
Mr (East Londonderry)
(DUP)
T2. In the past week alone, there have been four reported sexual
assaults or attempted sexual assaults against women in
Londonderry. I know that justice is a devolved matter, but on
average 140 women have been killed every year during the past 15
years. It is an issue that we cannot ignore. Will the Minister
consider asking her counterparts in the devolved regions to bring
a determined focus and unity of purpose to tackling violence
against women and girls, to ensure that they all feel safe, no
matter where they live in the country?(901079)
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that very important question. He
is right: all parts of this country—all our nations—are
experiencing an epidemic of violence against women and girls. We
have already spoken about the 16 days of action, which will
highlight what we can all do to stand against this abhorrent
crime. I am working with my counterparts across all the devolved
nations on how we tackle violence against women and girls. I will
bring forward more information in due course.
(Mid Cheshire) (Lab)
T7. As has been said today, justice delayed is justice denied. I
am sure that the Minister will agree that victims of domestic
violence are being forced to wait years for their cases to be
heard in court. A constituent of mine has told me that the delays
in her case have left her feeling trapped, scared and let down by
the criminal justice system, while, she feels, her abuser is free
to move on with his life. What steps can my hon. Friend take to
expedite domestic violence cases, so that victims are not left
waiting for years?(901086)
The Government inherited a record and rising court backlog, which
has seen far too many victims and survivors waiting too long for
justice. Decisions on case listing are a matter for the
independent judiciary, who, when possible, look to prioritise
cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses. We are
committed to bearing down on the caseload to speed up the
delivery of justice for all victims.
(Aldridge-Brownhills)
(Con)
T5. Over the years, I have met a number of constituents who have
endured the pain of a loved one being killed or seriously injured
in a road traffic collision. Last week, I met representatives of
RoadPeace West Midlands again. Ahead of the world day of
remembrance for road traffic victims on Sunday 17 November, will
the Justice Secretary commit to personally look at the “Remain
and Report” campaign and to bring forward the promised
consultation?(901083)
I have been lobbied by the same group in the west midlands. I
will certainly look at the representations that have been
made.
Mr (Bury North) (Lab)
Thomas White was sentenced to three years for theft of a mobile
phone in 2012. He remains in a category A prison 12 years later,
having received an imprisonment for public protection sentence.
Two medical reports this year have confirmed his deteriorating
mental health. He recently attempted to set himself on fire and
has since stopped taking his medication. Will the Secretary of
State meet me and his sister, Clara White, to discuss his
case?
I am very sorry to hear about the circumstances facing my hon.
Friend's constituent's sibling in prison. We are determined to
make more progress with IPP prisoners, but never in a way that
compromises public protection. If my hon. Friend writes to the
Department with the specifics of the case, I will ensure that he
receives a response.
Mr (Mid Leicestershire)
(Con)
A lady from Northampton was recently given a 31-month sentence
for a tweet, whereas an individual who incited physical violence
on the streets of Birmingham as part of a pro-Palestinian protest
received a far lesser sentence. Does the Secretary of State agree
that such inconsistencies create the perception, at least, that
we have a two-tier justice system?
It is incumbent on Members to ensure that such a perception does
not take hold and not to inappropriately compare sentences handed
out in different types of cases. As the hon. Gentleman well knows
and every Member of this House should know, sentences in
individual cases are a matter for the independent judges who hear
those cases; the trials unfold in front of them.
(Truro and Falmouth)
(Lab/Co-op)
I welcome the commitment in the Budget to our courts after 14
years of neglect. Truro Crown court is facing a temporary cut to
Crown court sitting days until the end of the year. I have
previously asked about delayed rape and sexual offences cases at
Truro Crown court. Can measures be considered to assist?
As my hon. Friend will know, we are doing everything we can to
bear down on the Crown court caseload, including extending
magistrates' sentencing powers. The Budget also confirmed 106,500
sitting days for this year.
(Richmond Park) (LD)
Earlier this year, I spoke with the now Minister for safeguarding
and violence against women and girls, the hon. Member for
Birmingham Yardley (), about my campaign to make
court transcripts free. She was supportive, but was not sure that
Labour could commit to spending the £2.2 million that it would
cost. The Justice Committee has urged the courts to consider
whether artificial intelligence-powered transcription could
reduce the cost of producing court transcripts. Will the Minister
commit to carrying out the Committee's recommendations before the
end of this parliamentary Session?
I understand why the hon. Lady raises that issue, but transcripts
must be 100% accurate. They are legal documents, so “good enough”
simply does not cut it. I will review what technology is
available, and I am happy to keep her updated.
(South Norfolk) (Lab)
A report from May 2022 showed that only nine of the 32 prison
education institutions inspected were judged “good” or
“outstanding” by Ofsted; additionally, less than 40% of prisoners
took courses up to GCSE level. Does my hon. Friend agree that if
we are to tackle rehabilitation, we must improve prison education
across the estate?
Sir
My hon. Friend is right: the quality of prison education must
continually improve if we are to achieve the best possible
rehabilitation outcomes.
Sir (South Holland and The Deepings)
(Con)
Will the Secretary of State make available—perhaps through a note
in the Library—the number and type of foreign national offenders
who, aided by deluded interest groups and dodgy lawyers, are
resisting deportation by means of appeal, either to domestic
courts or to European—foreign—judges?
I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that all the data that was
published under the previous Government will continue to be
published by ours.
(St Austell and Newquay)
(Lab)
As my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield Central () pointed out, legal aid is
currently restricted to those on the lowest incomes. I have
received correspondence from a constituent who, despite being a
domestic abuse survivor, cannot access legal aid because her
income is above the threshold. Will the Minister consider
widening legal aid eligibility to all victims of domestic
violence?
Some cases are eligible for legal aid under exceptional case
funding. If my hon. Friend writes to me with the details of the
case, I will come back to him with any advice that I can
offer.
(Mid Sussex) (LD)
As Ministers are doubtless aware, domestic abuse includes
financial abuse and coercive control. I have a constituent whose
ex-partner is using the family courts to perpetrate his
controlling and abusive behaviour against her. What can be done
to prevent the legal system from being used as a vehicle for
extending domestic abuse by former partners?
The hon. Lady is right: sadly, family courts are far too often
used to re-traumatise victims of domestic abuse. The Government
are alive to that fact, and we are rolling out our pathfinder
pilot to focus on a more child-centred approach. I am meeting
Surviving Economic Abuse this afternoon—we have a great
relationship with that organisation—to see how best we can do
more and support victims.
Mr (Leeds South West and Morley)
(Lab)
I wonder if Ministers are as astounded as I am that Conservative
Members are still attacking us, as the shadow Justice Secretary
did at the start of this question time, for clearing up their
mess in the criminal justice system. Will the Government commit
to increasing capacity in our prison system, so that we can deal
with the crisis that the Conservatives ran away from?
The shadow Secretary of State has not necessarily been in
position long enough to have acquainted himself with all aspects
of his Government's performance in this area. We will spend more
this year on building the prison places that the last Government
failed to deliver, and we have launched our landmark sentencing
review to ensure that we never again have to make emergency
releases.
(North West Norfolk) (Con)
HMP Garth has been likened to an airport because of the number of
drones that illegally fly drugs into that prison. What urgent
action is the Lord Chancellor taking to end that unacceptable
situation?
Drugs getting into prison is a huge issue, and I am very aware of
the issues at Garth. The Minister with responsibility for prisons
will meet the governors and think about how to deal with those
problems in the medium and long term.
(Hammersmith and Chiswick)
(Lab)
There was welcome news for the Ministry of Justice in the Budget
last week, but I did not hear any mention of legal aid funding.
When will the criminal legal aid advisory board recommendations
and the civil legal aid review be published, and when can we
expect to see some reversal of the catastrophic cuts made to
legal aid and advice since 2010?
We will publish our response to the “Crime Lower” consultation in
a matter of weeks. I anticipate being able to publish the CLAAB
report at that stage, and some of the documents relating to the
review of civil legal aid before the end of this year.
|
